Another election day has come and gone, and as an independent voter, I chose not to align with either major party candidate. This decision resonates deeply with the prescient warnings of our nation’s founders, particularly John Adams, who declared that nothing would be more destructive to our Constitution than the division of the republic into two great parties opposing each other.
Historical Wisdom
Adams wasn’t alone in this view. George Washington himself devoted nearly a third of his farewell address to warning about the dangers of political parties, describing how they could “serve to organize faction” and replace the will of the nation with the will of a small but cunning minority. His concerns about parties agitating communities with “ill-founded jealousies and false alarms” feel remarkably relevant today.
Modern Reality
While I fully accept the outcome of the election, as every American should, this doesn’t mean I must validate or affirm anyone’s voting choice. The beauty of our democratic system is that we can respectfully disagree while still acknowledging the legitimacy of the electoral process. Unlike those who childishly declare “not my president,” I recognize the results while maintaining my independence from partisan loyalty.
Beyond Partisanship
Washington warned that partisan politics could lead to a situation where loyalty to party overrides loyalty to nation. This “Spirit of Party,” as he called it, has indeed become our worst enemy, creating artificial divisions and deadlock rather than productive governance. Today’s political landscape, with its constant tug-of-war between two opposing forces, perfectly exemplifies the concerns our founders expressed about partisan division.
The right to vote is sacred, and I commend everyone who participated in this democratic process. However, true patriotism sometimes means standing apart from the two-party paradigm and maintaining an independent perspective on our nation’s challenges and opportunities.
I could give my plethora of reasons for voting for the Libertarian party. One is unproven and didn’t go thru a Democratically elected process (though entirely legal) and the other is a danger to our constitution, draft dodger, and I don’t like his comments on injured Veterans. My candidate (despite his flaws) wants to reduce the skope of government and bring back citizens rights and privacy.
Election Pet Peeve
People that mention their distaste for Mainstream media but then have no problem with Fox News.
The hypocrisy of claiming to be against “mainstream media” while embracing Fox News couldn’t be more evident when we look at the actual viewership numbers and market position. Let me explain why this stance is contradictory.
Fox News Channel dominated election night coverage with a staggering 10.3 million viewers during primetime coverage. This massive viewership significantly outperformed other networks, with MSNBC coming in second at 6 million viewers, followed by ABC, NBC, and CNN. When you’re consistently the most-watched network, you are, by definition, mainstream.
Mainstream by Every Definition
According to Pew Research Center data, 73% of Americans consider Fox News to be part of the mainstream media. Even more telling, three-quarters of Republicans and 72% of Democrats agree on this classification. The network’s reach extends beyond partisan lines, with more independents and Democrats tuning into their election coverage than any other network.
The Corporate Reality
It’s worth noting that Fox News isn’t some small, independent outlet – it’s part of a massive media conglomerate. Their digital presence is equally mainstream, with their app reaching the top 3 spot in the App Store during election coverage. The network collected 47.2 million livestream views and dominated social media with 2.9 million social interactions across major platforms.
The Contradiction
The irony is palpable when people rail against “mainstream media” while consuming content from the most-watched cable news network in America. Overall television viewing of election coverage reached 42.3 million viewers across 18 networks, with Fox News capturing a significant portion of that audience. This isn’t alternative media – it’s as mainstream as it gets.
This cognitive dissonance highlights a larger issue in our media landscape, where the very outlets that criticize the “mainstream” are themselves deeply embedded within it. The next time someone claims to reject mainstream media while quoting Fox News, remember that they’re not avoiding the mainstream – they’re swimming in its deepest waters.
Future….
Elon had a good discussion about our future. I have friend’s that can barely handle their iPhone’s how are they going to handle their robot companions? Like it or not. AI is here. It’s not going anywhere. It’ll be a big part of our lives.
