Processing an Unusual Election
  
There were other topics on the agenda for discussion this past Saturday, but we didn't get to them. It was clear that the November 5 election was topmost on students' minds. As soon as someone wrapped up what they were saying, many more hands were raised in response until two hours had passed and still more comments were left unsaid. It is inspiring and encouraging to have a group of high school students talk non-stop about politics with knowledge and conviction. And to be fair, this was an election for the ages. There was a lot to ponder and postulate with a long list of unusual circumstances for the 2024 Presidential Campaign, its outcomes, and future implications. Donald Trump is only the second President to serve two nonconsecutive terms, the first was Grover Cleveland as #22, 1885-1889, and #24, 1893-1897. Kamala Harris only had a little over three months to campaign after Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign in July. Money and celebrity endorsements played an even heavier hand than usual. Women's reproductive rights were directly on the ballot in many states. Students discussed the numerous possible reasons Kamala Harris lost, such as not distancing herself enough from Biden's policies, neglecting young men in her campaigning, minimizing the economic stresses of so many Americans, and many others. Trump's Cabinet and staff nominations provoked speculation, especially in the role of Elon Musk, as did Trump's plans to improve the economy for Americans and how some of his policy ideas might influence the global economy. Project 2025 and Agenda 47 also came up. Some time was spent analyzing Trump's behavior and why his actions and statements didn't concern more voters. Social media's influences, including the power of viral memes and lies, generated strong opinions. The morning's discussion could have easily gone far into the afternoon. One general consensus by the end of the morning was that Donald Trump is a stand-alone, larger-than-life politician who may go down in history as different from all those before and after him.
Stay tuned for another Open Discussion in January!
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