In a recent New York Times column, writer Frank Bruni opined that the country had reached its surfeit of “crazy,” as evidenced by the paltry showing of national Republicans during the midterm elections. At first blush he seemed to be right.

The U.S. House of Representatives was barely overtaken by the Republicans, with the Senate still ensconced in Democrats’ hands. The re-election bid of Donald Trump was met with somewhat of a yawn, and some leading Republicans, like Senate leader Mitch Connell, remained aloof about another presidential run by the ex-president.

Yet, there remain some disturbing signs that Mr. Trump might still get an encore, since many of his diatribes are still hitting home among his followers. He is a clear and present danger to democracy.

Far too many folks have embraced his invective, which continues to divide this country. Some, but certainly not all, of his acolytes have a cult-like theological belief in what he says, notwithstanding his exaggerations.

He did not preside over the largest tax cut (President Obama did, followed by Ronald Reagan). He was not number one in filling up the strategic oil and gas reserve. (That was Obama again).

His science that it would take 200 to 300 years for the ocean to rise to have an effect on global warming continues to be repudiated. The immigration wall largely replaced existing barriers and was incomplete.

Most disturbingly, however, is that hate sometimes trumps everything else, and his announcement speech was laser-locked on promoting those alleged character differences among us.

In reality there were very few thousands of votes separating the totals between Republicans and Democrats on a local and national level, so the country is still ideologically split. The Electoral College favors Republicans. The gallop toward stripping folks of representation by redistricting and obstacles to casting votes lurks overhead.

Them vs. Us, WOKE! ELITES! FASCISTS! RACISTS! dominate epithets.

In August 2022, 55 percent of adults in the U.S. say the Democratic Party was too extreme, while 61 percent said the same about the Republican Party (Pew Research). It isn’t too promising for the future where folks negatively characterize large swaths of people in the other party.

Make no mistake about it. I think Mr. Trump has been an overall negative for this country, since he trades on division. I don’t want to see him president again.

But, as many philosophers over the centuries have reminded, “I have met the enemy and it is me”!

I’d like to think that is the launching point for 2023. Instead of looking at the speck in another person’s eye, scripture reminds us to see the mote in our own.

So, instead of debating the predicate that “Bashing Biden was not good enough” or quipping that the mid-term election may have shown that Democrats lost their touch but Republicans lost their minds, it might be a far better exercise to make a New Year’s resolution to try to listen and learn from others.

Perhaps a year-end retreat of even a few hours would  be beneficial if we took stock of our own prejudices and blind spots and called ourselves out for mental arrogance.

In May 1992, Rodney King asked, “Can we, can we all get along?” Maybe 30 years later we can begin to make that happen.

Arlene Violet is an attorney and former Rhode Island Attorney General.