The US in
the 2020 election year is a country deep in crisis. It’s been torn apart by the
debate on racism, and millions have been infected with the coronavirus. On
top of that, its president is pouring oil on the flames with his Twitter
tirades.
At the beginning of the year, things were looking good for
Donald Trump: the economy was doing well, unemployment figures were at a
50-year low, his job approval rating was rising, and the Democrats were
preoccupied with themselves. But then came the coronavirus, a hazard that the
president initially made light of, saying it would miraculously disappear.
Instead of a miracle, the crisis hit the United States harder than any other
country. The economy is in the doldrums. And COVID-19 is making the shortcomings
of the health care system glaringly obvious.
Black Americans have been hit harder by the coronavirus than
most. A higher proportion of them work in low-wage jobs that offer little
protection against the virus, and they are less likely to have health insurance.
The rage expressed in demonstrations against racism is being fuelled by the
corona crisis and the mass unemployment it has triggered across the US.
It is hard to imagine that the economy will recover quickly
- despite the trillions of dollars Trump is giving to companies. It is also
hard to imagine that the millions of unemployed will have jobs again by the
time the election is held.
Filmmakers Claudia Buckenmaier and Marion Schmickler
traveled through the swing states of Arizona, Wisconsin and Michigan and asked
people how the economic and health crisis is affecting them. What hopes do
voters have going into November’s election? The bitter dispute between
Republicans and Democrats and Donald Trump’s divisive style of government has
brought democracy in the US to brink of the abyss. The distrust is so great
that the Democrats even expect that Trump will reject the election result if he
loses. Unimaginable? The Democrats seem to be preparing for exactly this
scenario.
Sem comentários:
Enviar um comentário