Today in History. 11 November 1918. The Treaty of Versailles officially ended the “war to end all wars,” but it was the “11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month” that an armistice between the Allies and Germany went into effect to end the fighting.  A total of 9 million soldiers died, and 21 million wounded between 1914 and 1918 spread between five countries: Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Great Britain and Russia.

Today is National Veterans Day. It is the day to Celebrate all of our United States Armed Forces Members. Veteran’s Day originally commemorated as Armistice Day, celebrated the end of World War I. Soon after the second World War, in 1945, a recently retired veteran requested of General Dwight D. Eisenhower a rededication to the celebration to include all veterans from any conflict. It was in 1954 Congress declared the holiday National Veteran’s Day.

“To us in America the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with – solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service, and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of nations.” – Woodrow Wilson, 11 November 1919

I would like to suggest a commitment to the men and women who provide our entire country a “safe space” to enjoy our God-given freedom. The next time you see a uniformed service member stop, look him or her in their eyes and say “Thank you for your service.”

I’ve met some extraordinary men and women who are often startled by my gesture. It’s an incredible gift of personal sacrifice they give to me; at the very least, I can offer my gratitude to them. It will be one of the most amazing two-second bonding experiences you’ll ever have.

A NeverTrumper Post Election

“There is a saying: The pessimist looks down and hits his head. The optomist looks up and loses his footing. But a realist looks forward and adjusts his path accordingly.” – King Ezekiel, The Walking Dead

This audio was *transcribed from a podcast hosted by Michael Graham, one of a few hosts of The Weekly Standard’s podcasts. Graham interviewed a Senior Writer at TWS, Steve Hayes, yesterday. Hayes answers some of the Big Questions the ForeverTrumpers are asking and anyone else wondering how the NeverTrump folks are holding up post-election. The entire audio is worth your time.

MG: …I’ve got Steve Hayes on the other line. He’s already waiting to be shipped off to a re-education camp by Team Trump. Waiting to be processed. So do they hose you down first Steve or do they do that lye thing to get the fleas off you.

SH: I’m number 385. We have nice beige uniforms. No, I’m good. Trump’s America two days later…the sun came up.

MG: So people have been asking me, so “What’s it like for you NeverTrumpers?” I’ve been telling them I sleep with the light on. I have a go bag and I’m ready to go. You are one of the two or three of the most famous NeverTrumpers in America Steve Hayes. What’s it like since the election was called?

SH: On the one hand, the brightsides are really bright. The brightside to a potential Trump presidency are bright. The idea now that Donald Trump could nominate conservatives to a Supreme Court. I don’t think that’s a guarantee as we were told before the election. I’m optimistic. … Having said all of that, you have concerns. Donald Trump today is the same Donald Trump the day before the election. He’s the same Donald Trump when we saw the Billy Bush tapes. He’s the same Donald Trump when he made those bigoted comments about the judge. He’s that guy. So, you know, you go in with concerns and with some level of optimism. …

MG: … Are you going to continue to oppose Donald Trump? …

SH: Look this isn’t complicated. When Donald Trump does good things … when he follows through on his campaign promises, the ones I agree with him on, I’m going to praise him for it. If on the other hand, if he engages in name-calling with his Democratic opponents or Republicans who are insufficiently supportive of Donald Trump, I’m going to critisize him. If he says the kind of stuff he said throughout the campaign that was offensive or foolish, I’m going to criticize him. …

SH: … “What I think people are looking for now is results … What their looking for now is actual, real change. Some accountability that’s why I would have Donald Trump lead with ObamaCare. Horribly unpopular … But if he goes in – and this is my concern – and his top priority is Nancy Pelosi’s top priority which is a big infrastructure spending bill. Trump loves infrastructure – he’s not opposed to spending. If that’s the way he starts things off, it’s a downward spiral. He should go big and he should go bold. He should use Republicans in congress …

… My biggest concern about Trump and the so-called white working class, the people who work in trades who elected him, to whom he’s promised so much – he’s made promises he can not keep. That’s a concern. In this particulate instance it’s more problematic than usual. What we’re seeing is this dislocation based on a change in the kind of economy that we have … and he would go to these towns that are sort of down on their luck and make promises about a renaissance of American manufacturing and that is just not going to happen …

… The longer term concern is that exactly the kind of disaffection that you saw particularly in those people he was appealing to as a result from what we’ve seen in Washington, will be even more prounounced when it becomes clearer and clearer that Donald Trump can’t deliver on those goods. He can’t.

Steve Hayes, I think, hits the overall tone of the post-election NeverTrumper. Most NeverTrumpers, I’ve observed, are pragmatists, realists. For most of us, the feeling is that Donald J. Trump is President-elect of the United States. It’s a fact. And, now we move forward. Our argument has been to insist Donald Trump be held accountable for his promises, and nothing has changed.

* I, a novice “transcriptionist,” transcribed the interview. I offer my apology for any inadvertent errors. Because the interview runs a bit over 19 minutes, the interview has been condensed to focus the conversation, not to distort it.

Welcome to RedState’s WaterCooler! It’s RedState’s only daily Open Thread!  Post-election day is like New Years Day for me. A sort of time for reflection and renewal. It’s a time to set goals and make a plan going forward. As it was eight years ago and four years ago, this is a suck-it-up-buttercup kind of year. I survived the dreaded Obama years; I’ll survive the next four 😉 Comingle in the space provided. Enjoy!