Pollsters got it wrong, political professionals got it wrong. What a shock.
The people have spoken. They made clear their disgust with Washington and the status quo and voted instead for uncertainty. Social media has changed the campaign landscape. Trump, the salesman, used digital communication to his benefit.
Donald Trump will be the first American president with no government or military experience. Historians and analysts will be studying the 2016 election for years to come. He flipped long time Democrat leaning states Republican. Trump recognized frustration and anger in areas of the country, and continually fed it and cultivated it.
Many have been disgusted with the misinformation and the often mean, venomous rhetoric prevalent during the campaign. There was considerable disgust with both major party candidates. It has made some of us a little less proud to be an American. Some of the rhetoric has hurt the image of our country in the eyes of the world. Anxiety levels and emotions have been high. Antacids are probably rolling off the shelves.
At last the election is over. The campaign rhetoric exposed and deepened divides within the country. The length of the primary and general election campaigns is far too long. Especially, during this abnormally divisive campaign, the months and months of vitriol leading up to the election has made unifying the country more difficult.
Trump was gracious and conciliatory in his victory speech. He signaled that he will work to bring the country together. He pledged to be president for all Americans. Minority groups may not believe this will include them.
The wounds are deep and healing will take time. The real unknown; will a President Trump be the man who gave the victory speech or the man at his rallies? I’m hoping the responsibility and weight of the office will give us the man giving his victory speech.
Trump made a lot of promises to his supporters during the campaign. Making promises is easy; making good on those promises will be difficult even with a Republican House and Senate. Trump will appoint at least one, possibly two or three justices to the Supreme Court. Assuming appointees are relatively young, this will effect decisions from the high court for decades.
With the stroke of his pen he can affect immigration, trade, the Iran deal, and the Paris climate agreement.
We are all Americans, we are an imperfect people in an imperfect country. This experiment that is American democracy has survived over two centuries. I expect our system of government will survive for generations to come; it is resilient. The smooth and peaceful transition of power is the strength of our system.
If Trump accomplishes only a portion of what he has suggested, the shake-up will be felt for good or for ill across the country. Elections have consequences. The Affordable Care Act will not likely survive. The rising cost of premiums and higher deductibles likely affected the election outcome.
Governing a deeply divided country will be especially challenging. Our system works, but works much more efficiently and effectively if people and their representatives work together. He may find himself butting heads with his own party on trade policies, NATO, ISIS, and foreign policy in general.
We don’t have to like our president, but we need to respect the president and the office. We will know more about what kind of president he will be when he starts making appointments. With guarded optimism I hope he will rise to the challenges and the awesome responsibility of the job.
This election result should have us asking where we are as a country and where we are going.
Fasten your seat belts!
Leave a Reply