Student Post-Election Sentiments

Home Study Break Student Post-Election Sentiments
Student Post-Election Sentiments

The aftershock of the 2016 Presidential election continues to shake campus as people express their opinions through Facebook posts and loud conversations in the hallways.  In a country of government for the people and by the people, who better to hear about the election from than the voters themselves? We chose this, America, now what do we have to say about it? Four students give their take.

Carly Howell, senior

carly-howell
Courtesy Carly Howell Facebook

Have you disengaged from politics?

I wouldn’t say that I’ve disengaged. I think that disengaging especially from a Christian perspective is not the right thing to do. The easier thing to do would be to disengage and just shut off, but I have really tried to push past those feelings and really enter in to the situation. I would say that right now, I am trying to listen to what the other side is saying, past all the emotions and the crazy things that are happening. I think it is important to hear the other perspective, in my case, people who voted for Hillary, and not just write them off as being crazy.

What do you think about the presidential election results?

Oh gosh. It’s hard because I was really confused the whole time. There was never a time where I felt that I could 100 percent support one candidate as the exact right choice. The results were surprising to me—I didn’t think Trump would win. It was a weird mix between being happy, because a Republican candidate is in office and that he can elect republican people for the Supreme Court, but also feeling upset too because of all the negative implications and judgements that people place on you for being a Trump supporter.

What are your feelings about the other race results?

Haven’t really kept up with that too much, actually. I have been more distracted by the main event.

Are you happy the election season is finally over?

Yes. Yes. I, oh my gosh. I am happy that now we have an answer. And now we can just start to accept it and move forward and pray for the future and the candidate we have in office, pray that God will do His work through this person.

Do you have any advice for our new president, Donald J. Trump?

Spend a lot of time in prayer, seeking God’s will. My biggest opinion about this is that God is the ultimate king. Maybe people don’t believe that, but I believe that in Isaiah 6, they were having the same political issues in the Bible, and their king had just died. Isaiah got a vision of God on the throne. I’d just say that whatever candidate is in office, God is ultimately on the throne. If Donald Trump wants to do good by this country, he needs to spend time in prayer.   

Alex Pack, freshman

alex-pack
Courtesy Alex Pack

Have you disengaged from politics?

I have not, this election especially, specifically connected to Hillsdale, is a great opportunity for people like us, especially people like me, who are trying to major in politics. This is a republican controlled house, senate and white house. It is a highly advantageous time to be involved in politics at Hillsdale.

What do you think about the presidential election results?

I was shocked. Most of the people I had talked to, along with myself, we believed that Hillary Clinton was going to win the election, and we were all sort of preparing ourselves for her presidency. Now I am just waiting, looking to the next couple of months, seeing what he puts together seeing what he puts together for his administration. I am a little concerned he will go off the rails with this, but I am hopeful that he will make smart decisions.  

What are your feelings about the other race results?

I didn’t really pay too much attention. My state, Maryland, went blue. No one I voted for in Maryland won, but I was not shocked at a lot of things. I know a senator who lost, and I was sad about that one.

Are you happy the election season is finally over?

I don’t believe that it is over at all. Look at the riots the petitions, people trying to convince their electors to break from the people.  Election season is not over. Politics is still interesting, and it is still volatile.

Do you have any advice for our new president, Donald J Trump?

Don’t prove the Huffington Post right.

Jake Kenyon, junior

Courtesy Jake Kenyon
Courtesy Jake Kenyon

Have you disengaged from politics?

No. I don’t think I am capable of disengaging from politics, as much I want to sometimes. This was an interesting election, definitely not what I had hoped it would be in every way but it was definitely different, an interesting experience to follow.

What do you think about the presidential election results?

I think that it came out as well as it could, given the circumstances. I personally voted for trump, despite my qualms about him. Overall, I am keeping a positive outlook. There are a lot of policies, that I am not super keen on, but given the two choices, this was the better option.

What are your feelings about the other race results?

All in all, they went as well as they can be expected. Republicans kept control of House and Senate. I didn’t follow any closely except for here and Iowa, but overall I think it went well.

Are you happy the election season is finally over?

Yes. Yes, hopefully we can move forward at this point and you know really start to engage with people. I think this election is going to be a very thing because Trump has been such a divisive figure, it has gotten liberals and people who weren’t as engaged in politics before involved in this election. Hopefully that energy can be channeled into curbing executive power. Now, people will realize they don’t want people to have that much unilateral power, and it will get more checks on executive power.

Do you have any advice for our new president, Donald J Trump?

Pick good advisers and listen to them. Also, don’t be afraid of admitting that you were wrong.

Abigail Allen, sophomore

Courtesy Abigail Allen
Courtesy Abigail Allen

Have you disengaged from politics?

I was less engaged in this election than I would traditionally be, or would have liked to been because I really just didn’t like the candidates, so I was kind of done with them. I voted over fall break, and then I just kind of stopped following the election. But at the same time, I was working towards local elections and paying very close attention to lower down the ballot races then.

What do you think about the presidential election results?

I am happy that Hillary Clinton lost, and I am sad that Donald Trump won. I did not like either candidate, and I did not vote for either candidate. I think that the fact that Donald Trump was a major candidate for president is a bad reflection on the character of our country, but going forward, I hope he can do a good job and uphold some of his promises that I liked and that he governs like a good conservative, which would surprise me because I don’t think he is.

What are your feelings about the other race results?

I was more concerned with those races, especially in Nebraska and Michigan, than I was with the presidential election. A lot of those results were positive. This judge that I had done a little bit of work won his race, In Nebraska I was disappointed with the reinstatement of the death penalty.

Are you happy the election season is finally over?

Yeah. It’s been a long election season and I think that our country just needs a little time to heal and realize that the election is not everything. I as a political person, have a tendency to overemphasize the importance of the election. The general hysteria over this election is just exhausting.

Do you have any advice for our new president, Donald J Trump?

Follow your conscience, stay true to conservative beliefs, and be honest.