As a child I was brought up to believe that America was a free nation, and it’s citizens were able to elect the President whom they chose. As an adult I also believed this to be true. I would nod my head in disgust at those of whom chose not to vote. I would lecture those non voters on what a privilege it was to be able to vote, and by not voting, one was throwing away a privilege so many others in other countries would give anything and everything to have. I would also tell non voters that we as Americans were lucky, as we were fortunate to not be ruled by a Dictator, but a President, a President whom “we the people” voted in to guide us as a nation. Sadly I was wrong. I was oh so very very wrong. I was wrong as I am now living in an America where “we the people” seem to not have a choice as to whom we have as a President. As it happens “we the people” don’t count, our voices are null and void,as “we the people”, do not in fact choose whom we wish to have as our party’s Presidential nominee.
Up until this past week Trump supporters were confident in Trump’s being the Presidential nominee for the Republican Party. As well they should. Out of 31 primaries, Mr. Donald J. Trump had won 19 states, and a total of 744 delegates, the road to victory seemed rather eminent. As of today that road to victory is now questionable. It’s questionable, as “we the people” are not whom have the final say as to who will be the Republican Presidential nominee, but whom the delegates choose as the nominee.
Who knew? What average American citizen had any knowledge of their vote not counting? Not I! I was the person that scolded those who chose to not to vote. Turns out the joke is on me. I the pro American, and poster child for voting was completely incorrect. All of my preaching on voting was all for not, as I have been recently enlightened. I have now learned that my and others’ votes count, only if the various delegates approve, and favor whom “we the people” have chosen. Apparently there is a primary process termed as the “delegate selection”. “Delegate selection”, determines exactly who will be the party’s Presidential nominee. This process is a process which Trump could actually lose delegates that he was meant to win. While Trump may win the delegates in the early rounds of the Republican Convention in July, these same delegates have the capacity to defect from Trump in the final rounds of balloting, as the rules are able to change.
Changing rules appear to be par for the course in this election, as hundreds of Coloradan caucus voters were told they could not vote in the state’s primary. Last August Colorado voted and eliminated the presidential preference poll. Colorado instead went with a delegate selection system filled with glitches that seemingly favored Senator Ted Cruz, where he picked up 34 delegates. The result ended with hundreds of protesters and disenfranchised voters scratching their heads and asking why their voices were not heard. Unfortunately for the people of Colorado, “the people” had their choice of a candidate taken away. To take away a voter’s choice is to take away the privilege of voting which I have touted as one of America’s greatest attributes.
As it seems rules changing is allowed in the election process of a Presidential nominee. As a norm I thought games had rules and rules were to be followed not broken, nor changed. Never have I played a game of golf or tennis where I have been told of the rules changing midstream. If one thinks about it one can see the insanity of what is taking place in today’s election. Daily the media has criticized Trump in his lack of knowledge on the election process. How can one criticize a candidate when the game is corrupt and ever changing? As I myself have attempted to comprehend the process in which Americans elect their Presidential nominees, I have become increasingly frustrated and confused. All in all it would seem that “we the people” do not choose the candidate for our party, but who the delegates choose. “We the people” are of no concern, and therefore why vote?
If Americans truly have no choice in who is to be their Presidential nominee for their party, then why bother to vote? Seriously what’s the point? Why should Americans take the time out of their busy lives to vote if a group of cronies have the ability to change the rules and cast their delegates for a candidate whom the people have not chosen? How many men and women, rushed to or from work and their busy lives as to cast their vote of which may have no value? How about the man that left his mother’s bedside as to cast his vote? How about the young woman who rushed to the polls with tears in her eyes after having just put her dog to sleep? People have lives, and if a person’s vote is of no worth then I ask why vote? I myself voted amidst a busy workday driving 20 miles out of my way, as to cast my ballot in the state of Florida. Mr. Trump won my state and all 99 delegates. I am now told that Donald J.Trump could lose some of those delegates at the Republican National Convention. If that in fact happens, I will never ever again waste my time as to vote. My time is valuable as it is for all, and I for one have no interest in voting if my voice is unheard. If America has a system in which we are no better than a country with a Dictator then we are not the country of which I have been so proud. If America’s election process is a process of backroom deals, and ever changing rules, America is no longer a democracy in which “we the people” have a voice. If Mr. Donald J. Trump is successful in obtaining the original 1237 required delegates, or the majority of the available delegates Mr. Donald J. Trump should no doubt be the Republican Presidential nominee. If Trump is not the nominee after the “we the people” of America have spoken as they believe he will “make America great again”, I ask why vote?
(c)Sean Bianca GOP GIRLBLOG 2016