Political Karma: Why the Election of Donald Trump is Important to You

Political Karma: Why the Election of Donald Trump is Important to You

Now that Donald Trump has won the election, and we’ve all had a chance to digest the outcome, I would like to offer a perspective you don’t often hear about in the media; it includes looking at the election through a karmic lens to help balance out the enormous release of emotion after a very long, tiring and highly contentious election cycle.

Election Summary:

The campaigns of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton made it very clear that their key political differences centered on trade, immigration, fiscal policy, energy, education and planetary sustainability. But, nobody cared. The issues were overshadowed by Trump’s “deplorable” behavior and Clinton’s “lock her up” corruption. Clinton, a representative of the old establishment political system, was never able to convert the enthusiasm of Sander’s supporters to her ticket. Trump, the outsider, was going to “drain the swamp”. As the battle for the presidency raged on, Trump used Comey and Wiki-leaks to pound home the point that Clinton was corrupt while she went after his moral character with a ferocity that didn’t go high but rather skipped along the bottom. The election result tells us not only who the winner is but that we currently have two distinct visions of America.

I caution people, however, not to look at the election results from a win/lose position but from one that views disruption as a movement towards balance. Karma always moves towards balance so in any karmic cycle there has to be movement from instability to stability and from disruption to unity. We are a nation divided that will not come together through the either/or mentality of a win/lose system. Unity will only come from progress and progress comes when stagnation begins to free itself through disruption no matter how disheartening the process may be to some.

Karma Matters:

Karma is simply a cause (an action) that produces an effect (either immediate or felt over time). If you want a different effect you need to institute a different action. Unfortunately, we are wired to keep doing the same thing over and over until we learn from our past mistakes. The benefit of karma is that it forces us to do things better. Clinton’s karma is easier to see than Trump’s because she has been scrutinized in the public eye for a longer period of time. Trump’s karma will become more evident as his presidency evolves.

Over the course of Clinton’s career you see incredible effort, energy and passion seasoned with a pinch of bad judgment and a marriage to someone equally bright and capable who is also seasoned with a bit of bad judgment. Even though it looked like Bill Clinton made it out of his presidency in good shape in spite of his impeachment, the karma of his past actions hung over them both. Bad judgment seemed to then follow them from servergate, to his meeting with the AG on the tarmac, to her association with Huma Abedin, which gave Comey the ammunition to call into question her judgment all over again. It was just too much for her to overcome. Yet, Clinton’s dogged adherence to the values and principles that she has fought for her whole life caused her to persevere amidst endless investigations and probes into her business dealings and personal life. Such is the course of karma; for every obstacle there is also an opportunity to grow beyond its restriction. Karma doesn’t draw a distinction between the ordinary and the extraordinary, either way we have to do our work. No matter Clinton’s capacity for the job, the incredible service she gave to our nation and her historically significant nomination as the first female to ever run for the presidency, she’s still a “normal” person who has to deal with her karma.

Cultural Karma Matters Too:

So, the question is; why if everyone has karma did the election turn out the way it did. So many things had to break just right for this result to happen that we can’t overlook that it happened for a reason; making the notion of cultural karma so compelling. Over the years our country has been collectively dealing with discontent and disenfranchisement; all with very old and bitter racist undertones. As a nation, we’ve slowly been resolving marriage equality and pay equality but racism still eats away at our core. As a nation, we were constipated. Nothing flowed. We were miserably stuck. Everyone hated the job our elected officials were doing. All of the partisanship made us sick. Well, you can say that we’re certainly not constipated anymore because half of the population has just been shat upon in a very big way. But, it will get things moving and that’s the point of karma; things have to flow from being stuck to moving again for growth to occur.

It’s irrelevant for the purpose of this discussion whether or not Trump won the election through fear baiting, Russia’s meddling and/or propaganda. It’s equally irrelevant whether or not his rhetoric was divisive because as a nation we are divided on so many levels that bringing the division into the open provides our best chance of healing. The election was a referendum on that great divide more than anything else. If Clinton had won there would be an equal number of people feeling angry and dismayed with one big difference; no one would be in shock. In this case, shock may be the karmic motivator to galvanize an electorate of mostly apathetic voters to cast their vote in the next election. If nothing else, Trump’s victory empowers everyone with the knowledge that their vote counts and challenges everyone to address the great divide facing our country today.

