Donald Trump is perhaps one president-elect in US history whose transition to the Oval Office is being so much of a thorny ride almost from day one. There have been protest marches across some 30 states against his election in a vigorous exercise of the First Amendment of the US Constitution even after his electoral contender had promptly conceded him victory. If acceptance of electoral verdict is in the best tradition of American democracy guaranteeing peaceful transfer of power, it appears that a precedent may have been unwittingly set for an expression of public disapproval of an electoral result.
Perhaps the detractors' unusual reaction by American standards came as an upshot of Trump's oft-repeated presumed allegations of a rigged election. What may have also diluted the sacrosanctity of a presidential election is Donald's threats during the election campaign that he would not accept an electoral verdict if it went against him.
That said, the baggage and repertoire with which he comes tend to fuel all kinds of speculations and controversy. His mercurial temperament also casts him in an uncertain, unpredictable mould .
One of the stories making round in Washington circles is attributed to Professor Allen Lichtman. His credentials as a crystal-ball gazer are exceptional and well-established. In the first place, his prediction of a Trump victory proved right. Not merely that, he has been accurately predicting the US presidential election results for the last 30 years except in the case of Al-Gore whom he had declared a winner (of course he did win in popular vote). He makes predictions with the help of a test formula based on 13 true\false statements regarded as 'keys' to the White House.
What must be patently hair-splitting for the US president-elect is another prediction from the same professor Lichtman. He prophesies that the 'tiny-handed real estate mogul turned politician' would not be able to complete his term and that he would be impeached.
Elaborating on his last prediction of an impeachment, he explains it is not based on any test but on his gut feeling which finds a resonance with some political observers.
Professor Allen goes on to add rather bluntly, "I am quite certain Trump will give some grounds for impeachment either by doing something that endangers national security or because it helps his pocket."
Then we hear of surprising parallels being drawn between Trump and disgraced former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. The latter had served a total of nine years as the Italian head of government before being convicted in 2013 of tax fraud. Like Trump, Berlusconi exploited the media in his election and endured criticism for his cavalier treatment of women.
Both came to politics from business but Trump leaned more heavily on his popularity than the backing of his party to build his political base.
It is very interesting to note that Berlusconi unabashedly says that he accepts the comparisons and wants to return to work taking cue from Donald Trump, with whom he has similarities, having won US presidency.
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