Presidents Set Precedents
Since 11:30 EST today, we’ve known Joe Biden is going to be the next president of the United States. For half of our country, it’s the best news we’ve had in four years. For the other half…not so much. But regardless of your politics, one thing is clear:
President Trump set a new precedent for how American politics will play out.
Over the last four years America has been splattered with divisive, oftentimes hateful, rhetoric coming from the White House– with the sole purpose of further splitting We the People in half. “Liberal” has become synonymous with “Socialist”; “Republican” is spat with the same bile as “Racist”.
That’s the danger Trump will leave behind when he departs our nation’s capitol for good. Remember Tuesday when all those congressional races were happening? In North Carolina, the Republican candidate won: Madison Cawthorn. His victory tweet? “Cry more, lib.”
Instead of accepting his victory with grace and the knowledge that he now represents his entire district in the House, Cawthorn comfortably adopted an “Us vs. Them” approach that Trump’s been using since 2016.
Now it’s okay to maintain polarizing messaging after you’ve won. When the expectation is that you’ll put away your sword and get to work, commune with the other side of the aisle to compromise for the things your people need. Isn’t that the whole point of being a public servant? You’re elected to make change that benefits your people– not to be in a position of power at odds with half of your district, state, or country. The idea that politicians work for us has been dismissed.
We’re going to see a lot more Cawthorns in the wake of this political shift, people whose ego is the driving force behind their desire to “lead”. And the scariest thing? It’s now been proven that through misinformation and slander half of the American people can be bought.
Trump himself was an incompetent liar who through four years of inspection had no integrity to speak of, no morals, no code of ethics guiding him through the most important leadership position in the world. His rhetoric was a malignancy that’s sprouted within the hearts of rising stars, blackening the tattered soul of our nation.
The recognition that politicians are public servants whose job it is to do right by you is America’s saving grace. These people aren’t celebrities, and they’re certainly not deities. They’re voted into office with your confidence, whether it’s a local election, state, or federal. Understand that when politicians enter office with division, that’s what they stand for. And when they tell you they’re a bigoted racist with a penchant for p*ssy grabbing– believe them.
