Captain’s Log

The first Saturday following last Tuesday’s election, we have all had some time to sit down and think about these results. At least I have. Here are those thoughts.

1.) MAGA has been repudiated

It has been ten years. Ten (10) years since the 2016 Presidential election. This has been our reality for ten years. It has taken long enough, but it seems as though this is the final nail in the coffin.

$20 on Pump 4 use to get you plenty of gas. Traveling to and from work use to not break the bank. Buying groceries use to not break the bank. Tariffs that saw everything get more expensive. ICE was completely out of control. The “pro-peace President” started a war with Iran. Our relationship with our greatest ally has been greatly damaged, and who knows what it means for the future of our two nations.

Meanwhile, MAGA and the Online Right focused on culture war issues, renaming the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Ontario, pushing Trans- and Islamophobia, and a general, typical, sentiment of “owning the libs” which has never truly gone away from days of old. All the “winning” they said they were doing, and yet, the average citizen was feeling the pinch.

2.) Don’t get too comfortable

Some of you, shamelessly, libbed out turning election night. Fair enough; many of you deserved that right to do so. In a business of “less of two evils,” it was immensely important to see the Republicans lose. They had gone off the rails, put too many of our neighbors in harms way, and have shown that their grip on power is one of which they will take full advantage. They needed to lose and it is a net good that they did. It is totally fair to be excited about the Republicans losing.

But just remember: this is still the Democratic Party we are talking about.

It is easy to look at politics as a sort of sporting event; after all, that is exactly how they prefer you view it. The duopoly thrives on you, the voter, seeing the political system as a game of Red Team vs. Blue Team. That way, you are alright with election laws being heavily tilted to only favor the major parties.

Or so you can be pissed at someone like Ty Pinkins for even daring to run in the Senate race and potentially “playing spoiler” in Mississippi.

Ty Pinkins did nothing wrong.

Let us not forget that we seek an end to the duopoly. This isn’t a matter of “Oh remember we hate Democrats and Republicans,” it’s a reminder to remember what they have done with their power over the last 250 years.

Both parties.

While yes, the GOP showed their whole hand and need to be without power for a long time, the Democrats are about to walk in, not only fundamentally unchanged since the Obama years, but also coming off of a primary and general election where they fought tooth and nail to keep the leftwing of their party from gaining any power.

Hell, even Haley Stephens switched her endorsement of the now Senator-Elect Abdul El-Sayed to Mike Rogers, a man she swore to stop when she was running for Senator herself.

Do not count on these Democrats to be the change you are hoping they will be. In fact, remember their role in the last decade; remember how they pied piper strategied their way into a Trump Presidency. Take your anger of the Republicans and hold onto it, but do not simply hand over your trust to the Democratic Party.

In fact, might I be so bold as to suggest that, going into 2028, we remember the dissatisfaction we have felt from both parties this decade and consider a new path forward?

3.) Run for Something

We’ve been saying this for years but it becomes all the more true following an election. People focus on the federal government often, and rightfully so, but it is the state and especially local elections that matter most in your immediate life.

During the election night livestream, Daniel Twedt, the 2024 USTP Vice Presidential candidate, joined us and discussed his race in the Conejo Recreation and Park District Board Division 4 election. I also took the time to discuss my own campaign for Midlothian, IL’s Village Board of Trustees. We discussed parks, libraries and schools. The sentiment was clear: those are the elections that impact you the most directly and they are ones you hardly think about or consider.

Do you know who the members of your local library board are? Or the school board? Do you know your park district trustees? Have you ever gone to any meeting for any of these things?

You should.

You should learn their names and goals. You should see who the trustees are that never show up to the meetings. You should ask questions during public comment.

You should run for one of these positions yourself.

Many folks might see this as a stepping stone election. You should not. You should see it as a valued and trusted position that your neighbors said you were fit to do the job of and take it seriously. You should run against those that do not take the role seriously.

At the end of the day: if not you, then who?