Opinion: Choose The America That Respects Its Electorate

Last updated on July 18th, 2023 at 12:07 pm

It was a week of contrasts between the democracy we have and the tyranny Donald Trump is trying to build on the ash heap of what use to be America.

Enter Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, representing the America we are, where people seek a more perfect Union. All people regardless of skin color, citizenship, how they pray or who they love are recognized as human beings worthy of respect and dignity.  It’s a place where character and honesty matter.  The law applies to everyone the same way whether they exercise power every day or once every two years.

This business of Donald Trump and his third wife does not exist in the America we were and could be again, this business of those two having privilege and are therefore entitled to vote without risking their lives while the people they work for can sit down and shut up or risk covid.

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Regardless of who you are, you are adversely affected by Donald Trump’s presidency.  Maybe you work at home or worse, have to risk your life so you can put food on the table.  Maybe you haven’t seen your family for months and that used to be a weekly event.  Maybe you waited a year for your green card to be renewed when previously it only took a couple of months. Maybe you don’t know where your next meal is coming from or if you’ll have a home next week.

In at least one form or another, the Trump presidency has hurt you, your family, friends and coworkers.

This was foreseeable by Michael Cohen, someone who had a role in all of it.  With all that’s going on, one may wonder why I would comment on him in particular.  Simply put, because Michael Cohen continues to represent everything I despise about Trump’s version of America. Of course he has a right to write a book about all the things he knew about Donald Trump; his mob ties; his involvement with Putin, the fact that he cheated on everyone including his third wife and every person who voted for him. 

Certainly, it’s bad enough that Trump, his third wife and their kids are using the levers of government to enrich themselves and impoverish Americans.

I just question whether Michael Cohen, who could have warned us before the election or stopped Trump from colluding with Russia and stealing the presidency, why Cohen should profit from putting Trump in a position to ruin our country, kill so many Americans, ruin so many lives.

I question it more when I think of Reality Winner, who blew the whistle on Trump when it mattered.  All she got for her trouble was covid.

While Cohen did testify to Congress; it gave him a get out of jail covid-free card. And, now he stands to profit from covering up for Trump. That’s so maga.  Rewards go to those who commit crimes out of loyalty to Donald.  Everyone else gets sickness, death, poverty and brutality.

This is the America that Trump wants.  A place where he doesn’t need the people’s approval at election time, just a validation of his power.  He wants a country where minions run around throwing valid ballots on the floor and stepping on them as they stuff ballot boxes with ones that show love for dear leader.

It’s a place where party hacks or “loyalists” are treated less badly than those who refuse to sell their souls to dear leader.  They don’t care if everyone is hungry, sick and tired.  They wear jackets saying so and flaunt their privilege at the people who serve them.

The so-called loyalists are not, in reality, better off, as Jeffrey Epstein can attest.  Oh wait, no he can’t.

When Joe Biden and Kamala Harris made their first appearance together this week, it was like waking up from a horrible nightmare.  We heard leadership and commonsense about masks and covid.  We saw hope as Kamala Harris made the case against Trump.  Someone got it.  Someone who can do something about it got it.  And all it takes is decisively voting for the resurrection of a democratic America that is forever improving itself and where everyone is human – not inhuman “aliens” criminal or otherwise.

We can have it by voting early by the options available to us.  Get ready now.  Make sure you are registered and have the identification needed under the laws of your state.  If you have mail-in voting, mark your ballot and send it back immediately.  Or perhaps you can drop it off at an official collection point and avoid problems with the US Postal Service.

All this Sovietizing of the mail service is because Trump is, as Speaker Pelosi said, “afraid”. He’s afraid of every eligible voter.

We can wake up from this nightmare permanently by voting as soon as possible for an America that respects its electorate.  Doing so decisively matters now in a way unlike any other time.  We are fortunate, because we’re getting a second chance.  Usually, countries that fall for a dictator in the making pay an even higher price than we have.

Adalia Woodbury

Former contributor.