Thursday, 28 April 2016

The Hindu Editorial 2, 28 April 2016

Topic - The United States of Trumperica

The United States of Trumperica

The march of Donald Trump towards securing the Republican presidential nomination has assumed an air of inevitability [ अनिवार्यता ]. The billionaire property mogul and Grand Old Party frontrunner scored a major victory in Tuesday’s primary elections in five northeastern States. His delegate count now soars at 949, compared to 544 for Senator Ted Cruz from Texas, and 153 for Ohio Governor John Kasich. The response of the panicked GOP mainstream has been feeble [ कमजोर ]. The idea of holding a “contested convention” to thwart [नकाम बनाना ] Mr. Trump and the plan for Mr. Cruz and Mr. Kasich to collude [ सांठ-गांठ करना ] in the remaining primary races do not appear to be retarding Mr. Trump’s momentum.
He is inching ever closer to securing the minimum number of 1,237 delegates required for the nomination. There is a good chance that if Democrat and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wins her party’s nomination, she may emerge as an insurmountable [ दुर्गम ]obstacle in Mr. Trump’s path to the White House. Yet her own campaign is not without risks — for example, the troubling questions surrounding the 2012 Benghazi attack and her use of a private email server while serving as Secretary. Thus it has come to a point where Democrats, the American people, and the rest of the world watching the spectacle of the election may have to ponder [सोचना ]a question that most wouldn’t have dreamt of asking a year ago: What would the United States and the world look like under the reign of President Donald Trump?

Consider his policies that would have the strongest ripple[लहर ] effect globally. On trade, Mr. Trump promises to negotiate better agreements by punishing companies that seek to offshore their operations with a 35 per cent tariff on goods they want to sell to the U.S.
This flies in the face of the laissez-faire, free-trade model that Republicans generally support. It also risks price wars and spiralling trade disputes that would make their way to the WTO. Relatively low-cost economies such as India may be hit badly. Second, Mr. Trump’s policies may produce instability vis-à-vis countries that are important to the Indian economy. His sabre-rattling[लड़ाई उकसाने का काम]  towards China, including his promise to label it a “currency manipulator” and to force it to end “illegal export subsidies” could lead to volatility in the global markets that would exceed the turmoil[उथल-पुथल ] witnessed at the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 2015. Similarly, his intention to tear up[तोड़ना ] the nuclear treaty with Iran, bomb Syria and shake up ties with Saudi Arabia could send oil prices soaring. On domestic politics, Mr. Trump has sounded hateful about Muslims, Mexicans, women, the differently-abled and the media. Combine this with a vow[शपथ ] to roll back health-care reforms, loosen gun control and reinstate [पुनः स्थापित करना ]torture, a Trump presidency poses the risk of heightening socioeconomic inequality and fuelling bigotry[ कट्टरता ]. Internationally, no nation would be more isolated than the United States of Trumperica.

Vocabulary :
 inevitability [ अनिवार्यता ] -certain to happen; unavoidable.
war was inevitable
synonyms: unavoidableinescapableinexorableineluctableassuredcertainsurefixed
mogul -an important or powerful person, especially in the motion picture or media industry.
Perhaps it seemed routine for one of the world's most powerful media moguls to take a leadership post at one of the most influential think tanks in Washington.
synonyms: magnatetycoonVIPnotablepersonagebaroncaptainkinglordgrandee
feeble [ कमजोर ] -lacking physical strength, especially as a result of age or illness.
my legs are very feeble after the flu
synonyms: weakweaklyweakenedfrailinfirmdelicatesicklyailingunwell
 thwart [नकाम बनाना ]  -prevent (someone) from accomplishing something.
he never did anything to thwart his father
collude [ सांठ-गांठ करना ]- come to a secret understanding for a harmful purpose; conspire.
university leaders colluded in price-rigging
 insurmountable [ दुर्गम ] -too great to be overcome.
an insurmountable problem
synonyms: insuperableunconquerableinvincibleunassailableoverwhelminghopeless
 ponder [सोचना ] -think about (something) carefully, especially before making a decision or reaching a conclusion.
I pondered the question of what clothes to wear for the occasion
synonyms: think aboutcontemplateconsiderreviewreflect onmull over
ripple[लहर ] -a small wave or series of waves on the surface of water, especially as caused by an object dropping into it or a slight breeze.
Feeling the need to vent his anger, Shane threw a stone into the little pond at Central Park, causing a series of violent ripples in the water that was before so calm.
synonyms: waveletwaveundulationrippletridgeruffle
sabre-rattling[लड़ाई उकसाने का काम] - the display or threat of military force.
turmoil[उथल-पुथल ]-a state of great disturbance, confusion, or uncertainty.
the country was in turmoil
synonyms: confusionupheavalturbulencetumultdisorderdisturbanceagitation
tear up[तोड़ना ] -breakunseatunrootcleavecracktear up
vow[शपथ ] -a solemn promise.
Who would have guessed someone so young could make such a solemn vow and keep it for over fifty years.
synonyms: oathpledgepromisebondcovenantcommitment
reinstate [पुनः स्थापित करना ] -restore (someone or something) to their former position or condition.
the union is fighting to reinstate the fired journalists
synonyms: restorereturn to powerput backbring backreinstitutereinstall
bigotry[ कट्टरता ] -bigoted attitudes; intolerance toward those who hold different opinions from oneself.
the report reveals racism and right-wing bigotry