President Biden described the results of the mid-term elections as “a good day for democracy.”
That made it a good day for the country, especially since it signaled the end of Donald Trump’s political career.
I know you should never say never, but I’m willing to anyway. Donald Trump will never be president again, and if he can’t be president he won’t be anything.
He will be remembered in history as having a failed presidency that led him to attempt to block the peaceful transfer of power. He failed there as well, and history will remember that as well.
On Tuesday the people spoke, and their voice became votes that rejected Trump and Trumpism. More importantly, we confirmed once again that as a people we tolerate extremism, but we don’t embrace it.
The majority of Americans deserve credit for voting for a better future for the nation, but two groups deserve a special thank you.
Women and young voters.
There is no doubt they are responsible for democracy winning and a tyrannical minority losing. They voted in record percentages and played no small role in saving our democracy.
In addition to them, though, I think there are two individuals who warrant the praise of grateful nation. I am talking about Republican Representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger.
I don’t think we can over-estimate the impact their courageous words and actions have had on the nation over the past year and a half. They defied every Republican in the entire nation by putting loyalty to the Constitution above party loyalty and it literally cost them their careers.
But they are the only ones who can stand tall, hold their head high, knowing that history will judge them kindly.
When it comes to policy issues, I could not disagree with either of them more, but those differences are far exceeded by the level of respect I have for both of them.
They are profiles in courage, and as such are examples of the inspiration leaders who choose character over political expediency can have.
Unfortunately, the impact of their courage will not be sufficient to inspire Republicans across the board to begin putting the interests of the country before their own lust for power, nor does it redeem all the complicit Republicans whose silence in the face of Trump’s extremism enabled him to do the damage he has done.
The truth is, Republicans put power above the nation’s interest before Trump’s presidency and will likely continue to do the same thing as they move beyond him.
In short, our politics have not suddenly become healthy. More true is that the nation’s condition is like a patient who has survived being at death’s door and is now on the road to recovery. The prospects look good, but the danger is not over yet.
For now, though, nothing diminishes the fact that what happened on Tuesday was, indeed, a good day for democracy, and a very good day for the country.
Being able to say that feels really, really good.
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