2020 US election and its Impact on India Megathread

[maximus777]

 

[AsuraKiller203]

Trump's chances improving compared to previously. Most voters have pretty much accepted this election was rigged.

Though its still an uphill battle. Even if Trump now leaves, he will have extracted a lot of concessions from the opposite side.

 

[12arya]

US foreign policy changes under Biden could have profound impact on South Asia

Joe Biden may not drastically reverse foreign policy decisions of his predecessor like Donald Trump did of Barack Obama but Biden’s novel approaches to issues and regions could have ramifications for South Asia even as India-US relationship continues to grow, writes Lt Gen Prakash Katoch (Retd)...

southasiamonitor.org

US foreign policy changes under Biden could have a profound impact on South Asia

Joe Biden may not drastically reverse foreign policy decisions of his predecessor like Donald Trump did of Barack Obama but Biden’s novel approaches to issues and regions could have ramifications for South Asia even as India-US relationship continues to grow, writes Lt Gen Prakash Katoch (Retd) for South Asia Monitor



US President Donald Trump has challenged the election of Joe Biden as 46th POTUS-elect but much before the election verdict came, the airspace over Biden’s house was declared a closed zone and taken under special control of the military, signalling Biden's victory.

That did not stop the US media from comparing Biden with Trump, painting Biden “segregationist,” one who branded black Americans “predators," and airing his 2019 debate with Kamala Harris (Vice President-elect) where Harris accused Biden of “misdemeanours” and labelled him “racist.”

During his visit to India in February 2020, Trump had declared that the US economy was the best ever, which was true. But then the coronavirus, which originated from China, ravaged the world and ultimately it was handling of the pandemic and economy that mattered most for the US public in choosing their next president.

US policy towards India – will it change?

Joe Biden may not drastically reverse foreign policy decisions of his predecessor like Donald Trump did of Barak Obama but Biden’s novel approaches to issues and regions could have ramifications for South Asia even as India-US relationship continues to grow.

The general opinion has been there would be no change in the US policy towards India irrespective of who the next POTUS is. It was also hoped Democrats would not nurture a grudge that last September Prime Minister Narendra Modi vociferously canvassed Indian Americans in Houston to vote for Trump during the next election. Indian Americans are Americans first whose priority is the US national interests, not Indian. The same goes for Kamala Harris who projected herself as both Black-American and Indo-America while electioneering.

Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN visiting India in June 2018 told reporters, "We think freedom of religion is just as important as freedom of rights and freedom of peoples."

Biden’s election agenda exhorts India to restore the rights of the people of Kashmir and lift all curbs. It also mentioned Biden’s disappointment over the National Register of Citizens for Assam and the Citizenship Amendment Act, calling these inconsistent with secularism and sustaining multi-ethnic and multi-religious democracy. India ironically ranks 142 in World Press Freedom Index 2020 - just three spots above Pakistan.

Biden’s priority as next US president

Biden’s priority would be tackling the pandemic and getting the economy back on rails, both not easy tasks. He will possibly review the US policy on the Paris Accord, Iran Nuclear Deal, and TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership), in addition to START-II ((Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty), though arms control without China would remain partial at the global level.

Biden may not strike a trade deal with China but in order to improve the US economy may go ‘soft’ on China - as is being interpreted from a statement by the US ambassador to China. A ‘soft’ stance on China could affect America’s Indo-Pacific policy and slowdown Quad’s transformation into a security alliance.

Beijing would woo Biden for adopting such an approach that would give time for China to enhance its CNP (Comprehensive National Power) and match up with the US military. But in such a case, China could advance forcible integration of Taiwan and resume aggression against India, testing US redlines in between.

The US sanctions on Iran and killing of Iran’s Quds Force commander General Qasem Soleimani escalated the US-Iran tensions tremendously, pushing Iran closer to China. Soleimani was for Baloch liberation, which would fragment Pakistan and fracture the CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) restricting China’s land access to the Indian Ocean. The Trump administration labelled Baloch Liberation Army terrorists but has just de-listed East Turkestan Islamic Movement from its terrorist list.

Will Biden revive the Iran Nuclear Deal and ease sanctions on Iran which the EU ALSO wants? Reviving the Iran Nuclear Deal and lifting sanctions on Iran would be good for the region. India can resume oil supplies from Iran that would help India's economy. Iran has already allowed India to use the Chabahar-Zahedan rail link.

China and Pak policy – will it be softer now?

