Today was a really good election day for America. It was a day of hope. A day when we saw that there is a real possibility that the forces driving the United States toward fascism and away from democracy can be defeated.

Thank you to everyone who did their part to help preserve the dream of what America could and should be in the future.

The election results significantly diminish Donald Trump’s ability to do evil things through legal means. They also mean that there will be serious investigations, which may eventually lead to accountability.

It was incredibly joyful to see Texas emerging from the darkness and to recognize that the misery inflicted by Greg Abbott and others may finally come to an end. At the same time, it is depressing to see Florida remain in the grip of darkness. It remains perplexing and deeply sad that significant segments of the American electorate continue to support the cruel, corrupt, and treasonous nightmare that the Republican Party has become since Donald Trump came to power.

And now, the bad news…

“Crush. Kill. Destroy.” will be Trump’s theme for the next two years, or for whatever portion of that time he remains in power.

Trump will likely retaliate against America and the world for the narcissistic injury and repudiation he has suffered today. He will do so in every way imaginable and in many ways we cannot yet imagine. He will attempt to burn and destroy America and the world in whatever ways he can.

He will act like a mad king. He will ignore Congress. He will ignore the courts. He will attempt to further corrupt our military leadership and use our military to commit war crimes in America’s name.

The wealthy people in Trump’s orbit, beginning with Elon Musk and Jared Kushner but extending far beyond them, will face the possibility of investigations into the criminal actions they have taken or supported over the past two years. They will see a likely future beyond 2028 in which the money they have grifted could be taken away and they themselves could face prison time. They will use their enormous wealth and influence over corporate America in increasingly destructive ways to avoid that fate. They may even align themselves more closely with America’s worst enemies and adversaries.

These are horrible things to contemplate, but facing these possibilities and preparing to deal with them is part of the best path forward. There is no easy road back to normalcy. That simply means we must each continue to embrace the work ahead and do our part. We now know that we have the power to ensure that good can defeat evil.

And now, the great news…

The great news is that there is a path forward toward an America better than it has ever been. A path that eliminates the possibility of this happening again while beginning to rebuild a country that embraces truth, justice, equality, and an ever-improving standard of living—not just for the wealthiest among us, but for the vast majority of Americans.

But we should not delude ourselves into thinking that the road ahead will be easy, painless, or brief. It will be none of those things.

The challenges facing us and future generations have always been difficult. Now, they are far more difficult than they would have been had the United States chosen a different path two years ago. Alas, there is no way to undo the damage that has already been done to our world or to our country’s reputation.

We are a nation in which large segments of the population are undereducated, lack basic knowledge of science and civics, and remain immersed in racism and hyperpartisanship. We face enormous challenges involving our national finances, health care, human rights, and the environment. The road ahead was always going to be challenging; now it is considerably more difficult. And we will continue to face foreign adversaries determined to challenge us, both directly and indirectly.

The next two years must be focused on accountability for those who have caused so much damage. After Trump spends those years inflicting further harm on the United States and the world, the 2028 U.S. elections will offer another opportunity: the possibility of giving those who want to move America forward in a positive direction control of both the legislative and executive branches.

Our adventure is just beginning. The future of America is still ours to shape.