I think it’s fair to say most of my friends are hurting right now. Friends of color, LGBTQ friends, friends of middle eastern descent, female friends, friends who are allies, and friends with big hearts. I hurt with them. I pretty much assumed Hillary Clinton’s coronation was a fait accompli; an inevitability put in motion the day after Obama was elected to his second term. I wasn’t crazy about the prospect of a President Clinton, but I figured she was more or less an extension of the Obama presidency.
And here we are. President Donald J. Trump. And this is exactly why I’m a libertarian.
No president should inspire this much fear. No government should be so powerful that whole segments of the population are genuinely concerned over losing their civil rights. Our founders never intended for a “tyranny of the majority” to run roughshod over any minority — this is why the vestigial Electoral College is a thing — and our evolution as a country has been in the direction of actually ensuring that protection for all citizens, all minorities. Hundreds of thousands have died in pursuit of equality. It’s that important to us.
I believe it will continue to be that important to us, Trump’s election notwithstanding. Keep in mind, his was not a landslide victory. As of right now, Clinton is just squeaking out a popular vote win. This election is not a decisive win against equality or decency.
But it should be a wake up call: That Government Is Best Which Governs Least. If you fear what kind of executive power an unmitigated moron like Trump may wield, work to limit that power. And work to keep that power limited, even when someone you like is in the Oval Office. That’s the path forward.
Defang the beast, and never fear it again.
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