Will This Election Be the Death of Our Democracy? (hint: no)

Turn on any cable news network or open any newspaper and the message is the same. This election is the most important election in American history. Democracy literally hangs in the balance. Some might even suggest that if the vote goes the wrong way…that people will die as a result. Extremely disturbing stuff, except it’s not true.

Unless you are 18 years old and voting for the first time you know how our system works. One team is in control for a few years until they overplay their hand. Then the other team steps in for a few years. It’s worked this way for almost 250 years.

Yes, it’s that time of the year when the ass-clowns in Washington rudely take over our television screens with relentless ads. They bombard our phones with obnoxious robo-calls and text messages about “lives hanging in the balance”.

Many of these messages seek to sow discord in an effort to undermine our trust in our democracy.

Why? Because institutional distrust is the dominant theme in politics today. Yes, our politicians have weaponized distrust.

To be sure, some institutional distrust is earned. We’ve all seen the disgraceful scandals that rocked the Catholic Church and the Southern Baptist Convention. We watched the Hollywood aristocracy cheat their way into America’s most elite universities. And, we’ve seen Corporations put profit over principles.

That kind of malfeasance creates earned institutional distrust. But, the ass-clowns in Washington have also earned our distrust. According to a Pew Research study, two-thirds of Americans have little or no confidence in our federal government. More importantly, this institutional distrust is leaking into our interpersonal relationships. In the same survey, two-thirds of Americans no longer trust each other. What a shame.

This constant sowing of fear and discord is fostering a burgeoning impression that our institutions are flawed. A Yahoo News/YouGov poll released in June found that 49 percent of adults thought it was “likely” that the United States will “cease to be a democracy in the future” and 46 percent thought there will likely be another civil war in this country.

On the left, many suggest that recent elections and court decisions prove that our Electoral College and Supreme Court need to be abolished. On the right, many suggest that recent investigations prove that the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation need to be abolished.

Yes, the narcissism and arrogance is so rampant that after 246 years many feel they are the chosen ones to call for us to abandon our core institutions. The core institutions that made this country the shining city on a hill.

It’s more accurate to say that there are flaws in our core institutions. Because these institutions are run by humans. And, humans can be terribly flawed. Especially in politics, where the key ingredient is a massive ego and a thirst for power.

The institutions are not the problem. The people who run these institutions are the problem. The very people who bombard you with messages that only their team can save democracy.

See, the one thing we all overlook is that democracies require a little faith. And, we are terribly short on faith today. We are also short on gratitude for the founders of a system that has survived 246 years. But, what we often forget is that institutions are the best way to transfer goodness to future generations

Pastor Andy Stanley recently preached that “there is a lot of power to be preserved by keeping us divided. Because there’s a lot of money in suspicion, fear and division” Why? Because fear is profitable. Because, as James Clear wrote, “fear is the gas pedal, not the brake.” And, fear moves opinion to conviction….and conviction moves people to action. I wrote about this last week in a piece called The Death of Wisdom & Humility.

For example, a group called the Tire Extinguishers is moving from opinion to conviction and from conviction to action. The group is targeting large SUV’s in New York City by slashing their tires. They leave a postcard on the windshield which reads:

We’ve created such fear and division that people are slashing tires to save the planet (and attacking the husband of the Speaker of the House).

Today, 45% of people age 16-25 are so terrified of climate change that it affects their daily life and functioning. And, 50% of youngsters believe that “humanity is doomed to extinction”.

If the country’s core institutions are flawed. If we are all going to boil or drown in a torrential flood in a few years, then why aren’t people marching in the streets for change? But, why?

The simple truth is that people are pretty dog-gone happy. According to the Global Emotions Survey, 85% of Americans are satisfied with their life.

Shockingly, the highest happiness scores on this survey were recorded in 2020, when everything seemed to be falling apart. See, despite our politicians sowing fear and distrust to get your vote, we’ve learned to separate our feelings of fear and distrust in government from our overall happiness.

The good folks at Gallup have been asking what makes people happy for 40 years. They’ve determined that American’s happiness is much more determined by how they feel right now.

• 65% of Americans feel well rested on a typical day.

• 91% of them felt respected all-day yesterday.

• 76% of people smiled or laughed a lot yesterday.

• 65% of people learned to do something interesting yesterday.

• And, 79% of people did something that created enjoyment yesterday.

It’s true that only 17% of people are satisfied with the ass-clowns in Washington and the direction of the country. But that dissatisfaction doesn’t move people to action. On the contrary, it moves people to ignore the ass-clowns and their circus.

That’s why the political consultants teach politicians to push fear to get elected. Because, fear moves opinion to conviction….and conviction to action. In recent polls, American voters from both parties ranked “threats to democracy” as the most important issue facing the country. The simple truth is that your parents, your grandparents and your great-grandparents worried about threats to democracy. They struggled through real threats. Threats like Hitler, Stalin and the crazy hippies in the 60’s, etc.

The kitchen table issues like healthcare, Social Security and taxes no longer move the needle. To get your attention it takes fear. Fear that our very democracy is at risk…..unless you vote for me and my team if ass-clowns. Yes, my friend, you and I are being played by the very people who created the circus.

Look, no matter which team gets elected it doesn’t really matter. The other side will claim the elections were stolen and the process was unfair. Or, they’ll blame the voters for being stupid. Ignore them. Elections and the orderly transition of power is actually is sign that our democracy is firing on all cylinders.

Focus on getting enough rest, giving and getting respect, smiling and learning something new today. These are the things that have proven to make you happy, not which team of ass-clown is calling the plays on the field in Washington, DC.

Democracy is not at-risk. The trains will keep running and we aren’t headed for civil war. The good news is that this cycle is almost over. And, we can go back to a barrage of ads for Erectile Dysfunction drugs and cheap car insurance.

And, one more thing, can you do me a solid and share this story with a friend? I love meeting new people.

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