The 2016 Presidential election has made it abundantly clear that many Americans are frustrated with the state of this country’s politics. With the results of the election in, many people are unsure of the direction this country will take now. There is one thing I am sure of, though; we must live with the decision.
I am not saying that everyone will or even should be content with the new president, but rather that we should all learn to make rational decisions. This past election cycle exposed an ugly truth in U.S. politics. It has shown us that we, as a nation, are divided, perhaps more than any time in recent history. We must tone down the outrage and increase our abilities to emphasize with each other. If we want to see positive changes to this country, then we must be active in ways that are not detrimental to society.
By the time this is published, everybody in the known universe will be aware of the results of the 2016 Presidential Election. Some people will claim victory now that Donald Trump has been declared the winner. Some people will sigh in relief that they no longer have to listen to political rhetoric on the news. Others will take to online message boards and claim that the new president is setting this nation on a path to destruction. Still, others may or may not follow through on their threats to move to Canada.
None of these actions will produce any kind of positive change.
This last election cycle stands out as being one of the most provocative, aggravating, unpredictable and ugly elections in recent history. Hate and vitriol have been spewing from all sides – from both party candidates and their respective supporters. Several controversies have come to light and painted an unsavory depiction of the United States political system. Angry mobs have flooded political rallies, sometimes forcing the candidates to leave the stage.
And perhaps the most concerning of all, warnings of a post-election revolution. These declarations have convinced many voters that the election outcome will lead to violence.
Why has this election been so divisive? Perhaps it is the internet that gives everyone a voice while hiding in anonymity? Maybe it is the media propagating controversy to generate ratings? Is it simply the suggested policies of the two candidates that created the divide amongst the American people, or was it our division that led to their nominations and policies.
Regardless, we must learn to work together again.
We have to remind ourselves not to fall victim to scare tactics. It is important to research and to keep ourselves informed of the issues that truly are affecting us all. We also need to learn that it is OK to be wrong on occasion. There is no better way to learn than to acknowledge what you do not know.
More importantly, if we want to see positive change, we must be willing to get up and take real and constructive action. Quit standing on the sidelines while political parties are electing candidates that we despise. Exercise our right to vote in other elections; look beyond the national elections so that we can give equal attention to the state and local level. Real change is only possible if you begin at the foundations.
This includes the midterm elections that are coming up in 2018 that give us the right to vote for members of the United States Congress, the House of Representatives and the United States Senate. Many states also hold their governor elections around this time including the state of Texas.
There are numerous local elections that have the potential to enact real change to education, transportation, business development, law enforcement and a whole host of other issues.
There is also the issue of voter apathy. Many people complain about the state of this country but do nothing to change it. They claim that their votes do not matter by either pointing out that the system is rigged or by bringing up the Electoral College. Voter fraud on a large enough scale to tip a presidential election is actually quite rare, most likely because the act of committing voter fraud is illegal.
Everybody’s vote counts. To recognize this fact and to exercise the right that each citizen has to vote is a part of becoming an adult. To be an adult, we should also accept the outcome of the election even if we are not happy with the results. We have to find a way to reunite ourselves at a time when the nation is so heavily divided.
In the light of our new president, this change must start now.
