Will the vision of the electorate be any better in 2020?

Election 2016

I'm writing this a the ballots are being cast. I have no clue as to whom will be the victor: Hillary or Donald. However, I know with great certainty, regardless of who wins, who will be the loser: We the People. In fact, we've already lost. Can you argue? Look at the choices.

I know. You're ready to stop reading. You're tired of this election. Well, so am I. Really tired. I voted already and I don't want to hear any more about it. However, if we look away and lose ourselves in other problems, we're going to face another election just like it, maybe worse, four years from now.

One thing should be clear to everyone. There is an establishment in Washington. It's a living, breathing organism that has a well-developed survival instinct. Its various members include both major political parties, the bureaucracy, and the Pentagon. They may bicker among themselves but when threatened, they close ranks and fight to survive. In this election, Trump is the threat. Hillary is their chosen candidate. We the People chose Trump. The establishment chose Hillary. Some people think they chose Hillary, but that's an illusion. The establishment, as we now have seen, co-opted the primaries. The GOP attempted to do the same with their candidate, but a tidal wave of anger among the electorate brushed their efforts aside.

In my opinion, Trump is no better than Clinton, but Clinton is far worse than him. You may disagree. In the end, neither of our opinions matter. Whomever wins, we lose. Why? Trump is no politician. He can bluster all he likes, but governing is nothing like managing a business. We've seen that with people like Arnold Schwarzenegger who was likewise an astute businessman who failed as a governor. On the other hand, Clinton is a politician who has failed at everything she has ever touched. She has not one accomplishment and her political ads confirm my observation. When asked to name one, she rambles on without answering. Most likely, she has been too busy aggrandizing and enriching herself while in office, to take time for the business of the people. Indeed, everything you need to know about Hillary can be seen in her apprehension when she attempted to walk away from the White House with the china and silverware at the end of her husband's administration. It makes one wonder how large is her collection of towels and robes that she pilfered from hotels while globe-trotting as Secretary of State.

If we want better choice next time, we better start working on them now. Imagine how difficult it will be to entice good persons to enter the presidential arena after seeing the melee there. Imagine placing yourselves and your loved ones in the eye of a public hell bent on excoriating the opposition.

The most important task that I can see is convincing everyone that this presidential election is our fault. If you must point a finger of blame, point it at We the People. Yes, it might be easy to blame the establishment, but remember, they would not exist except by our indifference, our silence which provides assent to their rule over us.  ​