Re-election is the norm in US politics and there is really only one issue that changes that.
Regardless of where you live in the world, you can have a significant impact on the 2020 US election.
Historically, the best way to defeat a US incumbent is to weaken the US economy.
The impact of economics is more difficult to measure in the early post war years. Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon were all put back into office at least once. Gerald Ford ran with a weak economy and lost, but the end of the Vietnam War and his pardon of Richard Nixon also weighed him down. Since then Jimmy Carter and George HW Bush both ran with a weak economy and lost, Reagan, Clinton and Obama all ran with strong economies and were re-elected.
It is no secret that US politics is divided, with a roughly equal number of hard core partisans on either side. National elections in the US are decided by swing voters and those voters seem to be swayed by their perception of the US economy more than any other issue.
So, if you want to take down Trump the best way to do it is to, to the extent possible, avoid buying US products and services – especially those that originate in the swing states that voted for Trump.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to deprive yourself of anything. Go ahead and use Google and Facebook. Watch American movies on Netflix and definitely buy Tesla products to help counter Trump’s assault on climate science. Definitely subscribe to American newspapers, or at least turn off your ad blocker, and support quality journalism. But, if you need a new phone or laptop, buy one but look for the Made in China label.
If you need to buy an American product, consider buying used or buying from a company outside the US. If you have a vacation coming up, pick a different country. If you’re thinking of studying abroad, try Canada or Europe. If you are holding a conference or other event, pick another country or at least don’t hold it in a “red state”.
In general if you have a choice between a non-US product, a US product manufactured abroad and an American product made in America – skip the latter. If you have investments in US companies or US bonds, shift them to Canada, Asia or Europe. If you run a business postpone expansion or hiring in the US.
Consider every dollar kept out of US hands a vote against Donald Trump and the rise of the neo-Nazis who support him.
Many Americans will bristle at this. We are, after all, talking about their jobs, their economy and their money. However, this will very likely be the issue that decides the 2018 and 2020 elections and Trump is simply too dangerous to leave in power. Americans too should participate to the extent possible. The Black Friday sales tomorrow would be a great time to start.