Avani Kongetira:
A Chaotic Future
The “red wave” has finally arrived. Right-wing populist ideology boomed across the globe in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, and the United States was no exception — despite the threat of a disappearing democracy and abortion rights, the tides still turned. Vice President Kamala Harris ran a commendable campaign, yet the victory of a felon and insurrectionist proves that America simply is not ready for a female president. Nevertheless, this is a reality check for the Democratic Party: The mindset of the electorate is changing. Despite support for abortion ballot measures in seven states, three of which are red, Democrats still faced stinging losses in congressional races. The typical voter agrees with many progressive stances on which Democrats campaigned — like abortion and renewable energy — but they’re fed up with the lack of emphasis on everyday issues that directly affect them. Even more critically, they’re fed up with the lack of respect. Harris’ loss presents a chaotic future for our country, but as she said in her concession speech, “This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves.”
Nicholas Reason:
The Silver Lining
This election result launches us into an uncharted, harrowing time in history. As war rages in Ukraine, bombs drop on Gaza, and China inches closer to Taiwan, it is a particularly volatile time for Donald Trump to regain office. But before getting lost in scenarios of the next four years, it is important to consider what this result means and why it occurred. This result shows that the issues American voters are most concerned with compared to others are immigration, crime, and the economy. It highlights an undercurrent of frustration with elite politics that runs through blue-collar America. And the steep increase in support for Trump among Black and Latino voters leaps out as a miscalculation in the Democratic strategy, which counted on those groups to show up categorically for Kamala Harris.
A friend of mine noted that a Trump victory meant the election would be uncontested and that the peaceful transfer of power would be safely guaranteed this time — something that could not be said of four years ago. That may be the only silver lining Democrats can find.
Kevin Zhu
Trust in Democracy
There is no doubt that this is a historical moment that marks the shift of a country, but it may not be as significant as many in California think. It’s not a 1984-esque landmark change that marks America’s transition from the land of the free into an oppressive, authoritarian regime that brandishes misogyny and racism. It’s important to look at this election through not just a cultural lens focused on issues like abortion and racial tensions, but also through an economic and historical perspective. The tendency for incumbent parties to lose is one of the major patterns in American politics as voters become dissatisfied with the status quo. Keep in mind, American presidents have shifted between Republican and Democrat in the last 100-plus years, rarely deviating from the pattern — only twice in the past 100 years with Reagan, a Republican, following Daddy Bush and Hoover and Coolidge in the 1920s. With an economy defined by inflation and volatility under the Democrats, the Republican win becomes even less surprising. What’s more important to keep in mind is that hope still exists for America; if we are to trust the patterns from 248 years of democracy, every election year will mark a shift in the other partisan direction.
