Being of a mature age, I’ve had the privilege of voting in numerous presidential elections. One thing I know for sure is that voters are always disappointed when their candidate does not win. But, we pick up our feet, regroup, and move on.
I was concerned after several elections because the president-elect did not align with my ideals or beliefs. I was particularly shocked and baffled by Bill Clinton’s second term. He was re-elected in the midst of appalling scandals and controversies. I couldn’t understand why so many continued to support him.
This year’s campaign was perhaps more intense in emotions and hostility.We, who voted, took our decision very seriously. It came with considerable contemplation, evaluation, and research. Few of us fully trusted either candidate to fulfill our hopes in leading our beloved nation to peace and prosperity. What we disliked about a candidate played as much of a role in our decision as what we approved of.
In the end, the public has spoken. Donald Trump is our president-elect. He, and our country, needs our prayers and support. Our leaders have tremendous responsibilities in this very fragile world. And we have a responsibility to promote peace, equality, and happiness everywhere, every day with our words and actions.If we want a better tomorrow, we are the ones who must make it happen.
(For posts relating to topics in regards to my books, see my blog: Mary K Doyle Books)
Midwest Mary 
Well, actually, the public (the popular vote) elected Hillary Clinton by over 200K votes. It was the electoral college that put Trump in office, and that won’t happen until December. The electoral college is an archaic body devised by the founding fathers to ensure that educated and thoughtful electors actually put a president in office, or ratified the popular vote. The premise was based on allocation of electors based on senate representation and population. The allocation of electors now are highly unrepresentative of population by state. Electors are generally politically assigned. When Hamilton found this occurring he tried to address this through a constitutional amendment. And that is the problem. That’s what it takes to change this. 13 individual states have addressed this by amending the state’s approach to assigning electors based on current population. Had all states done this, Hillary Clinton would now be the president elect. No other country that has a form of democracy embraces an electoral college, there is just a “popular” vote.
Trump decried the election process as rigged as election day approached. A tweet was unearthed yesterday from him from 2012 where he stated that the electoral college was not democratic. By his own logic and statements he should not now be the president elect. Do I need to define irony?
Democracy is messy.
You miss my point, Mary Beth. Donald Trump is our next president. He, perhaps more than most, needs our prayers, and we need to do our part to promote peace.