Tuesday’s presidential election has been referred to as the biggest upset in American election history. This was the upset election, but it’s the emotion of being upset that’s more important than the unexpected outcome alternative definition of the word. This was truly the “upset election.”
Trump Voters
The Donald Trump campaign was able to tap into individuals who were upset in their belief that the country was headed in the wrong direction and that more of a big government establishment machine was the wrong direction. Who would’ve thought that a former Democrat, billionaire, reality TV star, with a potty-mouth and said-to-be wandering eyes (if not hands) could rally people against what’s been called the corrupt establishment elite? In most times in our history, he might have been considered the corrupt establishment elite.
Clinton Voters
Hillary Clinton voters are upset in that virtually every poll and news organization was predicting an easy Clinton victory. The looks of shock and feelings of betrayal were fueled by the false predictions.
Campaign ads that painted candidate Trump as a volatile racist (often using his own words as evidence) cannot be erased from the minds of many. Many now fear that we’ll have a volatile racist President Trump. Whether you believe it’s justified or not, the fear that many feel over a Trump presidency is real.
Sanders Voters
Bernie Sanders came out of nowhere and almost defeated Hillary Clinton in the primary. His supporters are upset that the “rigged” system that Donald Trump described on the Republican side might actually have been a reality with the Democratic superdelegate system so skewed in Secretary Clinton’s favor. Many in the Sanders’ camp believe his lack of email scandal history could have led him to a victory over Donald Trump.
Abstainers
Some were so upset with the choices they simply chose to not vote for any candidate for president. It’s been reported that a former U.S. president even chose this path. Who would’ve ever thought a former president would choose not to vote?
A Reason for Hope
It’s important to remember that the U.S. is not a pure democracy. In a pure democracy, the majority rules without limit. It’s winner take all.
Our country uses a democratic election process but is governed as a republic. A republic has a charter, or constitution, that limits the power elected representatives have over the people and the laws of the land — even if they happen to be a billionaire reality TV star. The U.S. Constitution is a steadying force against the whims of the majority. It protects the rights of ALL citizens without regard to who happened to win the most recent election.
