ARAB SPRING AND TRUMP

In September, Time magazine had an article that might foreshadow what beholds the USA, now that Donald Trump has been re-elected.  Let's go back to 2011 and to the birthplace of the Arab Spring, Tunisia.

• 
  Tunisia began this uprising, followed by Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Syria and Bahrain,
• Tunisia with the public suicide of a vegetable vendor began a path towards democracy, the only Arab country that went in this direction.

• 
  All went well until 2019 when Kais Saied was elected president on a populist platform disillusioned
  with political gridlock and economic stagnation. 
• The first major sign was in 2021 when Saied used the COVID-19 pandemic to centralize his power.  The first time Trump was elected, he was not experienced enough to do that.
• The Constitution was suspended, parliament was dissolved and opposition politicians, critics, activists, journalists and union leaders were persecuted.  Many of them were jailed.
• Tunisia had a presidential election on 6October2024.
• Only three candidates were allowed to run, including Saied.  Opposition leaders were barred, and one was imprisoned.  Some went into exile.
• Saied got 91% of the vote, with a turnout of 29%.
• As horrendous as the above seems, Saied remains relatively popular, for living standards have improved.
• Tunisia, the only resultant democracy after the Arab Spring, has now no freedoms and a dictator for president.  An economic meltdown seems inevitable.  In the meantime, Saied is now in this second presidential term, and is experienced.
• Let's see how the U.S. fares in the years to come.  Donald Trump is in his second term and has pretty much already said what he will be doing.

Day 25 of our cruise was at-sea.  A sunset from our veranda.

I had for dinner two soups and two salads:  creamed spinach soup and Caesar Salad, followed by Frence Onion Soup and a mixed salad.

For the first time went to the pub, called District, where a piano player played Beatles songs.

Much too loud, so we went to the Atrium for the Adda Band,

Went back to the casino for awhile.

Then the Social Club for dancing.

The DJ.

Back to Atrium for our midnight snack of a cheese fondu and chili.

Good walk day on Day 25 of 6566 steps, which is 3.4 miles.  Note those ear plugs.  The music can get awfully loud in some venues.

Then, lunch on Day 26 in the Garden Cafe buffet of noodles, pork and chorizo.

Hurricane Rafael was up to 120 MPH earlier today, but is now at 110MPH.  Headed for Mexico.

Typhoon Yinxing skirted past the northern Philippines and has a track to Vietnam on Tuesday.  Once up to 145 MPH yesterday, now at 105 MPH.

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