Half of the people in the United States have not been convicted – Editorial Line
It is unclear what the electoral impact of Trump’s conviction will be. This is the first time that the former president of the United States and virtual candidate has faced this situation. Trump is slightly ahead of Biden in polls, but surveys conducted before the verdict show that the Republican would lose at least ten percent of support if he was convicted.
There is still a long way until the November election. Everything indicates that the world could be very different if Trump becomes president. He himself has assured that in his first term he was too naive because he allowed the institutional mechanisms of American democracy and senior officials to hold him back. Everything indicates that Trump intends to immediately dismiss public employees in key positions and appoint his own personnel in their place. Trump could curb support for Ukraine, weaken NATO and increase tensions with China, toughen an already tough immigration policy, increase polarization and try to reduce the checks and balances of the US president.
The Trump phenomenon cannot be understood without understanding the context. Biden has failed to convince many Americans that his policies have improved their lives. Democrats do not know how to end polarization and bridge the divide between Trumpists and Trump opponents. They may think that condemning the former president represents moral reparations for half of the country and moral condemnation for the other half. This will only make things worse.