Could this be the most important national US Election ever? Er, well, yes: at least since the last one. And maybe the next one. Really, every election is only ever as important as the effects it will have on you and the things that you value.

So, what’s important to you: are they things that you would proudly and publicly acclaim? In this election is there a person and / or party with real policies that will deliver to those values? If so, vote for them.

Oh, I accept that not voting is an option, but that’s like voting for nothing rather than something. Why would you give up the only political power you have that is equal to everyone-else’s, no matter how many more times richer and powerful they are than you? Vote for something, even if it’s not how you normally would.

If you’ve already voted – then well done you. Now stop feeling smug, go and help get the vote out elsewhere (Don’t just vote – volunteer!). If you haven’t voted and need to know where or want some more talking points:

How do you feel about the country?

Are you a united people?

Is the country going in the right direction?

Is America great or not?

How is America viewed by the rest of the World? Do you even care?

Are you really frightened of a caravan of rag-tag migrants seeking safety and work? What happened to the land of the free and the home of the brave? When has America ever been invaded by a caravan of migrants? Is this really representative of your values? Do you need to check your empathy?

How do you feel about your party?

You’re either a(n):

• Republican
• Democrat
• Independent
• Undecided, or a
• Minority party member (Libertarian, Green, or Constitutional nationalist)

For you, which comes 1^st: Country or Party?

There’s only 1 party in power: the Republicans own everything. They own the Senate, the House of Representatives, the Presidency. It’s believed that they may have even co-opted the Supreme Court, though that’s as yet to be determined.

For a party that owns everything, they moan a hell of a lot about things they could get done without anyone-else but can’t seem to agree on between themselves. For instance, the GOP is still committed to ending Obamacare though you’d never know it given the many Republicans who are lying about being its most ardent defenders. Are you really going to fall for their guff?

Even if you don’t need general or pre-existing health coverage yourself, I bet you have people in your life that you love who do. Are you going to vote for them to lose what may be their only lifeline?

McConnell’s even talking about coming for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid next to pay for the massive tax cut they gave to the richest 1% (Disney Heiress Abigail Disney Says The Wealthy Don’t Need Another Tax Break). Seriously, they’re going to take money from the poorest to pay for the richest? Wow!

And what’s with the industrial voter suppression? Do you really want to be part of a team that only thinks it can win by what looks like cheating & preventing your fellow citizens from voting?

Even if you love everything that the Republican party is doing, you have to admit that they are failing in their constitutional duty to act as a check and balance to Presidential power. Has there ever been a congress so seemingly craven and willing to put party before country? Are you going to vote for that?

How do you feel about your President?

I didn’t originally think that Trump would win the 2016 election. I didn’t think he had a snowball’s chance in hell. Not until we in the UK were well into our European Union (EU) referendum did I begin to see the oncoming trains of Brexit & Trump on opposite sides of the Atlantic. Both campaigns cultivated the primal rage of those who felt and had been left behind; convinced by charlatans that they had the solutions to all their problems, so long as they voted for them. With the usual low voter turnout of our lazy democracies, both results were a well-deserved shock to our collective systems.

So, although I thought Trump’s persecution of the Central Park Five & the blatant racism of his Obama birtherism along with his alleged rampant sexual misconduct should’ve been disqualifying, I can understand why people might have wanted to give him a chance; why they chose to give themselves a chance of something different from the Bush / Clinton hegemony.

So, 2 years on how is that working out? Is Trump a President for all the people or just some of them? I’m not saying your President is racist, but the racists sure seem to like him a lot. And what’s with the lies, so many, many lies. Why does POTUS push out so much disinformation and fake news that only he supposedly can rescue everyone from? It’s almost as though he is terrorising your great nation on a daily basis. It’s as if he wants to keep you scared.

What kind of leader never takes responsibility for his decisions or actions, or in Trump’s case the most divisive rhetoric we’ve ever witnessed from an American President? The recent multiple attempted targeted bombing of those he perceives to be political foes being just one of the receipts he’s unwilling to accept as his.

Is this really the President you want to continue to reward with unfettered power by returning Republican Senators and House Representatives. If you feel good about what Trump says and does, then you should vote for him. However, if you’re prevaricating because you like some of the stuff but not all of it, then let me try to help.

When you 1^st voted for him, no-one could be certain what kind of President Trump would be, so you and everyone-else got a pass. However, now you know what he stands for, so vote GOP again if you want more of the same but then everything he says and does is on you & everyone-else who votes Republican. If you want checks and balances, then you must vote Democrat.

You’re all Americans

Ok. You know what your values are, and you’ve decided who you’re going to vote for; now promise yourself one more thing. Remember that this is just another vote and that it’s your family, your friends, your neighbors and your community that matters. Just because someone votes differently from you doesn’t make them your enemy – you’re all Americans: isn’t that what matters? Is’nt that that unites you all? Isn’t that what makes the USA great?

(Don’t just vote – volunteer!)

← Empathy — 
Brexit – Every MP needs to become a leader →

Created: 1^st November 2018, Published: 6th November 2018
Updated: 5th November 2018 – Minor grammar changes, heading style updates & copyright inclusion; 22nd September 2019 – addition of Previous & Next links and subscription block. ***

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