To the Editor,

End of another brutal election cycle and gearing up for the next with lessons to be learned and new strategies to adopt. Don’t see much hope of getting both parties to at least try to work together to put our country and our democracy above party and individual interests. Been saying that for years. 

The best part of the campaign was the energy, empathy and smarts exhibited by Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. They put forth the Democrat platform with policies to address the country’s needs into the foreseeable future. 

My hopes that Joy and Hope would win over Doom and Gloom fell short this time, but the negative effects of the Putin/MAGA/Trump/Steven Miller victory on the vast majority of the voting class may fuel a movement to protect our Democracy, Constitution, and freedoms derived therefrom. 

The Democrat campaign strategy was old hat, banking on the east and west coast cities and raising a ton of money to conduct the election in the same way we’ve lost before. Why are the central states mostly red? Republican policies have never helped rural areas. Why couldn’t we reach latinos and other groups on the lower end of the economic ladder? The answer was largely due to two major issues used by the MAGAs, the border and inflated prices in the grocery store and gas pumps.

Whatever changes are made, there is one dominant issue to tackle or election strategies won’t matter. The Republican platform and strategy is based on the Project 2025 plan, which calls for eliminating elections so those in power now will stay in power indefinitely. It’s hard to win an election if there are none

With his win, Trump has escaped punishment for all crimes, including 34 felony convictions and sharing classified information with enemies…treasonous behavior in earlier days punishable by death in public view. The positive take on this is the margin of victory measured in total votes wasn’t that much so if we rework our strategies to reduce the emphasis on fundraising and raise awareness of the dangers of even two more years of total government control by Trump’s Army, there will be no more opportunities or change…just like Russia and all other authoritarian states. People with voters’ remorse will have the opportunity to renounce their 2024 vote and regain the sense of pride in our country and democracy.

Lee Purrier

Park Rapids, Minn.