In my last effort, I discussed how I felt like I was on a used car lot, needed a car, and wasn’t impressed with my choices.   Part of me wishes I could turn back the clock to that point…

I couldn’t predict the winner, but I did predict that regardless of the winner, I would be unhappy; in that I was at least correct.  I did exercise my right to vote.  I won’t say whom I voted for, but will say I did not exercise my right to either write-in a candidate or vote for a third party candidate, although I absolutely respect those who did either of those things.

I don’t have as much respect for those that hid at home and didn’t vote.  I have always believed that if you don’t vote, you can’t complain about the results.  “Oh, I didn’t like either candidate, so I didn’t vote,” to me is just a cop out.  It sounds to me like, “I didn’t want to really think or pick between two bad choices, so I will just sit on the couch and eat bad nachos and let other people decide so at least I don’t vote for a loser.”

Of course, the next question is “What do we do now?”  I’ve heard everything from “panic,” to “move to another country,” to “sit back and enjoy the ride.”  At times I have agreed with all of those.

In the end, I think the office of the President is bigger than any one man (or woman).  Yes, I think in many respects this may be a step backward of our country.  But how far back will be a test of the checks and balances built into a system many, many years ago, and which have been blamed at times for hindering progress.  Well, maybe now they will hinder a backslide.

If nothing else, maybe this recent election will finally be the wake-up call our political system (to include politicians, parties, and processes) needs to make some meaningful changes so that elections become about ideals and policies and not about sound bites and bad hair.