At last the day is here. Election Day! Whatever the cost, if you haven’t already voted, you need to do so- provided you are registered to vote and in some states have a photo ID.

I voted early because I was afraid of possible voter suppression and didn’t want to be in the middle of that drama.

People throughout the US and around the world are watching us to see if democracy will prevail, or if we will begin our long spiral down into fascism (an authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization).

What???? No she did NOT just say that!

I’ve been concerned about our state of government for awhile now, and even more concerned about an electorate that wants that kind of government.

Oh hell no we do NOT want political stalemates! Well you must, because you keep voting these fools back into office that make it happen.

Look, the GOP decided to stop Obama from passing any significant legislation because… well, because they could. And lest you die-hard Democrats think you are any better, the same thing is happening in your party as well. Otherwise, Bernie would never have been a thing.

And let me say this: the news media have focused on Trump’s white male less-educated voters but repeatedly has failed to mention that the median income of a Trump voter is $72,000 a year, while the median income of a US worker is $56,000. I guess it’s easier to hate on poor whites than on people of means who don’t show up at rallies but support him all the same.

I love my country. But I don’t feel that showing my love for country means I wear a flag pin on my lapel or put my hand over my heart when the Star-Spangled Banner plays. True patriots are those who dare educate themselves about the nature of government and work to preserve it, not tear it apart.

As for those of you who are voting because YOU are mad and YOU want to make a statement? Just remember Hitler was elected. As were these current world leaders: Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro Moros, Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe.

If you don’t know who any of those leaders are, I suggest you do some homework. Especially regarding Turkey’s descent from democracy to autocracy (a system of government by one person with absolute power).

We need a government with two strong parties who provide checks and balances but also work together. We need effective leaders in Congress and the courts as well as at the local level. We need a strong press corps who keeps them all honest. Right now it seems those things are a low priority.

I hope like hell our form of government survives, or that I don’t have to live to watch it fall. 

 

(clipart from clipartkid.com)