Trump win a crushing defeat of globalism

Published 9:50 am Friday, November 11, 2016

by Joseph Cotto

President-elect Donald Trump’s story is the American Dream, and that is why he scored a victory which will send ripple effects through the decades — if not centuries — to come.

If you stayed up until roughly 3:00 AM on Wednesday morning, your losing several hours’ shut-eye was well worth the effort. His victory speech, in each of its improbable moments, was perhaps the greatest example in our nation’s political history of grabbing victory from the jaws of defeat.

Quite simply put, there was nothing else like it, and I doubt there will be within the next hundred-or-so years.

Other writers surely have another take on the epic saga which was his campaign, but for me the conclusion is obvious. Trump overcame seemingly insurmountable odds to win the Republican primary and charged full speed into a general election that the smart set deemed him destined to lose.

His ordeal echoes another undertaking — one in which an ambitious young man from New York City’s outermost borough defied his father’s expert advice and charted course for Manhattan. The ultra-competitive, highly-expensive, perennially-status-conscious island traditionally thumbed its nose at anyone from the Big Apple’s less glamorous locales.

This fellow did not care about the deck stacked against him, however. He had a vision: urban real estate development on a scale even industry professionals could hardly encompass. He wanted to refurbish and construct gargantuan buildings; places where people could live and work in comfort.

He was determined to leave his mark on the community — to have his name associated with quality and success.

After years upon years of grueling work, which cut through more than a handful of difficulties, this man established himself as not just New York’s most famous property mogul, but the world’s. He attained such stature that he was chosen to host a business-interest reality television show.

Already famous, his star soared to new heights. It set the stage for political engagement on the grandest of all scales.

This man, as you no doubt have deduced, is Donald Trump. His past life in the private sector ran seamlessly into his new one as America’s chief executive. To start a new career at 70 is gobsmacking, but Trump is well accustomed to going against the grain — then leaving his critics in embarrassment.

I am proud to have supported his campaign from the very beginning. His message of economic protectionism, immigration restrictions, infrastructure investment, political incorrectness, and preserving the nation-state is precisely what a nation in decline such as our own needs.

Trump’s core identity seems intertwined with his brand. His hotels, golf courses, and merchandise are all on the upper end of the socioeconomic spectrum. When one sees the Trump name, an expectation of glitz and prosperity is immediately formed.

Having cultivated this image of himself in the business sector, as a public servant I believe he will stand committed to pursuing America’s best interests. A Trump presidency will no doubt be one in which quality control is key, therefore leaving us at a distinct advantage over what has come down the line from Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton.

Trump’s victory is a reset for United States public policy. All indications are that he will pursue an America First program in which this country no longer functions as a storage room for the world’s excess baggage or a sugar daddy for foreign nations who ought to be holding their own water.

His victory, like Brexit, constitutes a crushing defeat for the advocates of globalism — whether they bill themselves as being on the left or right.

Of course, no person can single-handedly solve all our country’s problems. Nonetheless, Trump can and — judging from what I can tell — will work overtime to help America secure an advantageous position in a rapidly changing world.

His commitment to dealing with pressing domestic concerns rather than interfering with the affairs of Russia and Japan is some of the best news sound minds can wish for.

Trump’s American Dream has brought morning to the fruited planes once again. The question now is this: What will we do with our brand-new day?

Make the most of it.

JOSEPH COTTO is a historical and social journalist, and writes about politics, economics and social issues. Email him at joseph.f.cotto@gmail.com.