I was startled to read, in a recent Letter to the Editor, the claims that “the country gave [President Trump] a mandate,” and that “Democrats got shellacked in the November 2024 elections.”
In fact, Mr. Trump won only 49.8% of the popular vote in that election, meaning that at least half of American voters preferred Vice President Harris or some other candidate. Similarly, the election resulted in a very closely divided Congress: Republicans hold a slim majority of three votes in the House (218-215) and six votes in the Senate (53-47).
This was hardly a “shellacking.” Nor does it give President Trump and the GOP a “mandate” to run roughshod over the 10s of millions of Americans who disagree with the Republican agenda. The results of the 2024 election actually show a deeply divided nation.
Like the letter-writer, I am sad to see the decline of civility in American politics. That’s why it’s not helpful when the president routinely calls anyone who disagrees with him a “radical leftist lunatic.” Or when the vice president snaps, “Shut up!” at a journalist asking him questions. Or when the president’s advisor Elon Musk tells advertisers to “Go [expletive] yourself!” for criticizing his business practices.
In a deeply divided nation, we need to speak and listen to each other like civilized human beings. That’s the only way we’ll ever resolve our differences. It would be good if President Trump and the Republicans would model civilized behavior for us.
