I recently wrote an article titled ‘America’s impending new political paradigm’ in which I made the case that if President Trump was able to successfully paint former Vice President Joe Biden as out of touch and in cognitive decline, he would land a lasting blow against the Obama era Democrat flag bearer. Unfortunately for the President, Biden, buttressed with the support of the media, was able to withstand Trump’s barrage of attacks and come out the other end of the debates less damaged than many had expected. 

Since those debates, the presidential election has come and gone, with no mutually accepted victor. While many in the media were quick to fall in line behind the Biden campaign’s tactic of claiming the mantle of president, it is much more appropriate, given the questionable voter irregularities and back room politicking, to use the title president-designate – designated by the establishment that is.

While there are serious questions that should be asked about the significant instances of voter irregularities (that’s cautious speak for fraud), the forced reality of the situation around the election has come crashing down for Trump holdouts. If there was a coordinated effort to undermine and usurp the will of the American people on a scale of this magnitude it would not only be historic, but would also be near impossible to prove. If the forces of the American establishment were able to conspire to successfully alter the results of a presidential election, they would be clever enough to ensure they covered their tracks. So, to those who, understandably, still question the reported results of this election I would point them to a quote from Oliver Stone’s 1996 movie, Nixon: “they stole this election fair and square”.

Serious questions must now be asked of an unvetted President-designate Biden, who will assume the office of President. Biden will face significant challenges both at home and abroad. The most important of which will be his policy towards the Chinese Communist Party who have become increasingly aggressive and brazen in their efforts to squeeze America out of the Indo-Pacific. A Biden administration’s ability to counter Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific will rest heavily on the people placed around Biden. Sadly, it appears a Biden administration will likely consist of the old guard Democrat establishment who lacked any coherent China containment policy during the Obama years. 

Biden has said he will nominate Anthony Blinken to lead the State Department. Blinken served during the Obama administration as deputy Secretary of State, and is an establishment Democrat with a depth of experience in foreign policy. However, it is unclear whether Blinken will be able to bring anything new to the policy table to deal with China. Blinken understands the China threat but, like many others in the Democrat establishment, doesn’t seem know how to deal with it. Blinken was one of those steering State Department policy as China took over the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, and begun its effort of militarising the islands, constructing anti-ship cruise missile sites and stationing combat ready fighter jets on the islands.

While America has the luxury of size and power to handle economic interference by China, many of its allies do not. Take for example Australia. An American ally who has fought by the nation’s side since the First World War, Australia is currently fending off a Chinese assault on its economic interests for simply seeking an investigation into the origins of the Chinese Coronavirus. This type of independent thinking infuriated the Communist regime, who set about imposing illegal tariffs on Australian imports, such as wine and coal. China is engaging in a prolonged campaign to punish Australia for speaking out against it, and will use the country as an example to scare others who may be thinking about standing up to China.

The Trump administration has been resolute in its support of Australia, and has chided China’s attacks on Australia. It is unsure if the same could be said of a future Biden administration. Biden himself has been weak on the China threat, choosing to support China’s growth and expanding influence as Vice President. Whether this is because Biden is stuck in the thinking of the 1970s and 1980s when it comes to China policy or he, through the questionable financial dealings of his family members, is compromised. Either way, many Western governments are watching closely to see which advisers are installed to guide Biden’s administration. 

Biden’s domestic challenges are no less important to America’s standing. In order to secure the nomination of the Democrats and hold the party together through the election, Biden conceded significant ground both at a policy level and at a party level to the radical socialist wing of the Party.

Senator Bernie Sanders and his followers have gained significant influence with the electorate during the campaign – far more than Biden or his running mate, Kamala Harris, managed to garner. The loose alliance has only been held together by their mutual disdain for President Trump. 

With Trump out of the picture, the Sanders forces will seek to push Biden further left than even many establishment Democrats are comfortable. However, time will soon show that putting Sanders back in his box will be near impossible, and when the Biden team tries and fails (and they will fail), it will likely trigger an all-out internal Party civil war that will dwarf that the 2016 fight between the establishment GOP and Trump campaign. Unlike Trump, Biden nor Harris have the personality, charisma or grit to successfully maintain Party unity in the face of a Sanders rebellion. 

As the world waits and watches for Biden to be installed as president, there will be two particular groups manoeuvring right now to usurp American influence abroad and Biden’s authority at home. Only time will tell which of them Biden will need to deal with first – the Chinese Communist Party or the Sanders’ socialists.

Matt Versi is a public policy advocate and strategic communications specialist, advising multi-national companies and government leaders.