WARNING (and apologies): With the election today, this is very much a political post not intended to stir fervor and challenge opinions. It is intended simply as documentation of my condensed thoughts during a historical time. I hope YOU have a fantastic day.

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I do not like politics. As a standard, run-of-the-mill citizen, there is too much to keep track of: who stands for this or that and how group ‘A’ not voting for bill ‘X’ will change the balance of taxation for slug farmers north of latitude ‘Y’ but only in even months (intentional hyperbole and nothing against slug farmers). Additionally, there is far too much bluster and rhetoric to navigate through the smoke and find truth. I cannot tell who has integrity, and all I want is for my elected officials to care about the people they are representing to bring the populous closer together. Each time I vote, therefore, it is an exercise in determining who does not have integrity (sometimes that is obvious) and who will keep the country together. The individual who receives my vote does not have to be perfect, just competent, and they have to be a human-freaking-being (aka, care about their fellow person).

The last four years has seen the United States led by a man exhibiting none of the above qualities or those one would typically expect from the leader of a free democratic nation. Instead of a respected global presence, the rest of the world has to be scratching their collective head as our society tears itself apart alongside the erratic behavior of a man actively spewing divisive rhetoric at every opportunity. This is a man who cares more about his Twitter analytics and overall optics than actually trying to actually lead the nation. Instead of taking early action that could lead to more freedoms now, the president politically weaponized a virus that has no political party affiliation, further dividing the population for months. He is supported publicly by the very people he mocks and would trample upon to save his own hide, and he continues to be empowered by a breakdown in our government’s checks and balances due to the cowardice of those elected under the banner of trust and hope. What we have become as a society is disgusting and shameful. This country is limping toward change after years of taking one shot to the body after another. I pray the knockout blow does not come. My mind for this election was decided four years ago.