The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
By Richard Seamon, Somerset.
To say that I’m disappointed would be an understatement; I’m disheartened, confused and worried. However, I feel it’s important to say that I am not angry at anyone for their vote and I will not be “unfriending” anyone (either online or in person) and I hope no one chooses to “unfriend” me. Even though I’m not sure that I recognize the country that I live in today, it would be worse if we allowed this result to drive personal wedges between us.
As to Mr. Trump, I feel it’s important to recognize that he did not win the popular vote and he does not have a mandate from the people. It seems clear that his support came from a feeling of economic hopelessness and that government has abandoned certain segments of our society. Whether true or not, perception has clearly become reality.
So, I hope Mr. Trump chooses to listen to this message of economic need and focuses on it. Work to help people improve their economic position; improve their access to health care; learn 21st Century skills and move away from industries that are destroying communities; shore up Social Security and Medicare; recognize that our planet needs to be cared for and not simply used up for selfish gains. All of these things will go a long way to improving the economic position of all Americans.
Further, I hope he stays out of our bedrooms and bathrooms; I hope he leaves a woman’s choice to her and not to the government; I hope he recognizes the beauty of families and that our society is stronger when we can marry who we love; I hope that “Dreamers” find a path to their American dream and Mr. Trump realizes he does not have to destroy one group of people to help another. Trying to overhaul these social issues will not bring this country together.
I hope Mr. Trump understands the importance of the office and he surrounds himself with the best, not the hacks and “yes-men” that many presidents have chosen in the past. Assuming this really is a call for change, let’s lose the phone numbers for Gingrich and Giuliani and Christie and Huckabee.
Finally, I hope both R and D spend the next three years identifying the next group of leaders for our country. It won’t be Trump or Clinton or Sanders or Warren. Given the absolute cowardice shown during this election, it won’t be Ryan or Rubio or Cruz or Chaffetz either. Maybe it’s Kasich or Cuomo or Booker, Haley or Kamala Harris (remember this name), Duckworth, Cortez-Mastro or Hassan, or someone else. Whoever it is, I hope he or she spends the next three years working for all Americans and showing all of us why he or she is deserving of our vote. More than anything else, this country needs a leader that has more than 50 percent support nationwide, at least.
Mr. Trump is the President-elect. We need to respect the office always; I hope that his actions in the future will bring the respect for the person.
