Here are the topics for this first post-election blog: America, in a new place; anti-Trump protests; two peas in a pod?; changing times; Max Weber; Brexit; alt-right, et. al.;

"A prayer for America." That was the headline for Ruth Marcus's post-election op-ed column in the Washington Post. The nation is surely entering a new place and, as she notes, the prayer recited every Saturday in her Jewish synagogue now seems terribly appropriate.

     Our God and God of our ancestors: We ask Your blessings for our country — for its government, for its leaders and advisers, and for all who exercise just and rightful authority. Teach then insights from Your Torah that they may administer all affairs of state fairly, that peace and security, happiness and prosperity, justice and freedom may forever abide in our midst.
     Creator of all flesh, bless all the inhabitants of our country with Your spirit. May citizens of all races and creeds forge a common bond in true harmony, to banish hatred and bigotry and to safeguard the ideals and free institutions that are the pride and glory of our country. 
     May this land, under Your providence be an influence for good throughout the world, uniting all people in peace and freedom — helping them to fulfill the vision of Your prophet: “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they experience war any more.”

Anti-Trump protests. Just as the pundits were beginning to explain why they had not foreseen Hillary's loss and Donald's victory, protesters took to the streets in many cities (including Denver) to express their outrage. Streets, interstate highways, and bridges were shut down. 
     Not surprisingly, students often led off by taking to the streets before school on Wednesday morning. These protests are just one more indication of the depth of disrepair felt all across the social divide.

Trump and Putin.  From this morning's brief in Foreign Policy: "In his victory speech, Trump said that he would be willing to work with any country willing to work with the United States. “America,” he said, “will no longer settle for anything less than the best … We must reclaim our country’s destiny.” This last phrase essentially captures the thrust of Putin's continuing foreign and domestic policies. Both leaders feel their country unfairly wounded.

Changing times. The title of a Thursday column by David Marinass, perhaps says it best. "The Clintons were  undone by the middle-American voters they once knew so well." How ironic that their forgetfulness, this misreading of the public would put a non-politician and billionaire in the White House.

Max Weber. In his Thursday column, Charles Lane examines the way President-elect Trump won and finds an apt application of Max Weber's thoughts on "charismatic authority." Weber is not often remembered or quoted, even by the Post's eminent wordsmith, George Will.
     Mixing 19th century and more modern lexicon, Lane writes, "[A]s Max Weber famously defined it, “charismatic authority” stems from a kind of political mojo 'resting on devotion to the exceptional sanctity, heroism or exemplary character of an individual person, and of the normative patterns or order revealed or ordained by him.'....Anyone who has witnessed a Trump rally, and the energy generated by the mutually reinforcing rule-breaking carried out by both candidate and crowd, can confirm that Weber’s concept applies.

London Review of Books. It is unclear how much of a debt, acknowledged or not, that Trump owes to the British public's Brexit example. Neal Ascherson's piece is titled, "Britain prepares to leave the world." Two nations striking out on very unfamiliar courses. Mutual best wishes may well be in order. Are both Ms. May and Mr. Trump sailing off through a " black cloud of unknowing" hoping to build a "better yesterday" as they seek the solace of the Wizard? 

Aschrson: I never thought I would see this opera again. ‘Rule Britannia!’ peals, the curtain parts, and there is a mad queen poling her island raft away into the Atlantic. Her shrieks grow slowly fainter, as the mainland falls behind. The first performance was in the 1980s. Who could forget Margaret Thatcher’s ear-splitting arias? But she never took the raft to the horizon, and never finally cast off the cross-Channel hawser mooring her to Europe. This revival is different. Theresa May says she’s bound for the ocean, and she means it.

Alt-right. Now President-Elect (PE) Trump reacts as his boisterous, demanding public dsemands action, action that has to take place within our system of checks and balances. They will find out that the wheels of democracy grind slowly, deliberately. Hopefullythe  PE's desire to be well remembered, which seems to be a fundamental character trait, will lead him to reasonable decisions that further American interests. His "Britebart" may be his conduit to his more radical followers, who want what is clearly not possible.
     This is where Mssrs. Connell, Ryan, et. al. may serve the nation well. Hope springs eternal!

Thank you for reading.