Very real fear is quickly becoming the dominant emotion felt by the majority of Americans, as we face down a harrowing decision on Nov. 5.
The stress of that decision is only compounded by fears of what comes after — on Nov. 6, 7, 8, and beyond — and how vital political figures like Mike Johnson will respond. For some Americans (like your’s truly and apparently Liz Cheney) it’s leading to unmatched levels of anxiety, the return of long-squashed ulcers, and plenty of sleepless nights.
On one end of the ballot, we have Donald Trump, a former president who, during his time in the Oval Office, established himself as an incompetent egomaniac with far more focus on titles and wealth than on the good of the country. After he lost the election, he continued to show America who he really was, as he invited an insurrection, faced 34 felony convictions, and scammed and swindled his way through yet another bid for president.
On the other end, we have Kamala Harris, a former prosecutor, senator, and current vice president, whose own record is by no means perfect. She’s made mistakes, changed her mind, and experienced plenty of failures across her career. But she’s also a good, competent candidate whose broad experience, clear intelligence, and palpable good intent make her leagues more electable than her opponent. She’s not a convicted felon, she won’t threaten our rights, and she’s not keen to remake the country as a dissension-squashing dictatorship.
We’ve already seen the consequences of giving Trump power, and things are guaranteed to get worse if we give him another stint in the White House. Take Mike Pence as an example — the former VP was ousted from the MAGA camp for one reason and one reason only: Because he, when faced with betraying his country or adhering to Trump’s whims, chose to serve his country. He refused to overturn the 2020 election, and his own promptly turned on him.
Trump won’t make that mistake again. That’s why he tapped JD Vance as his running mate, and it’s why he’s slowly wormed his way into the ears and pockets of every vital governmental figure he can get his greasy, McDonald’s-stained fingers on. He expects Vance to throw out his integrity along with his morals and step into line when directed, and the same is expected of Mike Johnson, the current Speaker of the House of Representatives.
That fear overtaking American minds doesn’t just relate to the results of the election. They relate to what will inevitably follow, even if Trump loses. Liz Cheney hit the nail on the head during a recent appearance on The View, when she gave a brusque but truthful answer to whether or not she thinks Johnson will “do the right thing” and certify the election results, even if Trump loses.
Cheney, like most of us, doesn’t have a single ounce of faith in the Republican Speaker. She was unabashedly blunt with her response to the question, simply stating “no,” Johnson won’t uphold the expectations of his office, and expanding that “that’s why it’s so important that the Republicans not be in the majority come January 2025.”
The 58-year-old politician couldn’t be more right, and that is a horrifying thought. Our democracy is at stake this November. It sounds dramatic — because it is — but it is also true. Trump has already shown us who he is, and it’s about time America woke up and listened.