Things change in this world every day, with some of that change being positive and some being bad.
And things changed Tuesday.
As I have said before in this space, elections are a very clear snapshot of what voters are thinking on that particular day. The hard part to comprehend is that elections results prompt politicians and people to change.
The alliances and key issues of Monday, Nov. 4, have been altered by events on Tuesday, Nov. 5. And Wednesday Nov. 6 dawned with a lot of new ideas of what went wrong and what went right.
Elections always bring about change. Even the election of an incumbent prompts that politician to look at what he or she learned during the campaign.
Let’s take a quick look at what changed this week.
Republicans
I don’t think Donald Trump was the first choice of the movers-and-shakers in the Republican Party, but he bulled his way through the primaries in a fashion that only “The Donald” can do.
Most politicians I know don’t like elections. The winners tout their value in proving how right they were in their speeches and on the issues. The people who typically run for office run on their ego, the desire for power or just the almighty dollar. They don’t like to be told by you and me they are not the best candidate.
Winning candidates know they now have four years to do what they want to do. And I didn’t say they have four years to do what we want them to do. It’s hard to hold an elected official’s feet to the fire once they are in office.
I like the fact Donald Trump telegraphs his punches. He is in charge of every room he walks into and one of those people who demands loyalty and unwavering obedience.
Let me be the first to say President Elect Donald Trump bears watching closely.
He has been wounded by events of the past four years and he really does not seem like a forgiving soul to me.
This state’s cadre of GOP politicians were quick to congratulate Trump Wednesday morning and jump on the bandwagon.
It’s easy to do now.
Let me remind them things tend to change.
Democrats
We’ll see where Kamala Harris goes after Tuesday’s election.
I think the power-brokers in the Democratic Party saw the dismal ratings of President Joe Biden and ignored the process of primary elections. I think that circle got to checking boxes on what they wanted in a candidate and presented her to us.
What they did was very un-democratic. I guess it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024 proved that idea didn’t work
My main beef with Harris was I found it hard to pin her down on issues. She never took responsibility for the immigration crisis. She talked about stopping price gouging on groceries, but never explained how that would be accomplished. She waffled on issues in the Middle East.
I do think Harris would have been better for the Mississippi Delta. Her heart was softer for single mothers, the suffering poor and kids going to failing schools. But again, she never hammered out exactly how she would address these issues.
There was too much change, too late in the game and not enough in the first three years of the Biden White House. It cost the Democratic Party dearly.
Wait and see
I told someone at the coffee table Wednesday morning the election turned out just like I said it would.
About a month ago in this space I pointed out I don’t own a crystal ball and I had not received a divine revelation as to who the next President might be. My response was “Wait and see.”
So now we will wait to see what happens in America between now and Inauguration Day 2025.
We’ll see how the newly elected members of the Senate and House address issues next spring.
We’ll see if Donald Trump’s promises to close the borders, curb inflation and interest rates and to “drain the swamp” are sincere.
I once had a Mayor tell me things get better or they get worse, they don’t stay the same. His point was you have to work to make positive change.
Washington is always interesting to watch.
But now Clarksdale voters turn their attention to city elections in 2025. Qualifying starts Jan. 2.
I predict we will have more than a dozen new faces and several old ones running for the high-dollar paychecks our current city officials voted for themselves.
You know the drill. These candidates will smile as they promise to reduce crime, clean up Clarksdale, create jobs, improve healthcare, give us more places to shop and make the sky bluer and the sun shine brighter on Clarksdale.
Yes, change is going to come. . .
Keep reading your Clarksdale Press Register, because I can’t wait to see what happens.
Floyd Ingram is the Editor of your Clarksdale Press Register. He learned a long time ago that everybody is for progress but nobody wants to change. Change is news. Call him at 662-627-2201 when you see news.
