Well, At Least That's All Behind Us. So What's Next?

The election and all the paraphernalia that accompanied it if finally behind us. Thank goodness! So what's next? Let's start with the the least interesting: the markets.

They reacted dramatically. It's not unusual after an election for this emotional sort of response. This one was on the more extreme end. One of the media blurbs mentioned it was the biggest stock market surge ever after any election. Maybe. But so what?

Same holds for bonds and our friend Gold. Bonds tumbled, with yields jumping. Gold dropped almost $80. But so what?

"So what" because the immediate reaction doesn't necessarily carry over very long. 

Of course we don't know the future and, in some sense, anything's possible. But stocks are already highly over-valued, bonds are, after all, in the early stages of their long-term Bear Market (despite a recent correction upwards) and Gold was due for a correction anyway after a spectacular rise this year.

So if the markets got you jittery or excited, forget it. Just go about your normal life - which ideally consists of the basic dual combo of prayer and work. Try to get closer to God by doing His Will as best you can discern it. Don't get side-tracked by the election after-math, and certainly not by what the markets had to say afterwards.

(Shameless plug for God and religion.)

On the more interesting - and important - side of the ledger, we may wonder what happened to all those riots that "they" said would explode if he won. Let's listen...hmmm....You can hear a pin drop.

Of course, the elements out there that would drum up trouble haven't disappeared. Sure, the government may withdraw some or all of its absurd prosecutions of the now President-elect. And the courts may find a way to extricate themselves from the legal actions perpetrated against same. But the social undercurrents can't be so easily dismissed. Those began before the Big Orange Guy ran the first time. They've grown since. Even setting aside any associated issues related to the current victor, they remain bubbling under the surface. So we wait to see what unfolds in the coming months - and years.

We are, after all, in a troubled time and the election of this or that individual - whether President, Senator, Congressman, Governor, local politician, etc. - won't have much of an impact on trends that have been unfolding in what has been called this "Fourth Turning." 

If you never read the book, The Fourth Turning, you might consider it now. But even if you don't have time (and who amongst us who has full plates greeting us each morning really has time?), just know that those who study cycles of history see our current time as one of trouble - social, economic, political, cultural...did we leave anything out?

In any case, are all these now behind us? Has the election of one man really settled down the turbulent trends that history tells us are unfolding all around us?

Time will tell. But maybe we should give this a thought and circle back to the idea that we need to be prepared for trouble before it starts - always a good idea. While we may not know exactly what's coming next, we'll at least be ready for it.

One thing we think comes next is an orderly transition of power. It's the American Way, after all. And here we perhaps - at least some of us - may be pleasantly surprised.

You see, there has been a strain of thought that the new crew somehow won't be allowed to ascend to the lofty heights of the Presidency. Every means of this has been put forth, including assassination of one or more of the players involved. Again, it's early in the game, but so far the reaction, while not exactly muted, has been somewhat controlled and within the bounds of reason - so far.

Then again, we might consider the whole "false flag" thing. That's where something, even if ginned up, or an event that occurs naturally is interpreted in such a way that it causes a dramatic response to the event. It's not outside the bounds of reason to think this might occur before Inauguration Day. And while we don't have to believe it's inevitable, there may be at least a slim chance of such an occurrence. 

As for all the promises made and the hopes of those who elected our next President, well, give it time. There's much on the table. And the last go-round for this crew was less than stellar. 

Sure, some things were accomplished. But is that so odd? It's a rare Administration that does absolutely nothing. And offsetting what was accomplished we might give weight to the folks appointed to the Administration, most of whom were exactly the sorts that were supposedly going to be "drained from the swamp." Never mind the infamous "Operation Warp Speed" that brought us the jabs and the whole Covid Mess that...well, you know all about that, right?

Nevertheless, promises have been made. So much so that the phrase "Golden Age" has been bandied about by - well, you know who. Golden Age? In the mouth of most mere mortals it might be laughable. But the source has been known for colorful language and phraseology. So why not?

Frankly, none of the above adds a whit of substance to what might come next. It's all just a gathering of possibilities. But at least it's not feeding either the Golden Age crew or the Nazi Internment Camp crew. (Best they go quietly into the night, don't you think?)

For now, let's say a prayer that our country somehow turns itself around from the slip-sliding it's been experiencing for some decades now. Perhaps we'll have more to say about that sometime soon.