By Margaret Maccoll
As Australians watch with interest the political happenings in the US and consider its consequences for our country for University of Sunshine Coast lecturer Dr Stefanie Fishel the saga is both of professional and personal interest. The American academic who lectures in politics and international relations has family in the US and used to live near Washington DC.
“It’s been horrifying to watch,“ she said. “I think the important thing to remember is it’s been four years in the making of Trump inciting violence.“ She said what surprised peoplein the US was how brazen the attack on the Capital had been and how limited the police response was despite warnings from the FBI of the impending event.
Dr Fishel said while she could not possibly predict what was in Trump’s brain while he remained president he could not be prosecuted for any crime but once he steps away from the presidency he may face a number of charges for high crimes and misdemeanours.
“His life could be very different after the 20th,“ she said. She said people were no longer afraid of the repercussions of pursuing Trump over legal charges and there may also be consequences for those Republicans who sided with him.
Dr Fishel said the Democrats pursuit of impeachment of President Trump may extend beyond the inauguration of President Joe Biden and have longterm consequences for Trump.
“It’s important because it stops him from running for office. It protects America from him,“ she said. The impeachment will also prevent President Trump from receiving the privileges enjoyed by other former presidents including a wage and travel.
Dr Fishel said the questions that are arising over President Trumps future options such as his ability to pardon himself from any crime were ones that had just never arisen
before. She said the possibility of Vice President Pence taking over the role of president and pardoning Trump may not occur as their relationship has soured and Trumps’ personality may not allow him to give up his position.
Whatever the outcome in the US what is important to both Australia and the US is the alliance between them.
Dr Fishel said there has been much discussion on how President elect Biden will manage China.
“The more tension between the US and China the more difficulty it causes Australia both diplomatically and economically,“ she said.
She said it was more probably Biden would step into a leadership role and open discussions similar to ones conducted by presidents prior to Trump.
However Biden faces his own problems moving into the role of president. While the impeachment process continues he will be unable to get his cabinet members in place and he is already behind in being able to access funds. On top of that as he steps into the role of President he faces an escalating COVID crisis and foreign policy crisis without having a cabinet to back him.
Stefanie Fishel is a Lecturer in Politics and International Relations at the USC and holds a PhD in Politics and International Relations from the Johns Hopkins University. Her research engages with political ecology, environmental humanities, philosophy, and feminist approaches to theorize new forms of global environmental institutions and legal regimes that support biodiversity, earth system governance and Earth jurisprudence. She is co-author of “Planet Politics: A Manifesto from the End of IR“ in Millennium: Journal of International Studies. Dr. Fishel’s 2017 book, The Microbial State: Global Thriving and the Body Politic, is available through the University of Minnesota Press.
