I Find Politics Interesting
[center][big]The election is over, now let’s move forward[/big][/center]
Much was made before the election about the importance of Donald Trump accepting the outcome of the vote, no matter what it is. And now he surely will.
The real question becomes whether the rest of us are willing to do the same.
Regardless of whoever you voted for, the people have spoken. Regardless of personal feelings about the outcome, we now must try to move forward as a people.
We can choose to be pessimistic and miserable and negative about it, crashing websites that explain the nuts and bolts of immigrating to Canada or digging a backyard bunker, or we can choose to be optimistic and hopeful and positive about the future. Maybe the candidate really was playing a role for votes; it would hardly be the first time that’s happened. Maybe the candidate intends to follow through on the promises made; it would hardy be the first time that hasn’t happened. Maybe the candidate has grown and changed and matured over the last 15 months.
Maybe the magnitude of the job and the sanctity of the office will transform the president-elect into someone who will behave in a presidential manner, governing all of the people in a fair and respectful way and not simply catering to the ones who voted for him and seeking revenge on those who criticized him int he past and undoubtedly will continue to do so.
It’s been too long, too difficult, and too stressful a process to wring hands and gnash teeth. Our formal choice has been made; informally, we will choose every day whether to find a way to move forward in a positive, constructive, cooperative way that will make our parents, grandparents, children, and grandchildren proud.
I choose the positive. Of course, that’s easy for me to do because I don’t belong to any of the groups who were targeted by Trump’s rhetoric (other than the media — which as it became clear last night did have plenty of people who were obviously and not-so-obviously biased against him). Hopefully, Trump will govern in a manner that respects all people, supports all people, leads all people, and ultimately succeeds for all people.
He knows his personal legacy and all-important (to him at least) brand will be on the line. He knows that many will be rooting for him to fail, and also actively working toward that goal. His ability to emerge from a pack of Republican candidates and then to win the head-to-head general campaign proves his ability to focus on getting things done.
I choose to hope that he will do so in a fair, responsible, and proper way. My hope ultimately may be misplaced, but at least for now I chose to hope that it isn’t.
[i]Mike Florio on November 9, 2016, 7:00 AM ES[/i]T
Much was made before the election about the importance of Donald Trump accepting the outcome of the vote, no matter what it is. And now he surely will.
The real question becomes whether the rest of us are willing to do the same.
Regardless of whoever you voted for, the people have spoken. Regardless of personal feelings about the outcome, we now must try to move forward as a people.
We can choose to be pessimistic and miserable and negative about it, crashing websites that explain the nuts and bolts of immigrating to Canada or digging a backyard bunker, or we can choose to be optimistic and hopeful and positive about the future. Maybe the candidate really was playing a role for votes; it would hardly be the first time that’s happened. Maybe the candidate intends to follow through on the promises made; it would hardy be the first time that hasn’t happened. Maybe the candidate has grown and changed and matured over the last 15 months.
Maybe the magnitude of the job and the sanctity of the office will transform the president-elect into someone who will behave in a presidential manner, governing all of the people in a fair and respectful way and not simply catering to the ones who voted for him and seeking revenge on those who criticized him int he past and undoubtedly will continue to do so.
It’s been too long, too difficult, and too stressful a process to wring hands and gnash teeth. Our formal choice has been made; informally, we will choose every day whether to find a way to move forward in a positive, constructive, cooperative way that will make our parents, grandparents, children, and grandchildren proud.
I choose the positive. Of course, that’s easy for me to do because I don’t belong to any of the groups who were targeted by Trump’s rhetoric (other than the media — which as it became clear last night did have plenty of people who were obviously and not-so-obviously biased against him). Hopefully, Trump will govern in a manner that respects all people, supports all people, leads all people, and ultimately succeeds for all people.
He knows his personal legacy and all-important (to him at least) brand will be on the line. He knows that many will be rooting for him to fail, and also actively working toward that goal. His ability to emerge from a pack of Republican candidates and then to win the head-to-head general campaign proves his ability to focus on getting things done.
I choose to hope that he will do so in a fair, responsible, and proper way. My hope ultimately may be misplaced, but at least for now I chose to hope that it isn’t.
[i]Mike Florio on November 9, 2016, 7:00 AM ES[/i]T
