As I see it | Democrats’ blue wave means rough waters ahead for US-China relations

South China Morning Post · Alex Lo · 2026-11-06 08:42 UTC

From tariffs to the tech war and AI, a Democrat-run Congress and a Democratic White House in 2028 could be more hardline on China than Trump.

Comedian Patton Oswalt once joked about the United States electing a KKK president after the progressive years of Barack Obama. The joke is worth retelling, not just because it’s funny but because it captures the swing between extremes in US politics. That’s worth keeping in mind in light of the so-called Democratic blue wave sweeping the country.

It goes: “We will have a woman president, probably sooner than later … but just keep in mind that after she serves her term, the choices will very probably be a very qualified gay guy, and then a KKK dude with the ass cut out of his jeans. And the country’s going to go: ‘Let’s see what the KKK guy’s got. I don’t know, maybe he’s got some ideas, I’d love to hear them.’”

Moderation and consistency are not features of contemporary US politics. That’s why after Obama, Americans elected Donald Trump, and after Joe Biden, an even more in-your-face Trump. Now the political pendulum is swinging from “Maga” back towards the progressives.

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