As we enter into September, the ninth month of the corona virus pandemic, the world economy has seen the worst recession since the 1930s Great Depression.
While there are signs of economic recovery as businesses reopen and stock markets are rebounding in the quickest ever turnaround in history, the streets of America are seeing unprecedented bouts of chaos and sporadic violence as protests against racial injustice and police brutality rage through the nation before the 3rd November elections.
What can we make of 2020? The first year of a new decade. Is the mind of man prepared for this perfect storm of virus, recession and, in some countries, violence?
Are we prepared to accept the narrative of a new normal of a second wave of enforced lockdowns, dubious vaccinations and a renewed cold war between the left versus right wing politics (e.g. the China-U.S cold war)?
How will 2020 end? Before we can attempt to answer this tough question, we need to take stock of the current situation in America (I shall explain why it is relevant to us here in Malaysia).
The American flag consists of three colors: red, blue and white. But a new combination of these colors can be viewed as metaphors of race (red), violence (blue) and pandemic (yellow). Will they be subsumed into the white of national reconciliation, order and health (both mental, physical and spiritual)? Let us analyse each of these colors:
1. Race: While there is racial divide in America, it is not an issue that has worsened over the past three years: black unemployment had improved into a historic low while the wage differential of Black to White wage earners has narrowed.
However, this year’s pandemic has inadvertently hit the poorer classes of society, which happens to be mostly from the Black community.
The unfortunate death of George Floyd is a case of police brutality. But it was convenient for the left and the Democrat elite to capitalise on it as a case of racial injustice.
So the politicians and their corporate sponsors unleashed months of violent protests along with the call to defund the police force.
This race issue, if portrayed and blown up by the media as more than it actually is, would serve as an advantage for the Democrats to swing public opinion, especially the young Millennials, against Trump in the elections.
2. Violence: The American citizen’s right to protest and demonstrate is a constitutional right and should be fully supported in any democratic society. What is a criminal offense is to protest with violence.
So why is the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and antifa (Anti Fascist) agitators engaging in violent protests such as burning of shops, restaurants, car dealerships and police stations and beating up of bystanders who do not agree with their anti-establishment views?
And it is no coincidence that these riots are happening in Democrat-controlled states where the governors are doing nothing to speak out against the rioters nor calling the aid of the National Guards.
3. Pandemic: Of all nations in the world, the one that is least prepared to comply with new laws that impinge on individual liberties and freedom of choice is America.
Coincidentally, the country that can most effectively enforce pandemic-related shutdowns is China given the government’s draconian methods and the digital-connectivity of Chinese society.
So the U.S. economy sustained a historic 9.1% contraction in the second quarter (Europe fell 15% while Japan fell 10%) but China’s economy recovered with a 3.2% growth in the same quarter after coming out of a 6.8% decline in the first quarter.
It is not the virus that killed the world economies in the second quarter but the lock-down and shutdown measures.
This is why the IMF aptly called it the Great Lockdown Crisis (GLC). Even though the global economic cycle was already in a late stage veering towards an overdue recession after 10 years of moderate debt-fuelled growth, nothing could have caused such a steep contraction other than a self-induced shutdown of supply and a home quarantined lockdown of demand.
It is like pulling the plug out of your computer and the whole system has to be rebooted. Problem is the reboot will take several months before the system can be fully restored.
Why care for the Americans, nations of the world?
Shaken to the core by this triple storm, the American people have to decide how and which party to elect in November. This election has immense global implications notwithstanding the fact that the pandemic was very likely timed for this key election.
Many friends of mine wonder why am I so focused on the U.S. election and the domestic problems of the “yanks”.
Clearly, I am not an American and hence can’t vote. They ask: “Why does it matter so much to you? Are you a Trump supporter or a right-wing evangelical Christian who feels empathy with the U.S. President and his voter base?” No, not quite.
The answer is quite simple and it comes from a deep intuitive insight that resonated with what the Christian prophets (Kim Clement, Kat Kerr, Hank Kuneman, Tracy Cook, Mark Taylor, etc) have said about Trump, that he is anointed by the Lord to bring America out of moral decay, in particular from the scourge of abortion. Abortion is antithetical to God and Christian life-affirming values.
If America is put in the right standing with God, then justice and the liberty of the individual to practise his/her spiritual faith will not only be restored but made even more precious throughout the nations of the world.
America, as the largest and most powerful nation of the world, will set the leading example for smaller and lesser nations to follow. Amidst a night lit by small candles, no one can ignore the light of a flaming torch. That torch is America’s spiritual standing.
Trump, whatever his idiosyncratic personality traits and impulsive tweets, has delivered what he promised to do in his first term: strengthen the US economy, bring back jobs, reduce the trade deficit with China (ongoing with first phase deal) and combat terrorist enemies of the U.S.
In his second term, I believe he will deliver a strong economic recovery from the pandemic recession and fulfil God’s plans with regard to the spiritual standing of America.
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