An Uncertain Future

Note: The following is blatantly political and partisan. I generally avoid current events of this nature, but feel compelled to have my say.

By Eilene Lyon

What we know is that the polls can’t tell us the outcome of today’s election. What we know is that there is at least a 50% chance that Donald J. Trump will take home the Electoral College prize and return to the White House in January. Many Americans are terrified at the prospect. Many Americans are hopeful about it. Those of us who voted for Harris/Walz are struggling to explain to ourselves why anyone in their right mind would vote for Trump/Vance, two men who lie with impunity and, in Vance’s case, even admit to it. Sure, all politicians tell untruths, but never have we been subjected to such a firehose of bullshit as we have seen from Trump since 2016.

Our kneejerk response is to say these Trump/Vance voters are ignorant/misogynist/stupid/racist/deplorable. Take your pick. It’s likely that some do fit those categories, but not enough to win an election. Plenty of intelligent, non-racist people (of all colors and both sexes) are voting Republican this year. Why? I believe most do love America, but they love the America we have become, not the idealistic version we have aspired to for 250 years. The America we are is: selfish, greedy, short-sighted, mean, and phobic. There’s a reason why the USA has a terrible healthcare system and a social safety net full of gaping holes.

America is also beholden to social media and crap-television, purveyors of unmitigated disinformation, propaganda, and yes, outright lies. Recently, U.S. News and World Report published an apology from John D. Miller for his role in creating a false image of Trump as a successful executive in the “reality” show, “The Apprentice.” This sort of coming clean is too little, too late. Thanks, but no thanks, Mr. Miller.

On top of that, there is an evangelical undercurrent trying to turn back civil rights, particularly those that women have fought for and won over the past century. Conservatism, on its face, is an attempt to stop progress, or even turn back the clock to some mythical past where the Christian Church “created” America in God’s image. Where everyone other than white, Christian males knew their place in the hierarchy. No such thing as “all men were created equal,” and certainly not all humans. And, heaven forbid we should take the planet that sustains us, and all other lifeforms seriously!

I won’t belabor all the terrible things that liberals and moderates believe will happen with Trump back in the driver’s seat. It’s been covered quite ably in many places. What if Trump loses the election? Will his most violent followers take over the government by force? I consider that unlikely. Even when Trump was still Commander in Chief in January 2021, his attempt to thwart the voters did not succeed. He’s even less likely now to find a force large enough to make a coup successful. His political career will likely be over. He may very well be convicted of serious crimes (but thanks to the now-corrupt Supreme Court, he will skate for anything done in his “official capacity” as president).

If he wins, though, the America we believed we had until now will cease to exist. He may very well ensure that he remains in power for life like the dictators he admires. This is truly scary for many of us. We who love democracy, who believe in our strong and secure elections, will miss what that meant for power of the people. We who love our civil rights, rooted in the idea of equality, will miss feeling part of a just and free society. We who love a healthy, biodiverse planet will miss having the opportunity to live with clean air, clean water, non-toxic food, and a stable climate. Kiss all that goodbye, folks. Welcome to government of the billionaires, by the billionaires, for the billionaires.