Last Thursday, President Donald J. Trump spoke before the American people about an issue of grave importance, and no, it was not an address to assure We the People that the economic strains we’re facing will soon let up. Nor was it a light at the end of the tunnel regarding the situation in Iran.
Trump used the prime-time address to the nation to raise concerns about the legitimacy of our elections and continue to dispute the results of the 2020 election, which he lost to Joe Biden.
Trump’s refusal to move on from the results of the 2020 election has become one of the defining themes of his political brand, and he brings it up in speeches, interviews and social media posts with alarming frequency — far, far, far more than his old nemesis Crooked Hillary Clinton or any mentions of the 2024 assassination attempt or the assassin Thomas Crooks. Wait a minute — come to think of it, he NEVER mentions that incident or Crooks, but, well, I digress.
As for most of us who aren’t part of the elite ruling class, those of us who are trying to pay our bills, keep our health insurance or stretch a paycheck as far as it’ll go, Trump’s incessant election fraud claims have become background noise, and it was funny before, but now, not so much.
Call me jaded, but I’d be willing to wager that the majority of Americans are far more concerned about what is happening today than the endless walk down Election Denial Lane with the frequent dips into litigation. We the People care deeply about election integrity. Americans of all political persuasions do want fair, free and secure elections, and confidence in those institutions matters deeply, but after years of bellyaching, failed court challenges, bunk investigations, recounts, etc., etc., the country has moved on. Families have mortgages to pay and businesses have employees to keep. Parents have children to raise. You see, the daily realities of life do not stop because President Trump is the world’s most sore loser.
If someone loses health coverage today, the answer to that problem is not what allegedly happened in November 2020, according to Trump’s grievance theatrics, but it is whether or not they can afford to see a doctor this month.
If groceries, fuel, rent or utilities put a huge strain on your household budget, then revisiting the last presidential election ain’t going to lower those bills by one single dollar.
Inflation and the overall economic uncertainty We the People exist under is making it harder for families to buy that first home, or for aspiring entrepreneurs to start businesses or for folks to save for retirement, but another ham-fisted speech about the 2020 election won’t improve any of those financial outlooks.
Politics used to be about solving problems, not preserving and wallowing in resentments.
We the People expect and deserve leadership that is focused on the challenges of today, and right now, I’d say that affordable healthcare, stable infrastructure, public safety and good education and a climate of economic opportunity are the concerns of most Americans, not the “evidence” brought forth that China interfered in the election six years ago.
Those concerns affect people regardless of party affiliation, and while I have no use for either of the major parties, I do have friends who identify with them and vote along with them. In spite of party loyalty, however, their humanity is bigger than any allegiance to political branding, and so are their concerns about the future and about their families and friends.
Instead of giving all the oxygen in the national room to a dispute about something from six years ago, why don’t our leaders in Washington, D.C., devote that same energy to making healthcare more affordable; reducing prescription drug costs; expanding access to mental health services and strengthening rural hospitals. You know, finding ways to actually improve people’s lives instead of putting on theatrics that bring one mind of the old Jerry Springer show and old-school WWE matches.
To Donald J. Trump, the duly elected president of the United States of America, who won elections twice — in 2016 and in 2024 — I ask one simple question: “What can you do for me now?”
Not six years ago, and not in an alternate version of history or some other dimension, but here and now.
It is a simple, but incredibly important question to ask of our leaders during periods of economic uncertainty. By and large, Americans tend to judge leaders based on whether their lives are becoming easier or more difficult. Think about James “The Ragin’ Cajun” Carville’s famous maxim “it’s the economy, stupid.”
We the People care about wages, retirement savings, taxes, housing costs and whether the next generation will have greater opportunities than we did. Those are measurable outcomes.
Rehashing bunk claims from an election that occurred six years ago does not create jobs or make healthcare more accessible. It keeps the country distracted and looking in the rearview mirror when it desperately needs to look ahead.
Every presidential administration deserves to be held to account for its policies and results. If economic conditions worsen, or if healthcare becomes less affordable, well, those are legitimate issues worthy of vigorous public debate and scrutiny, and We the People have a Constitutional obligation to hold elected officials to account for the consequences of their decisions.
Accountability, however, means discussing current policies and current performance, not perpetually fighting yesterday's nonsense and rehashing conspiracies.
Good government requires a prioritizing of the problems that We the People face each day, and most Americans are not waking up wondering about court filings from six years ago or replaying videos of Trump campaign speeches from that era. They are wondering about whether they can afford to either pay on their hospital bill from six months ago or buy groceries. Those issues deserve the attention of the president, not the nonsense spouted on Thursday night.
Trump ran on an “America First” message, and at face value, that phrase should mean putting Americans’ actual concerns first, and not personal political grievances.
Our country will not move forward by remaining trapped in an endless election nostalgia loop. It will, however, progress if leaders acknowledge the challenges in front of them and start devoting their time, energy and influence to providing solutions.
As great as our country is, and has been, it has never lacked for difficult issues that should demand attention from leaders. Healthcare remains incredibly expensive for millions, while the economic pressure brought on by needless tariffs, a war and resulting inflation, continues to weigh on families, and while those factors change over time, they leave lasting effects on households.
At some point, we have to stop refighting a previous election and start preparing for the next generation.
Chris Edwards is editor of the Tyler County Booster, a sister newspaper in the Polk County Publishing Group. He can be reached at cedwards@polkcountypublishing.com.
