ON TARGET COMMENTARY

Nov. 9, 2016                   by Dave Gunn

Election Post-Mortem

     The 2016 Presidential election was historic, but not for the reasons some thought it would be.  Instead of electing our first woman president, the people chose the first non-politician since George Washington.  When all the votes are counted, Donald J. Trump, needing only 270 electoral votes, will have something around 300 electoral votes.

     Trump waged an unconventional campaign, both in the Republican primary and in the general election.  Against the odds, he was able to cobble together a coalition that took him to victory.

     Rejected was Hillary Clinton.  The American people did not trust her and did not like her.  When asked in polls to describe her in one word, the most frequent answer was “Liar.”

     Also rejected was Barack Obama, who made it clear that his legacy and the continuation of his policies depended on Hillary’s election.  While most Americans like Obama personally, they are sick and tired of his failed policies.

     Donald Trump’s margin of victory was less than it should have been.  Against such a weak opponent Trump should have scored a landslide.  However, his inability to focus and proclivity to chase after every punk who peeped at him cost him precious campaign time and nearly cost him the election.  As president, Trump will have to lose some of his thin skin and pugnaciousness.

     As a bonus, Republicans kept control of the House of Representatives and the Senate.  This will allow the Republicans to more easily undo much of the damage done to the nation by two Obama terms.

     First on the hit list should be Obamacare.  It should be repealed immediately.  Never mind replacing it.  What we had before was good enough with a few tweaks like allowing insurance companies to compete across state lines.

     Then there is a mountain of regulations and taxes that should be lifted from businesses so that they want to stay in America instead of fleeing overseas.  Taxes should also be reduced for the people as a whole.  Trump should also use his pen and phone to nullify many of the Obama pen and phone executive orders, in which Obama usurped the authority of the Congress by personally legislating.

     Speaking of legislating, Trump should have 3-4 Supreme Court nominations that could reverse the liberal activist legislation from the bench in issues like abortion and marriage.  When Trump leaves office, he may well leave behind a Supreme Court with a 7-2 conservative majority.  Such a court could do much to restore the proper rule of law in our nation.

     By the way, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell should not hesitate to use the “nuclear option” to get Trump’s Supreme Court nominees confirmed.  That retiring rat-snake Dirty Harry Reid had no trouble doing it when he had the majority.  Turn about is fair play, and pay back is a female canine.

     By the way again, the Republicans should forget about caring what the liberal lap dog media thinks of them.  Trump proved that you can win even in the face of an openly hostile loony leftist media.

     Speaking of loony, the far left is coming completely unhinged in the face of the Trump victory.  There is already a movement among far-leftists in California to sever that state from the United States and make it an independent nation.  I say we should encourage their endeavor.

     On a more serious note, Clinton supporters are already pointing to her having obtained more of the popular vote than Donald Trump.  While this can happen in our electoral college system, I have a feeling this time it is due to illegal aliens voting in states like California, where voter registration is done when obtaining a driver’s license with no requirement to prove citizenship.  The difference between Clinton and Trump nationwide is less than the difference between them in California alone.  This should be investigated and illegal alien registration stopped.

     So Donald J. Trump will be the next president of the United States.  Let’s hope and pray that he will surround himself with good people to advise him, and that he will have the good sense to listen to them.

[Dave Gunn is the nom de plume of Dr. David E. Gonnella, Pastor of the Magnolia Springs Baptist Church in Theodore, Alabama.  The opinions expressed are his own, and do not necessarily represent those of the church or its membership.]