It’s hard to forget when your heart’s been broken, stomped on and tossed like ours was in 2016. The majority of Americans spoke clearly with our votes in 2016. We did not want Donald Trump. Strangely, the majority got the opposite of what we voted for. We were too slow to realize the Republican Party was actively engaged in a soft coup d’etat, backed by Russia. We were too slow to realize that just because criminals act criminally right in front you, it doesn’t mean their criminality isn’t a crime. Sure it is! Donald Trump did not “win” election in 2016, a criminal conspiracy (led by Russia) stole the election’s outcome for him.
Today, finally, We The People get to rip power back from those criminals.
That isn’t dependent on any election “result”. We KNOW what this election’s result is. Have you seen how many Americans showed up to vote early? Trust me: no one stood in line for five hours plus to vote for Trump. People voting out of selfish rage don’t have half the commitment of people voting out of collective rage. The collective rage camp always has each other to remind them of why they’re so angry. The Trump guy just has himself — and when he sobers up, he’ll probably forget why he was so angry to begin with.
The correct answer to Trump “declaring a victory” that isn’t his is “No”. “No, you didn’t win.” We do not chase bloated orange rabbits down their rabbit holes. We shake our heads and simply say “No”.
Make no mistake: Trump will flail and scream and cry — especially when we frog march his bloated ass out of the White House, his arms zip-tied behind him. He’ll call us names then tell us how much he loves us. He’ll say anything to avoid his fate. Too bad none of that will work.
We know what Trump’s done. We need to punish him if only for our own sense of wellbeing. If only for the country’s ability to move forward.
Trump is losing as the first returns come in. He will lose on a massive scale today. Cheating to win can never equal winning and, today, even having CHEATED, Trump will go down in flames.
And so will every Republican with him.
As far as I’m concerned, today is the first day of the rest of our lives. We will look back at November 3, 2020 as the day We The People made it official: Trump no longer works for us. Everything he’s done will, at long last, be subject to oversight, review, prosecution and punishment. And so will the criminal acts of every single Republican.
Celebrate, America! Then buckle up. Things won’t get easier any time soon. But, at least decency is back. Fairness will get a seat at the table again. Bullshit will have to watch remotely, its mute button locked in the “mute” position.