WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THIS ELECTION

So exactly what did we learn from this the most disastrous of all Presidential elections?

 

First and foremost we learned the truth of the statement made by the fictional pimp known as “The Engineer” in the musical MISS SAIGON, who told us –

 

“You can sell shit and get thanks.  That’s what I learned from the yanks.”

 

Perhaps most important this election has demonstrated the level of frustration, to a large degree justifiable, most Americans have with Washington – specifically with the incompetence and inaction of the idiots in Congress (this incompetence and inaction was initiated by the Republicans under the leadership of Newt Gingrich – although it has spread to include the Democrats as well). 

 

If it were not for this level of frustration a dangerous, deplorable, and despicable narcissist and demagogue like Trump would never have been able to be elected President.   

 

It is surprising, and stupid, that despite the massive frustration with the incompetence and inaction of Congress, Americans chose to elect a totally unqualified, unfit, and inappropriate President but continued to re-elect the actual idiots in Congress who are the main cause of the problem.     

 

This election also demonstrated the reality of the “dumbing down of America”, caused in no small part to the proliferation and popularity of the steaming pile of excrement misnamed “reality tv”.

 

I have said many times that television can change the world.  Pioneers like Norman Lear and the creative staff behind M*A*S*H changed the world for the better in the early 1970s.  And same-sex marriage would not have become legally accepted without Ellen DeGeneres and shows like WILL AND GRACE and MODERN FAMILY.  Today “reality tv” garbage is resulting in the decline and deterioration of our society.

 

Without the “dumbing down” of so many Americans, coupled with the false, certainly unearned and undeserved, credibility given to Trump by “The Apprentice”, it is inconceivable to me that this dangerous buffoon could have ever been accepted as an actual legitimate political candidate.

 

Unfortunately for America and the world intelligence, character and conscience was indeed defeated by ignorance and bigotry on Tuesday, despite the fact that it appears Clinton actually won the popular vote by a small margin.  Once again America is screwed by the existence of the Electoral College. 

 

What was most shocking, and scary, about this election is the fact that, despite everything Trump said and did during the campaign, and everything that was revealed about what he had said and done during his lifetime, this truly despicable human being was elected President!

 

Any one of Trump’s multitude of “sins” by itself would have, in the past, derailed the campaign of a “normal” candidate.  When added together this humongous multitude should have made it unthinkable for anyone to vote for him – and should have caused the Republican Party and all Republican Congressional candidates to publicly denounce him.

 

I actually do believe that, as Trump had said, he could have shot someone in Times Square and would not have lost any of his core supporters.

 

What must be done going forward? 

 

First and foremost we must continue to denounce and oppose Trump and his deplorable rhetoric and alleged policies.  Winning the election did not automatically grant Trump sudden ethics, morals, or character. He is still the same despicable human being. 

 

There must be no wall.  There must be no mass deportations.  There must be no political “hit lists” – I truly expect among Trump’s first actions will be vindictive acts of revenge against those who did not “kiss his ring” or anything else during the campaign.  There must be no relaxing of or restrictions on individual civil rights.  We must make sure that women, that all people, are treated with respect by the government. 

 

We must work to make certain that Trump is a one-term President.      

 

But at the same time we must truly begin to work together, despite and not with Trump, to fix what is broken in America.   

 

We also must take a serious and careful look at how the election process can be improved and reformed, including considering changes to the primary system and whether or not we want to continue the Electoral College.  We must think about what must be done to make sure what occurred during this election campaign can never happen again.

 

TTFN