Pennsylvania – The keystone state

Whatever happens over the coming days, Pennsylvania once again is playing a key role in American political history. And it is likely to remain a key battleground state for presidential elections in years to come.

Why democratic legitimacy is now at stake

The United States will sit in limbo until the final results from swing states are in, but the Trump campaign has already begun to push this political battle into the courts should he lose, while the Biden campaign has promised to meet the challenge.

Political pragmatism, judicial geriatrics, and the decline of democracy

Hell hath no fury like a vested interest parading as a moral principle, but the hypocrisy of politicians in the USA and other western nations in promoting partisan interest in the name of the common good is undermining public faith in democratic institutions and, perhaps, democracy itself.

The final countdown

The US election next week carries something of the whiff of a Las Vegas casino – bluff, bluster, and braggadocio. The stakes for the nation are perhaps higher than they’ve ever been and the entire electoral table is in play.

Après le déluge

After the circus elephants and donkeys have paraded through town, the clean-up is messy but straightforward. But when a tsunami recedes, even the most extensive reconstruction efforts are unlikely to remove all signs of its destruction.

The re-election of Donald Trump

The polls seem to suggest that Joe Biden will defeat Donald Trump in the Presidential election, but despite the turmoil of recent months, a strong case can still be made for a Trump second term.

America’s choice and Asia’s future

Whoever claims victory in the US presidential contest this week, Washington’s grasp over Asia’s future is on the wane.

Why there was no “October surprise”

America’s mainstream media were Trump’s unwitting enablers in 2016, but have finally rediscovered their rightful role: to be the country’s gatekeepers against baseless conspiracy theories, to filter out truth from lies, and to hold the powerful accountable for the actions, or their ineptitude.

Arvanitakis on American politics: The next few days and the election

Many say this is the most important election in America’s history. The problem, however, is that the outcome is unlikely to change the direction that history is taking us.

America’s Indo-Pacific strategy is about to change

Washington’s approach to the Indo-Pacific will change over the next four years, regardless of the outcome of the November election. The only questions are how and how much.

Arvanitakis on American Politics: The third debate and 12 days to the election

The US election is already underway, as 40 million have already voted by mail, and the clock towards the most contentious election result in living memory is already ticking.

Arvanitakis on American politics: The first debate…

The First US Presidential debate – held before the President was diagnosed with COVID-19 – did nothing to elevate the level of public discourse, but its chaotic, rowdy nature may well have served Trump’s purposes in an increasingly fractious election campaign.