Hey, who else is up and around after 4-5 hours of melatonin-induced sleep, interrupted by various household pets coming in demanding food and to be let out because they are oblivious to what happened last night.

I’m typing this up Wednesday morning, (because no matter that we’re on the verge of America’s experiment with democracy coming to a crashing halt, we need the #content), with the AP having called the Presidential race for Donald Trump, a 34-time felon, a person twice found civilly liable for sexual assault, and a man responsible for a violent coup attempt four years ago.

On the plus side, we likely don’t have to worry about a violent coup this time around.  Not like the Democrats could organize a united effort like that even if they were inclined to.

The GOP also grabbed control of the Senate.  I don’t know about the House.  The Democrats might have taken that back, they also might not have.  Frankly I’m not inclined to look it up right now.  I can’t do anything about it anyway.

I am fortunate enough to live in Deep Blue Connecticut, and for that matter one of the bluer towns in this fine state.

The right-winger running to represent me in the State House lost by a mere 66%.  It looks like the State Senate candidate will win as well, even though she kind of sucks.  She and the GOP candidate, (who really does suck), are currently separated by 400 votes, but it doesn’t look like the UConn student vote has been counted yet, and that is not going to go Republican.  Fingers crossed, I guess.

Connecticut sent a Democrat back to the Senate, (this one in his 50’s, which is like a toddler in that group), and all 5 Democratic representatives back.  And we voted for Harris by, last I saw, 8%+.

In short, Connecticut did its part.

The country, however, largely did not.  Why is that?

We all have our guesses:  Kamala Harris simply isn’t a very good candidate.  Joe Biden should never have run for more than one-term, and his unwillingness to step down until an absolutely disastrous debate performance forced the issue hamstrung the Democrats and resulted in the aforementioned not-very-good candidate being declared the candidate.  Harris started out with a bang, then squandered that by listening to the usual consultants who brought you successful candidates like Hilary Clinton, ignored her base and swung to the right to try to get Republicans, who already have their own party.

All of those are fine ideas.  Some might even be true.  But I think the overriding reason is simply this:  This is what we are as a country right now.  Looking at things in the best possible light we as a country are, at least a noticeable majority anyway, willing to overlook a dangerously flawed individual and put him in power because it might mean a few more bucks in the paycheck.  In the worst possible light, and sadly I think this is at least as much the case, a majority of us voted for Trump and the GOP because he gives them permission to be their worst selves.

So what now?  I can only speak for myself, and I’m not going to commit to anything in a moment of anger and frustration, but I think I’m going to pull way back.  I think I’m pretty much done with things at the national level.  America is simply not where I am right now, I don’t like it, it doesn’t affect me, (again, straight, white, male), and I’m tired of banging my head into things just for shit like this to happen because Connecticut has 7 electoral votes and more people than both Dakotas, Wyoming, and Montana combined, but there’s 12 electoral votes in those four states, so fuck me.

I’ll still vote, but I’m not getting emotionally invested in the results.  I’m going to focus my time, energy, and money very locally.  Town and state, local charities, things that directly affect me and mine.  I’m also going to cut way back on social media.

That and really rooting that a certain someone has a massive heart attack in the very, very, very near future.

Your reactions in the comments.