Lazy, apathetic Democratic voters enabled Trump's frightening swing to the far right

Cartoonist Daryl Cagle says he drew "Heartless Trumps" after the separation of children from their parents who tried to enter the United States illegally. Ivanka Trump, right, didn't say anything publicly about the controversy, and Melania Trump wore a jacket imprinted with the words, "I REALLY DON'T CARE DO U?"

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

HACKENSACK, N.J. -- The news media have peddled a million reasons why Donald J. Trump was elected president in the little-understood Electoral College.

Even though Democratic voters gave Hillary Clinton the edge in the popular vote of nearly 3 million in November 2016, Trump somehow stole the election under a system created as a compromise between election of the president by Congress and by the popular vote.

But the sad truth is that millions of lazy or apathetic Democrats stayed home and didn't vote for Clinton, enabling the frightening swing to the far right we've seen in the White House, Congress and the Supreme Court. 

Trump's approval ratings have been going up among Republicans, but they still are a minority and can be outvoted by Democrats, if the latter would just get off their asses, and not bother with such quaint notions that you have to "like" the presidential candidate to vote for her.

No. You have to like the issues and values she stands for, not her.

'A dark moment'

On Wednesday, The New York Times Editorial Board said the only place tens of millions of Americans can turn "for the vindication of many of their most cherished rights and protections" is the ballot box.

"So show up and vote. In the absence of a Supreme Court majority that will reliably protect human dignity, universal equality and women's rights to control their own bodies, it is up to Americans who cherish those values to elect politicians at every level of government who share them....

"It is a dark moment in the history of the court and the nation, and it's about to get a lot darker:

"Once President Trump names his second pick, and the Senate confirms that person, you can forget about new or enhanced protections for gay and lesbians, or saving the last shreds of affirmative action at public universities.

"Foremost among these is a woman's right to choose to have an abortion under Roe V. Wade, which as preserved solely on the strength of Justice Kennedy's vote."

We have a 'clear duty'

The Times went on to set out a "clear duty" now that Kennedy is retiring, and is likely to be replaced by a more conservative justice.

"Do not for a moment underestimate the importance of getting out and voting in November: Four years ago, only 36 percent of Americans cast ballots in the midterm elections.

"Had more people showed up, the Senate may well have remained in Democratic control, Mitch McConnell would not be the majority leader and Judge Merrick Garland [Barack Obama's nominee] would now be Justice Garland.

"In the days and months ahead, remember this."

From 2017: How to beat Trump and clones