by Mark M. Bello“Tens of millions of Americans voted for President Donald Trump in the belief that he would be competent. They might not have been thrilled that Trump is a convicted felon or pleased with his role in the violent attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Many worried that he posed a threat to democracy. But enough were willing to overlook all that, because they convinced themselves that Trump would be an effective chief executive, that under his stewardship their lives would get better, and the country would prosper.”
In other words—these voters thought the man who botched a pandemic, alienated allies, fawned over dictators, paid off a porn star, grabbed women by their p-words, cheated hundreds of people and discriminated against Blacks in his business, cheer-led an insurrection, was convicted of multiple felonies, and left the country in shambles would “get things done.”
Today, the vast majority of these same voters—per a recent poll—no longer believe. Trump’s approval rating is down to 37%. The fantasy of the “competent Trump” has collapsed under the weight of reality.
Surprised? Disappointed? Here’s the problem: this isn’t about him. It’s about you, the people who didn’t take your right to vote seriously.
Yes, I’m speaking to you.
Voters who treated the presidency like a reality TV reboot instead of the most important and powerful office in the world. You didn’t vote for leadership, integrity, or policy—you voted for a partisan who’d “own the libs” and make his and your enemies miserable.
And yet, you already saw the disaster. You knew who he was. You had four years of chaos, scandal, corruption, impeachment, and incompetence—followed by an attempted coup—and you still decided, “Sure, let’s try this a second time.”
You do not get to be “surprised” or “disappointed.” You are responsible. Your delusional carelessness gave Trump the political oxygen he needed for his comeback. You chose ignorance over evidence, deceit over reality, style over substance, and now you claim you’re shocked? Sorry—I have zero sympathy for you. You are complicit in the erosion of the democratic norms and values we hold sacred.
Democracy doesn’t die when misguided leaders abuse their power. It dies when voters abdicate their responsibility to think critically, learn from history, and demand more than cheap slogans and empty promises from people who will say anything to anybody to get their vote. That’s how you get a coalition of Christians and LGBTQ, Jewish and Muslim, Black and White Supremacist, wealthy and blue collar voters to vote against their own interests—suckers and losers all.
In 2020, you managed to do the sensible thing: You fired an unfit, corrupt, self-obsessed president. But only four years later, you turned around and handed this carnicval barker another shot. That’s not just political amnesia—it’s civic malpractice!
The next time someone tells you “the voters are always right,” remember that tens of millions of American voters saw a convicted felon and would-be dictator and thought he was the right choice for America.
Now, they wonder why it’s not working. Seriously? Give me a break!
Mark M. Bello is an attorney and author of 9 Zachary Blake Legal Thrillers and other legal themed novels and children’s books. For more information, please visit https://www.markmbello.com
