My Two Cents

The Misanthropic

by C. P. Lawrence

We live in strange times; do we not? When it comes to culture, it is hard to define things with the same old terms. They hardly seem to fit anymore. Left and right, in many instances, are the same, which leaves us with a dilemma as far as right and wrong? It is no longer terms like party or ideology that define things for us. It seems cloudy or hazy; maybe, it was this way all along and I am just now catching up. Over the last few weeks, I read two stories that seem to make my point.

First, there is the suspension by the WNBA of the Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton for verbally confronting two teenage fans supporting Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham’s stance on transgender athletes. I saw this headline and my first thought was that I was missing something. Surely a success woman, a co-owner of a WNBA franchise, would not have the time nor the interest for such nonsense, but I was wrong. Apparently, she did indeed harass two 16 year old female fans, even swearing at them at one point. There was even testimony that she tried to trip one of them, laughing afterwards at them.

The second story involved Dr. Anthony Fauci. His diary was released to the pubic a few weeks ago, exposing his arrogance and pride, which should surprise no one. This week he was hauled before Congress to answer questions regarding his decisions involving the Covid pandemic. It seemed like a waste of time and money to me, which was confirmed as the good doctor, as predicted, invoked the Fifth Amendment over 100 times. He has the right to invoke the Fifth, but it seemed mildly out of touch, especially for his vocation and his role as the chief doctor in all the land.

If I was given one question to ask, it would involve the Hippocratic oath that he took when he became a physician. That oath today has a number of variations, but all of those are captured in another work by Hippocrates called Of the Epidemics, in which he stated that doctors must have two goals: to help and to do no harm. Those goals sum up the oath all physicians take, and the reason they take that oath is because they posses enormous power. They have the knowledge to heal but they also have the knowledge to harm.

I am not a physician, but it still seems pretty clear to me that Dr. Fauci, as a physician, was given great latitude and power in navigating Covid. He was trusted to tell the truth and to make decisions for the good of all, and yet, there is evidence that his decisions were motivated in other ways. From my perspective, the number one issue for me was his potential violation of the do no harm clause of his oath as a physician. To be fair, he was not the only one complicit, but he was the highest ranking physician and considered the top medical mind of the time, which seems to have been lost in the midst of him invoking the Fifth over 100 times.

Both of these stories highlight this clash of cultures: the old and the new. We have a mature successful owner acting like an insecure middle school girl, and then we have renowned trusted physician who is supposed to the best and brightest of us, acting like one of the worst of us. This is more than left or right and liberal and conservative. There are no longer labels that apply neatly to these situations. These are no ideological issues. They are broader and deeper, extending into areas that just a few years ago had no lines of division.

These two instances suggest labels more in line with misanthropic and philanthropic. One loves humanity and all that comes with humanity; the other hates it and seeks to destroy it to recreate it as something else. A successful mature female owner berating two teenage girls for their support of one of their favorite players is misanthropic. It extends beyond an opposing party or ideology into areas of hate against who we are as human beings. The two girls were not promoting anything vile or harmful; they were supporting Miss Cunningham’s stance, which is a common position many take respectfully.

Hating another adult or an institution for supporting a position opposite of yours is one thing; hating two sixteen year old girls for supporting that same position is quite another. It borders on abuse as it was directed at those who, for all intents and purposes, are still considered children. Miss Keaton has yet to realize that the hatred she directed at two 16 year girls is not hatred against a stance but against who we are as human beings. It is bullying children into believing an idea through intimidation and not allowing that idea to compete in the arena of ideas.

And then there is Dr. Fauci who became enamored with his fame and fortune. Can any of us really admit we would not at least be tempted to do the same given the same circumstances? The issue with this man centered one thing, power. He was given great power with no accountability. There is an old adage that goes something like this: absolute power corrupts absolutely. I think there is no greater example of this than Dr. Anthony Fauci. He was given great power to make decisions for the good of us all, and now there appears to be other factors that went into those decisions. This can’t be ignored. It must be investigated to ensure we learn from it and not repeat it.

