To WIT: Votepocalypse

What I Think, Political Style

The Votepocalypse is upon us! 

Because: a) early voting has begun across the country and b) no matter what happens November 8th a large group of people will think the end of the world is upon us.

Think being the key word.  There are a lot of misnomers in this campaign.

• That the presidency is some sort of ramrod

This is largely the fault of a no thinking Congress and the "War on Terror".  The Previous Occupant of the White House took a lot of liberties in the name of national security. Literally.  And Congress went along with it in the name of flag waving and to "do something".  Acting on fear will do that.

And of course the Current Occupant has faced a bad decision the last 6 years. He can either sit around the Oval Office waiting for Congress to do something other than try to repeal his signature healthcare plan or expand the boundaries of his power until one (or both) of the other two branches pushes back.

I believe, if elected, Mr. Trump will be disappointed when he realizes the President is actually not as powerful as a lot of CEOs.

• That the makeup of our economy can be "rolled back"

Even if the factories that moved overseas come back, the jobs of the past won't.  Automation has spread through the manufacturing world.  Advances in robotics and logistics have raised the skills needed to work in those plants and reduced the number of people needed.

• That "the rich" have enough money to solve our economic woes

Ummm, no.  Yes, the middle class is getting squeezed.  And yes, the tippy top of the economic ladder is getting wa-a-ay too much of the wealth.  But you can't solve those conundrums and send everyone to college for free and balance the budget and eliminate the sequester and save the entitlements and...etc. on the backs of the rich.  Sacrifice will be needed all the way around.

• That better background checks and gun registration will stop terrorism and lead to gun confiscations

 I've been living for 45 years, and not even the strictest gun control law has eliminated all gun violence or led to law enforcement raiding the homes of law abiding citizens.  The boogey men the "no guns" lobby and NRA serve up are nonsensical.  And all the extremism does is give would be lone wolves or troubled souls access to ways of killing lots of people.

Sadly, the Republican, Democrat,, and alt-right cartels have managed to reduce a lot of people to sheep.  And they did it by telling people, "If you believe us, heart and soul, you'll be the only ones who aren't sheep."  Neat trick.

So gather your pitchforks and torches.  If your "side" loses rage against the night. And if your "side" wins, and other chase you, point ahead while yelling, "There he goes! Follow me!"

(But really don't do any of that.  You have far more in common with the people you despise on the Net or in your community than any of us have with the folks running for office.)