How does this sound? “I pledge allegiance to the dictator of the United States of America.” What are the hallmarks of authoritarianism? Corruption, deception and theft. Virtually all authoritarians are corrupt. They scam the citizens into believing they are competent after which they steal their money. Sound familiar?
Elections have consequences. Tyranny may well have started years ago with dark money. Failed election finance campaigns followed. With Citizens United, the Supreme Court prohibited the government from restricting independent expenditures for political campaigns made by corporations including for profits, nonprofit organizations, labor unions and other associations. We now have pervasive corruption in all three branches of government.
Every other great economic power has fallen. Sadly, America is doing this to itself. Elections have consequences. Who is winning? The ultra wealthy — for now — and our enemies. China and Russia are happy. Isis and Al-Gaeda are happy. We are alienating our allies. This is the product of the large number of people who failed to vote. Sources estimate that between 85 and 90 million people did not vote. Those who failed to vote, the misguided, confused, disbelievers and some good people who made a mistake, are complicit in this quagmire. Many people thought there was nothing wrong with voting for someone who has a serious, untreated personality disorder, someone who is a convicted criminal. Now we are increasingly unsafe. Unfortunately, it is easier to get into trouble than to get out of it.
Alicea Burgess
Concord