There is something very wrong in America right now. You can almost see it, just under the surface. You can feel it in the air, like a kind of static electricity or the smell of rain, except this isn't refreshing. In fact, it's a sour like smell. The peaceful transition of power from one Presidential Administration to another is the hallmark of American government dating back to the Presidency of George Washington. It represents the essence of a Constitutional or democratic republic. Of course, that is mostly a facade these days; we are a defacto Oligarchy as most everyone knows, but nevertheless, this is still an important part of the illusion. But that's not what we're seeing or hearing.
There is no question that the political Left truly believed that Hillary Clinton was going to win the election. In fact, I think the political Right and the Establishment Republicans had consigned themselves to four years of the "Hillary and Bubba Show", especially after their handpicked cardboard candidates were taken out one by one by "the clown and his circus" as the poster child for the Establishment, Ted Cruz often said. Yet, "the clown" did indeed win. The corporate media and its scripted talking heads were gobsmacked; they were stunned and almost lost for words. The "limo liberals" of Hollywood were knocked sideways. Many had made the usual empty promises of "leaving America" if Trump won, fully expecting of course that they would never have to honor their promises and would use a Clinton victory as proof of America's affection and awe of them.
Ever since then, we have been witnessing the overt and covert sabotaging the Donald Trump and his incoming Administration; a de facto attempt by the Left, with the blessing and support of the Oligarchy, to delegitimize Trump as America's new President along with his administration; a "soft coup" as some as put it. We've witnessed demands for recounts via third parties (to avoid the taint of sour grapes), which failed. We've seen attempts to blame Hillary's failure on the Electoral College; then on supposed "Russian Hacking", complete with Congressional hearings and testimonies from the same intelligence agencies which claimed Hussein had weapons of mass destruction; and on Russian Times (RT), a global alternative media site, for hosting a debate between third party candidates Jill Stein of the Green Party and Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party (the US corporate media wouldn't give them any serious coverage. The Democrat/Republican controlled Commission on Presidential Debates doesn't let any third party or independent candidate participate in the debates, as designed since Ross Perot's performance in 1992 and 1996). So, who does that leave to blame I wonder?
We have had virtually nonstop media coverage badmouthing of Trump, his family, his nominees, and an all out effort to dig up something---anything---on any of them! We've seen Left leaning organizations publicly planning to do everything in their power to disrupt, delay, or stop the inauguration at every step; to overwhelm security, not to mention national and local protests amid slogans of "Not My President" and promises to ignore or challenge the Trump Administration at every turn. We have some 50 members of Congress throwing a hissy fit and boycotting the ceremony. Meanwhile, we have members from the corporate media basically giving advice about disrupting the proceedings, plus none too subtle discussions about what an assassination attempt on Trump would do and how it could delay Obama's departure.
While watching and reading all this, I had to reflect back on all the protests and riots by conservatives when Obama was sworn in the first time, and then, despite being nearly hated, all the hubbub the second time he took the oath of office. Oh, what a minute---there wasn't none! That's right. Despite being viewed by the Right (and many others) as a unknown, unqualified political upstart with no voting record; whose background was murky at best and teeming with possible communist fellow travelers; a possible birth in Nigeria or wherever plus being a closet Muslim who attended a racist church (and later claimed he wasn't aware of any racist sermons by the minister), there was no attempts to disrupt either of Obama's inaugurations. It seems that even conservatives, Republicans, and the political extreme Right, was willing to swallow their collective pride, rub their sore butts, and respect the rule of law as laid out by the Founder's and accept the outcome. They were also willing to respect the transition of power peacefully despite their personal opinions of the incoming President, if for no other reason, than out of respect for the Constitution.
Of course, this isn't the first time in recent years where there has been controversy regarding an election. Everyone remembers George W. Bush and Al Gore's election outcome (Florida's "dangling chads"), which was resolved (albeit illegally) by the Supreme Court which decided for Bush (the decision should have been made by the House of Representatives according to the Constitution, but with a GOP controlled House, the outcome would have likely been the same). Nevertheless, while there were was a "hue and cry" from the Left, there was no planned demonstrations or attempts to disrupt Bush's inauguration. Going back a couple of generations, we had the 1960 election between John Kennedy and Richard Nixon, which was the closest presidential race to date at the point. There was little question of voter fraud, especially in West Virginia, as a result of Kennedy money and mob influence or in Chicago thanks to the "machine" of Mayor Richard Daley. But, rather than challenge the results, Nixon accepted the results and encouraged Americans to do so as well (of course if we're going to talk about corrupt elections, we could be at this for awhile).
Regardless though, this election and the subsequent fallout has been unprecedented in its virile hatred of in the incoming President. I guess one could expect this from the extremist, but this isn't coming just from them (I would include Hollywood here since they live in their own little insulated world). It's coming from what is supposed to the more rational Left, including Establishment Democrats, the corporate media, college campuses and academia, and it extends all the way down to state and local levels. It's "as if" the Left felt "entitled" somehow to the Office of the President and that entitlement has been unfairly denied them. So, like spoiled children, they're determined to throw a temper tantrum and try to make everyone's lives as miserable as possible until they get their way. Well, four years is going to be a long wait. I don't know if they can stay in their "safe spaces" that long. Sooner or later, reality will sit in, at least I hope. If they're smart (I said "if"), they will use the next four years to see where they went wrong (such as promoting someone who was more corrupt than Al Capone, not to mention arrogant to point of ignoring security protocols, repeatedly lying to Congress, leaking secure information and committing numerous possible acts of treason; and then there was Benghazi). Her promises of following in the footsteps of Obama, especially in areas of foreign policy didn't help---just ask Israel and our allies in Europe. How did we go from a President telling the American People he wasn't a crook to a candidate for President who made no qualms about it in under 50 years? At the risk of sounding callous, what difference does it make? I'm not saying Trump is any better, not by a long shot. We, as Americans, have found ourselves going from scrapping the bottom of barrel in trying to find competent political representation to scrapping under the bottom of the barrel.
Perhaps this is by intent. The Oligarchy which now controls this country needs chaos. It needs apathy as much as it needs for us to feel insecure and unease. Why? Simple. As history has repeatedly shown, a people, when faced with insecurity and fear will always---always---surrender its freedom for a sense of peace, safety, and stability. Business, especially big business, the kind the Oligarchs run, needs this too. They can't make long term plans and financial projections without it. Besides, with the kind of stability they need and want, comes control, and control is the name of them game for them. So, regardless of what you think of Trump, let's give him a fair chance to prove himself one way or another. If he does good, yeah us. If not, we'll know better the next time. Of course, despite all their rhetoric, both parties are bought and paid with the same coin. It's their game and their rules. We're just the "marks" to use an old con game term. I think we know that by now. If Trump doesn't work out, then perhaps it's time to change coins and change the rules.
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