From the lack of cohesive policy platform to deliver change to the American people, to their arrogant refusal to budge from their unconditional support of Israel's genocide in Gaza, the Democrats sealed Donald Trump's victory before a single vote was even cast.
The Democrats have once again proven themselves incapable of learning the lessons of previous defeats. As was the case in 2016, where Hillary Clinton lost to Trump, the Democrats chose to focus on their candidate's personal differences to Trump rather than build a progressive set of policies to meet the concerns of the American working class. This soap opera style of election only benefits characters like Trump and his now Vice President-elect JD Vance, who are set to take office in January 2025.
The decision to install Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democrat candidate following Joe Biden's late withdrawal from running for a second term was a failure in itself. The lack of democratic process in implementing Harris meant that her obvious weaknesses to a wider electorate only bubbled under the surface and therefore avoided the mainstream examination that would have showed clearly that her major involvement in the Biden administration caused irreparable damage to her credibility as an instigator of the change demanded by millions of American citizens.
With only a modest economic recovery for very few under Biden, along with his unwavering and unapologetic support for Israel's genocide in Gaza, Kamala Harris' campaign failed to promise any sort of break away from the status quo. Trump on the other hand, whilst completely vague and light on policy, once again focused his campaign on this message - and that is what sealed his victory.
Make no mistake though, Trump is no friend to the working class or the people suffering under Israeli ethnic cleaning. In the hours following his victory, the 10 world's richest people, including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, added around $64bn to their wealth.
The defeat of Harris, an establishment centrist politician in the US, is something that must also be taken seriously by the Labour government in Britain too. 14 years of Conservative austerity and cuts to our communities gifted Keir Starmer victory in July. However, Labour must engage with the reality that wages in the UK have stagnated and public services such as the NHS are crumbling whilst the rich have never been richer. Any failure to address these issues with a significant national wage increase and huge investment in public services, paid for by a wealth tax on billionaires and corporations, puts Britain at risk of the election of another Conservative government.
This US presidential election result is a grave concern for the planet, marginalised communities, refugees and Palestinians trying to survive Israel’s genocide. Trump's abhorrent rhetoric must be resisted at every opportunity and our movement must succeed where the arrogant Democratic establishment failed.
We must organise globally, stand in solidarity with those targeted by the awful politics of fear and division and build an alternative of hope and unity.