So ... What Now?

 So. What now?

... Believe me, friends, there is some good news out of all of this.

The House of Representatives - the GOP made significant gains when the Democrats were expected to expand the house.

Many state and local elections continued to stay red.

If the GOP can hold the Senate - we're back to divided Government.

There is an overwhelming nationwide repudiation of socialist, Marxist, anti-American, sentiments that many of us feared would overtake the country.

So for now, the radical shift to the Left is on hold.

Donald Trump did receive 70M votes. There is no mandate. We are still divided as a nation, and we, the people, can and will hold the Government accountable.

Will we probably reenter the Paris Agreement on climate change? Yeah, probably. Is the economy going to take a hit as taxes increase for everyone? Yes. Your gas and electric costs are probably going to go up ... and deficit spending is going to accelerate. And... we're probably looking at another nationwide lockdown the first of the year.

But the margins in the country are so thin, that any radical shift in domestic policy will almost certainly cost the Dems the House in two years.

Biden has promised that he will lead all Americans - not just those that voted for him. Let's see if that rings true.

Some things to look forward to:

The media will subside. They'll have nothing to complain about at least for a couple of years (not that I believe anyone really listens to them anyway).

Covid will go away. The economy will get better.

The Conservative message for America has really blossomed into the big tent we believe it should be - Trump has given us significant gains in the Black, Latino, Asian, and LGBTQ communities. Fiscal responsibility, a strong national defense, common sense regulation all transcend race, orientation, and creed.

And hey! Your favorite athlete and celebrity doesn't have to leave the country, so there's that!

In all seriousness though - I did predict Biden would win, so I'm not surprised, and I think the means by which it happened are sketchy at best.

But the country can't afford to go through the Courts, and have them flip the results. We're sitting on a powder keg as it is, and a decision like this will result in out and out civil war.

We are better than this. Step back from the ledge, take a deep breath, read the total landscape. Socialism lost on Election Day. Radical shifts to Progressivism lost on Election Day.

Just as I believe that the Earth can survive the threat of global warming, America can survive the results of an election.

What now? We roll our sleeves, and go back to work. We hold this President's feet to the fire. We believe in the best of us. We believe in the strength and the spirit of America.

It *will* be all right. I promise.

This nation is fractured, divisive, broken, frustrated, hurt, angry, and the next President has almost superhuman challenges ahead of him. He has said he'd make it his mission to bring us all together. Let's do our part to make this dream a reality.

God bless America.

- TMS

2020 Election: Gang, we'll be all right.

 So - I'm starting to hear a lot of the GOP autopsy post 2020 election. Let me give my Conservative friends some good news.

Yes, the election is not over (for all intents and purposes I'm going to say it's over).... but before the Progressives and Liberals pop the cork on the champagne - I encourage my Conservative brothers and sisters to take a deep breath and exhale.

If not for Covid, Trump would have won reelection in a walk. People are scared, and the Biden Camp effectively used the panic and fear to their advantage. This is an outlier. We're not going to have a pandemic every 4 years (at least I don't think).

Still, given the last 4 years of the Trump Administration - they were hit with years of a collusion based on disinformation that tried to delegitimize his election. Days, weeks, and months of out and out lying - culminating in a sham of an impeachment. We had an establishment media that spent the better part of 95% of their headlines, bylines, and soundbytes calling the President everything from a racist to a homophobe to a xenophobe to a corrupt power hungry authoritarian.

You had Covid - a once in a millennium plague that ravaged our economy and stuck fear and panic into the hearts of Americans.

And yet with all of that ... the GOP actually GAINED in the House, kept the Senate, and Biden (if the numbers hold up) would have won by the thinnest of margins.

There was no mandate - there was no blue wave. We don't have to look too far within ourselves moving forward.

Stay the course. Continue to champion for limited government, low regulations, a strong national defense and common sense legislation. The Democrats will overplay their hand -- like they always do -- and in two years, we'll take back the House.

Gang - we'll be all right. I promise.

- TMS

Now, Not Tomorrow, Is The Time To Invest In Your Talent (via LinkedIn)

 It's the call every employee dreads hearing.

"We're going to have to let you go." "It doesn't make fiscal sense right now to keep you." "We're sorry."

In today's increasingly challenging financial times, it can be a burden on the employer to juggle keeping and investing in your employees and making the difficult decision to try and keep your doors open. The global pandemic has no doubt taken an economic toll on businesses large and small across America. Millions of hardworking, dedicated, creative and driven employees are being told that the company just can't afford to keep them on the payroll at this time - as businesses tread water trying to stay afloat as the nation navigates these troubled waters.

While these difficult decisions might might make short term fiscal sense - I challenge employers and businesses across America to start to consider the long term ramifications of your hiring and firing decisions. Now is the time to invest in those key employees who will benefit your brand and provide your customers the long term success your company is seeking post global pandemic.

Many employers are waiting patiently on Congress to pass legislation such as the popular PPP program to assist in keeping their businesses above water during these challenging times. But in the current political climate - I believe it's safe to say that Congress is pre-occupied with election fever to actually provide relief for small businesses and employees at this critical juncture.

So, what do you do?

I can tell you, as one of the many millions of skilled, creative, dedicated, and hardworking Americans who find themselves in the unenviable task of finding a new career - now is the time to find a way to hang on to your talented and skilled employees so that when we inevitably come through this incredible shortfall - your business is primed and prepared to take on the rush of a booming economy.

An investment now in those employees is a many-fold blessing for your business. For example, you don't have to train a new acquisition as business returns. How much valuable time are you going to lose trying to play catch up when your competitors are hitting the ground running when the calls and quote requests come in?

Many companies tout their philosophy as family oriented and employee friendly, but do you practice what you preach in your business practices? As an employer will you stand in the gap for those you've already taken the time and resources to invest in? In times like these, it's important to know that your corporate philosophy isn't just a bumper sticker slogan designed to entice potential talent. If what you say is true, talent really is difficult to replace and the current climate is not a reflection of their performance - then now is the time to find creative ways to hang on to those people and not let them get away.

For many American workers, the difficulties of the current climate are real. Millions of hard working Americans who toil for their companies going above and beyond what is asked of them - divesting their nights, weekends, vacations, and peace of mind to make sure the companies they represent show a strong and thriving face - even in these times. As employees, we give our time, our creativity, our patience, and our talents so that the companies we represent can be successful. For many, it's more than just working for a paycheck- it's an investment in a way of life.

Now, not tomorrow when the coffers are replenished, is the opportunity for you as an employer to identify those talented employees- the ones you've invested in thus far - and work with them so that together you can work through these difficult times with patience and creativity. One day, perhaps sooner than later, business will return - life will return to some sense of normalcy - America will re open its doors to commerce as usual, and it's my belief that that investment you make now will pay off extraordinarily in the coming weeks and months.

Unfortunately the alternative for many businesses who fail to act now will suffer long term prosperity and growth in chasing a short term fix - and those irreplaceable employees you so once highly touted will be irreplaceable for someone else. - TMS