Here we are starting our next 250 years with hope that it’s not reduced to some 250 days.  We believe, we persevere because the alternative is too terrible.  In that alternative we would still be called Americans but we won’t feel the same, and no one would look at us the same.  We will be viewed as the ones to fear and/or to be bought off.  Freedom and liberty may be a concept that is based on ones financial situation.  Likewise migration will be based on money, maybe talent, and religion or skin color.  Bring us not your huddled masses and down-trodden, but your wealthy and talented.  We’ll send back the down-trodden.

But this ugliness, this un-American world can be avoided with the strength of our institutions.  The brilliance of the founders that elections would be the domain of the states.  The beleaguered but steadfast free media of the press, and the courts, sometimes defending liberty and sometimes giving in, but nonetheless a roadblock to tyranny… and you!  You who will vote and trust that your state will count it, trust that it matters, that a legislation of true representatives of the people and not the billionaire class will check a rouge executive branch.

Yes, I believe we will survive into the future due to the courage of this generation.  Just as we are here, as proud Americans, because of the great generations that came before us, those that fought tyranny, that created a country that is forever striving to be better.

Someday we will look back on this moment and know it to be a turning point, a moment when we said no to autocracy, and we reaffirmed our principles of fairness, justice and freedom.  Long live the democratic republic of these United States of America!