America Doesn't Want Republican Presidents

     

     A brief history of the last few decades is quite revealing when it comes to America's presidents. Ronald Reagan is considered by conservatives to be the patron saint of their modern-day cult. Why is it that, while extolling the utility, popularity, and practicality of his platform, the Republicans have yet to meet any real success?

     Riding on his coattails came George H.W. Bush, his former vice president and a Texas oil man and CIA director, UN ambassador, and congressman. He was far more worthy of the executive mansion than his Hollywood-built predecessor, yet managed to make Reagan look like a competent executive. His 1,000 Points of Light were a slap in the face to hardworking people who possessed none of the millions that Bush had, and the insult to injury was his increase to taxes on the middle class. His appointment to the Supreme Court, Clarence Thomas, was an absolute disaster. 

     Bill Clinton was elected in 1992 and 1996 and presided over the largest peacetime economic expansion in history as well as the first surplus in 40 years, in addition to passing numerous healthcare, education, and gun control reforms, appointing Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the Supreme Court, and leaving office with an overwhelmingly-high approval rating.

     In 2000, Al Gore lost the presidency to George W. Bush thanks to the injustice of the Electoral College and the systemic racism prominent in Florida and other Southern states. He had obtained the nomination through nepotism and had lost in the battle of American public opinion. His term was marked by 9/11, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the lack of competent response to Hurricane Katrina, and the 2008 recession.

     It was no surprise when Obama won in 2008 and 2012 and ended the war in Iraq, pulled America out of the recession and passed reforms to prevent another, secured affordable healthcare for over 25 million people, led a global crackdown on terrorism, normalized relations with Cuba, legalized gay marriage, signed denuclearization treaties with Russia and Iran, and secured the largest effort at environmental protection in history.

     In 2016, for the second time in a row, Republicans lost the popular vote but won in the Electoral College, and, yet again, a movie/TV personality made his way into the White House. Donald Trump has systematically attacked environmental regulations, mishandled what is shaping up to be the deadliest pandemic in American history, provoked governments hostile to America, assaulted LGBTQIA+ rights, and violated human rights at the border, also earning himself an impeachment and appointing fellow rapist Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.

     The message is clear: America is sick of conservatives lying, cheating, and holding them back, when it is clear what liberal guidance can do. We all have a duty in 2020.