I doubt I could begin to equal the simple eloquence that Arnold tried to put out here, but here was what I wrote on Facebook yesterday about the election:
Well, here are my thoughts about last night:
First of all, congratulations to those who exercised their franchise and voted for the person they desired to be their new Commander-in-Chief and Chief Executive. Regardless if you're Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Green or independent, that precious right has been the cornerstone of American liberty for over two centuries.
As a Canadian who votes New Democratic, I would have supported Secretary Clinton had I been American. I'll admit that up front. In fact, had Senator Sanders been on the ballot as the nominee for President, I would have gladly voted for him. Still, one has to admit that the former First Lady has worked tirelessly for the causes she supported over the years regardless of her many imperfections and mistakes. The glass ceiling of the Presidency could have been shattered last night. That she made it that far and got that close to the White House speaks a lot about how much America has advanced over the last few decades.
As for Mr. Trump, I was very wary of a fellow like him, even now. However, I can understand what motivated so many to vote for the man. As I've discussed with a friend who is a Republican, people in America are just sick and tired of the constant political gridlock in Washington that stalls the nation's growth, allows things to slip through that ended up hurting people across the board and has become so detached from the electorate that the real purpose of the legislative side of the American government has been lost in the face of constant "He said! She said!" arguments across the floor of both houses of Congress. Look at what happened when Justice Scalia passed away some months ago. That post in the SCOTUS should have been filled in right away; it was the duty of the Senate to get someone in there and they failed their duty because they didn't approve of President Obama's choice...and the President went out of his way to choose a conservative at that! If that was so, why didn't members of the Senate recommend someone that could have satisfied both sides of the floor?
There still are those types of people in America.
I refuse to believe that America has become so radicalized that there is no more middle ground!
Mr. Trump's personal behaviour, from what has been revealed to date, leaves a lot of people inside America and out quite scared for the future. Much that getting a Washington outsider into the White House is a good thing in many ways, someone who is as - and I'm being diplomatic here - quite undisciplined as he's shown himself to be is someone that is unpredictable to Americans and their allies. While such could be used to devastating effect on ones enemies, America can't go it alone in many places. I am sure people in the Union will not support another Vietnam-like conflict.
Given the many accusations of rape and other sexual misconduct that have been made in the last year, they HAVE to be investigated even if he has now been elected President. I was raised by my divorced mother and my widowed grandmother and my best friend is a woman. The very thought that there are still people of power out there who have gladly done such to women makes me sick. However, I must caution - again, I'm being diplomatic here - that Americans should remember the phrase "Innocent until proven guilty". Here's a chance for the members of Congress on both sides of the floor to show some unity and hold the President-elect accountable. To paraphrase what Tom Clancy wrote about Jack Ryan in Executive Orders, Mr. Trump IS the United States of America in the eyes of the world after 20 January 2017.
Is this the example Americans want the world to see?
Well, here are my thoughts about last night:
First of all, congratulations to those who exercised their franchise and voted for the person they desired to be their new Commander-in-Chief and Chief Executive. Regardless if you're Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Green or independent, that precious right has been the cornerstone of American liberty for over two centuries.
As a Canadian who votes New Democratic, I would have supported Secretary Clinton had I been American. I'll admit that up front. In fact, had Senator Sanders been on the ballot as the nominee for President, I would have gladly voted for him. Still, one has to admit that the former First Lady has worked tirelessly for the causes she supported over the years regardless of her many imperfections and mistakes. The glass ceiling of the Presidency could have been shattered last night. That she made it that far and got that close to the White House speaks a lot about how much America has advanced over the last few decades.
As for Mr. Trump, I was very wary of a fellow like him, even now. However, I can understand what motivated so many to vote for the man. As I've discussed with a friend who is a Republican, people in America are just sick and tired of the constant political gridlock in Washington that stalls the nation's growth, allows things to slip through that ended up hurting people across the board and has become so detached from the electorate that the real purpose of the legislative side of the American government has been lost in the face of constant "He said! She said!" arguments across the floor of both houses of Congress. Look at what happened when Justice Scalia passed away some months ago. That post in the SCOTUS should have been filled in right away; it was the duty of the Senate to get someone in there and they failed their duty because they didn't approve of President Obama's choice...and the President went out of his way to choose a conservative at that! If that was so, why didn't members of the Senate recommend someone that could have satisfied both sides of the floor?
There still are those types of people in America.
I refuse to believe that America has become so radicalized that there is no more middle ground!
Mr. Trump's personal behaviour, from what has been revealed to date, leaves a lot of people inside America and out quite scared for the future. Much that getting a Washington outsider into the White House is a good thing in many ways, someone who is as - and I'm being diplomatic here - quite undisciplined as he's shown himself to be is someone that is unpredictable to Americans and their allies. While such could be used to devastating effect on ones enemies, America can't go it alone in many places. I am sure people in the Union will not support another Vietnam-like conflict.
Given the many accusations of rape and other sexual misconduct that have been made in the last year, they HAVE to be investigated even if he has now been elected President. I was raised by my divorced mother and my widowed grandmother and my best friend is a woman. The very thought that there are still people of power out there who have gladly done such to women makes me sick. However, I must caution - again, I'm being diplomatic here - that Americans should remember the phrase "Innocent until proven guilty". Here's a chance for the members of Congress on both sides of the floor to show some unity and hold the President-elect accountable. To paraphrase what Tom Clancy wrote about Jack Ryan in Executive Orders, Mr. Trump IS the United States of America in the eyes of the world after 20 January 2017.
Is this the example Americans want the world to see?
Canadian lighthouse to U.S. Warship approaching it: "This is a lighthouse. Your call!"