Why Trump won and the aftermath of the election

By Christopher Curran
Posted 11/16/16

In this seemingly never-ending, malingering election season, most Americans are breathing a sigh of relief that this winter of our political discontent is finally over. Whether their preferred candidate prevailed or not, it is fair to say that we

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Why Trump won and the aftermath of the election

Posted

In this seemingly never-ending, malingering election season, most Americans are breathing a sigh of relief that this winter of our political discontent is finally over. Whether their preferred candidate prevailed or not, it is fair to say that we citizens were wrung out by the unceasing muckraking and negativity that permeated the last 18 months. The oncoming spring of a new administration may bring a blossoming economy due to planned revisions in trade and taxation, a new enforced respect for our immigration laws, a strong modification of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or its outright repeal, and a vast national infrastructure refurbishment to foster construction jobs and renewal. Donald J. Trump emerged victorious much to the surprise of most political scientists and most pollsters whose statistical conclusions were dead wrong. In this roller-coaster ride of a general election period, the major competitors changed leading positions several times according to the polls.  However, the Trump path to victory was always depicted as much narrower than Hillary Clinton’s.  Yet, defying the odds, as he did throughout both the primary and general campaigns, Trump shocked the nation and the world with his decisive win in the Electoral College. So, how did Donald J. Trump become the future 45th President of the United States?  And how did Hillary Clinton’s political flaws adversely affect her chances of winning and what missteps did she commit in her quest for the presidency?  Further, now that the country has spoken, how are citizens reacting and what kind of reuniting is possible after perhaps the most divisive election in history? Pointedly, Trump’s strongest asset was that he was the most inordinate candidate one might have thought of.  As a result of his strangeness, his lack of prior political experience and previous lack of office holding, what was originally believed to be a detriment was just the opposite!  It was a magnetic attraction for many who were fed up with government stagnancy.  Noisy, battering, insulting, and outlandish in tenor, tone and delivery, Trump defeated 16 Republican primary contenders and projected himself as a populist and a nationalist at a juncture in time when white voters feel their quality of life slipping away and their country’s complexion converting into something alien to them.  More than an undercurrent of bigotry, Trump’s attractiveness is the possibility of his restoration of the erstwhile ideal of an America where the next generation will realize a better standard of living than the current generation.  Furthermore, Trump’s vision of America on the stump was the age old notion that real Americans are only limited by an individual’s lack of determination and capability.  He consistently stated that he wanted to provide opportunities for hard-working people through revisions in trade and root out those who were dependent on the government, especially those who reside here illegally.  Contrarily, Hillary Clinton’s mildly decipherable message was one of continued globalism and government dependency. In their election post-mortem, the liberal leaning Washington Post tried to make sense of the results, “Donald Trump was elected the nation’s 45th President in the stunning culmination of a campaign that defied expectations and conventions at every turn and galvanized legions of aggrieved Americans in a loud repudiation of the status quo.”  Although Hillary Clinton won 600 thousand more popular votes, she fell seriously short in key demographics.  In comparison to President Obama four years ago, Clinton mustered 5 % less African American voters, 6 % less Latino voters, 11% less millennial voters and she lost the white female vote overall.  She lost the key swing states such as Florida by 2% of the vote, Pennsylvania by 1% of the vote, North Carolina by 3% of the vote and Ohio by 8% of the vote.  Clinton was soundly beaten in the rust belt states where Donald Trump campaigned heavily and Clinton hardly appeared.  Also, Trump won 45% of all rural voters, which was the highest percentage of any Republican candidate since President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s 1956 victory.  Most astonishingly, Hillary only received 65% of Latino voters where Obama reaped 88% of Hispanic voters in 2008.  These results occurred despite Trump’s redundant bashing of mostly Latino illegal immigrants.  Moreover, Hillary Clinton could not sustain the Obama coalition that propelled him to two general election victories.  Some can speculate that Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is simply an unlikable candidate.  She came across as condescending and imperious rather than engaging and endearing.  She has admitted that she is not a natural on the stump like her husband our 42nd President Bill Clinton. But the electorate’s dislike for her is more than her lack of fluidity and grace at the podium.  She emitted a sense of distrustfulness considering her unwillingness to expose herself to questioning in news conference forums during the campaign.  Her opponent was always accessible while she seemed to be hiding from confrontations with reporters.  Similarly, her ongoing private email saga continued to hound her throughout both the primary and general campaigns.  In a conference call to donors via the phone last Sunday, Mrs. Clinton hoisted culpability for her loss on FBI Director James Comey, who eleven days and two days before the election made statements regarding the investigation.  She expressed that positive momentum was thwarted by his public statements. She claimed that she probably would have won without Comey’s updates on the matter.  That explanation is way too simplistic.  Hillary did not create a vision for the country’s future in a similar way to her opponent.  She spent most of her time disparaging Trump rather than presenting an argument based upon her plans and policies. Even though the President-Elect was often reckless, taunting, and vitriolic on the stump, he did convey a consistent theme to his audiences of what he wanted for the nation.  As far-fetched as the notion seems, Billionaire Donald Trump became the champion of the working man, which historically has been a Democrat campaign pillar.  Hillary was interpreted as a continuation of the same stagnant government continuum that has depressed wages, eroded the middle-class, and lessened opportunities in employment over the past two decades.  Whereas, Trump was seen as an outside Washington wildcard, that must be played even if the possibility of a winning hand is questionable. In her concession speech, Hillary Clinton graciously said in regard to the victor: “We owe him an open mind and a chance to lead”.  That statement was elegant and correct. In his first transition meeting with President Obama, Trump listened to Obama’s case for retaining the medical insurance coverage for children up to age 26, under their parent’s plan, and the open acceptance of pre-existing condition clause.  Surprisingly, Trump said he would strongly consider retaining them in his proposed revision of the ACA. Equally hopeful was Trump’s victory speech, “Now it’s time for America to bind the wounds of division; have to get together.  To all Republicans and Democrats and Independents across the nation, I say its time for us to come together as one united people”.  In conclusion he said, “It is time, I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans, and this is so important to me”. Unfortunately, protestors throughout the country are not heeding Trump’s words of conciliation and new promise.  They are instead carrying signs saying “Love Trumps Hate”, “Not My President”, and “United against Trump”.  Marches impeding the flow of traffic on Interstates and fevered displays and snarky speeches on the steps of state houses have been pervasive.  In Providence, from the State House to Thayer Street to Broadway to Morris Avenue where the governor lives, angry Rhode Islanders are boisterously heralding their apocalyptic perception of a Trump Presidency.  Correlatively, college students in both the Ivy League and State Universities have had to postpone examinations, have brought in service/comfort dogs, and made counselors available to emotionally shattered young people who view the Donald as a sort of Anti-Christ.  Even the Ocean State’s US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse had published an open letter to the President-Elect to alert him to the tears and rancor in the college communities.  Frankly, sanctimonious Shelly should stick to worrying about whether polar bears have enough ice to play on.  The world will not come to an end with Trump’s ascension and we have survived lackluster presidents, scoundrel presidents, mentally unstable presidents, and just plain inert and ineffectual presidents.  Therein lay the beauty of our coequal government.  Whether Donald J. Trump ends up a goat or an effective leader, our country will endure. The Republic will go on. The rampant emotionalism apparent in these protests is not productive.  Let us give the new president the benefit of the doubt.  Sometimes becoming president can bring out the better angels of one’s nature.  Here is hoping that will be the case with Donald Trump, the 45th President of the Untied States.