If you are still operating by the old labels, they are no longer relevant. You only need to read these two stories to understand this. Story one should open your eyes to the volatility of the misanthropic. It is no longer about parties, policies and ideologies. We have moved well beyond those, which makes everyone vulnerable. The misanthropic have no vision, no real ideology and no moral compass; they only have hate, and when you finally say no to them they will hate you too.

Story two should remind you what unchecked power can do, even to a respected doctor who took an oath to help and never harm. His story reminds us that even our best and brightest have hearts that are deceptive and weak; even those educated in the best schools whose primary calling is to care for others can get swept up in the self–centered clutches of power and money. What is now relevant is how we—the hard working every day citizens that made this country—are now expendable.

It is no longer about us. It is about them, and when I say them, I am referring to the politician, the professional athlete, the recording artist and the entertainer; all of the people on which we spend our hard-earned money. They are rich and power because of us, but many of us have forgotten that. Very few of them have contributed to this country. They have only taken from it, and as they take, they now berate us and tell us how inferior we are. Yet, many of us continue to spend our money on them. We had better wake up before we lose everything. They want us divided. They want us infighting. Why? Divided we fall … to them.

As ordinary citizens of this country, we need to start looking at each other, not as enemies but as allies. We are not left or right, Republican or Democrat, or conservative or liberal. We are left and right, Republican and Democrat and conservative and liberal because no one has it all right. We need each other! How do we take away the government’s power over us? We unite. How do we do that? Stop watching the news; you only see what they want you to see. Stop trusting what you hear and look it up and confirm it. We must be for each other and not for an ideology or a party. If we don’t, this country which has given each of us so much, will disappear, and when it does, you will want it back but it will be too late.

Non-Soccer Lessons from the World Cup

by C. P. Lawrence

Non-Soccer Lessons from the World Cup: 

Soccer was the only sport I did not play as a kid. My children played it, forcing me to learn about it, and I became a fan. When it comes to the World Cup, I have always been a fan, but for reasons that extend beyond the sport. I enjoy the game, but I enjoy the community that comes with the game more. I love the watch parties, the national pride, and the sportsmanship. This year the World Cup has come to North America and with it millions of fans. They came expecting a dirty crime-ridden country with mean selfish people, but instead, they found a country and a people they did not expect. The media and many of our politicians tend to present our country, and all of us as mean, selfish people. Why do you think that is? I will let you speculate on that one. Many entertainers and a smattering of professional athletes have presented our country in negative ways, and yet with a clear conscience, all of them continuing to collect their millions of dollars from those of us in this country. Hmmm?

We live in a democratic republic rooted in free speech and individual rights, and everyone has the freedom to express their own opinion, but everyone also has the freedom to disagree with those opinions expressed. We criticize our leaders because we should, but we should do it in the right way, and we should do it when they deserve it, and not just when they do not align with our views. Here is the thing about criticism … it is constructive when you are criticizing policies and procedures that affect many who are different from you in unfair ways. When your criticism flows out of your privileged preference or your ideological desire, and benefits only you and those like you, well, then, can it be considered criticism at all. Many express their opinions without even thinking about them. For example, many entertainers openly embrace socialism, which is akin to a butcher embracing veganism. 

You are wondering, what this has to do with the World Cup? I have friends who live in Boston, which the Tartan Army (Scottish fans) has invaded, and they tell me that these Scotts are the nicest, friendliest people they have ever met. They are marked by a love for their country, a love for a good time, and a love for one more thing … America. What do they love about our country? Well, it starts with the people, moves to endless beverage refills (I guess that is not offered elsewhere in the world), ranch dressing (many are bringing large quantities of the stuff home with them) and ends with the immense beauty found inside our borders. Have you ever heard anything like this from any of our politicians or our media? All you hear from them is how awful our country is and how selfish and hateful we are, but the millions of people who have invaded our country ( a record 3.6 M) for the World Cup have another story to tell … the one they are experiencing, and they are telling it. They think you are amazing people! They think your country is an amazing place, and they are right!

