Ruhaan Mutsuddi ’19
The election has drawn to a close, and Mr. Trump has defeated Secretary Clinton in a stunning victory. Republicans among the nation have rejoiced. They have now gained control of the House, Senate and Presidency, and this victory grants them a lot more power than they had under President Obama’s terms. While Conservatives may be overjoyed and exuberant, Democrats seem to face dark times ahead. After losing so many seats in all three branches of government, they face the removal of Obamacare and the risk of a conservative Supreme Court. I interviewed passionate Democrats to see what they thought of this election and to find out how they feel about the nation’s future.
Jeremy Anderson ’18
RM: Can you describe yourself and which values of the Democratic party you align yourself with the most?
JA: I am liberal. I am far left. I believe in equal opportunity for the greater masses and the greater good.
RM: How do you feel about Donald Trump?
JA: I am worried about him. I agree somewhat with his ideas to bring jobs back into the country, but his tax plan benefits the wealthy and would be unfair to the majority of the population. He is also not a politician but instead a businessman. His ideology suggests that he wants to run this country like a business. This worries me. He is too unpredictable.
RM: How do you feel about Hillary Clinton?
JA: Clinton has an acquired skill in connecting with the American people. She is able to connect and sympathize with all racial groups and people of all backgrounds in this great nation. I agree completely with her tax plan and her approach on foreign policy. Hillary is a fighter. She doesn’t stop. She has fought for women’s rights and has stood up for the rights of the LGBT community. I admire that.
RM: What issues are you most passionate about?
JA: I am passionate about giving everyone an equal chance in regards to education. I would like for the price of public university to be greatly reduced. I am very anti-second-amendment and believe in strict gun control. I would like to see the number of gun owners in our country decrease. We need to also help our minority groups and make sure they feel safe and comfortable living in the United States. I am also passionate about tax cuts for the middle class and increases for the wealthy.
RM: How did you react after Mr. Trump won the presidency?
JA: I was shocked. I couldn’t move. I was sad then unhappy then angry. I could not believe he got as many votes as he did. But now we have to keep moving forward and work together as we are all Americans. All of us.
RM: How do you feel about the future of our country?
JA: We have a long and winding road ahead of us.
Grace Chuan ’17
RM: Can you describe yourself and what values of the Democratic party you align yourself with the most?
GC: The Democrat’s belief in racial, gender, and sexual equality is what drew me to that party. It matched the lessons I learned from my mother, who is the greatest influence of my life despite her being a moderate Republican. She single-handedly raised me when my dad left us (my sister and me). I never had a real fatherly, male figure growing up, which did not make me resentful of men but gave me a different mindset I think compared to other girls my age.
I took it for granted that women should be hardworking, smart, ambitious, and self-reliant. My mother ran the household; therefore, I always was drawn to being the leader, stepping up to challenges. I grew up as a first generation Chinese American and was aware of the Asian stigmas and the embarrassment of wearing certain clothes, bringing certain foods for lunch, and so forth. This was as an elementary school student of course and times have certainly changed.
However, I remember those hurtful early feelings. Being a Democrat to me says that no matter what your skin looks like or what gender you are, acknowledge those differences and celebrate them. If you work hard and be yourself, there is no limit to how much you can achieve. The first Black president was a Democrat. The first female major presidential nominee was a Democrat. It says a lot. And we have made so much social progress. Although I call myself a Democrat, I do not define myself as one. There are things I disagree with in the Democratic platform, and I have so much to learn, considering I am only 17. My mother always told me to listen to people who disagree with you and to be skeptical of everything until you understand it.
RM: How do you feel about Donald Trump?
GC: He is an unexperienced and ridiculous character. I find him so repulsive and unfit to be the president, considering the hate he inspired and empty promises he has made. Many who were close to him confirm his insanity. However, I want to give him a chance. He will be my president whether I like it or not. In a way, the election was just a show—surreal, hilarious, yet frightening. But when the curtain closes, it’s time to be serious and professional even though Donald was more or less not these past 600 days. I think I will wait to see what he will do in office and how he will conduct himself first before rioting against him once more. His victory speech rings some truth to it—I liked it a lot. Bind the chasms between us and move forward.
RM: How do you feel about Hillary Clinton?
GC: I worked for her campaign along with other local Democrats, and the reason I did so was because I found her relatable. Not because of all the scandals and pressure situations she has been through. But because of how she was an ambitious woman who worked hard to achieve her goals. I keep saying this because that’s how I live my life. That and just simply being happy. Hillary Clinton has so much experience, dedication, and accomplishment that certainly outweighs the negatives about her. It is a shame she has lost this election, but I have no doubt she will continue to be active in Washington. I love how she is 69 years old and continues to contribute to our society.
RM: What issues are you most passionate about?
GC: Gun control, wage equality, college affordability, middle class disappearing, terrorism, sexism, public education, healthcare reform.
RM: How did you react after Mr. Trump won the presidency?
GC: I was shocked and in denial, and finally I just cried a little. But instead of continuing to be upset, resentful, and disappointed, especially with my peers, I wanted to investigate the reasons why Trump supporters were so inspired and dazzled by Trump. And I formulated an opinion that never occurred to me before the election results. People who voted for Trump have several reasons, but the main one is how the silent majority lost their jobs to outsourcing and have been continuously ignored by Washington.
The Democrats lost because of their lack of a strong economic platform that appeals to the lower middle class working citizen. I also believed that there are places in this country that are behind in terms of infrastructure, technology, and education. This was an issue during the Civil War, and it is still an issue today. Kamala Harris, a progressive Democrat who has won a Senate seat for Congress, even said that she wanted to represent not only the typical Democrat, but everyone, especially the Trump supporter who only wants to live in a stable financial situation.
RM: Can you tell us a bit more about your position in the Democratic party and how this loss affected the party?
GC: I did not look at this election as a loss. I looked at it as a “two steps forward and one step behind” kind of situation. Read my Odyssey article about the progressive women who have been elected to Congress. It’s amazing how our checks and balance system works.
Also, it was a wake up call that this country has more problems than just those of social inequality and college debt. We have the issues of the silent majority as well. We have to figure out a way to work together, to fight bigotry, and to listen to one another. I strongly condemn bigotry, hatred, racism, sexism, and all of Trump’s terrible comments about those who are not white. Those are inexcusable, and white supremacy is inexcusable. My morals are more important than anything. However, this election is not the apocalypse, nor is it Hell reigning upon us, nor is it the end of all the progress we have made in the past century. It is simply just a time to look critically at both sides of the political spectrum.
As seen in both Anderson’s and Chuan’s reactions, it’s obvious that the average Democrat is quite upset over the results of this year’s unusual election. What was predicted as a landslide victory in favor of Secretary Clinton seemed to have turned upside down, and now we have Mr. Trump as our president-elect. Many Democrats have looked at the election as a wake-up call about the problems everyday Americans face and solutions to these problems. Senator Bernie Sanders, who was a strong critic of Mr. Trump, has vowed to work with Mr. Trump on economic issues that plague our nation. While some may have lost hope, many progressives believe this is an opportunity to realign the Democrat party and prepare for a major comeback in four years!
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