Blimey. President Donald Trump.
Personally, I'm not surprised that politics is changing. Or that lots of people are angry, and want a change. Too often politicians ask us to vote for them, but then don’t listen to what we have to say. Many don’t seem to stand for much or are out of touch with everyday life.
Many of us see prices in the shops go up, but our wages stay the same. We worry about our own futures, let alone our children’s. It’s harder to see a doctor when we need one. Meanwhile, a small number of people get richer and richer and pay less and less tax.
Global forces – terrorism, big business, trade deals, migration – can challenge our sense of identity, or make us feel less safe and secure where we live.
Politics is changing, but Donald Trump isn’t the change most of us hope for. He taps into an anger we can understand, at least a bit, but his policies are extreme and counterproductive. He blames immigrants and Muslims. He wants to deport people and build walls. He boasts about groping women. He stirs up racism, and relies on lies and insults rather than honest debate.
Here in the UK, some of the same things are happening. There’s been a rise in racist attacks. [1] During the EU referendum, both sides used lies, insults and scare tactics. And then there was the terrible murder of Jo Cox MP. Politics feels more divided than ever. But there are forces pushing in the other direction too. There's an example in front of you right now. Thousands of people are reading this forum today just like you are, and we're all thinking about what we can do to make the world a better place.
