The systems in place will protect America against tyranny.
In 2024, Donald Trump was elected president. And in 2025, the long run of the United States is going to end. Or at least that is what I have repeatedly heard from the media, political commentators and most frequently on social media.
Some in this country celebrated when they awoke this Wednesday morning, while many others cried — or as one professor alluded — drowned their worries in a bottle of tequila. The 2024 election was framed as defining America’s future. One that, depending on where you get your news, would decide whether the US descends into tyranny or continues on a path of inflation and illegal immigration. Listening to the media, whether Fox News or MSNBC, the catastrophizing of today’s politics feels depressing and terrifying.
In this election, both parties and their respective allies in the media espoused irresponsible rhetoric about the future of American democracy. Depending on whom you listen to, if your candidate was not victorious, Americans would never have another democratic election. In an effort to drive voter turnout, the media and social media dramatize the impact of the election on the average American. Yet, watching the election unfold in a room full of friends from both sides, I felt confident this nation would thrive these next four years whether led by Harris or Trump. This is why I am writing: to give everyone a chance to take a deep breath and draw some encouragement from the good in this country.
This election was decided by everyday Americans who could not afford basic necessities, felt left behind and were tired of being lectured to and looked down upon by so-called cultural elites. In the next four years under President Trump, there is hope for a revival of American patriotism and a return to cooperation, compromise and the common-sense ideals of the Republican Party. It is understandable why some may feel overwhelmed and anxious about what the future holds. However, there is hope in the key features of our country that have held it steady through many points of turmoil and the storms that have come before.
The country can look to the genius of the founding fathers and the goodness of the American people to give us hope. In high school history classes across this country, Americans are reminded of the ingenuity of the separation of powers. While abusing executive authority has become an accepted practice by both parties and presidential power is at an all-time high, there are still deep checks and balances in our system.
One of these checks and balances is the Supreme Court. Every justice cares deeply about the good of America, even above their own personal political affiliation. Americans can trust that in the event of an abuse of power, they will act swiftly and decisively to check the power in the executive office. Americans have even seen this in the Trump administration and most recently when the courts overturned President Biden’s attempts at student debt relief. While Trump had the unique opportunity to appoint three justices to our highest court in his first term, the beauty of lifetime appointments means that they are in no way beholden to his or any other person’s or parties’ will. Additionally, most Supreme Court decisions are not along party lines at all but rather a bipartisan consensus.
In the legislature, there is a similar hope. The lack of compromise and productivity in Congress is truly frustrating. However, many strong leaders like Oklahoma’s own Senator James Lankford prioritize the country over party agendas. Lankford works across party lines to write legislation like the recent border security package. This bill was written to benefit everyday Americans despite angering partisans. While it is sometimes difficult to look past the cross-aisle bickering we see on the news, most of Congress shares this vision of the American dream above politics.
Though the other branches of government give hope and security in the event of the worst of circumstances, it is doubtful that these ideals will ever be tested. This presidency will be similar to those before it. It will have a deep and lasting impact on our country, but one that cannot overcome the almost 250 years of good faith foundations that the country stands on. America is trending upwards and its people will continue to strive for greatness both individually and collectively. This country will continue to be a shining beacon for liberty and justice around the world.
As the next generation of leaders in this country, students must seize this as an opportunity to learn how to lead effectively. Right now, this country needs leaders who bring people together, who encourage others to find solutions to problems and who are willing to listen to solutions, even if they are from someone on the other side of the political, religious or cultural spectrum.
The University of Tulsa’s campus should be a space for open debate, fostering mutual learning. As author Jonathan Haidt stated, “If you really want to change someone’s mind on a moral or political matter, you’ll need to see things from that person’s angle as well as your own. And if you do truly see it the other person’s way — deeply and intuitively — you might even find your own mind opening in response.” (The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion).
In 2024, Donald Trump was elected president. In 2025, the earth will keep spinning, TU will keep calling the student union ACAC, and the United States will continue to be more than any one person or party. No president, Congress, or anyone else gets to define America. That is our job.
