The Problem With Politics Today? The Opposition Must Be PUNISHED!

Every election, someone makes comments about voter apathy.  After all, such a small percentage of Americans take to the polls each year, it actually is a problem.

However, that’s not the only thing that will discourage voter participation.  These days we also get to deal with people who want the other side punished.

For example, take the recent vote on a millage increase in Ypsilanti, Michigan.  The small town of less than 20,000 people voted down a tax increase last week. Just a local matter, right?

Well, it would be, except that at least one supporter of the millage increase wants the community to punish the areas that voted against the increase, including at least one of the poorest sections of town.

Screenshot From Facebook

Wow.

Of course, this individual wasn’t content to call for abandoning entire sections of town to the tender mercies of the criminal element.  Oh no, he had to double down with a healthy dose of claiming the predominately black regions that opposed the tax increase had been “duped” and arguing racism…without any supporting evidence, mind you.  It couldn’t have been the fact that they would have been disproportionately impacted by higher property taxes or anything.

Screenshot also from Facebook

This, of course, is why so many people get absolutely sick of politics.  Everyone thinks they know what’s better for you. Whether it’s someone who believes that police should cut off areas of town based on how they vote — and there’s no way to know how certain individuals vote, so some of his fellow travelers will be impacted by such punishment — or whether it’s a well-known politician arguing that you don’t know what’s in your best economic interests, it’s just gotten ugly.

However, nothing could be worse than potential punishing the opposition.  Nancy Pelosi arguing that I don’t know what’s in my best interests is annoying, but such is life.  Someone wanting to punish people for not voting a certain way?  Oh, that’s a different animal. It’s also a scary one.

Imagine, if you will, that your worst-case scenario wins the White House. Whether it’s the Toupeed Cheeto or the Felon in Waiting, he or she sits down in the Oval Office for the first time.  Now, imagine that the individual decides it’s time to get even with the people who disagreed with him or her.

This should be terrifying since you are someone who opposed them.

Luckily, this individual doesn’t actually have any authority.  He’s just another internet blowhard pretending to be tough from the safety of a keyboard.

Unfortunately, when the people begin to think this is acceptable, it’s only a matter of time before politicians begin to figure they can get away with it.