So, my wife and I both tend toward annoying optimism. We were both disappointed by the election, but then we thought about it. We decided this might be a necessary two-year "correction."

The political situation in the U.S. has been getting worse and worse, to the point where it is now dominated by anger and bigotry and hatefulness. First it was the talk show hosts, then Murdoch and FoxNews, then Sarah Palin, and then the Tea Party. And then it all coalesced into what Donald Trump sees as his "movement." These people have brought government to a standstill, and they have destroyed all sense of honor and all possibility of compromise and cooperation. Heck, even some liberals have sold out to the politics of anger and hatred (even some Mudcatters who have posted in this thread are guilty of selling out to anger and hatred).

Barack Obama was an excellent President, the best in my lifetime. But for much of his term in office, he was blocked in every direction by these hateful people.

So, now the hateful people have what they want - control of the White House, Congress, and quite likely a fifth conservative vote on the Supreme Court. And they have two years to prove that they are right. If they fail, they will lose control of both houses of Congress, and Donald Trump will be an impotent lame duck for the last two years of his single term. And if they fail, wiser forces will take over the Republican Party in two years, and we can go back on balance.

But if we want this "correction" to happen, we of the center and left must maintain our integrity and ideals, and not succumb to the temptation to join the forces of anger and hatred. We need to continue to take the high road.

And then in two short years, if we keep our cool, things will be a whole lot better. And Donald Trump will be a one-term President.

-Joe-