We were not invaded. No towers fell. November 9 dawned the same as November 8. What is our problem? Why do we think we spent the last two years squabbling over who is to sit in the Oval Office? After all that din and invective, it is decided. We made our choice. It is over, until it starts again. It is called, “Democracy” – the noblest form we humans have for controlling our collective opinions and emotions. A peaceful transition; no troops in the streets; we all go about our business, as usual; sure, there are tears and recriminations; there are demonstrations. That’s fine --- that is what it’s all about. But, more importantly, it is over – until the next time. What more do we want?
That is the way it has been for more than 200 years. The flawed George Washington was the only unopposed chief executive. Since then, there have been forty-four flawed creatures to follow him – some more flawed than others. The beauty of it all, of course, is that the process always has been as fair as our flawed human capacity will allow. Without exception, it always has been peaceful. Lots of emotion, lots of recrimination, but never at the point of a gun.
Yes, there have been assassinations and attempts at assassination. It is significant that those were individual acts of excess. Even during the horrendous war that almost destroyed the nation, Abraham Lincoln, while not expecting it, was re-elected under the same conditions that prevailed for George Washington and Donald Trump. In that same way, as long as our luck holds out, thus shall it be.
Profanely, it just might have been divine intervention that will place Donald in the “Trump White House” alongside a congress primed to do his bidding. After eight years of doing as little as possible, perhaps they will allow The Donald to honor the one, big, noble promise of his campaign: To prepare our frikkin’, fractured infrastructure! Obama tried, but we know how that went. Trump railed against our decaying airports, as opposed to shining samples in foreign lands. Then, there are the bridges – some even dangerously collapsing. We thank Eisenhower for the national highways, but let’s now bring them up to millennium snuff. With all of the energy and communications cables strung across the mainland, who knows if putting them underground will protect them from Putin – but, at least, let’s try. Then, there’s the water – rivers, lakes, bays – let’s clean them up! And, the railway system: Shame, shame!
If Big “D” can accomplish that over the next four years, it would go a long way in helping us to forget the many other, less honorable assertions he made during the campaign.
***** ***** *****
When we chose to step out alone,
We knew we would grumble and groan.
Despite all the fuss,
All we’ve got is us.
We’re real – this ain’t no Twillight Zone.
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