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: Less than 90 days to the election

We are now less than 90 days away from the USA Presidential elections. Given the pandemic, associated economic downturn and continuing civil strife, the next three months are likely to get even more interesting.

Australia takes the fossil option

Progressive parties’ best hope for making inroads into these electorates in the future may be investing greater thought into the notion of a ‘just climate transition’ for fossil fuel jobs.

Australia’s election silences call for mandatory debates

A federal election debates commission should be created to ensure debates become a permanent, scheduled element of every federal election.