What can we learn about our country from this World Cup? First, if you were unsure, it has now been confirmed by millions of people from other countries. We have a great country. It is not a perfect country, but no country is. Second, we are a friendly and loving people despite what the politicians and media say about us. My friends in Boston, who are typical Yankees, have been blown away by the Scotts. They have told me that if you meet a Scott, you are their friend and part of their clan. They love to celebrate, but they do not do it by burning cars or destroying property. As a matter of record, they do the opposite. Third, we are, for the most part, one of the safest countries in the world. Most of the people who have been visiting our country have been blown away by how safe our country is. You can walk the streets at night and do it safely.  Fourth, there is an abundance of provisions. There are grocery stores, restaurants, drug stores, coffee shops and bar and grilles seemingly on every block. You can get a burger and fries at midnight if you so desire. This is not the case in most of the world. Finally, the opportunities for entertainment are beyond belief. This is an immense privilege we have as Americans. We have professional sports, college sports, movie theaters, water parks, amusement parks, concerts, golf courses, and of course, we have Buc-ee’s. Apparently, there is nothing like Buc-ee’s anywhere else in the world.  

There is nothing like this country, but if we are not careful, we are going to kill the golden goose. Here are a few questions I have. Do those for higher taxes, think they can spend your money better than you can? Do those for socialism think they can run your life better than you can? Do those who want bigger government, want a smaller you? What is so great about government? We need to realize that a government is composed of people like you and me who are given power. If we do not provide checks and balances to those with power, then those with power will use the power given to them against the very ones who gave it to them in the first place. Once one becomes a politician, he or she does not become more intelligent, wiser, or kinder; they do, however, become more powerful. 

A politician, whether left or right, is never the answer to your problems; you are your own answer, and those you elect are supposed to use government to put you in a better position to care for yourself and your family. Government was never meant to solve all your problems; it was meant to provide you with the means to solve your own problems. Here are some suggestive actions we can take. First, stop listening to politicians and to the media as if they are telling the truth; they do not tell the truth. The media stopped caring about truth a long time ago. Second, stop being lazy, and do you own homework on issues; stop letting others do your thinking for you. Third, challenge the false narratives by asking questions. Embrace the goodness of this country, but not in unrealistic ways. Here is your first assignment. In our past, when we were at our worst, who were the leaders at that time? Whose policies were governing us at that time? You might be surprised by what you find. There will always be issues, but together we can solve them. Divided we cannot. 

How are we to respond to someone pushing these false narratives? One of the best responses I have found is this question: How do you know that you are right? Pretenders will back pedal and stumble all over themselves because they don’t have an answer. Most of the time, they are just repeating the hate they have heard from those who think like they do. Those who have integrity and who are really seeking the truth will think about the question and try to answer it. They may not have the right answer or the one you want to hear, but they will have a reason for what they believe. You should respect that response, even if you disagree with it. I have learned more from those with which I disagree than from those with which I agree.  

I will leave you with this. After World War I, my grandfather, born and raised in Italy, was sent to America to find work because there was none in Italy. He came alone at 17 years old and lived and worked in this country, until his death in his late 90s. He did not take any short cuts, worked hard, was honorable and trustworthy, and this country rewarded him with a wonderful life. He became a citizen and was proud to be an American. Because he worked hard, he was always wary of those who wanted something for nothing … who wanted to take a short cut … who were lazy and constantly complaining and criticizing others. My grandfather’s answer to every problem was to work harder. He retired three times. He worked in a mill, retired, and then went to work again as a security guard. He retired from that and then worked again in a butcher shop until he retired for good in his 80s. When my grandmother died, my grandfather moved in with my parents. That did not slow him down. He continued to walk three miles a day. He continued to mow our lawn, work his garden, and dig up any tree root he found impeding his lawn mowing, and he did this well into his 90s. Hard work is not always the answer, but it usually leads to the answer. 

I am a huge World Cup fan, and my reasons extend way beyond the game of soccer! I hope yours do as well. 

How are we to live?

by C. P. Lawrence

How are we to live?

