“I have no fear that the result of our experiment will be that men may be trusted to govern themselves without a master.”
—Thomas Jefferson
Millions acrossAmerica assembled at four No King’s Rallies in 2025 and 2026 in over 12,000 locations with more than four million Americans attending.On November 3, 2026, a massive number of Americans mailed in, voted early, stood in long lines to cast their vote in the mid-terms – one of the highest turnouts in the history of the country.Americans went to the polls:be they of any skin color, be they of any religion, of any land of ancestry, of varying levels of education, in all 50 states and Washington DC (not territories).
Many voted as they have for decades and many dramatically changed their vote –they didn’t/wouldn’tvote for the policies that deprived them national and personal status/results ushered in by a grotesque, profane-laden falsifier – the one who boosted he was elected in 2024 with a landslide-he won by 1.5% over Harris – he garnered 2 million votes more than Harris, he himself having won the electoral college votes in 2016 and lost the popular vote to Hillary by 3 million votes. Trump never won a majority in either 2016 (46.4%) or 2024(49.4) let alone amassed a landslide (defined as a10 point win)–that was Johnson, Nixon, Regan, of course FDR. Trump has never been reliable about elections as he has rarely been reliable/truthful about most aspects of his administration.
So Trump has never been a trusted President, even his Congress in 2024 held a meager advantage: 6 Senators of 100 and 5 Representatives of 435.With the mid-term last week, any slight Trump advantage has been forfeited:Democrats Representatives 259 to 179 GOP, 54+ Democratic Senators to 44 GOP.
I am reluctant to acknowledge the mid-term outcome as a color – Blue- thought this one is as a cloudless, summer sky.I prefer to call this election substantially what it is:Americans reclaiming decency, refuting cruelty, standing up for democracy – they clear that this country, the White House are the people’s not a tenant’s for four years. Trump rants on about his Ballroom, about naming the Reflection Pool after him, persists in making vanity projects his priorities.This all in a time of war, high inflation, the reduction of the standard of living for middle and lower level voters–his pledge is Benefits to Billionaires. Our military is kept at sea on ships under-serviced, unsupplied, unmaintained while most US bases in the Middle East are without overhead protection, they are flimsy, often canvas. The best of the best treated as the worst of the worst.
Winning Senators and Representatives fill their acceptance speeches with “We” not “I”, with unity not hate, a promise and commitment to all to attend to everyone’s needs not just those of partisan voters.These newly electeds don’t defend the killing of US citizens by ICE, don’t demean the differences of their opposition as to religion, don’t speak of disgust for persons condemning tasteless, pro-abuse ads. The resounding message of the elected across the nation is to make needed improvements to the lives of all: “This country will not be a permanently good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a reasonably good place for all of us to live in.” Theodore Roosevelt.
For awhile there I had begun to doubt that I was living in the country I grew up in. I was dismayed by the imprisonments, inhumane treatment and in some cases the deportation of immigrants to countries where they had no connection not even language. Was this America? It wasn’t, it isn’t for me nor millions of my countrymates. Its two years until who is wanted out is out yet law and order, decency, generosity, and attention to our military will be returning with sincerity.Not fast enough.
Kathy Herald-Marlowe lives in Sharon.
