OPINION
Donald Trump's victory, in terms of size and scope, is a political event and a lesson not only for Republicans and his supporters but also for his detractors, critics, and the American left as a whole.
It underscores the resilience of sincere and real movements and the power of economic and cultural grievances in shaping electoral outcomes.
Policy played a significant role in Trump’s victory.
His promises to revitalize domestic manufacturing, reduce taxes, and secure the border struck a chord with voters across the Rust Belt and Sun Belt.
Additionally, his stance on energy independence, particularly in states reliant on oil and gas, helped solidify his support in regions where economic livelihoods are tied to these industries.
By addressing tangible economic concerns, Trump was able to cut through partisan noise and offer a clear, actionable agenda.
Rarely has a candidate ascended to the presidency by securing the White House, the Electoral College, the U.S. Senate, and U.S. House of Representatives while also defying the odds and predictions of professional pollsters.
Not to forget the '12th player' in the political arena: the mainstream media, which was overwhelmingly pro-Harris.
It is worth noting that Vice President-Elect JD Vance will very likely keep the Republicans in power for another eight years after Trump.
This triumph also metaphorically dismantles the protective barriers erected and enhanced in Washington, D.C., as a symbolic warning against potential violence from Trump’s supporters in the event of his defeat.
Now, with the tables turned, Democrats need to heed the very calls for nonviolence they so insistently directed at Trump and his base.
The American left must reflect on its rhetorical choices and policies, which have leaned heavily on woke-ism and cancel culture — prioritizing vibes over substantive issues and platitudes over certainties.
This focus alienated key constituencies, including working-class voters and some minority groups, as evidenced by shifts in Latino and African American support towards Trump in 2024.
These constructs of identity politics have been exposed, not only by the very groups they purported to represent but also by a candidate like Trump, who, despite his flaws, projects authenticity and appeals to economic and cultural concerns.
There is a lesson for Donald Trump, too: he should reflect on the fallout from his refusal to concede in 2020, based on claims of a rigged election.
With scant evidence to support this assertion, Trump broke a long-standing American political norm: the defeated congratulating the victor, allowing life and political battles to move forward.
While it's still too early to fully grasp the implications of Trump's triumph, it's a spectacular event. In the words of businessman Kevin O'Leary on Fox News, "When things go to s**t, America corrects itself."
That may be true but placing hope in America’s self-correcting mechanisms — rooted in the vision of the Founding Fathers and the resilient American spirit — could prove to be a risky, even cynical, experiment.
The November 2024 election underscored the existence of two Americas.
One encompasses the Bible Belt, Rust Belt, and Sun Belt, while the other, led by the 'Elite Belt,' remains complacent and arrogant, yet not electorally self-sufficient.
Main Street achieved a temporary victory over Wall Street; the critical task now is for the latter to understand why it lost.
The Great America — the one that lies between the ultra-liberal enclaves of the East and West Coasts — has put its own man in the White House. Ironically, he is a product of the very elites he now opposes, further demonstrating America’s remarkable self-correcting mechanism.
Regardless of political affiliations or outcomes, all Americans can take pride in their nation. It remains, as ever, as Ronald Reagan once so aptly described it, the "Shining City on a Hill."
Alfred Lela, an American citizen, is communications director at the conservative Democratic Party of Albania.