You Voted Him In

Although perhaps the steady rush of time and the busyness of modern life has dulled somewhat the outrage regarding the election of Donald Trump to the presidency, media coverage helps to keep the flame of hatred alive.  After all, that is the right of every civilized person in this country of liberty: to hate the leader of its government.  How do you prove your freedom better than to mock your own president?

Now I have little reason to defend President Trump on any basis other than his office.  For if we make of that office a laughing stock, then how can anyone ever hold it without expecting a barrage of rotted vegetables in his face, if only metaphorically so?

Still, I will make no paltry defense of that once noble office for I doubt that anyone cares.  It is more satisfying to tear down than to build up.  It gives one a feeling of greater power to denigrate another for his stupidity than to compliment the other's good points, however few they may be.

I cannot claim vast knowledge of the actions of our current president.  I prefer to spend my time upon other more beneficial endeavors.  The actions of the president, no matter who he happens to be, make very little difference in my day to day life.

So, go ahead, cast your stones.  Burn your buildings.  Express your displeasure in all the mature ways of an educated society.

But I will point out that you voted him in.

You can argue with me if you wish.  You can tell me you voted for Hillary Clinton.  If you should chance to make such a foolish claim, however, I must correct your misunderstandings: if you voted for Hillary Clinton, you voted for Donald Trump.

They like to tell you that a vote for a third party candidate is a vote for the candidate of the party opposite the main party you prefer to support.  That, however, is slightly flawed logic.  It may happen to carry some weight when it passes from the theoretical world of statistics to the world of reality, but very little. 

The greater reality is this: if you vote for a candidate in the two-party system, you vote for the system.  You give your assent to the victory of the majority candidate whether or not you wish him to hold the office.

(And in truth how much difference is there these days between Democrats and Republicans?)

It is remarkable how little it would take to break that system so firmly entrenched.

Yet I doubt it will happen.  I have little confidence in the American spirit of independence as anything other than a choice to exhibit opinions on social media sites about everything from food to film.  I believe you are free to say what you want about your dog and look pretty in your favorite pose, but forgive me if I think the likelihood that you will think independently upon the most important issues of our time rather than merely bashing your favorite roasting candidate are not worth mentioning.

In fact, what are the odds that you will even bother to look up what must be done to implement more choices into our supposedly-democratic election process?

Of course you have two years until you have to worry about it again.  So perhaps you might say my "time is out of joint," but if so I will respond that "something is rotten in the state" of America.  You have been fair warned.

So prepare your 2020 vision!