How are we to live? It is a simple question that few wrestle with these days, and yet, in years past, many of the brightest minds could not seem to get past it. Have we evolved past this issue? I think each of us care deeply about how we live, but our concern for others, well, that seems to have waned these days. If only life were that simple. If our only concern was our life, that would be so much easier. The harsh reality is that our life is interconnected with other lives in a variety of ways. We are in families; we live in neighborhoods. We work with others; we socialize and worship with others. We are connected whether we like it or not, and yet, many of us live as if we are not, even when that connection is an important part of who we are.

If our only concern was ourselves, would it matter how we live? I am not sure it would. What would we be saying about our perceptions, assumptions and judgements? We would be asserting that they are always correct, because, in essence, they are, if our world is only about us. So many in our world live this way today, and yet depend on many others for their world. We see this attitude on the news, in government, in professional sports, in Hollywood and even, sadly in some churches. Addiction to self is a scary thing that can overtake all of us if we are not careful, but one of the remedies is to look at what you have and ask, why do I have it? News professionals depend on those who watch them. Government officials depend on those who elect them, and the pattern continues for professional athletes, actors and musicians. Be wary of thinking you are the center of your universe because eventually you will realize, either by self reflection or harsh reality, that you are not.

A concern for how we are to live is more complicated you than might think. It is actually a concern for others, a desire to live a proper life, an intent to be honorable, truthful … you get the idea. We live in strange times. Everything we do these days seems to push us deeper into our own little world. We seek to live in our own private Wonderland, and today, we can through technology. Everything can be about us because an egocentric world is acceptable and even promoted. Not only are you living for yourself, but you are being given the means to do it more and more. You can spend hours online … by yourself. You can communicate with the world … without leaving your home. You can even work from your home. These trends push us away from others and deeper into an addiction to ourselves, which is our own private Wonderland. Let me ask a question: do you wake up each morning, slide to the edge of your bed, and before your feet hit the ground, ask your self how you should live today in consideration of others?

Many wrestled with this question in the past for good reason. The picture above is from a book by Hugo Grotius entitled, “On the Law of War and Peace.” In his book, he argued that international law should be based on natural law, which is derived from human reason. One of the assumed truths of natural law is the belief that moral principals and rights are inherent in human nature. These rights are believed to be revealed through human reason. You can probably guess the assumption natural law makes about the nature of man. Those who ascribe to natural law also embrace the “overlap thesis” which asserts that law and morality are intwined (they “overlap” each other) and indwell in us, and it is this indwelling that moves individuals to inherent acts of goodness. This “overlap thesis” has been a huge part of educational theory and therefore, it has become part of the fabric of life in the West. We depend on our reason for everything. We rarely do research, study the facts or take our time before making decisions these day, and it is because of the overlap thesis that we do this. We live as if we are morality and that our logic and reason are without flaws, and we can do that because we live in Wonderland where we are morality. We can only live this reality if life is about us. If we are concerned about others and seeking to live a life of honor and integrity, well, Wonderland becomes a nightmare.

When considering how we should live, there is an important question we must ask. What is the difference between good and evil? In our current discussion, this question seems to be fairly important, especially in regard to how we are to live. Are they relative? Is living for self with no concern for others an inherent act for good or for evil? If we live in our corner of the world and do not infringe on others, are we being evil or good? Depends on what you are doing, right? Can we say we are living for good when we our only concern is for ourselves? If we isolate and self protect, are those considered acts for good, even if to do both means infringing on someone else? These are all hard questions, and every one of them depends on what you consider to be good. If goodness is defined by you then the world is your oyster and there is little that would be defined as evil, but if you are a citizen and in community with others, then living your life just got more complicated because you must consider their views as much as your own. If you do that, then you are no longer in Wonderland.

Today, everyone is quick to judge others with little concern for others or even worse, little concern on whether their judgements are true. We tend to make everything personal and when we live in isolation (When I say isolation I mean either living by yourself or living in a small community where everyone holds the same absolute beliefs.), everything becomes personal, and the idea of truth becomes hard to find. What if we are wrong? What if our perception is false or there is another explanation? Can we know the intent of the heart or the motivation behind one’s actions? We cannot and yet we live as if we have that power because we are increasingly living lives that are isolated and self-centered. I don’t see a lot of self reflection, humility or accountability taking place in the world. Even when caught in a lie or in a wrong accusation, most will offer no admission of guilt, no apology and no path towards restoration. We need to only look at our own politicians for countless examples of this. For me, the issue comes back to truth. Do we care about what is true and right anymore or do we care only about ourselves?

