To get to the White House

I cannot see either the Republican front runner in the US presidential race Donald Trump or the equally popular Democratic contender Bernie Sanders being elected to the White House in November.

Although showing great strength and popularity in their respective caucuses during the primaries, neither candidate appears so far to be electable nationally.

I tried in vain to see Trump on top of national or international issues that are worthy of upholding and supporting, but all I get is policy statements that are incoherent, too broad or light-headed, or simply superficial.

Trump’s answers to the serious immigration crisis in the US are too simplistic and do not appear to be functional or workable.

He believes in erecting walls, calling for doors to be closed in the face of Muslims wanting to enter the US.

Sanders, on the other hand, appears too leftist with his socialist policies that sound too good to be true.

He stopped short of calling for the ratification of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which has been endorsed by the greater majority of UN member states as a composite binding norm for economic, social and cultural justice.

Both candidates are now running high on their populist views and policies, which cannot be expected to survive the challenges of the difficult domestic issues or global concerns facing a superpower.

Even though Sanders made a good showing in the recent New Hampshire primary elections, there is serious doubt that he can manage to sustain his popularity at national level.

He draws his political strength and support from the young generation who are naive and idealists, just as President Barack Obama did in the past two presidential elections.

Faced with tough geopolitical dangers that challenge the US leadership worldwide, one expects that the majority of the US voters, who are more sober and down to earth, will cast their votes for a candidate, from either political party, who is closer to the political establishment.

The issues facing the US are much more complex to be treated with easy answers.

A candidate that expects to win must come up with a more substantive platform that acknowledges the grave international issues, and not one who is just being endorsed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The American people cannot afford to opt for abstract or idealistic policies when there is a pressing need for a steady hand at the helm in Washington in these dire and turbulent times when the US is being challenged at every turn.