This is not the post I wanted to write. I know that we have a new chart-topper on the Billboard Hot 100, but this is more important right now.

I was hoping that this post would be a copy of a Facebook confession I made before I deleted it. I had a Facebook Messenger conversation with a friend that started with him showing a screencap of me divulging to him that I wanted Donald Trump to win, as part of it making some philosophical sense in the context of 2016 or because between the choice of Hillary Clinton and Trump, I would've chosen Trump. I feel embarrassed by those thoughts and words, and I regret those things. However, anyone who knows me knows that one consistency I had was that I passionately didn't want Hillary Clinton to win. More on that later.

It took me a long while to write out, and by the end of it, I felt something akin to tranquility. That feeling was scuttled rather quickly, however, when my aunt (who we've strongly disagreed on things, but especially Clinton) made a post that struck me as accusatory. I was so taken aback, that I deleted the post.

We then had a Messenger conversation of our own. To summarize some of what we touched upon: She took notable umbrage at the fact that i had wanted for an implosion to happen. She pointed out that my apology didn't include who she said were people I "indirectly targeted" (i.e. Democrats, liberals and Clinton supporters). Whether she intended to or not, her message of love and such for a short time instilled with some feelings of guilt. I'm a nice person, and I try to make peace and be friends with people and what not. She might be interested in this talk about blame and accountability.

Those feelings were short-lived, however. Accountability is something I've seen not enough of when it comes to Clinton and her ilk. The news that the Clinton Global Initiative is shutting down not only is karmic, it also sends a sort of confirmation signal about what we think about the Clintons. In addition, I believe in taking the long view in regards to the election and politics, and the piece from Washington Monthly in particular was one where I was swimming in vindication. You must read that article if you want to get some semblance of how taking the long view was/is the pragmatic view.

As much as I love my aunt, f me was that because of how I railed against Clinton, I was helping Trump. She alsthere are some things we'll never agree with. One other thing she laid out in front oo noted about how I was attacking Clinton, Democrats, etc., and not attacking Trump. While I acknowledge my lack of attacks towards Trump, the man should've been all the criticism we needed (I don't need to remind you about all the horrible things he has done already, since you know most of them by heart). I actually did try to persuade some of my friends who were Trump supporters to not vote for him after the horrifying video. However, I value those friendships with those friends, and risking those friendships wasn't something I was willing to go through. (You can point out the chasm between that and risking friendships over my attacks towards Clinton and such; I still won't apologize for those attacks. Maybe we can work towards some compromise, but I won't stand for any more #ImWithHer, etc., tripe.)

I suggest that not only you reread the Washington Monthly article to understand why 2020 is better than 2016, but I dare you to look at the 2018 midterms map and tell me with a straight face how those midterms would be different than 2010 or 2014. I had/have no pretenses about how awful Trump was and is. However, though some on the Left feel some regret about how the Left should've acted during the election, I'm not sorry for my objections and protests to Clinton.

Not only that, but I haven't heard any apologies in particular from Democrats, liberals, the Clinton people and their supporters after the election. What an absolute shame; the fight to destroy the miscreant right-wing could use them if they actually got a clue and said they were sorry. This article by Politico highlights just that; instead of saying they were wrong, they're all but insisting that they still deserve a seat at the table. I'm sure that they'll also cling onto the election results as proof that they were right all along. What a joke. Meanwhile, Trump has his way with the world because some people aren't disciplined enough to create an impenetrable defense against the miscreant right-wing.

By the time you read this, Trump will already be president. I've already accepted that reality weeks ago, so allow me to share some changes I've gone through since this insufferable election:

Be true to myself. It's dawned on me that it's no longer enough for me to mouth or feel strongly about a certain subject or aspect of life. I finally found the courage I needed to be active in making the world a better place. I'm working on getting gay conversion therapy banned in the City of Dubuque. I became a member of the Dubuque chapter of the NAACP. I joined the Socialist Party USA. There are things that I couldn't have seen myself doing before the election, and I probably wouldn't have done them had Clinton won either. Maybe we should've taken Shia LaBeouf seriously.

Become healthier. My efforts to lose weight aren't going the best, but other health areas have become more improved. Though I left my job and am in search of a new one, leaving my job has improved my health immensely, both physically (being away from smoke and ash will do that for you) and mentally. Speaking of mental health, being away from an awful job and 2016 has been so helpful. I'm feeling much more pleasant and less gnarled these days. When I've faced feelings/times of uncertainty, I looked to the Unitarian Universalist Association website to help me out.

I've noticed that there are countdown clocks popping up on Facebook, and I find them irritating. However, one provided by ATTN: Video caught my eye, because of what was inside that I will quote verbatim: "No matter how you voted this election, what matters is participation in the democratic process today and over the next four years." It's time to make a difference.