Truth, commonly defined, is conformity to fact or reality, but what if we are our own reality? The more isolated we become, the more truth becomes relative. How can we determine what is true and right without community? I don’t think we can and in our current state, I don’t think we can expect to move closer to truth, especially when we live in Wonderland. Everywhere we look community is breaking down, which, in turn, breaks down life the way it is meant to be lived. It is community that holds us accountable and teaches us right from wrong. It is the older who teach the younger about truth through experience in community, which brings us back to the question, how are we to live?

I close with this. Dark and light are not opposites. Dark is the absence of light. I think good and evil are the same. Evil is the absence of good, but what if we are the good? Can there be evil in Wonderland? I don’t think there can, which is our problem. Today, most believe man is inherently good and evil is an after thought, but a look at culture will immediately question that thinking. Can we find truth by ourselves? Can our actions always be good if we are the judge and jury? Speaking only for myself, an emphatic no! However, I think the question, “how am I to live” is a good place to start. If you are asking yourself that question, then, I think you are stepping on the right path. If you are not, then maybe you should get off your current path. Living in Wonderland is a great thing until you become tired of yourself, and we all eventually grow weary of even ourselves. We were created to be in community! Blessings!

My Two Cents … on Poetry!

by C. P. Lawrence

Poetry has always fascinated me, and yet, I admit, it is not something I understand or even do a lot. Yet, I still desire to “do” poetry, if that is a proper way to address it. I don’t think you write poetry; I think you “do” poetry as it is, for me, beyond writing. It is another realm, a different world, if you will.

The ancient Greeks—they are involved again—considered poetry as an art in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities. The Greek word (poieo) literally means “I make or create.” There are many forms of poetry and, to be honest, I don’t understand all of them or even know all of them. I admit that I have written some, but none of it is very good. This post is not to educate you on poetry. This post is just me thinking out loud about the role poetry plays in who we are as beings.

While I am no good a poetry, I do love certain poets and I love them because I like poetry. I love Frost, Keats, Shelly, Hughes, Blake, Longfellow and even some of Donne, who I rarely understand. What makes me love these poets? I love their poems, but I will stop there because I think it is that simple. I don’t want to get into analysis even though I would love to jump in with both feet. I can’t because I don’t understand poetry. I just know I like it.

I recently read an article about the ten greatest poems ever written. Now, understand, that this is one man’s list, but from my perspective, it is a solid list. The greatest poem for this man was written by Shakespeare, with which I can’t argue, but his second greatest poem was written by Donne, which I already admitted, I struggle to understand. Below, I have pasted Johne Donne’s poem, Death, Be No Proud, which is second on his list.

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;
For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.
Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell’st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.

I readily admit that this poem does not make my list of top ten poems, but does that make it any less great? Poetry has, at its heart, creation. The poet is said to be one who creates and the poem is what the poet creates. This idea of creation is foundational to poetry, but what makes it different than any other thing done? I can create a rule at work or write an article for a magazine, but neither of those would be considered in the same light as poetry. They were created by me, but they are not poetry.

While Donne does not move me; Blake does. Below, you will find The Tiger by Blake. It was the first poem that I read and immediately liked and understood.

Tiger Tiger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies.
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand, dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, and what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? and what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain,
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp,
Dare its deadly terrors clasp!

When the stars threw down their spears
And water’d heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tiger Tiger burning bright,
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

What about this poem spoke to me more than John Donne’s poem? I can’t really tell you, but I will tell you that whatever it was, it is part of what makes me a human being and not an animal. I don’t know a lot about poetry, but I do like it enough to dabble. I am content to dabble with my own poetry, even if it is just to pull them out every now and then, read them and remind myself of who I am and what moves me. This one aspects makes poetry unique from other forms of literature. I don’t pull out a policy and read it again and again. Why is poetry different?

