Attacking Democracy

 THERE IS SOMETHING especially exciting about out quadrennial American presidential elections. The excitement leading up build for weeks, even months, as the candidates tour the country, and the political ads become increasingly aggressive. The first one I remember was the landslide of 1964, when we washed our cars with Goldwater and polished them with Johnson wax. to an informed fourth grader, the joke seemed funny. Since then I haven't missed one. My least favorite was 2016, my favorite 2020, with 1992 and 2008 close behind, true to my liberal democratic form. Win some, lose some. These elections are the foundation of our cherished American democracy, a testament to human progress, a monument to modern civilization, teh will of the people rather than a tyrant expressed in a peaceful, orderly transfer of power.Our political process is indeed a prime pillar upon which american greatness rests. American presidential elections are, understandably, a fascination and joy unto the entire world. Yes, there have been problems. 1800, 1824, 1876, 2000, all fraught with controversy and suspicion; look 'em up.After supporting Donald Trump during the first two weeks of his 2016 candidacy, I began to seriously despise him, when he began viciously verbally attacking his "fellow" republican primary candidates. The thought crossed my mind, at it has many times since, that Ronald Reagan must be disgusted, in heaven. Reagan after all was a gentleman who admonished that 'speak no evil of thine fellow republicans". And of course throughout the Trump administration, Trump's behavior, his slander and viciousness, only got worse. he saved the worst for the last. on election night, before teh votes had even been counted, he repeated what he had been saying for weeks before the election; that it was stolen from him. he told his big lie, and millions of his morally challenged supported it, unable to gracefully accept defeat like decent people do. Trump and his dishonest, poor loser supporters continued to promulgate the big lie, and violence became inevitable. Trump in effect was trying to steal the election from Biden, and millions of his supporters were satisfied with the idea. Trump assembled the mob, inspired their hatred, and told them to go fight for him at the Capitol, which is precisely what they did. Never in american history have so many previously presumed good American citizens behaved so badly at the same time for the same reason. Collectively they have left an indelible stain upon teh cherished american electoral process. They have ste a precedent for similar behavior in the future, and have reduced the United States to the status of a petty dictatorship.They have discredited themselves most of all, and that provides some consolation. the only true consolation and remedy will be their disappearance from the American political process.