No experience is superior to bad experience. Donald Trump’s election victory in the US presidential elections on November 9, 2016 was based on this approach. While Hillary Clinton talked about her experience of public service he confronted her declaring it as bad experience. The voters were unable to understand the difference and rejected the candidate with “bad experience”. What the future holds only time will tell but Trump’s victory has shattered the status-quo with hope for change.
Representative democracy is failing all over the world due to the strangle hold of the establishments, both internal and external. First, it is the party establishment that screens the candidates. Bernie Sanders was a much better candidate for the democratic party but Hillary Clinton was preferred. He stood for genuine change while Hillary stood for continuity, which meant more of the same. As a compromise she did include some of Senator Sanders policies like free community college education but the centre piece of her candidacy was the first female President with a track record of massive international roguery. She presented her soft image at home. 53% white female voters did not vote for her as they could see through the façade.
Traditionally the establishment in USA sides with the conservative Republicans but this time they stood behind Hillary as they were partners in her barbaric crimes in the Middle East. Libya was destabilised for its refined oil, its leader toppled and then lynched by a mob. Syria and Yemen were the next targets. There were hasty unplanned withdrawals from both Iraq and Afghanistan which resulted in chaos.
As a shrewd businessman and a Washington outsider, Trump sensed this unholy alliance and decided on a solo flight. He first challenged his own party and then the entire establishment including the Democratic Party. The campaign got nasty; instead of issues personal conduct was discussed. While Trump focused on swing states she relied on her popularity. In the end the voters had to pick the lesser of the two evils.
The private sector drives the economy in America. Trump being a businessman represented this engine of growth. Public sector is very limited and under strict scrutiny. Abuse of authority and conflict of interest is looked down upon. While Trump had earned his wealth the hard way the Clinton’s had accumulated it during their years in public service and, as such, it constituted bad experience according to Trump. Then there were also FBI investigations into email scandal of Hillary when she was Secretary of state which did not help her campaign.
Unlike Pakistan, performance evaluation is very fair and thorough in America. Everyone is required to list their top five achievements. Then the overall impact and usefulness of these gains are gauged. As a young engineer working in USA, I was very proud of my technical publications but was asked to explain the benefits to the organisation. I was then asked to focus on collective benefits. Instead of publications, I was advised to vie for patents from which the company could also benefit. Experience alone is not considered enough unless backed with solid credentials. One has to deliver to remain in the arena or face elimination.
Lack of performance evaluation promotes the rise of mediocrity. In most developing countries people get promoted despite poor credentials mainly due to the absence of measurability and accountability. A few years back during the Musharraf regime the Ministry for Industries Production and special initiatives created an organisation called the Technology Up-gradation and Skill Development Corporation (TUSDEC). I was briefly involved with it as technology development is my forte. In every meeting that I attended, the focus was to develop tools. I requested to review requests from the industry for such centres which were nonexistent. From the tone of the management it became evident that vested self interests were involved who wanted to facilitate their own ventures at public expense. Finally I left, but the only up gradation that took place was of their own enterprises. There should be an independent evaluation of this public sector initiative where millions were wasted with no output.
Since a non-stop and steady decline of the nation since July 1977, the same political players continue to dominate the arena. They are found in all political parties in key positions with below zero credentials. Yes their personal wealth and empires have flourished at the cost of the nation but they have not been shown the door. It is high time that we reject these “bad experience” players and move on.
It is not only in Pakistan, people worldwide are struggling for change. Traditional politics and politicians are being weeded out. Hillary Clinton was the latest. Before her the Brexit vote ended the political career of David Cameron. In Greece and Italy the socialists are in power. There is turmoil as the rich refuse to share the burden of the state. In India, Narendra Modi is in trouble as his promise of shining India has not materialised. A fresh start is required here as well to ride the buoyancy of change. Kaptaan is keeping the hopes of the nation alive while the initiative is slipping out as bad experience and its players are being rejected all over the world. There has to be a wakeup call for PTI and its leader.