The American voters have spoken and have chosen Donald Trump as their next president. Regardless of his personal fallibilities, the majority of Americans who voted sought someone outside of the mainstream Washington establishment, who is beholden to no one except the American people, and who will seek to improve the lot of ordinary Americans. This is something that establishment politicians have shown little desire to do. That the mainstream media was so convinced that Trump had no chance of winning demonstrates just how out of touch they are. Brexit gave many disaffected Americans hope that they too could extricate themselves from the control of the elites. Now is the time to come together and heal our many divisions and work for a better future for all Americans.
Dr Michael Pravica
Henderson, Nevada, USA
• It is interesting to note that the pollsters, political commentators and politicians got their forecasts wrong, and the question has to be addressed as to why. In our western democracies the electorates are well-informed and volatile as never before. Through the mobile phone and news media all are inundated with information which can magnify any perceived grievance. The electorate in both the UK and the US now realise that they do have a voice and can force real change. In both countries populations find it no longer acceptable that wealth, privilege and opportunity is not spread fairly across all sections of the community.
In the UK, a north-south divide, decaying industry not replaced, and the changed landscape of our cities and towns push the the electorate towards a protest vote. Why is it that our established parties have allowed this situation to fester? Why did the experts get it wrong? Obviously they were not close enough to the electorate to clearly see the grievances and trends. It is a lesson for all politicians that they ignore the electorate at their peril.
Ron Austin
Ipswich
• I wanted to remain in Europe, but knew we would lose a good couple of weeks before the referendum. I also would have voted Democrat, but it was obvious that Trump would win. Unless you are a pundit or write for the national papers etc these results were as plain as could be. Why are these talking heads so blind to what happens in the real world? As with the political elite who dominate both sides (think Eton-educated, or with the surname Benn, Kinnock, Straw etc), these people want to believe their own thoughts and try to make it fact. Maybe a cull of some of the nodding heads on TV and in papers is long overdue. Try asking normal people.
Richard Coombs
Holywell, Flintshire
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