The drawdown of US troops from Afghanistan has been halted with spiralling violence amidst Intra-Afghan talks. Biden hopefully will retain sufficient troop strength in Afghanistan to not let Af-Pak become a cauldron of terror, expanding China’s influence in South Asia. As the US was closing bases in Afghanistan, reports emerged that instead of transferring surplus tanks and warlike stores to the Afghan National Army, these are being shifted across the border to Pakistan. What will be the stance of the Biden administration towards Pakistan with a softer approach on China and talking of lifting curbs in Jammu and Kashmir but ignoring Pakistan’s proxy war on India that has necessitated such curbs in the first place?

How the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) wants to orchestrate the global Shia-Sunni conflict with or without the Biden administration is important. It is no secret that the Obama administration allowed the rise of ISIS and its training and arming in Turkey. In Afghanistan, the US troops have been battling Taliban-Haqqanis-Al Qaeda while the CIA has been using the IS directly and through Pakistan. ISIS is back in Iraq and with its associates like Jundullah has been launching cross-border terror attacks in Iran. Biden had welcomed the fall of the Shah of Iran but how would the US react to Iran giving it back to Pakistan in a similar manner given the sustained killings-massacre of Shias in Af-Pak?

Has Capitol Hill noticed that China is in league with major terrorist groups including ISIS - the absence of terror attacks against Chinese interests in Afghanistan proves this? A new terrorist organization has come up with swearing allegiance to Islamic State in Myanmar. This is in addition to the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army headed by a Pakistani national and supported by China-Pakistan in addition to other terrorist groups. The CPEC and CMEC (China-Myanmar Economic Corridor) are China’s strategic highways to the Indian Ocean that greatly assist China’s domination of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Without a doubt, the US realizes India’s centrality in the defence architecture of the Indo-Pacific given the rising China threat. Counter-terror cooperation will continue and the US wants India to become strong.

The question is how strong would the Biden Administration want India to be and how it addresses the China-Pakistan sponsored terrorism in South Asia.

 

[Blue Water Navy]

This is the most unbiased reporting that I could find at this moment. Anyone who is wondering about the elections watch this.

 

[Umang Shukla]

Couple of my colleagues (H1B Visa holders ) are so happy for Biden's victory as if now he is going to shower green cards..

 

[ClawReed787]

 

[Suryavanshi]

Fuck Twatter

Lets go trump

 

[captscooby81]

Looks like its almost Uphill task for Trump from here on . He is just trying to delay concede the election and take it to SC so that he can go down as martyr for the entire 71 million voters who voted for him . That is a very good number for any new upcoming media empire to target .

Trump will launch his own News channel and will still as president outside white house for next 4 years being a pain in ass for democrats

 

[ClawReed787]

Fuck Twatter

Lets go trump

He better not be fooling around or else his reputation will go down the drain. It's gonna be pretty bad.

 

[ClawReed787]

Hope they know what they are talking about

 

[Harry101]

Couple of my colleagues (H1B Visa holders ) are so happy for Biden's victory as if now he is going to shower green cards..

Tell them about her tenure as attorney general of California. She said she will be proud being called as "Prosecutor President". She literally said that in the 2020 DNC presidential debate. She's not gonna spare even the blacks (her core voter base), let alone worthless h1b coolies. How stupid can people be? They automatically assume they'll be lenient on immigrants cause Trump was hard on them. Dindu coolies are like pests for them.

 

[ataru09]

Couple of my colleagues (H1B Visa holders ) are so happy for Biden's victory as if now he is going to shower green cards..

Trump admin was looking at a points based system which would have probably given them a green card much earlier. But happy for them that they will finally get their green cards when they are in their 50s.

 

[Harry101]

Trump admin was looking at a points based system which would have probably given them a green card much earlier. But happy for them that they will finally get their green cards when they are in their 50s.

Waiting period for a person from india to get green card is around 150 years. Even their bones won't get cremated there

 

[ataru09]

Waiting period for an a person from india to get green card is around 150 years. Even their bones won't get cremated there

Depends on the category and the wait period keeps changing (increases or decreases) over time but it is going to be a few decades at the minimum that is for certain. Which is why Trump's immigration overhaul was important for Indians wanting to stay here. But then you have chutiyas like the above guys who blindly just follow propaganda.

 

[maximus777]

Waiting period for a person from india to get green card is around 150 years. Even their bones won't get cremated there

Just to set the expectations:

Democrats are for illegal immigration because that translates to future votes for them since most of them traditionally vote Dem. So they are all about "path to citizenship".

Republicans are business friendly and somewhat more amenable to legal immigration since that helps business import cheap labor and make money. So they are all about "work permits".

