Eight years ago Barack Obama campaigned on the motto of “Hope and Change” and with it a new beginning.
Come Friday, president-elect Donald Trump will implement his pledge to “Make America Great Again.” With the inauguration of a new president in he nation’s capital, hope for the future will weigh heavily on our minds as the New York real estate tycoon becomes the nation’s 45th president.
While many citizens lament the election of Trump to the nation’s highest office, there are those within the two coasts who overwhelmingly voted for Trump to lead this country in a new direction. To the victor belong the spoils, meaning Trump has the opportunity to form his own government, select his cabinet and set forth a new agenda for this country.
To those who say Trump is not the legitimate president, he won by the rules set in place by capturing the Electoral College vote. He captured 31 states and although he did not win the popular vote, remove the difference in one state — California — and he has captured the plurality.
For critics to say white voters rejected the Democrats is ludicrous. After all, Caucasians helped elect President Obama not once, but twice.
Just like at the end of George H.W. Bush’s term —the supposed third term of Ronald Reagan polices — Americans felt it was time for a change and, therefore, elected Bill Clinton. Like the plight of a championship sports program, the team undergoes a cyclical change every once in a while. Presidential elections are no different.
Many voters will, undoubtedly oppose Trump’s vision for the country much like millions of Americans soured on the Obama Administration and his philosophy for governing America. The division between those on the left and right must not be so ugly and uncivil. In a perfect world, we would love to see a nation willing to give the 45th president a chance to prove his worth and see how he governs during the first 100 days, a crucial time for the newly–elected president to implement his policies and to begin his governing.
As many had asked President Obama in 2008, be a leader for all Americans. This we also ask of you, Donald Trump, be a president for all people, listen to their viewpoints, rise above the incivility and not stoop lower than your adversaries and deliver on your promises, especially to put AmericanS back to work and to grow our economy.
As a Navy town, we look forward to you supporting and strengthening the nation’s military and to work and respect the United States’ allies and treaties to make this a safer world from both domestic and international threats. As we look ahead, all Americans — Democrats, Republicans, Independents and others — should see what happens during the next three months. We have seen too much divisiveness for the past eight years, and millions of Americans don’t want to see another eight tumultuous years of elected officials taking their ball home and not wanting to play.
LVN Editorials represent the viewpoint of this newspaper and appear on Wednesday.
