The Instructive Election of Donald Trump

Election Day 2016: I am so proud to be an American today!

It is seldom that I realize we have so much opportunity — opportunity to learn and become a better nation.

Based on our collective decisions last night, I realize these new roads await.

What are these new roads and opportunities?

Let’s get started:

I now realize that many people still have not learned that lying is wrong.  We elected a new President who lies 91% of the time and tells the truth 4% of the time.  Clearly, so many still don’t know that lying is not a good thing.  And, now, when we try to teach our children that lying is not a good thing, we will have so many examples to readily share.

I now realize that people have a lot to learn about the economy.  The financial crisis of 2007-2008?  Ah, so long ago.  Do we remember?  Of course not.  We have just elected a President with nearly similar policies to the one who brought this financial crisis in the first place.  Despite currently having virtually zero unemployment in our country, we might actually be able to learn, again, first hand, where this unregulated, trickle-down economic theory leads.

I now realize that people have a lot to learn about the importance of facts.  It’s incredible, nearly unbelievable, but remarkably true that, to many, facts have no place in this world.  OMG, such opportunity to teach about facts!  A fact is something that is undeniably true — like climate change!  Yet, so many people are still denying it.  Isn’t this great…so many people with so much opportunity to still learn?  And, it all begins with our new President.

I now realize that people have a lot to learn about etiquette.  Imagine the teachable moments we now have.  Oh, the opportunity! I never realized the amount of people who think it’s ok to…talk publicly about the size of your penis in a political form, chastise a woman for having a menstrual moment when she disagrees with you, indiscriminately grab women’s genitalia if you’re famous, just flat out deny all of the women who have accused you of sexual assault, call-out women publicly as fat cows, call out an entire group of people as rapists and murderers, constantly deride and character-assassinate everyone with opposing views…ah, the list of teachable moments promises to endure at least 4 more years.

I realize once again that we need to teach the notion that “actions speak louder than words”.  This lesson we get to learn every election — aren’t we lucky?  Our teachable moment in this segment comes from religious people who vote Republican.  If it means that you’ll pay a little more taxes, do you…Want to raise the minimum wage so that your fellow man can afford food and housing?  NOPE!  Want to provide an affordable quality education system for all to end the cycle of poverty?  NOPE!  Want to expand the military so we can improve the best killing machine known to man?  YEP!

I realize once again that we can be SO BACKWARD, which gives a great chance to learn to GO FORWARD.  I love my country which gives me great motivation to improve it.  And, to improve it, we need to acknowledge that we’re not the best at everything.  And, over the next 4 years, we get to see that shouting “we’re #1” without looking at the facts is not the best approach.  Where do you think America rates in quality of life studies?  #1?  Nope.  #2?  Nope.  #3?  Nope.  Keep going all the way down to #10.  Where do you think America rates on healthcare?  #1?  Nope.  #2?  Nope.  You get the idea?  All you have to do is Google these things — it’s called “being informed”.  And, you might even discover that all the countries with the top healthcare ratings have universal healthcare — imagine that?

I realize that we can learn so much about restraint.  In today’s social media, immediate gratification world where people shout and don’t listen, we have the opportunity to learn that this may not be the best approach.  There is an alternative — self-restraint.  In fact, we just learned this from our new President.  Well, his minions actually — they realized that their candidate had no restraint with his Twitter rants and thus removed his access and changed his password.  This may have won him the election.  Ah, lessons already learned.  What a beautiful day!

I now realize that many people are delusional, which presents so many opportunities to become “lusional” — learned human beings.  Question:  “Why are you voting for Trump?”  Answer:  “Because Hillary will raise my taxes!”  Question:  “Do you make over $250,000″ per year?”  Answer (sheepishly):  “No.”  Question:  “Do you realize then that she will not raise your taxes?”  Answer:  “Whatever, Trump will make America great again!”  Question:  “Do you think America is weak?”  Answer:  “Obviously!  Trump will improve our military and make us great again!”  Question:  “Do you realize that we spend more on our military than the next 8 nations..combined?”  Answer:  “Whatever, Trump will make America great again!”  Question:  “Wouldn’t that money be put to better use elsewhere on things that can improve rather than destroy lives?”  Answer:  “Are you a communist?”

I now realize that many people think that it’s ok to buy something and then not pay for it.  Initially, when I heard that Donald Trump has been involved in over 4,095 lawsuits — many of which are claims against him for non-payment of services, I thought “Hmmm…that doesn’t sound right”.  However, half of my esteemed voting peers thought nothing of this or chose to disregard it.  Now, I realize why — this is just another instructive moment that we must appreciate.  By way of his election, we have just purchased Donald Trump and now we must pay for it.

I now realize that people equate running a real-estate business with running a country.  I think we may all learn something here.  Donald Trump is not a trusted businessman who has stewarded a solid company for decades, providing security and promise to tens and hundreds of thousands of people.  Donald Trump is a real-estate businessman whose assorted companies have declared bankruptcy 6 times.  6 times!  Now, for those of you who have known these tycoons of the real-estate industry, bankruptcy is not uncommon.  It’s a feast or famine business with dramatic peaks and valleys.  Is that acceptable for the country?  Apparently, many people think so.  I sense though that it may be another teachable moment.

I now arrive at the final instructive moment and, on this, I need you all to pay attention over the next 4 years because it’s something we MUST follow closely and react immediately if it comes to fruition…

 I now realize that people are completely unaware of the dangers of nuclear war!  There are those of you who may be too young to have experienced a world where a nuclear attack was a part of the conversation.  And there are others for whom it may be too long ago to remember.  But, now, we’ve elected a President who actively talks about using nuclear weapons.  Trump has said he “would not rule out” the use of nuclear weapons.  Now, while many Trump supporters may claim that this is just a part of his oh so clever keep ’em guessing rhetoric, the words are dangerous and quite literally threaten life as we know it.  I’m counting on all of you to not allow this to happen.  ‘Cause if it does, I’m not sure your new healthcare plan will cover your melted corpse after a nuclear holocaust.

In conclusion, let’s toast to the next 4 years hoping for the absolute best for our great country and, if nothing else, realize the massive amount that we have yet to learn as a nation 🙂

Cheers,  Richard