34

34 times and then…

Since the 2^nd, and last time, George Washington was elected president, there have been 56 presidential elections. All 56 had ended with a peaceful transfer of power, between the past president to the newly elected one. Sometimes the new president was the same as the old one, so a transfer of power didn’t occur. 34 times the opportunity for a peaceful transfer of power not happening – could have, but didn’t.

The presidential elections were not always based on who won the popular vote. In fact, the popular vote didn’t even start to matter until the election of 1824. Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe were all elected solely on the Electoral votes, based on the Electoral College designed to determine the President. 

In the early days of our Republic, the person with the most electoral votes was the President and the Runner-up was the Vice President. The winner had to have a majority of the electoral votes. If they did not have a majority of electoral votes, the House of Representatives would decide who the President would be. 

That is what happened in 1824, when Andrew Jackson won the majority of popular votes, and the most Electoral votes too, but did not achieve a majority of electoral votes. Prior to the consolidation of just 2 major parties, there were many candidates with fewer votes and no one reached a majority.  The House of Representatives voted John Quincy Adams into office instead of Jackson.  Jackson did successfully win the presidency in the following 2 elections held in 1828, and 1832.

34 times the baton of leadership was passed between 2 individuals, sometimes from the same political party, and sometimes not. 

34 times the president leaving office understood the importance of the peaceful transfer being taken. They understood that the demonstration of a peaceful transfer of power, showed that our form of government was legitimately – by the people, and for the people – from whom their power was given. 

56 times without violence.

34 times without the needing to provide protection to the responsible elected officials fulfilling their constitutional duties. 34 times and nobody was attacked, beaten, shot at, or harmed. 34 times and the power of the presidency was transferred without incident.

Along the way, there have been incidences where appropriate questions regarding election issues had to be reviewed and answered in the court of law. Legal issues that were resolved, and the resulting decisions accepted without violence. The transfer of power was peacefully executed.

I fear that when leaders plant seeds of doubt, and question the legitimacy of elections, they also influence those people that supported them to do so also. It enables, and encourages, mistrust in the electoral system.

Election denial is the ultimate slap in the face of our system of government.

Continuing to sow seeds of doubt, even years afterwards without any actual legitimate evidence of widespread election fraud, has only one purpose. That is, to create a reason for some to cause chaos and to challenge the legitimacy of every election thereafter.

That behavior, if normalized, will be the downfall of our form of government.  Trust in the election process is essential to maintaining the honest belief that democracy can work. Faith that the system works properly, and that everyone that wants to vote can vote, and that the results can be vetted and trusted – must be the emphasis of this next election.

34 times it had worked, then the last presidential election in 2020 happened.

Will the horrible abuse of democracy happen again in 2024? 2028? And beyond?

Once the results and mistrust seeps in, and the current wave of tit for tat political mentality take over, the peaceful transfer of power very well could be in jeopardy.

Democracy and our current form of government is seemingly at a crossroads.

This issue is far bigger than just 2 divergent political parties that are opposed to each other.

The bigger concern is the grassroots everyday citizens that are so totally disgusted with the situation that they simply gave up caring about it, and the extremists in each party taking advantage of the moment.

The warning bells and sirens are sounding all around us. The situation is not getting better, and the bad role models still exist, and will not stop until they get what they want. The people that make up the majority of the electorate, whom believe in democracy must step up. They must quell the ugly mob mentality, and the hateful rhetoric, being spewed by those that would rather see the government burned to the ground if they do not win.

I fear the sleeping giant won’t wake up, until it is almost too late. Please wake up American electorate – you can stop this from happening if you have the heart and love for this country.