Editorial: Congratulations, But What’s Next?
This Editorial appears in the Nov. 14 print edition of Transport Topics. Click here to subscribe today.
After 10 months of caucuses, primaries, conventions, campaigning and a general election, Donald Trump is president-elect of the United States.
Like him and his policies, or not, he persuaded people to vote for him and won a majority in the electoral college — the constitutionally mandated system since George Washington won his first term in 1788.
Some political consultants are probably turning immediately to elections in 2018 or 2020, but what’s next for nonpoliticians?
We would hope the Republican Party would take advantage of its opportunity to work constructively on the nation’s many significant problems, including those facing trucking, chiefly the crumbling infrastructure for movement of freight. Not only did the GOP take back the White House, but it kept a strong majority in the House of Representatives and a more slender one in the Senate — a far from filibuster-proof 51-49 lead. (The body’s two independents usually join with Democrats.)
“During the campaign, [Trump] highlighted the need to create jobs and recognized that improving our nation’s infrastructure is critical to strengthening the economy,” said Chris Spear, president of American Trucking Associations, in congratulating Trump the morning after his election.
“As the industry that moves nearly 70% of our nation’s freight and is a key economic driver, we look forward to working with President-elect Trump on a host of issues, including long-term, sustainable infrastructure funding, tax reform and fair and free trade,” Spear added.
The most controversy in 2017 and beyond could come among Republicans rather than between the GOP and Democrats. Not that Democrats won’t oppose, they will and that is their job, but as the campaign showed, there are three powerful clusters of Republicans, not always in agreement with each other: Trump and his supporters, traditional conservatives led by House Speaker Paul Ryan, and the tea party faction.
There is a powerful incentive for these three groups to get along. Trump was elected because of his promise to drain the swamp that is Washington.
The Democrats have now been thrown out by disappointed citizens, but many Republicans recall there have been times when disappointed Americans did the same to them.
Congratulations to the winners and welcome to the newcomers. Starting in January, please get to work — for there is much to be done.
