For those disillusioned by election, 2025 is the year to reengage

Jan 3

Dr. Rashad Richey National TV Political Analyst, Talk Radio Host, Univ. Prof.

By Straight Arrow News

In the aftermath of the divisive 2024 U.S. presidential election, a majority of Republicans describe their reaction to President-elect Donald Trump’s victory as “optimistic.” On the other side, Democrats are more pessimistic about their party’s future now than at any time in the past eight years.

Watch the video above as Straight Arrow News contributor Dr. Rashad Richey reminds us that for those disillusioned by the election outcome, this country still operates through voting. Dr. Richey encourages these individuals to stay engaged, emphasizing that those outside the voting class have limited influence over politicians.

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The following is an excerpt from the above video:

So for those who are yes, disillusioned, you may feel disappointed, you may not like the current political landscape of the nation, I want to remind you that those who committed an act of domestic terrorism on that Jan. 6 day, those were volunteers. Nobody paid them to do it. They did it on their own. They paid money in order to engage in something that I consider to be holistically criminal, to overturn the very foundations of democracy. They were volunteers, and if they are willing to engage in that kind of action in order to uphold a bigoted and criminal narrative, so much more is required of us who stand against it.

So if you’re upset, good. Be upset. Volunteer more. If you don’t like what happened in the past election, I get it. I’m in the same boat. We have to do more, give more, sacrifice more. Engage more. 2025, don’t look at it as a year of less, look at it as a year of more — more from us who would like to see the progress we believe this nation can achieve.

Okay, here we go, New Year. New you, right. Listen, I stopped doing new year’s resolutions years ago because, well, 90% of US violate those resolutions within the first week or two. I’m not setting myself up for failure. So here’s what I will say, 2025 new year, you have new political agendas. You have some resurface political agendas. You have good bad. You got a mix. You got a mix of stuff. But here’s what makes America actually great, not politicians, not those who engage in propaganda, but everyday people. You see everyday people really are the ones who drive the consensus for everyone else. Politicians are typically an expression of the collective. So even if you feel disillusioned by the reality of our political landscape, remember that those individuals who are representing the government currently are expressions of the voting class in America. Now, in America, we do not have a majority rule democracy. It’s a little more nuanced than that. It’s a majority vote democracy. So regardless of the majority sentiment of America, if you’re not the voting class in America, your opinion of the politician has a limited or a restricted expression. This country works by way of the vote. So for those who are yes, disillusioned, you may feel disappointed, you may not like the current political landscape of the nation, I want to remind you that those who committed an act of domestic terrorism on that January, 6 day, those were volunteers. Nobody paid them to do it. They did it on their own. They paid money in order to engage in something that I consider to be holistically criminal, to overturn the very foundations of democracy. They were volunteers, and if they are willing to engage in that kind of action in order to uphold a bigoted and criminal narrative, so much more is required of us who stand against it. So if you’re upset, good. Be upset. Volunteer more. If you don’t like what happened in the past election, I get it. I’m in the same boat. We have to do more, give more, sacrifice more. Engage more. 2025, don’t look at it as a year of less. Look at it as a year of more more from us who would like to see the progress we believe this nation can achieve.