#47. Trump, Donald John

Linda Lou Burton posting from Little Rock, Arkansas –Donald John Trump (b 1946) is the 47th President of the United States as of January 20, 2025. His presidency is being compared to the Grover Cleveland episode back in 1893. You know, “elected AGAIN, after being shoved out once.” The media refers to this go-round as Trump 2.0. Lots to talk about – the swearing in, where he failed to put his hand on a Bible although Melania was holding two –the Bible Lincoln used in 1861 we’re told, and Donald’s personal Bible, a gift from his mother. Surprisingly Melania wasn’t holding the Bible Donald has endorsed that sells for $59.99 and includes the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the handwritten chorus from Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the USA, as well as all the King James stuff. Two other things happened at the inauguration that fed the buzz; The Kiss – or rather the Missed Kiss underneath Melania’s big black hat, and the Billionaire Posse in attendance, front and center. In order of wealth-worth here are the top three, beginning with the world’s richest person:

• $433.9 billion Elon Musk, Tesla CEO, Twitter, Space X
• $239.4 billion Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder
• $211.8 billion Mark Zuckerberg, Meta

A bunch of Lesser Billionaires was there too; as well as the Old Guard representing those who have followed a career in politics; our former presidents – outgoing Joe Biden, and Jill, George Bush and Laura, Bill Clinton and Hillary, and Barack Obama minus Michelle, whose absence stirred up more gossip than the sight of the pinched faces glaring back and forth across the aisle. The two women who opposed Donald in a bid for the presidency – Hillary and Kamala – had the most guts of anybody there, I’d say. And the strongest reason for showing up.

Just Look At The Numbers

It’s pretty clear that more people wanted Hillary in 2016. She got 48% of the vote to Donald’s 46%. She got 65,853,514 votes! He got 62,984,828. She should have won. But ach! The Electoral College is a sticky wicket. Even though 2,868,686 more people said “I want Her not Him,” the Electoral College, which is designed to protect specific arbitrary groups instead of individual voters, totaled up in Donald’s favor. Somehow we got through those four years, as Donald proved himself to be in the bottom three of “Worst Presidents Ever.”

And then it was 2020, at last! Donald Trump was fired, but even though Joe Biden received 7 million more Popular Votes and 74 more Electoral Votes, Donald refused to go quietly; he had a hissy fit that caused a riot and spent the next four years plotting a return.  What in the world was it that allowed him back in the door? Was it the red baseball cap he wears all the time hoping to look like one of the good old boys? Or the disdain of his critics who consider him a joke and not worth paying attention to? Or, was it the boredom of listening to the same-old same-old that turned people off politics entirely? So entirely they chose not to vote for anybody? As Sherlock would say, “the evidence is in the numbers.”

Look at this little spreadsheet showing what happened in 2024.

• 72% of our US population is eligible to vote. Under-18, non-citizens, and convicted felons can’t.
• 32% of US registered voters voted for Donald Trump.
• 31% of US registered voters voted for Kamala Harris.
• 1% of US registered voters voted for various other candidates.
• 37% of US registered voters didn’t bother to vote at all.

You can read various versions of the above on different websites, but the bottom line is clear any way you look at it – a whale of a lot of eligible voters DID NOT VOTE.

To those who love Donald Trump and uphold every decision he makes, the truth remains: his “voter count” represents a mere 23% of all people living in the United States! That is NOT a majority signifying what people in the United States want, or believe.

To those who despise Donald Trump, the same is true. It is highly probable that most people share your view.

Love him or hate him, in 2024 he was NOT an unknown factor. It was clear as crystal what he could do and would do given half a chance.

Yet We Put Him There Again

Who did it?

• the 32% of eligible voters who believed that the world would be better with Donald in office and voted for him
• the 31% of eligible voters who believed that the world would be better with Kamala in office but didn’t work hard enough to see that she got the chance
• the 1% of eligible voters who diddled a vote away for no gain

And, oh yes, the 37% of eligible voters who didn’t do anything.

Start Planning

The next presidential election is coming up in November 2028.

• If you’re a young person who is just now old enough to vote, it’s time to take your part in governing your country. Shoulder up.
• If you’re a woman, and you failed to vote in 2024, remember, it’s just over 100 years that you’ve even been allowed to vote. Honor that.
• If you’re a disadvantaged minority, and you failed to vote in 2024, study your history and step up to change things for the better. Participate.
• If you’re just old and bored, and you failed to vote in 2024, kick yourself in the fanny. Perk up.

Study. Get yourself informed. Vote. We’re all responsible for what happens.