Want No Trump

A Chinese, a Brazilian and a German were engaged in a round of bridge in one of the failed businesses, this one a casino, of an American bragger. After the cards were dealt, it was the Brazilian's call and he offered one club. The German, ecstatic after the 2014 World Cup football victory, was intent on rubbing salt to Rio's semi-final wound and uttered 'seven clubs' with a wink, but immediately corrected it to two diamonds. That awakened the usually abusive and slurring Trump, not because the American loves anything that glitters, but because he enjoyed the seven goals ridiculing; he appreciates deriding anyone, particularly in this instance, because he hates football and generally because he dislikes anything non-white. Fidgeting all along, he seemed unprepared to call anything, he never prepares, but managed to say two spades. The Chinese was quick and called 'one no trump'. That visibly upset Trump, and he retorted: "That's why I do not want the Chinese in the USA. I will build a bigger wall than your Great Wall"

"Hey where did that come from?" the other three said in unison.

"Why! He can say 'want no trump' and I cannot be political?

From China to Bangladesh

The following has remained one of my favourite anecdotes:

A Bangalee was once roughed up, his shirt torn off, he was punched all over and slapped on the face more than once by some toughies. When he returned to his meek friends observing from a distance, he was pretty cool about the incident. Asked what happened, replied he unabashedly: "They sure beat me up a little, but they could not take my "ijjat" (honour)".

'Sir' Donald Trump reminds me constantly of our friend, who having lost everything assumes superciliously that he has been able to salvage his honour. The presumptive salutation is indeed ahead of time but I have the gut feeling that someday he will dish out enough from his 'legal' tax savings to purchase a knighthood.

After making a buffoon of himself and being as offensive as an ill-mannered eight-year-old, despite being beaten hollow by Secretary HR Clinton in the first TV debate September 26, Trump has been harping on the ballad that he 'won', a claim disputed even by polls under the most partisan GOP media.

Such reckless self-confidence and brash egotism (not desirable of a US Commander-in-Chief) enabled him to earlier floor a dozen and a half other Republican presidential contenders, which also exposed the economic and thereby moral vulnerability of white American middle class as well as their gullibility. I mean, how can one not see through the chap's dark suit, dyed blonde hair and twitching lips that has arrogance gelled all over?

While we Bangladeshis can spot deception a mile away - not that we can every time make the hustler ineffective or face the music - it took the brag-about most powerful country in the world two major conventions and ensuing nomination sessions, a hounding media worth millions of hours of airtime, and a televised faceoff before unearthing, thanks to NY Times (02 Oct), that the 'apprentice' in 1995 claimed a business loss of almost one billion dollars in his income tax statement. And for over two decades, the owner of hotels, skyscrapers, golf courses, winery, real estate, and the Miss Universe pageant has not had to pay any federal income tax because the law allows Donald to trump the law. In other words, he was perhaps living off the tax paid my Americans with much (to the power billion) lesser income.

The impetuous businessman, haughty television personality, and now politician as well as a self-proclaimed hater of Muslims, war veterans, Mexicans, Chinese (for causing climate change), immigrants (since after the arrival of his ancestors to America), crying children, fat women (including a former beauty queen) and Mr. Clinton (why on earth?) has seen his popularity rating plummet, not as much due to Hillary's performance, but due to his antics that can at best be likened to a teenager in love with himself. 

During the first debate, Clinton accused Trump of not paying taxes for years, our Donald came back with the retort, "That makes me smart." One has to be convinced that the guy has no idea why and how a government should run the way it does. He is a child whose ambition is to become the POTUS but he has not had any preparation.

Independent voters in large numbers are pulling away from Trump. Republicans are concerned that Trump's possible 'dismal' performance may affect the standing of the party's candidates in the Congressional polls. Some of them, according to anonymous sources, are already on their mark, set and ready to go far, far away from Ivanka's dad.

All these boil down to the billion dollar question, why did the stalwarts of the Republican Party not foresee the possibility of such a candidate being nominated? If indeed the white middle class are threatened by people of colour and neo-immigrants, why has there not been a policy overhaul to tackle such an important and vital socioeconomic issue? Despite the odds, should Donald Trump win the race to the White House, shall it be a victory for democratic practice or a defeat for mankind?

The writer is a practising Architect at BashaBari Ltd., a Commonwealth Scholar and a Fellow, a Baden-Powell Fellow Scout Leader, and a Major Donor Rotarian.