The dust is now settled after 2024 election. The results can be viewed, if you indulge me, in the cold light of the day, in the form of a simple equation:
I = I + I + I + I – I
Considering the aftermath following the 2020 election, the outcome of the 2024 election can be described in one word: Incredible
That’s the left side of the equation and the first “I”! (Interestingly the word aftermath contains both “after” and “math”!). Let’s now look at the right side of the equation:
1) Inflation – The second “I”: Reasons can be debated but there is no denying that inflation has risen sharply past few years. Pain of rising prices has been felt by everyone. Gas and Grocery (G&G) price increase can be a combustible combination resulting in voter volatility
2) Immigration – The third “I”: Illegal immigration has been an ongoing issue for a long time. Residents in border States especially have seen and felt the effects of it acutely, whether it is homelessness or rise in crime. Most immigrants are not bad, they come in looking for better future, but if the flow is not regulated it places a strain on the infrastructure and available opportunities. Unfortunately it’s treated as more of a political issue to use during elections than being addressed as a problem that needs a long-term solution with bipartisan support
3) Indictments – The fourth “I”: Multiple indictments appear to have the effect of prosecutions being viewed as persecutions
4) Ineffectiveness – The fifth “I”: The current administration was not able to effectively prosecute its case/s in the court of law and the court of public opinion
5) Introspection – The sixth “I”: Whether in victory or defeat a bit of self-analysis helps in finding what worked out well, what did not and if any course correction is needed. Put simply, Introspection. Sadly, political campaigns on the left or right generally tend to run along predictable lines, not reflecting much introspection
I try not to get euphoric or depressed with the results of any election. The candidate that gets the most votes (based on the rules) is the winner. Simple as that! Having said that the most disappointing thing for me in 2024 election is the fact that the most important case did not even make it to the court of law after what took place on January 6, 2021. To my simple mind, if the events of that day were unprecedented it just doesn’t make sense to look for precedence on how to proceed ahead. Unprecedented events require unprecedented action. The approach should have been top-bottom instead of the bottom-up, for justice, and action should have initiated immediately. Why?
1) In the immediate aftermath, memories remain fresh and the emotions real and raw
2) Going after the low-level participants first is like taking action against the foot soldiers who believed they were just taking orders from above.
Coming back to the equation “I = I + I + I + I – I”, it works logically. You would be surprised to know it works mathematically too! How can I be equal 3 x I? It’s true when I = 0. Why is it true in this instance? Well, irrespective of whoever wins, it generally makes zero difference directly in the life of a common person. We have to fight our own battles every day, while the politicians battle over definition of marriage and when does life begin. In the midst of those fights, let’s hope whatever actions they take impacts us positively. The 2024 elections were free of controversy, will hope that is a sign of good things to come 🙏
TheRajBlog 