Astonishing – They Double Down

Regardless of the actions of the U.S. fascist administration I had hope. I had hope because the media was not acting complicit with the lies and disinformation of the administration. I had hope because regular Americans came out in droves to show opposition to the administration on the day after the inauguration. I had hope because it seemed only a matter to time before Trump voters would express buyer’s remorse.

But now I have concerns. I have concerns because in my limited experience I see Trump voters doubling down. The behavior, the actions, the appointments, the orders, the tweets, NONE of it has registered with the Trump voters with whom I’ve connected. Reality is not part of their thought process. Rational analysis doesn’t exist in their view of what has been said and what is actually happening.

Just yesterday a person, whom I did not know was a Trump supporter until they spoke, explained how Trump will save us by reducing government bureaucracy. Those two thoughts caused my brain to stop working to prevent an explosion.

Clearly this person, an intelligent, talented, artist, is not observing or not seeing the reality in front of us. In addition, she helped me realize that what is bureaucracy to most people is really a lack of understanding of how things work in government.  Just as I’ve found myself arguing with uninformed progressives during the eight years of President Obama’s administration, the Trump supporters don’t understand or know how or why things function within the government. Everyone just wants it to be what they want when they want it.

In addition, many small business owners and employees don’t understand that the structure of a large organization is not the same as a small business owner deciding on a change in their business. The government has more applicable laws to follow than any small or large business. The laws are intended to provide safeguards. When your foot itches you want to scratch it now. Because you don’t know or understand how the government functions does not make it bureaucratic, it just often means you can’t scratch it now.

The average person, without experience in a large organization, does not understand necessary inter-agency relationships or the inability of a government employee to actually change what is directed by law.  In 40 years of government support I cannot remember all the times I have been confronted by someone who told me to change something that the law specifically said I could not. Often the person directing was some Congressman or Senator whose staff, clearly, had not researched the issue enough before saying we want you to change this. Usually the Congressman or Senator was advised the law needed to be changed to accommodate their request.

There is a structure to the function of how a personal computer works. There is a structure to how your dishwasher works. There is a structure to how your oven or microwave works. There is a structure to how the Federal Government works. There is a structure to how each agency within the Federal Government works.

In a large society of over 318 million people there needs to be structure to serve the needs of those people. At any point in time someone will be unhappy with the service. There are times when the service itself is poor. However, we are a nation of people who have a voice and the voice can be used to revise or change the process. But electing a man who has shown his past disdain for any rule that he did not like. A man who has shown that he would lie to get an advantage over someone. A man who would cheat others to get a personal or financial advantage. To elect this man believing he would break down bureaucracy is a clear demonstration of a lack of knowledge, awareness, understanding and analytic reasoning.

This is the behavior of an addict, doubling down on what hasn’t worked hoping that this time will be different.

And when the nation gives Congressional power to the people who have obstructed the forward momentum of this country since the beginning of this century, it is clear the American electorate is ignorant, uninformed and unwilling to take the time to really find out who broke their lives. Welcome to the world of Alternate Facts and Reality, or else just Wake UP!