EDITOR’S NOTE:

About MoNa:

I am a real human.  I live in India.  I love India and Narendra Modi (NaMo) for his vision for a clean, developed and economically vibrant India. I also love beef, pork, sex, drugs, alcohol, gambling and rock’n’roll (in no specific order).  I also follow US politics because it affects us.

MoNa will now take your questions!!!  Today, we have a shy, frightened Indian IT professional working in New Jersey who is wondering whether to stay in the United States or not- the latest installation of MONA KI BAAT.

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Dear MoNa,

I work for Infosys in New Jersey and am making a good salary.  However, since the 2016 election I have been fearful for my safety and wondering whether it’s worth being in the United States.  I am going to train in Silambam and tough it out-but it depends on what happens in 2020 or up till then.  Who is your ideal candidate for the 2020 US election – using the power of your 20/20 vision?

– Sleepless in Secaucus

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Dear Sleepless (I know your real name is probably Srinivas Somnath Shivashankaran):

It doesn’t matter who leads us anymore other than the fact that she should be a good man. Someone who is humble enough to listen to all the people before making decisions that affect us all and someone who is smart enough to take tough decisions even if it means temporary hardships for some of us.

I like Ashton Kutcher – he’s humble, smart and has a heart. I urge Mr. Kutcher to lead us and I also urge the other constituents of civil society to let Mr. Trump lead for the next 4 years based on the mandate he has received. For people in public life – increase explosive, divisive debates instead of shying away from them. For the media – increase the quantum of news and opinions and not become guarded in the face of fake news. For the rest of us – urge ourselves to read more and listen more and not succumb to catchphrases and generalizations. Once this happens, Social Media and Big Data can help get real time, transparent views of the People’s decisions on all matters – Micro-local, local, regional and global thus making it easier for leadership to steer the ship. Mr. Kutcher is already connected with the tech elite through his various investments and hence should know how to use tech to enhance democracy.

I endorse Ashton Kutcher for President of the USA in 2020 as the leader of all the people anywhere who put Mankind before self, people who believe that We can achieve anything if we think of all of us.

It’s another matter altogether whether Mr. Kutcher is ready for public life. I hope he is.

-MoNa