06 Nov We Will Survive and Maybe Thrive
On this very day in 1860, Abraham Lincoln, before casting his own ballot in his first presidential race, reportedly compared an American election to a painful, pus-filled bump caused by an inflamed hair follicle. “Like elections,” said Lincoln on that November 6 some 164 years ago, “big boils cause a great deal of pain before they come to a head, but after the trouble is over, the body is in better health than before.”
Let us hope.
Now that the 2024 election is over, we should all want the health of our nation to improve. And, perhaps it will. Please hear me out.
Apocalyptic and Existential?
Donald Trump has won, convincingly. Based on Principle Based Politics reader “exit poll” results published in the post Cases Made, Votes Cast (October 25, 2024), that is not what the majority of you wanted, although many others sought this outcome stridently. Moreover, the Republican caucus appears to be taking over control of the United States Senate. And the U.S. House may continue to be run by a Republican majority, too. I’m sure many also think the congressional results make this morning’s presidential outcome significantly worse.
Let’s take a step back and look at the big picture. This was an unusual presidential election in many ways. One oddity was that we had two “incumbents” (of sorts) running against each other, and both had a White House track record to evaluate. On that score, the majority of the voters in the United States and the swing states specifically must have relied on the following simple facts in preferring Mr. Trump:
- He was president for four full years and did not destroy our country, end democracy, or suspend the Constitution.
- He did not start any wars.
- We did not have significant inflation under his leadership.
- He tried to stymie the growth of government and overregulation.
- He opposed illegal immigration.
- The U.S. economy was strong until covid hit.
If we get four more years of the above, we will be fine. The United States of America is the strongest nation on Earth. We will remain so until 2029.
Run the Country, Don’t Ruin It
Apparently, ordinary citizens of the United States see themselves as hiring Donald Trump (and the Republican Party) to run the country for the next four years. That is what he should focus on doing. That’s all he should focus on doing. Forget revenge or personal vendettas.
Mr. Trump should act like a Chief Executive Officer, leading the business of the nation. He should right-size the federal government, importantly including its budget. He should help all of our stakeholders by reducing the national debt. He should shore up our finances by addressing the looming shortfalls in Social Security and Medicare. (Tariffs, by the way, are not the best way to accomplish any of this.)
Of equal importance, Donald Trump – with the help of Congress – should upgrade our national security by building our military strength and defensive capabilities. He should continue America’s support of democracies abroad against foreign threats.
He should appoint good cabinet members and lead the administration in devoting their efforts to improve the lives of our people, including the black men, Latinos, women, and other groups he promised to help. He should govern in a way that will benefit all Americans.
I noticed in watching his speech around two o’clock this morning that Mr. Trump enjoys proving people wrong about him. I hope and pray he can do that to all of us who doubted he was the best person to lead our great country. More than anything, may he prove that he will not ruin the United States or the world.
May he run it, instead. And run it right – center-right, specifically – the way the voters hired him to run it.
Written by Quentin R. Wittrock, founder of Principle Based Politics.
Look for his posts each week, as this blog will explore and promote the idea of principle in politics, both as to individual elected leaders and our federal government as an institution.
Principle Based Politics does not endorse or support any particular political candidate or party.
Russell Weaver
Posted at 14:04h, 06 NovemberIs it wishful thinking when you wrote about all of things Trump SHOUD do? Perhaps he won’t ruin the country, but the amount of PAIN he will cause will be more than a footnote in the history of the once “shining beacon on the hill” nation.
Ted
Posted at 14:13h, 06 NovemberGreat post, Quentin and I agree! I think everything will be fine and I hope others will feel at peace with the election results as well!
David Glesne
Posted at 14:36h, 06 NovemberThanks, Quentin, for a level-headed and good summation of the historic moment we are living through.
Trudy Johnson
Posted at 15:44h, 06 NovemberGreat optimistic post. Trumps saving grace will be IF he can try to act like a grown up for the next 4 years. ???
Karen Schrempp
Posted at 15:52h, 06 NovemberI was thinking that whatever the outcome, it is by God’s authority who actually gets elected, and, in that sense, the Christ followers win either way. Go God! PTL!
Douglas George
Posted at 16:05h, 06 NovemberQuentin, Very well said! Hoping the new administration’s focus is on righting the ship and leading America on the path to a brighter future.
Mike Madsen
Posted at 17:03h, 06 NovemberQuent, you are far more optimistic than I am. He is now much older and more unhinged than before. He also had much stronger people around him in his first term than he undoubtedly will have this time. He will surround himself with sycophants that will do his bidding regardless of the ethics or reasonableness of them. The only way he will govern from a center right perspective is if the Mitch McConnell’s of the world are able to steer him in that direction (after all, he is the useful fool of more savvy politicians such as McConnell). I disagree that the voters want him to govern from a center right perspective. They voted for Trump to be Trump. Trumpism is a cult of personality, not any specific political ideology.
Oh, and yes, he wasn’t successful in suspending the constitution, but he certainly tried during the events that led up to January 6th.
