For generations now, we have lived believing that We the People matter. We have free elections. We choose our representatives. We choose our governors. We choose our congressmen and senators. And we choose the President of the United States of America.
This election begs to ask the question. Do we, and did we ever?
What follows is only an opinion, a supposition, but what if…
In 2016, a businessman gets elected as the 45th President of the United States of America. An outsider, not belonging to what the people, more and more, call the swamp. It was a historic vote if there ever was one. The people chose a not so popular figure over what they believed was a thoroughly corrupt politician.
In four years, this man lowered the federal tax burden, brought back jobs from overseas, made the federation energy independent, negotiated peace treaties, and lowered healthcare costs. He expanded the border wall and facilitated a rise in wages. He lowered interest rates and increased consumer confidence. He restored pride in being American. He even, finally, signed a bill making animal cruelty a felony.
He did not start new wars.
He did not try to make us feel bad for who we are.
During the first 3 years of his mandate, everyday life was better. Americans could see a future that looked brighter. The American Dream was almost back.
2020 saw a virus coming from nowhere, a virus deadly to people with preexisting conditions, shut down all the so called “Free World”. For the younger generations, here is a definition:
Free World. “Free World” is a Cold War–era term often used by the U.S. and its allies to describe those countries that were not in the sphere of influence of, or allied with communist states, particularly the Soviet Union or the People’s Republic of China, but which showed a strong commitment to ideologies of liberalism and capitalism.
Thanks to Covid-19, a booming economy tanked. Unemployment rates went up. People lived in fear.
Thanks to this virus, the people were encouraged to use mail-in ballots to vote for a presidential election.
Thanks again to this virus, the deadlines to receive these mail-in ballots were extended. As to why, it is difficult to understand. Mail-in ballots could be received by voters choosing this method months before election day. There was really no reason to accept a ballot received days after November 4th. The last I checked, in person voters could not vote a day late.
When the counts of the ballots started, President Trump quickly took the lead.
Then…
Arizona, almost as soon as the count started, was expected to go for Biden.
in Georgia, counts of mail-in ballots were delayed due to a water leak.
At 12:30 am, Vice President Biden showed up for a short, say nothing kind of speech.
Shortly after that seemingly nonsense speech, ballot counts stopped.
Around 4 am, in Wisconsin, some say that a hundred thousand ballots, all for one candidate only, show up from who knows where. These ballots significantly helped Biden take the lead in that state.
Pennsylvania is still counting, a week after the election.
In multiple states, poll watchers were either kicked out, or placed where they could not see the ballots.
Throughout the evening, on election night, we were told that President Trump did better than in 2016.
And yet, somehow, Biden is supposedly the next President of the United States of America, even though the counts are still going on.
At this point, it almost does not matter who maybe won this election. It stinks. It leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Something is not right.
Did We the People elect a new President, or did the democratic party took upon itself to know better than we do what is best for us?
Is our cherished democracy nothing but a beautiful illusion?
Katrin L.
November 12, 2020
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