Now that it is all but official that Donald Trump will be the presidential candidate from the Republican Party, most people are understandably worried. This man wants to build a giant wall along the US-Mexico border to keep out immigrants.
To bring back jobs, he wants to restrict imports from China by imposing heavy tariffs. He would also aid the governments of Japan, South Korea and even Saudi Arabia in developing or acquiring nuclear weapons. Some other proposals include mass deportations of immigrants already in the US, especially Muslims, mass arrest of those who protest against him, and expanding the powers of the NSA to snoop on people. None of this will end well. Just consider the following:
Trump’s Economy
The massive expenditure Trump has got planned on the wall and a larger military budget, coupled with his ridiculous tax plans, will lead to a massive increase in national debt. Economists estimate this increase in debt would be anywhere from $12 trillion to $15 trillion. Why is this bad? Just look to the ongoing Greek debt crisis to get a glimpse of the future of America. With massive unemployment, poverty, high taxes and little to no provision of public services, life in America could easily become hell if Trump’s economic policies are implemented.
Next, he wants to impose a 45 percent tariff on imports from China, and a 35 percent tariff on Mexican goods. These two are among the largest trade partners of the US. What happens if trade is restricted? It will result in China, Mexico and other countries retaliating by imposing tariffs of their own. The American consumer will end up paying higher prices for goods. Moreover, this will reduce the demand for imports, putting many Mexicans out of work. And where will they find jobs? How about a marijuana plantation? Or a meth lab?
Social and Immigration Policies
Trump also misleads people by saying that vaccines cause autism. If he has his way, vaccines will not be available in American government hospitals. At a time when vaccines are being made available even in the poorest nations of Africa, people in America will be catching and dying of diseases which could be easily prevented.
And let us not forget the racism and xenophobia this guy brings with him. He wants to deport all Syrian refugees and wants to ban Muslims from entering America. This will serve as the perfect recruitment tool for terrorist organisations like ISIS. We can easily expect a rise in terrorist activities worldwide if these policies are implemented.
If Trump becomes the President of the United States, there will be chaos not just in America but around the world. The idea of President Trump is scary for most people, and understandably so. But there is a silver lining to Trump’s nomination.
Trump Will Serve as a Lesson For the Future
Trump’s nomination should serve as a lesson to those who advocate socialism and big government. Their argument is that if government controls everything, then life will somehow become fair. Resources will be distributed equitably, everyone would have enough to eat, universal access to education and healthcare and so on.
As any economist will tell you, this is a bunch of nonsense, as evidenced by the failed experiments of socialism in Soviet Russia, China, Eastern Europe and an ongoing example in North Korea. Nonetheless, I will make a huge concession and assume that this argument is valid. That if a socialist, like Bernie Sanders, is in power, he or she will indeed transform America into a utopia.
But we should also ask ourselves what happens if Trump is elected. Is America ready to give Donald Trump the same power and same control over the economy as it would give to Bernie Sanders? Will it put Trump in charge of its children’s education? Will America put him in charge of its hospitals? Will it trust him with managing retirement and pension plans like it would trust Sanders?
If the answer to any of those questions is a no, then it is time to reconsider the path Americans have been walking. If the idea of President Trump is scary, voters must consider reducing government powers and not depend on a wise and benevolent leader to do the right thing. Because well intentioned leaders like Bernie Sanders, or Narendra Modi for that matter, arrive once in a blue moon. The likes of Trump and Rahul Gandhi are everywhere. And what is the system that, if Trump or Rahul Gandhi are in charge, will cause the least harm? The answer is undoubtedly, a very small and limited government, and a free market.
(Jairaj Devadiga is an economist and can be reached at jairajdevadiga@gmail.com. The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of The Quint.)
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