Photo courtesy of Lant Michael Gallup, American
Post-election morning after!
Shock. Surprise. My daughter’s single word text this morning says it all: OMG!
This morning we have a new president, not the president predicted by the polls and the liberal media. Not the president wished for by many but the president selected by the votes of the people.
I’m not sure whether to be hopeful or terrified!
I hope this isn’t a case of “Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.” Trump managed to energize our nation. He claims to be an agent for change. Here are a few changes I’d like to see before we go through all of this again in four years.
I hope the viciousness is over and not repeated four years from now.
I hope a rule is put in place to guarantee discussion of issues rather than allowing the destruction of the characters of the candidates. I hope this year’s atrocious attacks from both sides will spark a move to limit the time the candidates can campaign. I hope the memory of this year-long bloodbath will encourage participants to think before bludgeoning their opponents with such ugly charges.
I’m for freedom of the press, but not freedom for the journalists to advance their own agenda. I want neutral coverage of the news. Just give me the facts without personal bias and let me make up my own mind.
I’m for free speech, but I’m not in favor of personal attacks and bullying. I would hope the television ads have to maintain a certain level of civility. The networks have to bleep profanity, a rule that could be seen as curtailing free speech in order to not offend people. Why not bleep or not accept ugly ads? They are offensive to me and probably to most viewers.
Both sides need to consider whether it is in the best interests of our country to smear so savagely the two candidates, one who will, after the election, lead and represent our country. Other countries watched our process with the same awe and horror that we did. Surely it would be better to present to the world a leader chosen because of his or her leadership abilities and progressive ideas, rather than someone whose main qualification is having survived character assassination from the opposing candidate’s rhetoric.
Oh well. Life goes on in the Valley. Maybe television will settle back to giving us the important news like what Beyonce is up to or what’s new with Tom Cruise. I’m ready for dull, boring . . .