This is apropos a Business Recorder op-ed "The lost art of losing gracefully" carried by the newspaper on Saturday. The writer, Farhat Ali, has highlighted a key feature of the American society in particular by arguing, among other things, that "Democracy is meant to be service to the people. Over the years, with a few exceptions, the word "politics" has moved out of it. It is no longer service to the people. It is now largely driven by business interests, vested interests, ethnic and religious doctrines, self-centred nationalism."

It is a fact that a very large number of Americans have voted for Trump in his quest to be re-elected as US President although he has clearly lost to his Democratic party rival Joe Biden. The irony however is that a very large number of Trump supporters are buying into his narrative of unfairness in vote count and other widespread election irregularities. The current "impasse" deepened by Trump's woeful disregard for transition rituals poses a serious threat to American democratic order.

Hanif Khan (Lahore)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020