Donald Trump. Photo: Gage Skidmore

 

“I will be president for all Americans” — quote from Donald Trump’s election night victory speech

Holy smokes! The guy actually won! Even for many of his supporters, this may be the “unthinkable” actually happening to our country. Given the thoughtful and measured character of President Obama, Trump in comparison, with his reckless campaign rhetoric, for many has proven himself a “loose cannon,” apparently unqualified to be President of our great nation.

But Millennials hold your horses! First of all, your generation did not vote in the numbers expected; the turn-out was down from your support for President Obama in 2024. Plus a lot of you ended up actually voting for Trump!

I have to suppose it was because Trump, who spoke often about his loathing for the insider cronies, big money lobbyists, and pandering politicians in our dysfunctional federal government “draining the swamp,” as he said. True, this offered the promise of meaningful change, of extra-large Band-Aids if not fundamental change applied to our broken government in Washington.

Okay, Pete agrees, we need real change from the ideological gridlock that torpedoed so many of the sound policies of President Obama. We need a big shake-up in Washington. Is Trump the answer? We will see? Pedestrian Pete agrees, as Obama state week’s press conference, “let’s give Trump a chance to prove himself.” Let’s hope he makes the right decisions to become “the President of all Americans.”

As a final thought, I understand the lack of excitement about Hillary Clinton. Unlike Trump, she was unable to cultivate an enthusiastic base of voters, or a core of diehard supporters. In short, she was a flawed candidate with a wonkish hum-drum style, along with Trump, and highly unpopular with a majority of Americans. If she had been elected, it likely would have been more of the “bash the Clintons” that dogged Bill Clinton during his last two years in office. The American people have had enough of political vendettas!

 

I want to share with you Pedestrian Pete’s recent message of consolation to his five children:

HOPE for TRUMP?

Yes, my children, we are all concerned, many of us deeply troubled, by the unexpected outcome of the presidential election. Trump the unthinkable.

However, if you read Trump’s victory speech, there is a glimmer of hope. Clearly our government in Washington is and has been gridlocked for years, terribly broken. The fault, however, lies with Republican’s obstructionist and diehard ideologies. Although not her fault, with Hillary Clinton as President, it would have been more of the same fitful political infighting, plus vicious personal investigations dragging on for years. She was a wounded candidate. It would have been a tough way to start. We must recognize that Trump’s election represents a deep and divisive flaw in American politics which has come to a boiling point.

We may be surprised and reassured, however, at a number of Trump initiatives, outlined in his victory speech that could receive bi-partisan support. As well, a skeptical Republican Congress will probably keep any outlandish proposals in check, as Trump is not a mainline Republican.

His lack of experience and inner circle advisors are a real concern. Hopefully he is smart enough to select a new cadre of highly skilled advisors experienced in governmental and global affairs. We don’t need the likes of the Bush neo-cons who gave him really bad advice starting with the invasion of Iraq.

In short, let’s hope that a different Trump emerges now that he is President, and that without debilitating turmoil, his personality and style (not particularly his experience or ideas) will give our government the shaking-up it so solely needs. He is certainly an “often,” but as Malcolm Gladwell explained, in uncertain times outliers are needed to fix endemic problems! Furthermore, Trump appears to have little patience for incompetence and poor performance, a malady aplenty in Washington.