Pick Yourself Up and Move On

i watched the election results last night until i could stand it no more, going to bed with a stunned and sad heart.

i also kept thinking i might not have been stunned as much but i certainly would have been sad, just not quite as much.

i felt as i did when Johnson demonstrated he was not of presidential caliber and felt no trust for the other candidates: disenfranchised. That’s why Henry Harding was my write-in ballot. i could trust him

As we watched the results develop, my wife was in near tears, upset, that kind of upset when i know i must be calm and not try to persuade her to cheer up, not worry. She went to bed and read earlier than me because as Peter Finch’s character in Network shouted “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!”

This morning, i awoke early. My daughters, through their posts on the internet, were upset, rightfully so i thought. It seems, i’m sure, like a smack in the face for those who believe, out of the goodness in their hearts, that the last eight years have been good for the country. i sense they too do not need me to attempt to soothe their angry souls.

i don’t blame them. i am actually astounded any woman in this country could have voted for Mr. Trump.

As I write, Maureen is still sleeping. i am sitting in my office after completing my morning routine of making coffee, setting the table, cleaning up my mess from the night before, and retrieving the newspaper. As i drink my first cup of coffee, i have considered where we are and just how the hell are we going to deal with this.

First off, i’m not greatly concerned about Trump’s bombastic and ridiculous policy stances. Our good ole boys in the house and senate, regardless of party affiliation will take care of that, especially since a significant number of Republicans don’t like Trump one iota either. Jimmy Carter, with his goodness of heart and belief in taking care of people, had a disastrous presidency, primarily because he was an outsider. Trump is even more an outsider.

i am concerned about the overall picture. Having Republicans in control of both the house and the senate as well as the sitting president is like giving the children the keys to the candy store. i have maintained for a long time the best thing for our country is to have a split between parties in congress and the presidency. Of course, that was before the past sixteen years when the two parties dug in their heels with their lines drawn in the sand and cared more for their political well-being than the good of the country.

My hope is we, especially the politicians and their parties, will take this result as a demand for change, not some crazy endorsement of a homophobic, misogynistic, and xenophobic candidate (and whatever good intentions might be hidden behind that hairdo, Mr. Trump has certainly demonstrated those traits). Political business as usual needs to completely reinvent itself. Money and power need to take a back seat to common sense in moving forward for the good of the country.

As to our international relations, i’m not terribly concerned either. Our state department and foreign policy experts never have dealt well with foreign governments. It may get a little worse with Mr. Trump, but the checks and balances will not allow him to go too far afield. That’s something that adds to what makes this country great.

My greatest concern is that racism and bigotry were hidden agendas in the voting booth. Being an anglo-saxon male, i find anyone who treats people, regardless of race, religion, culture, or sexual preference, poorly or doesn’t allow them freedom, equality, and justice is a poor excuse for a human being. We have come a long way since our first presidential election when six percent of the population voted because it was limited to white male citizens. But we still have a long way to go. The bigots in this country who resort to violence as the cowardly church burners in Mississippi are no better than ISIS, maybe worse because they have had the opportunity to know better. We need to move forward on equality, not backward.

Unfortunately, legislation is required to right wrongs. It still is, but we all should consider legislating morality is a slippery slope. Morality, treating other people equally with respect is an individual responsibility. We each need to make sure we not only behave toward others in that regard but be the steward for equality. We have a vast, deep canyon to leap before we can achieve true equality.

But as i finish my second cup of coffee, i am hopeful, perhaps delusional, but hopeful we can take this surprise and learn. Perhaps, just perhaps, the two major parties, the independents, the lobbyists, the media, etc. may just say this sent a message we need to change and change for the betterment of the country and people who are citizens in this country.

i am hopeful, but not optimistic.

So my morning coffee drinking is complete. i will read the sports pages and the comics while having a wonderful egg, toast, and fruit breakfast courtesy of my beautiful wife, go work on my golf game for a while, pack for a weekend golf tournament in the desert, and see what tomorrow brings.

 

 

 

4 thoughts on “Pick Yourself Up and Move On

  1. I have been waiting 15 excruciating hours to shake me out of my stunned angst.
    Finally, a soft, calm voice comes through. Thank the sweet Lord for Jim Jewell, my beloved brother-in-law and friend

  2. I watched almost to the end continuing to hope for better results. Feeling depressed and heartbroken this morning, your words are very much appreciated. I had zero support from ALL my family during this, even Charles.

  3. Good stuff, Jim…….Sane, sound, reasonable! I’m not there yet, so have chosen to follow the old adage, “If you can’t say something nice, just don’t say anything!” If I said what I’m thinking, I’d be banned from FB for the rest of my life. 🙂 Thanks for your uplifting words. Well said!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *