Democracy on the line

I got to thinking about this upcoming presidential election and wondered whether the last 3 1/2 years have been a ruse, a way to test us to see if this country’s institutions can really withstand a corrupt and amoral leader.

An experiment to see how easily the principles of a democracy can be sold out by a self-serving and power hungry leader.

To see if a false sense of power could make light skin seem superior, and we could be made to believe that there are good white supremacists.

Or to see if we would tolerate allowing immigrants seeking refuge in this country to be caged and families separated.

Or if we would allow our president to defy the First Amendment by sending federal troops to quell a peaceful protest using weaponry we see being used by dictators.

Or if we would allow our president to use foreign aid as a bargaining chip to get “dirt” on the opposing candidate.

Or if we would accept the lies, ignoring science-driven information about a pandemic that has killed over 170,000 of our fellow Americans with no real end in sight, even managing to convince people that wearing a mask to protect oneself and others is needless.

Or to see if we would tolerate the ties he has broken with our allies, forging friendships, instead, with known dictators who seek only more world power.

Or maybe they wanted to see if we would really want a president who is uninformed, distracted and tirelessly criticizing those who take an opposing point of view, tweeting out new policy as it comes into his head.

I hope that everyone who really believes in our democracy will vote this president out of office so we can return it to some state of normalcy. Then in 2024, two people run against each other who have different ways to deal with domestic and foreign issues while subscribing to this country’s pledge to remain “indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Vote like your democracy is on the line.

Marie Troskosky

Bradford