WHEREAS, The United States Constitution guarantees that every state in the Union has a republican form of government and that every four years each state appoints a number of electors reflective of their congressional representation and at an appointed time, the electors meet and vote for the President of the United States of America reflecting their respective voters in each of the states; and

WHEREAS, The Union is much older than the Constitution, formed and matured and continued by the blood, sweat, and tears of millions of men and women who desired for a strong government and perpetual nation of states “to form a more perfect Union”; and

WHEREAS, Citizens of the United States are protected in their speech and writing and are allowed to peaceably assemble, to petition the government for a redress of grievances, and to participate in elections by secret ballot which many refer to as a sacred right; and

WHEREAS, Despite the best of intentions, the country has had many divisive campaigns during its history of elections, seemingly tearing at the fabric of our country, fraying relationships with friend and foe, alike; and

WHEREAS, The 2016 election for the President of the United States will be remembered as the first time a female candidate was named the nominee of a major political party; but in other ways was not all that different from many contentious campaigns of the past and will be remembered for the ages for its intensity, partisanship, and rancorous debate; and

WHEREAS, The voters asked the Electoral College through free and fair elections to elect a populist candidate with no previous political experience into the White House, shunning an established candidate with decades of public service credentials, stunning observers and pundits alike; and

WHEREAS, Because the United States was founded on the principles of liberty and justice with all persons being equal under the law and entitled to the pursuit of happiness, the President-elect is expected to work through a peaceful transition of power — a hallmark of our democracy — as he has called on America to bind the wounds of division, asking all Republicans, Democrats, and Independents across the nation to come together as one united people; and

WHEREAS, Those whose electoral desires did not come to pass, should avoid the calls for political violence, of riots in the streets, arson, vandalism, and physical assaults; and

WHEREAS, Our fellow citizens are encouraged to unite with one heart and one mind and restore to social intercourse that harmony and affection without which liberty, and even life itself, are but dreary things; and

WHEREAS, Every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle and it is possible to fashion a country that is exceptional once more; and

WHEREAS, Upon the oath of office, the people expect that the President they ceded power to will faithfully execute the office to the best of his or her ability and to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States; and

WHEREAS, Historically, the office of the President changes the man more than the man changes the office and that every person who has held the highest office in the land realizes the import of the office and understands better the consequences of their words and actions, humbled by the obligations of the nation and a free world before them; and

WHEREAS, True to our nation’s motto — e pluribus unum — the United States was and continues to be built by people of all ethnic, racial, gender, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds and is celebrated for its tolerance, diversity, and freedom, the President-elect has reached out to people who did not support him for their guidance, so they can work together and unify our great country; and

WHEREAS, When the President-elect defeated a formidable opponent who was distinguished as a former First Lady, United States Senator, and Secretary of State, the vanquished candidate reached out to the President-elect and graciously offered to work with him, and expressed hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans, despite noting that our nation is more deeply divided then she realized; and

WHEREAS, The current, termed-out President called on Americans to move forward and reminded the country that we are all on the same team, reiterating the sentiments of his forbearers, that we are not enemies, but friends. Though passion may have strained the fabric of our country, we must not break our bonds of affection and envelope the better angels of our nature; and

WHEREAS, California is home to the largest population of immigrants in the United States whose contributions help to drive this state to be the most economically successful and prosperous in the nation; and

WHEREAS, The President-elect’s movement was made up of Americans from all races, religions, backgrounds, and beliefs; now, therefore, be it