Yes, I'm dwelling on the election. I'm aware. And honestly, it's not the result itself I'm having trouble reconciling or even what lies ahead. It's the foundational blow to how I understand people are supposed to behave.
Perhaps it's an overdeveloped sense of fairness or my expectation of kindness or the concept that justice prevails. It's how I was raised and what I experienced (or thought I experienced) until now.
It's also a foundational blow to what I expected from my country. Until we reached this point, it was other countries who let unsavory demagogues take the reins. All those third world countries and even some of our peers. We judged them. We looked down on them. How could Italy elect a character like Silvio Berlusconi? Twice? And now we've gone and done it.
I guess I thought that in this country we could and would disagree on law and policy and economics. But there would always be general agreement on the type of person to avoid as a leader.
I guess it's disconcerting to realize that half the people in this country watching "It's a Wonderful Life" this holiday season would likely vote to put Mr. Potter in office.
Editor's note: John Auchter is a freelance political cartoonist. His views are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of Michigan Public, its management, or its license holder, the University of Michigan.
