Election fever in the US

It is a tight contest so far and hard to call it! It is amazing to see that in a country with 345 million people, the decision on who will become president will go down to a few thousand votes in one or two swing states. There are implications for Irish food producers and the Irish economy, no matter who is elected. Trump is a protectionist, intent on imposing tariffs that could disrupt trade between the EU and the US, potentially impacting Irish exports to the US. He also advocates the repatriation of US companies with clear consequences for US-originated foreign-direct-investment in this country. Kamala Harris’s somewhat vague economic policies also suggest a leaning towards curbing the financial benefits to US corporations of basing subsidiaries overseas, an equally unsettling prospect for Ireland’s continuing economic, financial and trade interactions with the US. The last few months are an indication of how volatile American politics is, with President Biden being replaced overnight as candidate for the presidency by vice-president Kamala Harris. She has been a high-impact substitute, putting a spotlight on Donald Trump’s flaws. Trump, however, has previous campaigning experience and appears to believe his own rhetoric. Harris’s bid for the US presidency appears to have plateaued, even with fulsome support from former presidents Obama and Clinton, and a plethora of famous names from the entertainment industry. Many on this side of the Atlantic hope the US electorate will ensure that Kamala Harris is the next incumbent in the White House. It’s a difficult choice for middle-of-the-road American voters. The choice is between the ultra-liberal Harris and the blustering, often incoherent, Trump. Right now, it appears enough voters may hold their noses and vote for Donald Trump.