Ronald Reagan once said, "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”

After this week's election, the task falls to all of us to protect our freedoms from the threats that Donald Trump enunciated in this campaign.

ADVERTISEMENT

The events of this campaign have shaken the confidence of many Americans in our institutions of government and our electoral process to the core, so we must start this new chapter by recognizing the legitimacy of the results (an action that Trump himself refused to pledge as a candidate).

Further, and far more challenging, we must also do what we can to help Donald Trump run the country successfully during his presidency. "Country over party" should not be just a statement of political opposition, but of governance.

If Donald Trump moves toward the political mainstream, if he truly renounces the forces of hate who supported his campaign, if he finds a path to compromise across party lines, if he chooses experienced and reasonable leaders to manage the critical functions of government, and if he grows as an individual under the heavy mantle of leadership, we must set aside our personal animosity and support him in that process.

But our mantra must be "si vis pacem, para bellum." If you want peace, prepare for war.

MORE STORIES FROM THE HILL:

Dear Trump: Putting women to work is a good idea for our economy

What kind of judges will Trump appoint?

The Hillary Clinton of 2000 would have beaten Trump

The war will come if President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE follows in the footsteps of candidate Trump with the same vicious language of bigotry and division; the same ad hominem attacks on individuals who do not support him; the same policies of exclusion, bias, and nationalism; the same secrecy around his taxes and business dealings; the same promotion of hostile foreign regimes; the same hiring of venal, incompetent, and bigoted cronies; and the same efforts to undermine our Constitution and institutions of government.

If and when that war comes, the resistance will continue to be led by the hundreds of leaders from across the political spectrum who spoke out against Trump during the campaign, but that army will be joined by a huge new force of Republicans and conscientious independents who reluctantly chose Trump due to deep concerns about his opponent but are now liberated to speak their minds and join the loyal opposition.

Our forces will use every tool at our disposal to protect our country and its residents from Trump and his actions.

We will mobilize battalions of pro bono attorneys to defeat him in the courts.

We will build and support institutions that defend rational conservative policies.

We will recruit anti-Trump conservative candidates at every level to throw his sycophantic supporters out of office.

We will work with like-minded Republicans and Democrats to block his agenda in Congress and defund it in the agencies.

We will march in the streets, we will speak through the media, and we will bring his presidency to its knees.

For all his hubris, Trump should remember that he won because a single government official made the historically-foolish decision to intervene in a presidential election.

It was James Comey's "vote" alone that tipped the balance. According to Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight.com, if just one percent of voters had switched their vote to Clinton, Trump would have lost and lost easily. The polls shifted by three points or more after the letter was released, so it is a certainty that Clinton would have secured that extra one percent and won the election, if not for Comey's interference.

In short, Mr. Trump, you have no mandate, you have a minority movement, and you have few allies among the people who you need to manage our government. If you do not run your administration as the president America deserves, we will shut Congress down, and we will ensure that your legacy for eternity is that of a one-term (or less) loser, a joke who humiliated himself and his party in pursuit of personal grandeur.

You have one chance and one chance only, Mr. Trump. Your move.

Weinstein is a former spokesperson to House Speaker Newt Gingrich and director of media relations for Dole/Kemp 1996.