By Carol Lucas
On Tuesday evening, around 11, I decided to go to bed after watching the incoming results of the presidential election. Nothing was definitive at that point, but I had an uneasy feeling that I was watching the slow meltdown of democracy as we know it.
Strangely enough, I did not have a problem going to sleep. I knew that I had done what was within my purview: write consistently about my concerns, and vote.
As I sat with my morning coffee on Wednesday, I found that my apprehension from the night before was well-founded. I felt a deep sadness, but was not surprised. That sadness was even more enhanced by the text I received around 10 a.m., from my younger granddaughter who is 24. It simply read, “What’s the matter with this country?”
And that is a question that cries out for an answer, one that I am not sure I can successfully explain.
Prior to the election itself, many people stepped forward, people who knew and had worked with Trump, to warn the nation that this man is a danger to democracy. These were not just folks on the other side of the political fence, but rather high ranking military officers who had reason to know. These were true conservatives who recognized that Trump had somehow kidnapped the Republican party of Ronald Reagan and turned it into a machine of lies and retribution.
What’s the matter with this country?
Those who recognize the evils of Project 2025 stepped forward and laid out in clear language what adoption of this would mean for our country, starting with the demolition of the Department of Education. After all, banning of books seems to be popular lately.
What’s the matter with this country?
Abortion was clearly an issue. Incidents occurred as recently as last week that underscore the fact that women are being denied critical health services. They are being forced to carry a non-viable pregnancy because those in decision-making positions think like Donald Trump. It’s a travesty to abort the baby, indeed it is murder; yet murdering the mother passes the litmus test.
What’s the matter with this country?
Whatever rationale on the part of Trump supporters drove them to vote as they did, they, as well as we who did not vote for him, must recognize this: he will make amassing unchecked power his basic priority; he has told us as much. Constitutional checks and balances be damned. His intentions regarding the Constitution were made very clear. Fair-minded federal prosecutors and judges don’t stand a chance. How many have already been verbally in the Trump cross-hairs?
At this point I have no illusions about the president-elect and how he intends to govern. I learned during his first term, and even when he left office, that he has no respect for the law or the traditions of democracy.
Sadly enough, neither does the rest of the world have these illusions. Even the tyrants of the world, who must surely be rubbing their hands in glee, know where he leans and how far they can go to enjoy his favor. How Ukraine must be anguishing, knowing their brave fight will have been for naught.
And what is to become of the Republican party? What happens to all of the true conservatives who have devoted their political lives to what surely must be considered ethical tradition? I have said before that while I do not adhere to many of their beliefs, I do accept a prevailing morality, something that is sadly absent in the “new brand” of Republicans.
If all seems lost, perhaps we can invest some small hope in this. Members of the new Congress will have a quandary confronting them. Trump will put names before them that they can quash if it is apparent these are unqualified or extreme. Or they can fall into line as so many have done. It remains to be seen whether or not these congressional members can muster the courage to do what is right. If not, the results will be felt for decades to come.
However, the real responsibility for keeping our values intact lies with the voters. Should the President-elect make good on his devastating promises, these must have a spotlight shown on them. Furthermore, the media must keep due diligence, making sure they are well-known through repetition. Remember, there are midterm elections two years from now, and the world will be watching.
You, too, should have no illusions about Donald Trump and how he will govern. After all, we have seen Act One of this drama. In a Greek tragedy, the “denouement” refers to the final part of the play where the plot is unraveled, conflicts are resolved, and the story reaches its conclusion. We will wait to see who the protagonist of this drama is, if indeed there is a protagonist.
And so, my dear granddaughter, I cannot answer your heartfelt question of what’s the matter with this country. I wish I could. We can only pray that what lies ahead can be corrected, when necessary. I understand your concern, and I want what is good for you as you make your way through this life.
Remember this when you feel distraught: the females in our family are not quitters, and that includes you. We will do what we can within the law. It will take guts, no small amount of savvy and so much love; we have all of these and so we will meet the challenge.
Carol Lucas is a retired high school teacher and a Lady’s Island resident. She is the author of the recently published “A Breath Away: One Woman’s Journey Through Widowhood.”
