“Donald Trump wins, no matter what happens next,” wrote Jessica Wildfire the day after the American election. It was an observation supported by Lauren Martinchek the next day: “November 3rd was a rejection of the Democratic Party.” Politico countered with the headline: “Joe Biden will be a larger-than-life president.”So, which is it? We have no idea. Opinions are everywhere, certainty nowhere. While segments of truth run throughout such claims, we have just experienced one of the most confounding elections in decades. And it's in that confusion that America's greatest danger now lies. Despite the change of occupants in the White House, the future is going to look a lot like the past.There was something in the outcome for everyone, which is normally a good omen following an electoral contest. This time, however, it meant that no one achieved enough power to set the agenda for the next decade.It's almost as if America is stuck in stasis, as though defeating Donald Trump doesn't mean a new, more dynamic and flexible future is in the making. With all the struggling elements waging war against one another, there is no clear sense that public institutions are respected again, or that a coming decade of meaningful employment or declining poverty are the next big steps. Donald Trump remains president for the next two months, and it's a given that lives and property will be endangered, protests will be everywhere, COVID will remain uncontained, and climate change will march on unmitigated.Let's just admit it: Donald Trump came close to winning again, despite a pandemic, the lies, the bluster, and the litany of legal challenges. The closeness of the outcome just served to remind the country that there is no Big Blue Wave coming to alter the landscape. If there are any victories in the direction of progress, they will be achieved through blood, sweat and tears. No bright warm breeze is coming along aligning all boats in the same direction. The trenches of this past election still traverse the American political landscape and they remain full of troops ready to carry on the campaign.Donald Trump didn't just bring along his base to the polls. He brought the majority of Republicans. Neither the Senate nor the House fundamentally shifted after the contest. For two months, and beyond, their leader will remain the party spokesperson. Many Republican representatives were surprised that the president had enough popularity to carry them along to victory in their own precincts. In this sense, only Trump lost; the rest remain in place, in all their anger and desire for revenge. Perhaps it would have been different had their numbers in both houses been decimated, but that didn't happen and they'll be back in January with a renewed will to fight.And the Democrats under Joe Biden? It's true that the numerous factions bit their collective tongues during the campaign, and they did so long enough to secure victory. They are powerful enough now to demand concessions from a new leader, potentially dividing the party even further. Joe Biden can claim a victory, but a mandate is another thing and it remains to be formed and supported.And there's the truth of it: a Trump re-election would have brought anarchy, whereas a Biden win will bring prolonged battles, internally and externally. Other than a landslide, either victor would have had to don battle armour. The fate of democracy in America was hardly decided on November 3rd and its future was hardly decided by a thin victory that saw the opposition come out in record numbers.It was a moving thing to watch Van Jones break down on CNN, stating that he could now look at his sons and say America is still worth it. He was right, but it's no longer a gift or a given. Every inch of ground will now have to be gained by reaching out, finding shared values, gaining understanding, and turning government back towards average people just trying to get by. It will be the longest, most arduous path democracy will have taken for decades and there is no guarantee of success.Overall, Republicans did better than Democrats. They took four added seats in the House, maintain control of the Senate, and just spent four years appointing 300 conservative judges across the country, included two to the Supreme Court. The way it stands, 70 million disagree with 67 million following this election. This wasn't an electoral win as much as a moment in time, vital as it is, that is nevertheless a small shift in political power.Biden didn't get his landslide. The pollsters were wrong. I was wrong in my own projections. Yes, the voter turnout and guardianship of the polls was inspiring and impressive. Yes, democracy won. But it is a deeply divided democracy with no clear vision. The days of majority mandates are everywhere in decline, as partisanship, money, and frustrated factions seek to turn things in their direction exclusively. As an ideal, the democratic spirit is one of history's greatest accomplishments, but as a practical reality it will take more public goodwill than we have exerted for a generation.Glen Pearson was a career professional firefighter and is a former Member of Parliament from southwestern Ontario. He and his wife adopted three children from South Sudan and reside in London, Ontario. He has been the co-director of the London Food Bank for 32 years. He writes regularly for the London Free Press and also shares his views on a blog entitled “The Parallel Parliament“. Follow him on twitter @GlenPearson.