AFTER THE ELECTION

 

“Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” Winston Churchill

By the time this commentary is published, several days after Election Day, we should know who will occupy the White House for the next four years. Whatever the result, following years of highly charged political rhetoric, misinformation, emotional manipulation, negative advertising, personal attacks, and foreign election interference, one fact is clear. Our nation is deeply divided on the direction the country should take.

Nonetheless, whatever final decision is made by the nation’s voters, those who supported the losing candidate should step back and accept the result. The new goal should be to collectively move our nation forward and not to normalize disruptive, partisan politics.

In the aftermath of an election, the attacks against the opposing political party typically calm down. This is also when finger pointing and second guessing within the losing party normally begins.  If the election is as close as predicted, there will be a barrage of lawsuits filed in the battleground states challenging voting irregularities that, if past is prologue, did not take place.  While there may be limited confrontations on Election Day, I would not expect any organized violence after the votes are counted.

How do we recover as a nation from this critical moment? After all, one half of the country voted for a candidate, Donald Trump, who was a convicted felon and equated with fascism by his own Chief of Staff. Many respected legal scholars have concluded that Trump’s goal is to end liberal democracy as envisioned by the founding fathers. The other half voted for Vice President Kamala Harris, who had low approval ratings for working in a Biden administration perceived to have caused high inflation, chaos at the border, and an inability to manage foreign conflicts. Tens of millions of voters expressed diametrically opposed hopes and fears for and against each of the presidential candidates.

On the economy, Social Security, tariffs, health care, taxes, abortion, other social issues, and foreign affairs, there were few matters on which the two candidates found common ground. The one exception was the decision by both campaigns to ignore the largest problem facing the economy – the national debt of $36 trillion.

I disagree with both candidates who have called this election the most divisive and important in our nation’s history. The election that unleashed the Civil War in 1860 had a greater immediate impact and lasting influence. Today’s America is the economic, military, and technological envy of the world. Other nations are baffled how such a prosperous, free society can be so politically divided. But then again, no other country had an election campaign that lasted four years.

The problem was former President Trump’s refusal to concede defeat in 2020. The country has been contesting the last election and gearing up for this year’s voting nonstop since the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. The endless stream of civil lawsuits, criminal indictments, primaries, conventions, rallies, and debates has brought the political polarization to a fever pitch. Now that the election is over, it is time for all of us to calm down.

After this divisive election comes an opportunity for some self-reflection. Each of us can accept the irrefutable fact that in a pluralistic society, there are many ways to view the world that do not match our own. Everyone who voted deserves our gratitude for participating in this important function that defines democracy. We should respect all widely held opinions, no matter how contrary to our own.

I have listened to and talked with hundreds of voters in our community and across America since 2020. Getting out of my comfort zone has been more enlightening than staying within my silo, only listening to and reading those who agree with me. The backgrounds, economic situations, and opinions of Americans are more diverse than any nation on earth. These differences are the foundation of democracy in a multicultural society.

The candidate who wins a national election for our highest office is a reflection of who we are as a people. It is not the winning candidate that is unthinkable, it is the inability to vote in a free and fair election. Unhappy voters should consider the plight of those living in Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, and other authoritarian states where there is no choice.

In my case, living this past election cycle through the lens of a dedicated liberal and lawyer, a Republican victory will challenge many of my core beliefs and policy positions. However, in a healthy democracy, my place is not to lodge personal attacks against those who supported the winning candidate. My task going forward is to continue to follow my values and to expose actions that I believe undermine democracy. Hopefully, my reasoned arguments, backed by verifiable facts, will convince some voters in the next election to consider my analysis.

After the election, we must hold on to our shared humanity and love for community alongside our political differences. Healthy democracies build on their common ideals rather than wallow in negativity.

On a lighter note, there is a small consolation for those who supported the losing candidate. Each day you will be able to nod your head in agreement and smile rather than cringe, when reading the daily political cartoons making fun of the president.