Comments

4 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here

  • Justanidiot

    The Republic will go on until at least noon 1/20/17. At 12:01 P.M. all bets are off.

    Thursday, November 17, 2016 Report this

  • RISchadenfreude

    The riots, the tantrums, the fearmongering of the days since the election are WHY Trump won, not BECAUSE he won- the average American voter (specifically those who pay taxes and respect the law) are tired of the antics of the last 8 years, from the president running the country by executive fiat, arm-twisting and shady deals and multiple scandals to the continuous rioting by the spoiled-brat minority who act out when they don't get their way and are encouraged through silence by the media and the president (hey, he'll never be more than an Alinskyite community organizer at his core).

    If you believe the riots in Portland were about the election, look at the numbers- only about 30% of those arrested actually voted.

    The best way to deal with people who act as though they're "victimized" by reality is to ignore them and get on with the business of restoring this country.

    The best thing about Obama's executive overreach is it can be negated with the stroke of a pen; and if the left is whining now, wait and see if Trump follows Obama's bad example of "I've got a pen and I've got a phone"- I don't think he'll need to, since he has both the House and Senate, as well as 35 Governors and most State assemblies.

    At least Rhode Islanders will have someone to blame again.

    Friday, November 18, 2016 Report this

  • Justanidiot

    The collapse of the edumacation system is complete.

    Johnny can't read?

    Donny loves it.

    Friday, November 18, 2016 Report this

  • bloodhound

    Chris - What you wrote may be true and is your opinion. What you omitted was that so many who voted for Trump in the swing states were lesser educated white's who could not understand that Trump is about himself, not the average American. And that his trade plans will result in higher inflation and higher costs of goods to Americans. If America is behind a bigot to represent the U.S.A.. the U.S.A. is not so united, especially given the split with voters on a national basis, Trump has traits of being psychotic and delusional. He gets pleasure from putting down others to make himself feel better. He gets pleasure from seeking retribution on others. That alone is enough to find him not fit for our citizens. You will find after a short time that the electoral college failed our country.

    Tex

    Sunday, November 20, 2016 Report this