I am not sure, but it is and for me this is enough. Something about poetry appeals to our human nature, and maybe, something about poetry adds to our human nature, if I can be so bold. I am not sure of much when it comes to poetry, but I am sure of this. The kind of poetry created and enjoyed will tell us about who we are as human beings and where we are as human beings. Orwell speaks of this very issue in his book, 1984. Remember, in 1984, poetry is a tool of totalitarian control and Ampleforth, who manipulated poetry for the good of those in control, is arrested for leaving “God” in a poem.

Poetry, which I struggle to understand, still fascinates me, and I still read it not because I understand it, but because I marvel at it as a product of creativity. May this desire never leave me or you. Until next time …

My Two Cents … on the election

by C. P. Lawrence

This is a new feature for this blog. I call it, “My Two Cents.” In this section, I will give my take on events that have taken place in our world. As is so often the case, most things are not what they seem to be at first. We live in a world that pushes us to react in our thinking and in our doing; we should avoid both. In this section, I hope to slow things down a bit and ask a few questions that force us to look at issues from a few different perspectives. Please keep in mind that this feature is only about my take on things, whether right or wrong, and nothing more. So, let’s jump right into this first post.

What just happened? I am sure many of you are shaking you head and asking yourself the same question. I think it is safe to say what did take place was not what anyone expected. I don’t pretend to be an expert, but here is my two cents on the election, which I am not even sure is worth that much.

This election cycle presented two flawed candidates with various issues, that much we know. The media and the Democrats (This election made it clear that they are on the same side.) did all that they could to ensure that this election was a referendum on the character of one of those candidates, Donald Trump. They used past tactics in some of the same ways. They called Mr. Trump names; they brought criminal charges against him; they dug up his past, spread vile fifth (some true and some not), slandered him, insulted his supporters, all with the goal always being the same … to destroy his reputation. For whatever reason, it did not work, but something else happened. The more they did, the more resolve he developed and the more people came to his side. It was quite astounding, if you ask me.

The other candidate entered the election with 107 days left in the election … not ideal. She was put into a difficult situation by her own party, which demanded some things from her that, in my opinion, she just did not have. She never campaigned in the primaries which meant that she never presented her platform. Campaigning in the primaries generally does two things for a candidate: it puts you in front of voters and it provides you valuable experience talking about your platform. She benefited from neither of those, and to make matters worse, she did not give one official press conference as the Democratic presidential candidate, which, in my opinion, was a huge mistake. By not holding a press conference, she never presented herself as presidential in any official capacity. Overcoming one of these issues would have been daunting; overcoming all of them in 107 days was almost impossible. She adopted an old campaign strategy, which I am sure was a party decision, mudslinging, thinking it would do the job. The media was glad to assist her, but the strategy failed and I think it actually made her situation worse.

So, what happened on election day? Why were so many so wrong?

I think it started four years ago with the election of President Biden; many were suspicious, right or wrong, of the results. This suspicion carried over to the policies he put into place (At least we think it was Biden who put them into place.). When these policies did not work, and they did not, the suspicion grew. Four years later, as Americans voted, they did so while experiencing inflation with record high prices. They voted while watching a world that was growing increasingly more hostile, and they voted not really knowing who was running the country. The last four years have been very hard on most Americans, and anybody who says it has not is delusional. There is a growing sense that neither Republican nor Democrat appeared aware of how hard it has been. Most Americans view both parties in a negative light and that only grew in the last four years. Senators and Representatives alike were seen as power mongers, corrupt and out of touch with the struggles of most Americans. To his credit, Donald Trump, for some reason, did not miss this; instead, he used it. He listened and connect with the struggles of Americans and his remarks always seem to resonate with a majority of Americans, especially those struggling. He did not cater to the celebrities and elites and they despised him, and this did nothing but make him more popular with most Americans. Unfortunately, for Vice President Harris and the Democratic Party, this was a big miss for them.

