2016 Presidential Election

My childhood was punctuated by fierce political battles that raged between the passionate lovebirds who raised me and my three siblings before they waged their war in front of a judge, only to prove their differences were not so irreconcilable after all when they remarried two years later. Their political DNA was distributed evenly along gender lines; the boys inherited Dad's "government should stay out of my business and taxes are the root of all evil" point of view whereas my sister and I share Mom's progressive liberal ideals. To this day, the opposing teams rarely see eye-to-eye, but our love for each other has never been at stake.

Seeking civil discussion with other family members from the opposite side of the aisle following the 2016 Presidential Election, I invited them to a private Facebook group which I just deleted due to zero participation. But before doing so, I reread my solicitation and decided it's worth a public viewing, and I welcome civil, civic-minded response.

My Dear Family,

Now that the election is over, I want to share with you that I’ve written to Melania Trump. I told her that I didn’t vote for her husband, but I accept he is to be our next president, and that I welcome her into my heart as our First Lady. I agree with what she said in Philadelphia. Our society has become hateful. If she establishes a program to stem the tide of hatred, I want to work with her to ensure she succeeds. I refrained from mentioning her husband’s litany of hateful tweets. It’s time to focus on harmony.

I know from reading some of your Facebook posts that you think Obama has been our nation’s worst president. I don’t know if he’s been a good president—history will tell that story—but I believe he’d have been an amazing president if he’d had cooperation. Well, that’s not entirely true. One could argue that he wasted his first two years in office, when he had the House and the Senate, by reaching out to Republicans. I’ve said that myself. But, viewed through a wider lens, I believe he did the right thing. He was gracious. He was kind. You may disagree, but I believe—whether-or-not he has been an effective president—that he is an exemplary human being.

I’ve read countless articles, as I’m sure you have, claiming he’s the antichrist. Now he shares that title with Hillary. He’s the founder of Isis. He’s a homosexual—the counterculture news sites are rife with photoshopped images proving the allegation. Michelle is transgender. Sasha and Malia aren’t their children. They were adopted as a cover for their heinous agenda, which is to make America fail. I could go on.

I’m a documentary junkie. I’ve seen countless conspiracy theory movies. At least a dozen on JFK’s assassination. The New World Order. The Military Industrial Complex. The Federal Reserve (one is 7 hours long, with a compelling segment claiming Jesus and Mary Magdalene were the twin children of Antony and Cleopatra. That was fascinating!!!). 9-11, from every imaginable angle. Corruption in the pharmaceutical industry. MK-Ultra. The Holocaust Hoax (I have one friend who is so convinced it never happened that she thinks I should disregard the tattoos and scars I saw with my own eyes and felt with my own hands while massaging survivors who escaped the camps. All are now deceased.) The Sandy Hook Hoax. All those children are still alive. I saw the deeds for every home in the Sandy Hook School District in Newtown. The government paid them off to keep all the residents quiet while staging the massacre. Obama was the mastermind behind the charade. It was orchestrated in-order to confiscate everyone’s guns. Never mind, Obama couldn't take anyone’s guns. He'd never have gotten that kind of support, even from a Democratic Congress.

I’m sure there is some truth, if not a lot of truth, to many of the conspiracy theories. I’m also aware that we have the technology to make things appear other than they truly are. Film is the medium of choice, and anyone with sufficient means to propagate an agenda can do so.

Many people, including Donald Trump, have claimed that Bush orchestrated the 9-11 attacks on our country. Though I’m no Bush fan, I don’t believe he did. I do believe it’s possible his administration had advance knowledge of the plan—if not, they simply were not doing their jobs because the outgoing administration gave ample critical warnings—and that the Bush administration did nothing to stop the attacks, thereby seizing the opportunity to create the climate for war. There’s a great deal of evidence to support this theory, but I would not go so far as to say what Trump said on television (I refuse to pay for cable, so our only television news source is the local Fox station).

I am aware of the difference between what I believe and what I know. I’m also aware of the human tendency to seek out information that feeds our beliefs, and to insist our beliefs are facts. I curb the temptation by seeking news from a wide range of sources. I avoid Amy Goodman and Rachel Maddow, simply because I tend to share their bias. If we’re seeking Truth, we must avoid bias, especially our own, which so easily blinds us. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to find neutral sources. NPR used to be a go-to channel, but now that government funding has been so severely slashed, they’re forced to seek private funding. With the Koch brothers’ influence, it’s sadly becoming just another propaganda machine.

I believe it’s possible that our Constitution has outlived its viability, simply because of the radical changes industrialization and technology have wrought upon society. I’d love to see a convening of statesmen/women, fairly representing every stratum of our society, to frame a new Constitution. No need to throw out the working parts, but write it anew, addressing the needs and issues of our time in history. I don’t expect this will happen, but I would support it.

I am totally in support of abolishing the Federal Reserve. My research leads me to believe the Bush Administration invaded Iraq, not because of WMDs or oil, but because Saddam was in the process of ditching the petrodollar for an asset-backed currency. And, Qaddafi met Saddam’s fate for the very same reason. Two administrations from opposite parties did the dirty work of protecting our fiat currency. Meanwhile, there were 13 attacks on US Embassies resulting in 60 American deaths during the Bush administration, and 1 attack resulting in 4 American deaths during the Obama administration. Private servers were used and emails were destroyed during both administrations. The 4 deaths that occurred during the latter administration are not monumentally more tragic than the 60 deaths during the former administration. They’re just not. All of them are the tragic result of a corrupt system that protects our fiat currency. The system is equally corrupt under both parties. Our system needs a comprehensive overhaul.

I understand that’s why people voted for Trump. I just can’t imagine an ego-driven narcissist, with a history of stiffing his employees of every stripe—from the illegals he claims he will deport, to his building contractors, and even his lawyers—is suddenly going to show great concern for your welfare, or mine. I hope I am wrong. I’ve read his goals for his first 100 days in office. I like some of them, as stated above regarding the abolishment of the Fed.

Below are some of the provisions for my new hypothetical Constitution:

• Each POTUS is limited to one six-year term in office. By eliminating re-election campaigns, there is no distraction from effective governance.

• The POTUS is elected by direct vote. The electoral college is abolished.

• Elections are publicly funded. No private funding. No donations.

• Every candidate has equal media time.

• Campaign cycles are limited to 6 weeks.

• Gerrymandering is abolished. 

• Our environment is protected! Even if global warming turns out to be a hoax, protecting our environment ensures pure water, clean air, and healthy food. Can Right and Left come together on this? 

By sharing my views, I believe we may find some common ground for civil discussion on these and other important matters that so greatly impact our lives. I hope so. If the family, the smallest unit of our society, can discuss divergent views with respect and civility, I believe our nation has a viable chance to survive and to thrive.

Yours truly,

Briah