3 days Ago By J. Doug Pruitt
Donald Trump was elected president in a fair and free vote, just like those in 2016, 2020, and all others in the past. Vice President Kamala Harris called to congratulate President-Elect Trump and conceded the election, just as others have almost always done. With the presidency, Senate, and House under Republican majorities, the party has trifecta control.
And with the Supreme Court beholden to Trump, it will be interesting to see if our federal government, including the Department of Justice, will remain independent and make decisions accordingly. Or will it simply do as it’s told by President Trump? ADVERTISEMENT Our country, since 2016, has become more divided, angrier, and more hateful than at any point since the Civil War, it seems to me. The vitriol — not just from our leaders but from so many citizens, including here in the Northland — has gotten worse, much of it brought on by the incredible amount of disinformation spread by politicians, especially over social media sites and podcasts.
My hope for the future is that those in leadership from both parties and at all levels work together to tone down the hatred and see each other as fellow citizens who have different points of view. Even with differences, we have more in common than what separates us, and we are all still Americans. Many today want the U.
S to be isolationist. The last time the U.S.
did that was before World War II. After being attacked by Japan, we had no choice but to defend ourselves. Germany was making significant progress in Europe, and America realized Germany would bring the war to America unless it was stopped in Europe.
So, we got involved in the war with Germany. After World War II, the U.S.
became the leader of the free world, not because we chose that mantle but because most other countries were severely destroyed. America helped rebuild Europe and created NATO. The European Union became an ally and one of our biggest trading partners, which it still is today.
Because of NATO, there has been peace in Europe for almost 75 years. We helped rebuild Japan as well, and for years Japan has been a strong ally and tremendous trading partner. Our role in international relationships with our allies and others is as critical today as it ever has been, especially with Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea becoming so close militarily and supporting Russia in its war with Ukraine.
They, exclusive of North Korea, are also very strong in BRICS (the intergovernmental organization of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates), which is working diligently to destroy the U.S. dollar as the world’s currency.
Becoming isolationist would be a huge mistake and extremely costly for the U.S. and our allies.
More than ever, citizens across this country, including here in Minnesota, need to work together and become a force to keep our democracy strong. We must avoid at all costs doing things that would weaken our democracy or, worse, move the U.S.
toward becoming an autocracy. ADVERTISEMENT Many kids protected by the DACA program were brought here at the average age of 6. Most are either going to school or have graduated and gone on to higher education or some form of trade school.
They work and contribute to our society, pay their taxes, and pay into our Social Security system. Now, there are discussions about ending DACA. If that happens, many of these kids may be deported.
For them, America is home and where they grew up. English is their first language. I truly hope we give them a path to citizenship.
They have earned it, and the U.S. will be the beneficiary of that decision.
I hope both parties diligently work on legislative issues in a truly bipartisan way. The best legislation over many decades has come when both sides worked to get a constructive bill passed. When legislation is passed by the party in power and driven down the throat of the other side — with the attitude, “We are in charge; get used to it” — it creates anger and usually bad legislation.
All Americans, including us in the Northland, need to go about our business with a kinder heart, doing good things and working to make our communities better and more caring. We also need to work to help those who are far less fortunate. J.
Doug Pruitt of Knife River is a writer and contributor to the News Tribune Opinion page..
