Editorial: Trump’s dominance ushers in a new era of meaner politics

ANGELO LYNN

Newly elected President Donald Trump ushered in a new political era with his victory in the seven swing states, winning both the electoral college and the national popular vote. In what is a game-changing election, Republicans also took control of the U.S. Senate, as was widely expected, even as the majority in the House of Representatives remains in contention ahead of a series of close elections.

Trump’s dominance in swing states reflected voters’ dissatisfaction with high inflation and the high cost of living caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Even as the economy has remained strong and what economists called an unlikely “soft landing” without entering a recession, and inflation has fallen below 3%, prices have remained high and a nationwide housing shortage has made it difficult to to pay for housing. These double-pocket issues outweighed voters’ concerns about Trump’s anti-democratic campaign promises and his verbal attacks on immigrants and minority groups, even as he made gains in their support.

It was a heartbreaking election for the Democrats. Women did not support Harris in the numbers Democrats had hoped; Black men and Latinos supported Trump in greater numbers than in previous elections, and the party’s platform of progressive politics has won more opponents than supporters. If Democrats want to regain the support of the majority of the public, a major overhaul of their platform is needed.

Republicans, on the other hand, have found in Trump a politician like no other who has chartered a new style of politics – crude, demeaning, mean-spirited, untruthful, vindictive and more about entertainment than substance – that will likely change the way campaigns are run. running for the foreseeable future. That his style of campaigning worked will likely mean others will embrace it in years to come.

For the voting public, the challenge is figuring out how to conduct political discourse when the truth has no basis. That disinformation, conspiracy theories, outrageous claims and outright lies dominated Trump’s campaign, as well as his first term, makes it difficult for the public to separate fact from fiction, what is serious and what is a derogatory comment, insult or threat. or what is senile gibberish from the president or a clown act to entertain.

Moreover, Trump has repeatedly said he wants to rule more like an autocrat with unlimited powers, and Americans can expect him to use the tools of his office and his iron control of the Republican Party to make that happen.

To counter that inevitability, the Senate and House of Representatives must resist Trump’s impulses that run counter to the Constitution and the principles of our democracy, as should members of Trump’s own administration, as they often did during his first term . Trump’s team must remember that he only has one more term in office, so if their long game is to win the trust of the American people, they will have to keep his worst instincts in check.

Voters also have a role. Like the New York Times said in today’s editorial: “The ultimate responsibility for ensuring the continuity of America’s enduring values ​​lies with its voters. Those who supported Mr. Trump in this election should closely monitor his behavior while in office to see if it matches their hopes and expectations. If not, they should express their disappointment and cast votes in the 2026 and 2028 midterm elections to get the country back on track. Those who opposed him should not hesitate to sound the alarm if he abuses his power, and if he tries to use government power to retaliate against critics, the world will be watching.

“Benjamin Franklin famously warned the American people that the nation was ‘a republic, if you can keep it.’ Trump’s election poses a serious threat to that republic, but he will not determine the long-term fate of American democracy. That outcome remains in the hands of the American people. It is the work of the next four years.”

Angelo Lynn