The Future:

Trump has already done his job by virtue of being elected. He has made America move again. The fear is that things will move backwards. He has a chance, however, to do something “great” for our nation. He deserves the chance to do it because he won the election. It’s really that simple. I think Trump will mature, the Republican Party will try to figure out how to mend itself, the Democratic Party will choose new leadership, the Supreme Court will do its job and we will do ours.

History will show that Trump’s victory wasn’t the only one on election night. There is no doubt that women in this country are also going to be stronger as a result of Clinton’s historic run. Women are learning that by habitually putting up with the bullshit of arrogant, powerful, insecure men doing whatever they want and then offering insincere apologies (after vehement denials) when they’re caught is not benefiting their cause or ours. Women across the board are more energized than ever to stand up for what’s right and denounce the power players for misusing their power. For those of you who are discouraged about having to explain to your daughters how a man who is disrespectful to women can be elected President of the United States, know that your strength as a woman is going to speak more loudly than anything your child will ever be exposed to in the world.

The shock that the democrats are feeling will subside and they will take stock. New leadership will emerge, but it will take time. I’m hopeful that the evolution (not revolution) that is occurring now will have a stabilizing effect that is far stronger than was otherwise possible. For those who are elated and feeling a sense of relief and redemption by Trump’s victory know that the need to heal and unite still exists and cannot be achieved by either party alone. Change is only a victory if it moves towards balance and unity and away from deeper divisions. Karma matters; change is inevitable, opportunity is abundant and we are uniquely positioned to take advantage of all of it by instituting new actions to produce even better results.

Five Minute Articles For Your Consideration14 comments

14 Comments
  1. Fran Pearce says:

    So glad you did this…been waiting!

    • Larry says:

      Thanks, Fran. Glad you found it helpful. So much to cut through in order to find some clearings of sanity out there. I believe the clearings will get larger and larger in time.

  2. Pamela says:

    As Always, WOW. Your ability to put an umbrella over an issue never ceases to inspire and amaze me. Many people need to read this. Helps us to have hope. Thank you.

    • Larry says:

      Thanks, Pamela. I appreciate your comments. It’s hard to find balance when we’re stuck on the edges of opposing those who oppose us. It’s like walking into a mirror and banging your face. These intense riddles of life are what we are always trying to resolve. And, we do (eventually)…

  3. Paul wager says:

    As you once helped me to understand the complexities
    of my relationship, and it has been great life ever since; so you may have helped many with this accurate insight. I have discovered that the prism one uses to view life events
    effects the conclusion as much as the event itself.
    Do you remember being asked, “how much longer are you going
    To be walking around in my brain”? It is a unique skill, use it wisely
    or karma may provide a real surprise.

    • Larry says:

      Hi Paul, Hope you’re well. Loved your comment! Thanks for taking the time to read my post and post your reply. Appreciate it.

  4. Michelle Lalouche-Kadden, Ph.D. says:

    I appreciate your take on this. A new fresh perspective helping to move away from all the divisiveness. I am still trying to recover from my burst “bubble”, forcing me out of it!

    • Larry says:

      Hi Michelle, Thanks for taking the time to respond to my post. I try to look at these types of events a little differently without dismissing the immense implications of them. I think we’re all in recovery and optimistic that the future will hold many more possibilities than may be apparent now.

  5. Sean MacLeod says:

    Perfect observations. Thank you, Larry, for writing about this most unusual set of realities with clarity and newness.

    • Larry says:

      Thanks, Sean. Most unusual set of realities is right. Requires the most unusual set of responses. Very challenging but with the right perspective I think we’ll be fine.

  6. Thank you Larry for a much needed fresh perspective on the election results!

  7. Mary Johnson says:

    Larry, Thanks for a very thoughtful article about how we may move forward despite what, to me, is a disastrous election. It is interesting to note that Hillary Clinton was actually the second woman to run for the Presidency. The first was Victoria Woodhull in the 1870’s. She created the Party she represented, so Hillary was the first woman to represent a major political party. At about that time, black men were given the right to vote, which had been withheld from them. Women were still not allowed to vote. Similarly, in 2016, we proved that a significant portion of the nation was still not ready for a woman President, once again women have not yet achieved parity with black or white men. It may be another 20 years before some men and women are prepared to accept the leadership of an extraordinary woman, with or without the baggage of a male candidate.

    • Larry says:

      Thanks for that bit of history, Mary. I appreciate you taking the time to comment. You always have a unique and informed perspective. One day soon we’ll have that in the White House too!

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