Another important issue that impacted this election, in my opinion, was how out of touch the Democrats’ responses were. I believe both parties are out of touch with average Americans, but it was the Democrats who continued to look out of touch. For whatever reason, they did not respond to the struggles of Americans with real answers; the insulted, lectured and blamed others. It was always someone else’s fault. Instead of looking within, they looked out, made excuses and insulted those who supported and then voted for Mr. Trump. They compounded their issue by labeled Trump supporters and voters as uneducated (see the post on this topic) and ignorant. Even after the election, they continue to scold and call Trump voters names, but here is the problem with all of that. I believe there were many who voted for Mr. Trump this time around who voted with Democrats in the last election. So, while the Democratic Party was insulting all of these voters, they were actually insulting many who had been loyal to them in the past. 

The Democratic Party is another issue all its own. For many years, the party has been moving to extreme positions in agenda, message and belief. In this election, for the first time, there are clear indications that the Democratic Party has moved beyond the comfort level of many Americans, and even some Democrats. I was shocked to see prominent Democrats, some professional athletes and even some celebrities come out in support of Mr. Trump. This should scare the Democratic Party. These last four years, while many Americans have been struggling to make ends meet, the Democratic Party has continued to push extreme positions, asking struggling Americans to sacrifice yet again for a position or a policy that would seem to bring more hardship than help. Many Americans questioned these causes and expressed their frustration, but the Democratic Party’s response was to double down on them. That was a losing proposition that came to fruition on the 5th of November, but there were signs earlier of this growing unrest. The Democratic Party placed blame every where but where it belonged, with them. It was Biden; it was age; it was racism, but in the end, the people did what the party should have done and placed the blame squarely where it belongs … on them.

A third issue is one that I have already referenced, extremism. The Democratic party has been embracing extreme positions for years, but in this election, there were signs that it pushed itself so far left that it was now out of touch with most Americans. In my opinion, there were only three groups of people voting for the Democratic Party candidate this time around. The Democratic Party base, which are those who always vote Democrat no matter what, extreme liberals, as many of the agenda items and positions of the Democratic party are now extreme liberal positions and those who depended heavily on the government and need the government. Most of the Americans not falling into these three groups, in my opinion, voted for Donald Trump, despite the vilification of him. In Mr. Trump, they saw real answers to their needs and they also saw someone who would and could fight for their rights. I believe most Americans would rather a job than a handout, but all indications are that the Democratic Party believes the opposite.

One final issue is what I call the celebrity factor. I really feel this did the Democrats no favors. Many of the most vocal supporters of the Democratic party were celebrities, professional athletes and wealthy liberals. Some of the antics of these supporters in the last weeks and days were offensive and so out of touch with what most Americans had been dealing with on a daily basis that it offended many, even those who have voted for Democratic candidates in the past. Wealthy celebrities, professional athletes and liberals were seen through the very lens that the liberal left worked so hard to build for the right; they were seen as privileged, spoiled and out and of touch. I feel that their support actually hurt the party and hurt Vice President Harris. Her SNL appearance, in my opinion, was a huge factor in this race as It confirmed what many Americans had been thinking already and cemented the link between her and those living lives of luxury and privilege.

In the end, people voted practically and pragmatically. They voted with their pocket books and for their future. It is clear: the Democrats have some work to do if they are going to fix this. The Democrats lost this election not because most Americans are misogynistic or are racist, as some Democratic pundits are already saying. They did not lose this election because of uneducated, stupid or ignorant voters. They lost this election because they ran a lazy bad campaign. They lost this election because they are the now the party of the extreme left, embracing positions and policies that most Americans question. What is their next step? Well, I don’t think calling the millions of Americans who voted for Donald Trump racist bigots is a good first step, especially when they will have to win some of those voters back for the next election. This election was very personally to many and a message was sent. Did the Democrats, and for that matter, the Republicans, get the message? Time will tell.

I believe there needs to be two viable parties to keep a balance of power in this country. The Democratic Party is needed, but they need to find their way out of this malaise in order to be viable again. If they don’t, then in two years, they will fail again. The Republican Party has a mandate. Do they know what it is? If they fail to get some things done for the people then, in two years, they will fail as well. We live in interesting times.