For communities with large numbers of people dependent upon taxpayer-funded, government-managed assistance, subsidies, and various public programs, it matters very, very much who is in government. It’s a big deal.
The reason is obvious. Just re-read the first sentence above.
BUILD, DON’T BURN
For the people in those communities now protesting, here’s an idea:
Instead of burning your neighbor’s property and attacking the police—who are part of the government upon which you’ve grown dependent!—why not channel your energy in the direction of producing or offering something your neighbors value?
Anything. Really.
It’ll help your neighbor. Which is good. It’ll also help you.
The more value you produce for others, the more wealth you create for yourself. Which means you’ll be more self-reliant. Which means you won’t be so dependent upon those in government. Which makes it easier to distance yourself from any candidates or politicians you don’t like.
That too is good.
Instead of demanding that your fellow citizens work productively to provide for you, to subsidize what you want, to give to you that to which you think you’re entitled, why not join the ranks of those who are productive, creative, innovative, and who help others?
Do something big for others. Or do something small. But do and offer something that other people appreciate.
The more each one of us works to help others, the better each one of us is. And the better others are, too. And the less and less important those in government come to be in our lives. After all, for those of you who strongly dislike or even hate Mr. Trump: He will soon be part of government. Do you want government, which will include him, to be a big part of your life, or small?
OUT OF CONTROL?
Some of you are unhappy that Mr. Trump is now President-elect. And, indeed, he’s far from perfect. That’s an understatement.
Mr. Trump has demonstrated either a willingness to lie or confusion about his own words. Or maybe both. He’s vindictive. He’s thoroughly narcissistic. He’s unpredictable. He is willing to be rude. He has been inconsistent, boisterous, bombastic, and sometimes blustering in his speech. Decorum is like a set of clothes for Mr. Trump: something he slips into or out of depending on how he’s feeling at the moment.
He has said nasty, ugly things about women. He has raised concerns about the waves of immigrants flocking to the United States, often in defiance of American law, and the violent criminals among them. He has said aloud what many Americans say in private about Muslims in other parts of the world: Hard to know which ones want to harm Americans and which do not.
That’s all true. Like or not, it’s true. And nearly 60,000,000 Americans and a (likely) majority within the Electoral College have decided he will be the next President.
WHAT CONSTITUTION?
Mr. Trump has also provided no evidence that he understands or even cares about the Constitutional purpose of the Office of President of The United States or the purpose of our Constitutional government in general.
Then again, most of you protesting right now probably don’t care much about the Constitution. You often mock and ridicule it. It’s old, you say. Outdated. Racist and immoral and unjust.
Does it now matter to you whether we have a Constitutionalist President or not? I’m happy if your answer is yes. I just doubt it. Please don’t dismiss the Constitution as irrelevant in your ordinary politics and then clamor when the electoral opponent who just won an election is no Constitutionalist.
Democrats have had more than a year to make their voices heard and to prepare and organize behind a winning candidate and an attractive campaign platform. Instead, they punted.
Democratic voters said: “Bernie.” Crony insiders at the DNC said: “Hillary.”
The undemocratic result was a Democratic candidate who was and remains the most thoroughly corrupt, crony, scandal-ridden, treasonous, dishonest, and untrustworthy politician in modern history. And holding such distinction among politicians is no small achievement!
And she failed to win the electoral votes necessary to become President.
BECOME MAGNETS
Now, in response, burning your neighbor’s property and throwing bottles and rocks at the police does not provide “a voice” for those of you unhappy with the election results.
You should stop that.
When you destroy property, you are simply destroying wealth. Even for you socialists, progressives, communists, and social justice warriors out there, stop and think: the more property and wealth that is destroyed, the less there is to confiscate and redistribute. Aimless rioting and destruction is good for no one.
For Democrats who want a voice, you might start by revamping and restructuring your own political party. Get rid of the crony system you have where unelected ruling party elites called “Super Delegates” carry disproportionately more influence on the Democratic nomination process than ordinary Democratic voters.
Also, for disgruntled, dissatisfied, angry Democrats, you might think about how to become magnets: attract people to you and to your cause. And the more your cause is common for all Americans, the more you can attract. The more you promote special entitlements for special groups, the more you’ll find yourself surrounded by the choirs of those groups and no one else.
Become persuasive: win hearts with friendship and win heads with moving arguments, facts, history, trends, and know something about the purpose and design of the Constitutional government order you say is so very important.
Build coaltions: help others feel they are part of a group, a community, a network, an extended family of sorts.
THAT’S how your “voice” gets heard. That’s how you can influence in a constructive way.
Or… continue to burn your neighbor’s property. And attack the police. Who are part of the government upon which you’ve become dependent.
Your call, Oakland.
