What does the election mean?

LARRY ANDERSON
Larry Anderson

I am writing this column one day after the election when things are still somewhat in flux but far enough along to justify some observations.

I realize people may be fed up with politics for now considering the length of the campaign and the tone of it, but a sea change has taken place. We need to be aware of its impact.

First, let me say how pleased I am with the outcome of the election locally, at the state level, and nationally. Clearly, the country is ready for change. Voters have every right to expect great things and must continue to hold those in power accountable.

I am not going to focus on one aspect of this enormously significant election; instead I will identify points of ramification as follows.

Please don’t take Donald Trump lightly. The man knows how to do things, how to work with people, and how to focus on what is currently most important: good jobs, trade imbalances, immigration issues, the horrific national debt, and government overreach, to name a few. Trump will be focused, and the man is no fool.

Trump does not fear the left, big media, or the Hollywood crowd currently in hysteria. A leader not afraid of these entities is an enormous asset to everyone else.

The leftist elite has been rocked back by the election but don’t assume it is finished. They will recover and resume their same old tired agenda as soon as new leadership emerges. The old leadership of Obama, the Clintons, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, and a string of others is largely finished. They are as old and as boring as their ideas.

The left will fight everything Trump will propose tooth and nail. Trump will try to work deals, but he will be a force in the White House. Watch this closely as it develops. I think we may all be surprised by Trump’s political abilities.

Conservatives now hold the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives, but Republicans also control significant governorships and state legislatures. The trend is center right; there is no trend to the left now, but that can’t be counted on even two years from now. Losses don’t mean the left has learned anything.

Hillary Clinton carried a respectable number of states, but if you look at the map, America is geographically a bright red. Liberals’ power remains in urban cores and with minority groups, although there were some signs of slippage.

Democrat strongholds are New England, the Pacific coast, and the upper Midwest. Republicans need to work hard in these areas to change minds. That is a tough go, but absolutely necessary.

The Republican strongholds are in the South, the Midwest, the West, in smaller cities and towns, and in rural areas. It takes a lot of votes from many small towns to overwhelm the concentration of votes in one big city. Look at Michigan’s map.

The liberals have lost the white vote but do well with African-Americans, Asian-Americans and Hispanics. Republicans must work hard with these demographics. Hopefully, Trump can make some inroads by being inclusive and with growth in jobs and opportunities.

The blue collar vote that was once a Democratic demographic has changed. Jobs have replaced the much exploited theme of “social justice” in importance, but that doesn’t mean the public isn’t cognizant to fairness. Trump must be fair.

The Supreme Court is of great importance. Trump will appoint conservative-to-moderate justices with strong regard for the Constitution, notably the Second Amendment. I believe the right to bear arms is now safe.

Obamacare will be redesigned if not repealed. It was a disaster. Public opinion more than liberal cooperation will make that possible.

This election underscored the fact big media can’t control an election. People still think for themselves and base their vote on what is best for their families and country. Results mean more than rhetoric and catchy slogans.

This election was as much a repudiation of Barack Obama’s policies as it was a rejection of the lies and cover-ups of Hillary Clinton.

Patriotism is no longer a bad thing. It is okay now to celebrate America’s greatness. The age of apology is over.

Political correctness has been beaten and must die from neglect.

We must all acknowledge once again the greatness of our political design. The Founders got it right. You might thank them a little.

Finally, Donald Trump must be given the opportunity to excel. He defeated all odds and ran a campaign that spent far less than his opponent(s). He is ready, and his potential is great.