History echoes through the years

“Remember, remember, the fifth of November”…

…Growing up in England, how could I ever forget?

From staunch enemies in the 18th century to uniting against fascism in the mid-20th century, British and American histories have always been deeply intertwined.

Today, some 419 years after Guy Fawkes’s gunpowder plot threatened Parliament’s destruction, American democracy faces its own critical test, though this time through ballots rather than gunpowder.

The Trump Presidency

Beneath all Trump’s boasts of historic achivements and unprescendented success, here are the results of his four years in the Oval Office:

Not opinions. Not speculation. These are the cold, hard facts. Under scrutiny, Trump’s lasting legacy as President is one of failure.

The Show That Never Ended

The story began in the Summer of 2015, when Donald John Trump’s infamous escalator descent—eerily predicted by The Simpsons became the opening act of an unprecedented political spectacle. His unconventional style, marked by schoolyard-like taunts and direct attacks, dismantled established political figures with the swagger of a 1980s movie bully. (Yes, I’m looking at you, Biff Tannen.)


The “Tweeter-in-Chief” reshaped political discourse, paving the way for a ‘post-truth’ era we continue to navigate—and may be stuck with indefinitely.

Trump’s presidency marked a clear turning point: statements or opinions could become “truth” through sheer repetition and volume. “Fake news” wasn’t merely a catchphrase; it was a calculated tactic to erode the public’s trust in the media and long-standing American institutions.

The Party’s Over

The Republican Party has sunk to lows not seen since Watergate. From Lindsey Graham calling Trump a “race-baiting, xenophobic bigot” then becoming his steadfast defender. Meanwhile, Marjorie Taylor Green, a U.S Representative and prominent MAGA Republican, is quick to share unsubstantiated conspiratorial nonsense, without any apparent concern for the truth or any consequences.

Want more proof? Look at the GOP’s recent rejection of a bipartisan border security bill— a genuine solution to the ongoing issue at the southern border.

Why? Keeping the border crisis ongoing benefits Trump’s campaign. Think about it: the GOP prefers to prolong a crisis to help him. This simply isn’t the actions of a Party that has America’s best interests at heart.

The Supreme Takeover

Donald Trump had the rare opportunity to appoint three Supreme Court Justices during his tenure, a chance last seen nearly 40 years ago when Republican President Ronald Reagan appointed three. The appointments of Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and, following Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death, Amy Coney Barrett have given the Supreme Court a pronounced shift to the right.

The timeline tells its own story: Barrett was confirmed just 38 days before a Presidential election, while Merrick Garland was denied even a hearing 269 days before one, highlighting the double standard of the GOP and their underhand tactics. This is yet another example of a procedure that should be a bipartisan effort to do right by America hijacked by partisan politics.

The consequences have been profound. The overturning of Roe v. Wade represents the most significant rollback of established rights in modern American history, throwing Women’s rights back 50 years. And the question remains: what other long-held accepted civil liberties may be next?

Vice President Harris

As Vice President in the Biden administration, Kamala Harris helped steer America’s recovery after the pandemic, most notably with her tie-breaking vote in the Senate, used to pass the American Rescue plan of 2021.

Now, with the possibility of becoming the nation’s first woman President, she offers both continuity and concrete steps forward providing real, pragmatic solutions to America’s ongoing challenges:, offering:

  • Feasible border security legislation
  • Climate action through market mechanisms
  • Historic $25,000 down-payment assistance for first-time homebuyers
  • A plan to build 3 million new affordable homes
  • Up to $6,000 in tax relief for families in a child’s first year

Essentially, a genuine plan to build on the Biden administration’s work, rather than implementing more red-tape cutting tax cuts for the wealthy.

A Message for Democrats

Time for some home truths: you can’t just be ‘right’ —you have to win.

Many Americans view both Democratic and old-guard Republican establishments as disconnected from reality. There’s a growing sense that while Washington focused on corporate relationships and foreign interventions, average Americans’ concerns were met with empty campaign promises – election after election

Is it any wonder Trump’s voice cut through? He offered soundbites and simple solutions to complex problems (even if the solutions were fantasy). Build a wall, bring back jobs, make America great again… When you’re struggling to make ends meet, continuing to vote for the same establishment promising the same results feels futile.

The Democrats especially need to learn from this. Having the right policies isn’t enough—you must show that you’re delivering. Harris has feasible solutions, but solutions without storytelling will not win elections. When facts alone aren’t enough, the messaging matters. Not because it should, but because it does.

In the modern era, political reality is simple: either shape the narrative or get shaped by it. Political success increasingly depends more on controlling perceptions than anything else.

Which is a damning indictment of where we find ourselves. But it’s the reality we must deal with.

Trump didn’t win people over with substance; he won them over by simply acknowledging their existence. Democrats have real solutions for real problems—but they need to communicate them in ways that resonate.

The solution? Give people something real to believe in, and make them believe it’s possible. Trump mastered the storytelling—he just forgot about the delivery part. Democrats need both.

Trump vs Harris 2024: Two Distinct Visions

Taking all the noise away, America faces a fundamental choice between two systems of governance:

The Rule of Law

Will power be:

  • Constrained by laws and institutions, or shaped by the will of leaders?
  • Distributed through checks and balances, or concentrated in the executive?
  • Based on constitutional principles, or personal authority?

Democratic Process

Will decisions be:

  • Made through electoral and legislative processes, or through executive action?
  • Resolved through established procedures, collaborative endeavours or further dissolve into partisan battles?

Global Leadership

Will America be:

  • A defender of democratic alliances, or a self-interested power?
  • A guardian of international order, or a dealmaker seeking advantage?
  • A reliable partner to allies, or a transactional foreign power?

This election will define whether America is to be a beacon of democracy across the globe, or will it become a mercantile isolationist power?…

My Thoughts

Why This Matters Globally

The world watches from afar with a keen eye on this election. As the saying goes, “When America sneezes, the world catches a cold” - and the implications reach far beyond America’s borders.

As a European observer, I see this election as critical in:

  • Rebuilding trust in democratic institutions
  • Lowering the temperature of political discourse
  • Restoring fact-based governance
  • Strengthening the transatlantic alliance
  • Standing united against growing authoritarian influence
  • Returning to shared democratic values

The bottom line

Having spent significant time in America and knowing many good Americans I call friends, it’s deeply disheartening to witness such a great nation tear itself apart. This is the country that helped rebuild Europe through the Marshall Plan, put humans on the moon, and even gave the world the wonder that is jazz music (thanks America!).

For me, Trump and the MAGA movement represent the antithesis of the American values I’ve grown to know and love. A movement that claims to be Patriotic while attacking democratic institutions is anything but.

Not to mention, the ever-increasing polarisation, the erosion of civil liberties and the undermining of democratic norms—all oppose America’s foundational promise of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

I’ve spent enough time in America to know it’s better than this. Much better.

The choice isn’t between left and right anymore. It’s between:

  • Law vs. chaos
  • Democracy vs. dictatorship
  • Reality vs. really good ratings

So, which way, America?