Now that the election is over, it’s time to ponder all sides of the outcome. If you supported Trump for president have you considered how the Democrats feel? If you were whole hog for Hillary Clinton have you thought about views of the Republicans in Middle America who gave Trump the edge in the Electoral College?
In the Historical Quote (below) you will see that it’s a good idea to look and listen to the other fellow’s viewpoint. A Republican farmer in Kansas or Nebraska could contemplate how a young female in a big city back East could be devastated and exasperated that more people did not vote for the first woman president. Is this first-time voter, who has lived almost half her life under President Obama, scared that Trump will set the country back fifty years?
Or, let’s reverse it. If you live in San Francisco, Chicago, New York City or Boston, where you can walk or bike everywhere you need to go, can you understand how country folks don’t want to lose access to fossil fuels? These farmers and ranchers work hard to grow your food, which you may think magically appears on grocery shelves from a 3D printer.
Trump is rapidly filling out his Cabinet and selections for other top officials. Not everyone agrees, but the men and women picked so far seem to be successful in business or the military or governing a state. None of ‘em are dead broke.
Folks are concerned about Trump’s vast business empire. I’ve heard Democrats insist he must sell all of it to avoid any conflict of interest. Maybe we should think this through. Henry Ford contemplated running for President. Would he have been forced to sell the Ford Motor Company if elected? In West Virginia the incoming governor owns a lot of coal mines and the famous Greenbrier Resort. Should he be forced to sell? If we want successful business folks, to run for high office, including President, we need to remove or minimize obstacles, not erect new ones.
This Wednesday is the 75th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. We don’t have many veterans left from World War II, so this is a good day to honor and thank them again.
Historic Quote by Will Rogers:
“(Indians say) the reason a white man always gets lost and an Indian didn’t was because an Indian always looked back after he passed anything so he got a view of it from both sides. You see, the white man just figures that all sides of a thing are the same. That’s like a dumb guy with an argument, he don’t think there is any other side, only his. That’s what you call politicians.
The Indians say you must never disagree with a man while you are facing him. Go around behind him and look the same way they do, when you are facing him. Look over his shoulder and get his viewpoint, then go back and face him and you will have a different idea.” WA #514, Oct. 30, 1932