Looking back at the sharp pivot U.S. voters chose yesterday, the sheer size and inertia of the U.S. electorate dawned on me. “It’s like turning a battleship,” they say—not a fleet of little boats with autonomy. If some people don’t like the direction the battleship is turning, too bad. If things get worse for some while benefiting most others, those who suffer just have to cope. And if the direction as a whole is worse off? Well, that’s certainly not unprecedented for a large nation to do that either.
But there’s always hope.
In this increasingly radical, fragmented time we’re in, I do wonder if things would work better as “a fleet of little boats” in this country—or at least some more flexibility within the whole. But we are one nation, currently under Trump and all his provocations. And my best guess is that last night most people on our battleship deck said, “We’re going to change direction and go this way now.”
This is the beauty of democracy. The people do have a say. So they made their voices heard and provided a clear repudiation of the war, the economic damage, and the general dismissal of everyday Americans.
That Trump got this message is the silver lining from last night.
The bad, however, includes some pretty dark truths as well.
1. The Blue Wave – First, how much was this wave motivated by helping Americans versus attacking or getting back at Trump? Focusing on opposition rather than solutions is a race to the bottom. And what about the harms they threaten—many of them being radical themselves? In other words, did the nation just end up overcorrecting into a different kind of danger?
2. There are parts of this U.S. battleship that really did not need to turn left—and our state happens to be right at the top of that list.
We Minnesotans have been enduring a 5–10-year stretch of dysfunction and unrest—incredible amounts of financial fraud, riots, and unprecedented political division. Education rankings that were once routinely top-5 have fallen into the teens, and public safety in the Twin Cities has deteriorated. Part of why this all happened has been because of unchecked left-leaning rule. And now the very people in charge throughout most of this descent are being re-elected and even promoted.
Two examples stand out on the law-and-order side of things: Keith Ellison, our state’s attorney general, is open about his radical political beliefs and has made controversial legal decisions (suing small business owners open during COVID lockdowns, suing car manufacturers when carjackings became common in Minneapolis). He’s now been re-elected for a third term
The current Hennepin County attorney, Mary Moriarty, is similarly open about her polarizing politics. Sentencing reductions and diversion programs have allowed many to reoffend once released, with victims’ families among the most vocal in their anger. Under scrutiny, Moriarty decided not to seek this office again. Two candidates emerged: another Progressive-minded former public defender and a former federal prosecutor promising a more “law-and-order,” safety-conscious direction. Despite the frustrations with rising crime enabled by Moriarty’s approach, county residents just voted for the Progressive.
I don’t have a crystal ball. Huge trends like crime and the economy make large, sometimes unexpected, turns irrespective of who is in office. But to the degree officeholders do matter, and judging by all those now elected in our state, all signs point to Minnesota’s continued descent.
This is me just calling things as I see them. I hope I’m wrong, and it’s certainly less important to cast blame than it is to respond accordingly to these forecasts. (After all, one might understand Minneapolis residents not wanting a “law-and-order” county attorney with a federal background after Operation Metro Surge, which resulted in the deaths of two Minnesotan protesters. In a way, Minnesotans in the city have been primed to vote this way.)
So, in advance of more trouble, I think it's crucial to become close with your community. Or find a new one, if you’re around unnecessary danger and harm. Consider running for office or supporting good people who will. I believe most people take for granted security and provision from the government that might not always be available. It will increasingly be up to the individual (person or community). So, keep your head on a swivel; be aware of the changing social climate out there. And keep your head up. I know it can be scary seeing who gains power, but all the awesome people in our lives are still here regardless of the activity (or inactivity) at the political top.
Lastly, be kind to each other and to your local elected officials. I recently interviewed a few small city mayors who shared how difficult their jobs have become—largely as volunteers, by the way—because of the contentiousness between their residents. In all, we might not be able to change the direction of the battleship of our country or our state, but we can have a role locally. In fact, we need more good people to step up and do just this. As things continue to fragment, the community will only become more important.
-Brandon