Our long awaited presidential election is finally over. I've heard all the gloating from the winning side, and the moaning from the losing side. Here's my pragmatic take on where we are and where we might be going:
Some seem to be holding out hope that enough of the Electoral College electors will at the last minute change their vote from Trump to Clinton to enable her to be declared the winner. Technically possible? Sure, and tonight's winning lottery numbers will be....
Protesting is fine. It's a way to show those in power that all the people matter, and that even the losing side must somehow be accommodated, too. But violence is stupid. It just makes the protesters look like a bunch of kooks. Lets stay away from that, OK?
I'm personally very concerned when one party controls the House AND the Senate AND the White House. IMO neither party should ever be given that much power. Our Founding Fathers envisioned "checks and balances", but this current monopoly of power gives us neither. Those among us who can still think straight should hope the Democrats gain control of one house of Congress in the midterm elections in 2018.
I've heard it said many times that the job (the office of President) shapes the man, meaning that once taking office and the new President sees what all the job entails, he will put away his rose colored glasses and deal with reality. Trump once famously said that he knew all about ISIS, more than the generals even, and that he would "bomb the hell out of them". (ISIS, not the generals *snort*) Now that he's getting intelligence briefings and sees what is really going on in the world, and learns all about the ramifications of even a tiny misstep, I'm hopeful he'll choose his words and actions more carefully.
I believe it was in his party acceptance speech that he said something conciliatory about the LGBT community. He received a polite response from the delegates, for which he thanked them. I don't think he has intentions to pull their rug out from under them.
He's going to build a wall. Right, and I'm going to be an astronaut. Increased border security, sure, which isn't a bad thing, but the expense and logistics and material/manpower issues that would be required to build his wall are just beyond reach at this time.
He's going to have an undocumented alien roundup and send them all home. Who's going to do the rounding up? Where are we going to hold them awaiting their deportation? Do they get their day in court? Do they get a court appointed attorney? Will there be any lawsuits/injunctions to stop him? How long will all that take to clear the courts? Always remember the old saying, "The wheels of Justice turn slowly". Some sort of compromise will have to be worked out involving registration, work permits, etc. Again, the job will shape the man.
Trump said just yesterday that he might keep parts of Obamacare. I think he's already figured out that literally declaring it null and void can come back to bite him in the butt. To do that would send our entire health delivery system into turmoil. He might see to it that it's heavily amended, which it desperately needs, and to save face he might declare the new improved plan Trumpcare, but who really cares? (The people already know it was President Obama who started the health care reform ball rolling.) The important thing is the people will have access to the care they need.
On and on....he'll soon realize that words, and actions, have consequences. Consequences that he really won't want to deal with.
S