In addition, both parties oppose each other's "agenda" to make it more exciting.

Both get clubbed under the umbrella of comprehensive immigration and it gets nowhere unless all 3 law making bodies (Senate, House and President) belong to one party and immigration is a priority. The last time this happened in the recent past was in the first term of Obama but he used up all that currency trying to push health care reforms - Obamacare through.

On a realistic note, the ridiculously long waits for GC for Indians will not be resolved unless there is some legislative reform. The current system works well for the rest of the world except India, China and Mexico. Plus for some reason law makers are seeking "diversity" in employment based immigration which makes no sense but it is what it is. So there is no real motive or urgency for them to reform it.

 

[Harry101]

Just to set the expectations:

Democrats are for illegal immigration because that translates to future votes for them since most of them traditionally vote Dem. So they are all about "path to citizenship".

Republicans are business friendly and somewhat more amenable to legal immigration since that helps business import cheap labor and make money. So they are all about "work permits".

In addition, both parties oppose each other's "agenda" to make it more exciting.

Both get clubbed under the umbrella of comprehensive immigration and it gets nowhere unless all 3 law making bodies (Senate, House and President) belong to one party and immigration is a priority. The last time this happened was in the first term of Obama but he used up all that currency trying to push health care reforms - Obamacare through.

On a realistic note, the ridiculously long waits for GC for Indians will not be resolved unless there is some legislative reform. The current system works well for the rest of the world except India, China and Mexico. Plus for some reason law makers are seeking "diversity" in employment based immigration which makes no sense but it is what it is. So there is no real motive or urgency for them to reform it.

I think the USA should prioritize based on merit and cultural background for GC. People willing to mix with US culture and who choose US Constitution over their religion (unlike a special group) should get advantage over others. They should be bringing in the best of the best from around the world. This diversity thing is complete BS.

 

[cannonfodder]

In my opinion, Both Rep and Dem are not interested in Indian immigration problem.

Dems: Are interested in creating vote banks for themselves.
Reps: Hardcore conservatives do not want any kind of immigration from this part of the world. They use the issue of legal immigration to block the Dems thats all.
The hindu vote is insignificant vote bank for both of them + high income earning community is vote bank of nobody. It probably matters in some swing states and hindus who can vote( citizens) don't give much importance to ancestor land. There are exceptions.

Dem woke politics is the only way to brainwash people into their fold. Now it has started to backfire lately big with caste based exploitation in workplace etc getting traction in left politics for no reason + reservations to keep Asians out in education. There is special Asian tax that Indian Americans are needed to pay in SAT/GRE scores

 

[ClawReed787]

 

[Rassil Krishnan]

In my opinion, Both Rep and Dem are not interested in Indian immigration problem.

Dems: Are interested in creating vote banks for themselves.
Reps: Hardcore conservatives do not want any kind of immigration from this part of the world. They use the issue of legal immigration to block the Dems thats all.
The hindu vote is insignificant vote bank for both of them + high income earning community is vote bank of nobody. It probably matters in some swing states and hindus who can vote( citizens) don't give much importance to ancestor land. There are exceptions.

Dem woke politics is the only way to brainwash people into their fold. Now it has started to backfire lately big with caste based exploitation in workplace etc getting traction in left politics for no reason + reservations to keep Asians out in education. There is special Asian tax that Indian Americans are needed to pay in SAT/GRE scores

To use an analogy.Basically Indian diaspora in the us are like special forces group in that they can only be used by the motherland tactically in special missions of diplomacy(if at all they are primed and prepared to be used by us- our preparations in this regard till now are pretty meh) and not in a massive offensive like maneuvers like changing election outcomes through votes like conventional infantry as we just don't have huge presence in pop to matter.although it does make us stick out less and hence trouble from others.

 

[cannonfodder]

To use an analogy.Basically Indian diaspora in the us are like special forces group in that they can only be used by the motherland tactically in special missions of diplomacy(if at all they are primed and prepared to be used by us- our preparations in this regard till now are pretty meh) and not in a massive offensive like maneuvers like changing election outcomes through votes like conventional infantry as we just don't have huge presence in pop to matter.although it does make us stick out less and hence trouble from others.

1. Have bit of financial muscle to affect donations in politics. It will grow in coming years
2. Life is easy and good until you are paying tax & in right side of law. The need for growing political muscle is out of radar as group. Don't get me wrong it has worked wonderfully well at individual level but will hurt.

It may have some lobbying & soft power but hardly any political muscle to be considered any kind of special forces. .