Kathy Grussing
Posted at 17:41h, 06 NovemberI’ve always considered myself a pretty patriotic person. I certainly hope for our country to heal and prosper. However, i doubt either will happen. For the very first time in my life, I am ashamed of our country for electing a man is such low character with a serious criminal record. I no longer believe I will ever see a woman President in my lifetime.
Anonymous
Posted at 19:04h, 06 NovemberThe folks do not like inflation. The folks want a border. The folks do not like political persecution. The folks do not like fakes. The folks do not want too much government control and/or media control. Inflation needs to drop, which may happen with a new approach to energy policy. The Judge in NY, Attorney General Garland and Special Counsel Jack Smith should all apologize to the country–as should Obama and others–who sent the FBI after Trump in 2016 and started all of this rotten/corrupt behavior. The impeachment nonsense must stop from both directions. I noted in a prior post that past presidents did much worse things than Trump—and were not impeached or investigated. We don’t want government limiting free speech and the media is no longer trusted. Lastly, Harris was a contrived candidate–she tried to hide her policies. Like him or not, Trump is Trump. Orange Man will do ok and be ok–we will all watch him. Don’t get hung-up on his rhetoric. If his first term is any guide, his policy directions will be better than what we have now. Let’s all stop calling each other names and take a breath. Team America–not team democrat or team republican. Good luck.
Michael Hoffman
Posted at 22:15h, 06 NovemberThe people have spoken and (at least in my humble opinion) . . . . . . . it’s a great day in America. ‘Nuff said.
Laurie Bergren
Posted at 02:51h, 07 NovemberI don’t have the emotional energy to say this in my own words, but I agree with everything commenters Russell Weaver and Mike Madsen said above. As for the person commenting as “Anonymous” who asserts that “past presidents did worse things than Trump,” I can only wonder what planet they are living on.
Doug Wyman
Posted at 15:52h, 07 NovemberMy goodness Quentin! So you didn’t think DJT was the best person to run the country! Did you vote for Harris or someone with no chance of winning? She is completely incompetent and unqualified to be president, every! Of the choices available, the people prove the never-Trumpers wrong. Let’s get behind President Trump and not help the Dems who will be work hard to muck up his presidency.
Quentin
Posted at 16:50h, 07 NovemberI wrote in someone (Nikki Haley) “with no chance of winning,” as you put it. As my post indicates, however, I am going into the Trump presidency with a positive attitude and will give him the benefit of the doubt, construing his actions in the best possible light.
Rick Fredin
Posted at 00:04h, 08 NovemberVery good article again Quentin! And enjoy comments from others just as much even though they are far different. If you’re happy with the outcome, enjoy and smile as you go back to work each day. If you are frustrated with the outcome, please shut off your TV for two weeks, go out for a run or a long walk, and you will feel MUCH better about the country. Dean Phillips tried to tell the Democrat Party that Biden was not the person that could be Trump. But he was sent away. Many others realized Biden was in trouble after the first debate and forced him to step down. Along comes Harris as the nominee, even though. She had the worst approval rating of any VP and if you really thought that she could win, that’s on you for believing the nonsense on TV. Three times in a row now the polls have been wrong against Trump, but that’s not suspicious? The corruption in the government and the media will probably never be eliminated, but it definitely will improve for at least these next four years. But either way, go for a walk, exercise if you can, and travel around this great country of ours! Make America Healthy Again and we can ALL be great!🇺🇸❤️🤍💙🇺🇸
Michael David Madsen
Posted at 20:58h, 09 NovemberThe more time I’ve had to think about this post, the more I see it as regrettable and terribly disappointing. Quent, you claim to be for “principle-based politics” – that was the whole point behind starting this blog, or at least so you claim. Well, logic dictates that if you are so adamant about injecting more principle into politics, the only clear, logical choice would be for you to denounce Trump as what he really is – a convicted felon devoid of any personal character or moral compass. To choose otherwise your so-called dedication to “principle-based politics” becomes nothing more than lip service. There is simply no logic, principle, or rationale to ever suggest Trump would be evan a mediocre president. His only real gift is the ability to entrance the sweaty underbelly of American society.
In what you write above, you show staggering naivety. Do you really, honestly, envision Trump magically becoming Thomas Jefferson in his 2nd term? It is possible that could happen, but then again (to add some Iowa Ag parlance) pigs could fly out of my ass as well. He is old man in cognitive decline who will only change for the worse. On a more personal level, I find your refusal to denounce what is plainly obvious to be appalling willful ignorance. If my father (RIP) were alive today to read this post, he would be bitterly disappointed by your rhetoric of complicity and lack of moral conviction.
Quentin
Posted at 22:19h, 09 NovemberMichael, you must have misunderstood my use of the word “should” in my advice to Trump about what he “should” do in his second term. I don’t think him up to any of those tasks, and was not PREDICTING he would become a good president. I will send you offline a sampling of my many posts expressing my disappointment with Trump — the posts that make his fans write nasty comments and/or unsubscribe.