As America waits I share history and sentiment. I spent a lot of time at this wonderful historic site, serving on the board and eventually as president of the Benjamin Harrison Home board of directors. There is a connection to where we are now.
Harrison was elected in 1888, defeating Grover Cleveland in a campaign that had its share of controversy and dispute. Harrison, who had served in the Senate, lost the popular vote by 90 thousand but won the electoral college 233 to 168. Almost 80% of eligible voters, some 11million, cast their ballots.
Harrison was an advocate of civil rights and voting rights but America at that time was not ready. It would be another 32 years before women were extended the right to vote. Harrison spoke often in favor of African American rights. Most modern Americans know little if any of Benjamin Harrison, who's Grandfather was William Henry Harrison, the 9th President. He was also the great grandson of a name sake who signed the Declaration of Independence. Dispute over tariffs cost him his re-election bid, as he was defeated by Cleveland, the man he beat four years earlier. His one term is a rich tapestry of an emerging American nation on the cusp of the 20th Century.
Watching recent campaigns painfully serves to inform how poorly educated we Americans are about our history. The last 4 years has been a catalogue of ignorance and lies. If we knew our history, perhaps we'd be better citizens.
The 2020 campaign will be studied as an oddity. There will be volumes to come but already Tom Friedman writes the US is the loser in this election.
"We have just experienced four year of the most divisive and dishonest presidency in American history, which attacked the twin pillars of our democracy-truth and trust." Friedman wrote and I agree.
My Irish friend Jack, a devotee of US history and culture, wrote to me on election day with a powerful assessment I share here.
This could be a day of days or the end of days.
It is truth and logic. I am embarrassed at America's decline in the eyes of the world. I am embarrassed by Trump, his destruction of the Republican party, and those who support him and condone his attack on truth and trust. His gains for his partisans are not worth the destruction he has rendered.
It troubles me this nation has descended where millions can condone unAmerican and boorish behavior by a man who is ultimately a Russian stooge playing a starring role in sowing division, discord and eroding our confidence and trust in who we are. He did it for his own aggrandizement. It is a fact that we cannot dismiss. And as we pick through the next four years and beyond, it is a recent history we must account for. He fueled it for gain and greed and we are a divided people.
There is work to do, rebuilding the United States, despite ourselves. We hope the days of the divider, working only for his base, are over. We need a uniter, a healer, a president for all Americans and a leader for the world.
For the time being, stay positive. Catch up on your sleep.
I expected Trump to get maybe 35%. His roughly 50% is disgusting, and I blame at least some of it on Democrats who failed to vote (about 1/3 of eligible voters chose not to vote).
ReplyDeleteBoth parties need internal dialogue about who they are and who they represent and how to get the message out to potential voters. I suspect we'll see a battle in the GOP and more than likely, in the short run at least, the Trump authoritarian breed of racists will have the power. I'm hopeful rational old school republicans will coalesce and regain the party.
DeleteI have trumpistas in my extended family, they are letting their freak flags fly.
ReplyDeleteTo be blunt, they love trump, they believe everything he says. On occasion my Aunt, a retired school teacher, will say, "He embarrasses me sometimes, but look at all the good he's done."
Millions have been brain washed by his deceptions (lie enough and people will believe it) and the fact they rely on only a limited information intake. Fox News, designed to be a conservative republican propaganda mill created a monster in Trump. They gave him so much airtime and watched him eviscerate the GOP. They did it as a Nazi like propaganda program. CNN meanwhile under Jeff Zucker's irresponsible leadership gave Trump so much time because he was "hot copy" and drew viewers. It was a crass move, but exploited by Trump. A monster was created. Those who get their gospel from Fox are stuck in an echo chamber or silo of information. The same can happen on the left with MSNBC, but the latter has only a tilt while Fox is all about manipulation of political agendas. They are not equal opportunity offenders. Demograpnic studies show that MSNBC consumers also consume print, online and other media in a greater number than Fox News. Bottom line, the Fox crowd gets their "thoughts" from a propaganda mill who is given to shaving a point of view and glorifying a serial liar. Brain washing.
DeleteI can't watch. Election night I briefly saw the numbers that Trump had and felt a burst of nausea run through me -- not so much from who was going to win but the disgust I have for my fellow human beings.
ReplyDeleteThe Democrats, "never in a million years" would invite anyone with even a tad of Trump's character near the party, especially now that all the southern Democrats are now Republicans. The complete lack of respect for decency and truth by so many is very demoralizing. If you're a Republican and you believe you have a commitment to integrity, you would have abstained -- but then you came up with something that excused your vote for this pathetic man. The excuses do NOT matter -- they are worthless -- just like your understanding of right and wrong. If you voted for him and you consider yourself a "good" person (to coin a cheap phrase), well -- you're dead wrong.
Fact is, even if Biden wins, I'm not sure I'll ever recover from what I've witnessed in recent years.
Mike, I share your disgust for those who abide an authoritarian, anti American, divider motivated by greed and selfishness. Trump you can explain as a deluded punk grown into a
Deletehustler, fraudster who is in it only for himself. But those who support him and his principles of greed, selfishness, race hating are losers. They ignore his lies, and/or are too simple minded to understand the complexity of diplomacy, state craft and government philosophy to know what harm he does. They have a limited view and limited understanding, which they are entitled to, but it is dumb. The group I feel the most sorry for are those who call themselves Christians but mix in right wing political views, a shallow view of Christology and who can throw over fundamentals of peace, love, justice, decency, forgiveness and support a hater, racist, liar, user, manipulator, and sexual predator. Sickening eh? Even more so when you consider the alternative is a man of faith, humility and compassion. As I noted above, their are millions who are either intellectually restricted or brainwashed.
I'm holding on to hope for a Biden victory and trying not to be impatient. I posted of Facebook my bafflement about how good people could vote for such a despicable man. My sister told me. She is a good person who voted for Trump. I say she is misinformed and deceived and has bought into false propaganda. But she and her fellow rationalizers are standing firm. How will we ever come together?
ReplyDeleteLinda, you are not alone in the desire for an official victory. As you can discern from my replies above, I share your view about people being misinformed and deceived.
DeleteIt will take a lot to make these states United States again. I continue to develop the idea I proposed in a previous post about an extended process of a National Reconciliation Council. Stay strong.
Valuable history lessons from 1888 and more great analysis in your comments...we are not out of the woods yet but we are still marching onward
ReplyDeleteHuzzah, as they said in that earlier era.
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