I did not vote for Donald J. Trump.
He was my president.
I did not vote for Joe Biden.
He is my president.
The person who we elect as president of the United States is president of all the States — the Blue, the Red, the Purple, and all who live within their borders. (I was going to write the president is the person that a majority of us voted for, but that has not always been true in recent decades.)
Trump was not the first person to not accept the results of an election. He was just the first president to do it openly and actively. You know Hillary Clinton thinks the Russians elected Trump, but she graciously soft pedals it, and gracious is not the first word you associate with Hillary.
I can’t tell you when this “not my president” crapola began, but like cancel culture, it’s got to stop. One source traced it back to 2000, when George W. Bush beat Al Gore to become president without a majority vote of the American people.
Bill Clinton never had a majority — a piddling 43% of the popular vote in 1992, an almost there 49.2% in 1996 — but I don’t recall any “not my president” nonsense. (It may have been there and I just missed it. Now there are lapel pins, bumper stickers, and maybe lace curtains emblazoned with the phrase.)
Clinton’s detractors found plenty of other reasons to hate Bubba, and he provided them with some excellent ammunition (cough, cough, Monica Lewinsky).
I do recall the list of Hollywoodians who “threatened” to “leave the country” if Bush were elected.
Spoiler alert: They didn’t.
Most of these mooks said they’d escape to Canada.
I don’t recall anyone saying they’d be running to Mexico. Why not? Because it is a “brown” nation?
And they call you racist.
I remember the Good Old Days when many of my liberal friends bemoaned how stupid W was (despite his Yale grades being about the same as John Kerry’s). “Oh, he’s not that bad,” I said.
They didn’t agree with me.
Until Trump.
Bush now seems like a MacArthur fellow.
It’s all relative.
Saying (fill in the blank) is not your president is denying reality, and you know where people who deny reality turn up.
In the Libertarian Party. (Just joking.)
See, it’s one thing to have a bumper sticker that says, “Don’t blame me, I voted for Gore.”
It’s a whole different thang to say, “George W. Bush is not my president.”
If you want that to be true, it’s easy. You don’t even have to change addresses. Just renounce your American citizenship.
But you can’t just do it on Twitter or Instagram.
The process can take up to a year, and you better have a second nationality or you could become stateless, and that’s no fun.
Statelessness means you have no government protection and can have significant trouble owning property, working, receiving medical help, and attending school. A U.S. consulate or State Department office can deny your request to renounce your citizenship if you don’t already have a second passport or another nationality.
You will be asked to produce your U.S. birth certificate and, if you own one, a certificate of naturalization from the country you will be joining.
Before the first appointment, you’ll need to fill out and sign the DS-4079 questionnaire, which is the form to relinquish your U.S. citizenship
Diplomatic officials use the first interview to ensure that you aren’t renouncing your citizenship under duress. The second appointment includes reading an oath in which you state your desire to renounce citizenship. You may be asked to bring five years of tax returns.
Damn red, white and blue tape.
Your documents are then sent to the State Department, which reviews the paperwork and makes a decision on your case in about one or two months. If “yes,” you will receive your Certificate of Loss of Nationality afterward. Suitable for framing!
There may be some fees involved.
Oh — you’re still on the hook for all U.S. taxes. But you can’t vote.
Sound good? Only to supreme sore losers.
If you will not renounce your citizenship, shut up about “not my president.” Saying that is stupid.
Sorry, it just is. Thinking otherwise is juvenile. It offers an excuse for doing nothing.
If you don’t like who’s running the country, campaign against the incumbent or the candidate you don’t like. That’s the American way. It works. Trump proved it in 2016, Democrats proved it in 2020.
In any event, the winner is your president.
HAPPY MONDAY !!!
pallie,
When bored and on face book, I turn to Not My President. As you so rightly pointed out, JUNENILE ! They have lousy quotes and memes and other drabble. The only quality piece was Mike Lindell’s “Absolute Truth”, which was being taken down as fast as it was going up. I had posted a letter on this page, as well as every page of a Chester County Republican Committees. In that letter, I basically told everyone that we lost – because of us – and the mourning period is over. If you intend to challenge and win in 2022, you have to get started now. I didn’t get a handful of responses. The county committee would not let me put my letter on their website nor face book page. The mentality of politics is lost out here in no man’s land. Maybe the case across the country. We lost the Presidential. We handed the victory to the dims. So, go to France with Madonna and Sean or be like the rest of the big mouths. Threaten – even promise to leave, but do neither. Just stay here and complain and add your worthless self to the pile of discontent.
Tony
Wow, Stu, I was waiting for someone to come up with this subject matter. Thank goodness you did. You’ve alluded to it in the past, but this encompassing article brings it all together. A great job! Thank you for stating the idiocy of the whole idea.
As you mentioned above, of all those Big Names that swore they were going to leave the country since the Bush (43) election up to the present, those selfish bastards haven’t done it yet I sure wish they would already.
Thanks, Randy.
Excellent article. The sarcasm was perfect. I hate the results of the election but I refuse to join the ones who are now suffering from Deranged Biden Syndrome, like the DTS crowd from the past 4 years.
Thanks
Well, as a Canadian, I guess I can get away with the ‘not my President’ line and remain honest. But totally agree with your take. I’m not a fan of our current Prime Minister, but he is my Prime Minister regardless.
A quick anecdote on the ‘I’ll move to Canada if (insert name of choice) is elected’ types. Back in 2012 the wife and I were enjoying a weekend at a B&B in upstate New York. When that after-dinner conversation among our American friends turned to politics, one particularly ardent Republican announced he’d be moving to Canada if Obama won a second term. I asked him why. His response was that another Obama term would turn the U.S. into a socialist mire with government-run healthcare, gay marriage and legal pot. It was hard not to laugh.
