Have you ever felt unsettled when entering an oft-frequented supermarket only to discover that it has been remodeled? You have no idea where the baking supplies or tuna are; shopping that was quick and orderly becomes an ordeal – at least until you learn the new system.
Predictability has its benefits. Children thrive on knowing clear and straightforward rules. So do adults. Imagine what would happen if tomorrow a universal Department of Transportation decided that we should go on red and stop on green. Not a pretty picture.
However, at some point, predictability can become a rut, and it can institutionalize failure. Anyone who has benefitted from reorganizing a desk or changing a routine recognizes that the initial unsettled sensation often results in a long-term boon. Predictability can be the enemy of growth and improvement.
Strap on your seat belts because the United States is poised to make major changes. If, like me, you find yourself grinning at the thought of Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy leading a Department of Government Efficiency, prepare for upheaval. In his first term, President Trump relied on ‘the adults in the room.’ It didn’t work out well. While some of his new appointees such as Mike Huckabee and Marco Rubio have been in politics for years—and that has value—others are entering with no fealty to “that is how it has always been done.” In fact, refreshingly, they will be suspicious of that claim.
While I am officially registered as a Republican, there have been elections when I did not vote for the Republican presidential candidate. In 1996, I admired Bob Dole as a person, but I thought he was an awful choice for a presidential candidate. I was appalled by the candidacy of John McCain in 2008 and once again disappointed by that of Mitt Romney in 2012. Their losses to Obama were no surprise. The Republicans have often been predictable, other than a slight variation with the election of George W. Bush. And they predictably lost elections and were unable to motivate an unenthusiastic electorate. Donald Trump upended stodgy, out-of-touch, entrenched politics. Despite the chaos that ensued due to unprecedented resistance to an elected president, the United States is better off for that.
Judging by the hysterical reactions of the mainstream media and entertainment stalwarts since last week’s elections, we can–predictably–expect shock and horror as the Trump administration acts on the mandate it was given. Seldom has a presidential candidate been clearer on his intentions. And, since President Trump did not genuflect to standard operating political practice, we have rarely been given such an honest peek into a new administration.
We can even write the headlines now–dread and dismay– leaving blank spaces to fill in the specifics. Facts won’t matter and there certainly will be no grace given and no honeymoon period as new ideas are tried. As someone who hates roller coasters and enjoys returning to the same vacation spot each year, I anticipate getting all the excitement I need watching the United States in the coming months. One thing it will not be is predictable and I am delighted about that.
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