David – it’s good to hear from an “out of state’r” and what they’re thinking of regarding this subject.
However…if you don’t mind, would you please keep that cold weather up there please? We’re having a lousy Feb down in this neck of the woods. So I hope you don’t mind mind saying, “It’s not my snow!” LoL
Randy, on behalf of all my countrymen, our most sincere apologies. It truly is somewhat upside-down weather these days, apparently it was warmer here in Ottawa yesterday than it was in Houston. Perhaps the weather gods have decided some of you folks need to ‘chill’? Suspect this is quite effective at keeping the Antifa and Trumpists off the streets. So maybe there is an upside?
Great anecdote.
Well said, Stu. And yet, the N.Y. Times, the Inquirer and CNN act as if the battle rages on. Trump is gone. It is over. Unfortunately, they just can’t let it rest. This obsession is absolutely bizarre, not to mention dangerous. The politicians who continue to fulminate should be trying to figure out how to get the vaccine to those citizens who want it and quit trying to divide us further over political and racial lines.
And by the way, has anyone mentioned the sudden 25 cent jump in gas prices since the President signed his executive orders shutting down the pipeline and drilling on federal lands? Where is the concern as to how that is going to increase the costs for the transportation of food and products throughout the country and to your local store? If you want to crush working people in this country, that is the way to do it.
The press will continue to chew the Trump bone as long as there are law suits agains him (which is forever🙂) and as long as he is a national political figure — which is years. Just turn the page or change the channel.
Remember, Joe is not going to raise taxes on the little people. Maybe not directly, but indirectly “trickle down!”
Pointing to the hardheads, the empty heads, and the just plain stupid heads was overdue when they continue to live and speak as if there is a part of the country that can stand pat and not leave their comfort zone. Have them try to tell a supervisor that they will only work for the supervisor that retired. How about the military: I only take orders from the captain that was transferred. The issue as you so strongly asserted: When you wake up every day you are under some power of authority, elected, appointed, or just the authority of an owner of a Mom and Pop store when you order a coffee before going to a rally for president 2024.
Stu, I found this to be a very informative, and interesting, article. I do however have a question for you. While I agree with you about the person being elected being my President what is your thoughts on respecting the office as opposed to respecting the person holding the office?
I can’t be any more clear. Let me reframe: My country, right or wrong, which allows there can be wrong.
Remember the full saying: “My country, right or wrong. When right, to keep it right. When wrong, to put it right.”
👍
That renouncing of citIzenship process sold me, Stu, I won’t be moving to California😀 What an excellent writer you are!
The big problem, of many, I have with my President is constraining the influence of the Left. They’ve come a long way even from Obama.
Thanks but California is still a state. As of today. Tomorrow? Not so sure.
I was suggesting that it may as well be a foreign country because of it’s attempts of secession. Also it’s high taxes and regulations…all in jest, hence the 😃
I remember clearly election night 2016, when it was announced Hillary Clinton had conceded the election to Donald Trump. Immediately after (and I mean that word ‘immediately’ precisely used) the sore losers took to the streets of New York chanting NOT MY PRESIDENT and F**K DONALD TRUMP, among other scatological shout-outs. I believe it was the next day that the Washington Post started talking about impeachment. And those events kicked off four solid years of vile hatred aimed at DT, his family, anyone who supported him in and out of government. But he remained president for four years despite Democrat efforts to remove him from office. The odd thing is, after he lost his bid for a second term the hatred by Democrats continued unabated. The horse was dead, but the crazies in the Democrat party continued to beat the corpse. Now comes Joe Biden, dumped on before the election as a doddering fool dealing with less than a full deck and accused of cheating and stealing a valid election. He took office older than any president who LEFT the presidency, but he is my president. I do no like him (he’s not a smart guy and he’s lazy as hell, and perhaps crooked — if only a ‘see nothing, hear nothing’ press would do its job). I don’t see mobs marching in the street, cursing and chanting NOT MYPRESIDENT. I don’t anticipate vile attacks against JB and his family, like there were against DT. Like I said, he’s my president. I can wait four years and then vote against him — or against Kamala Harris if and when she succeeds the very elderly Biden. All I hope for going forward is an America that will lower its voice, control its passions, show some class and dignity, and start abiding by the democratic process.
Not to be disagreeable, but you could not remember Hillary conceding on election night.
Because she did not. DJT didn’t clinch until well after midnight. I remember watching it on a TV in the emergency room, and the CNN anchors looked like they needed medical attention.
Stu, okay — it wasn’t exactly ‘election night.’ Hillary conceded at 3:00 in the morning or so of the next day, but the coverage by the networks was non-stop. Ergo, I consider it ‘election night.’ My point was the NOT MY PRESIDENT bullroar began IMMEDIATELY after Hillary conceded. Why were you in the emergency room? Did her loss affect you that greatly?
Like the rest of America, I tripped and fell that night. Busted my quadriceps on a bad sidewalk. That was around 11. Got out of Pa. Hospital around 3, after it was declared. Hillary may have conceded in the morning. (After they scrapes her off the ceiling.)
Philadelphia, PA
Dear Stu,
Sure, we all may like one president more and another less, but that’s quite different from rejecting the results of the election. It belongs to the democratic, constitutional system that the president represents everyone, whether we like it or not. A president who we find uncomfortable to live with should be an impetus for political work and political change.
On the other hand, no mere politician could ever drive me to renounce hearth and home. None of them matter that much.
It’s a free country, or at least, I fully intend to keep it and make it so. If the politicians don’t like the voters, (who as it happens are about evenly divided) then maybe they should leave for their idealized greener pastures overseas –where everyone thinks in lock-step?
H.G. Callaway
I agree — no one drives me from MY country.