Much whining, taunting, and even some commentary, has been spilled over Trump's historic win. The whining is expected. Call it Democrats against Democracy. In hockey when you lose you are taught to line up with your teammates and go shake the hands of your opponents. In politics apparently you protest, rant, rave, burn an American flag and, hopefully, hold your breath long and hard till you pass out. But it's over. Get some sleep everybody. Get some sleep. And then go learn how to be an adult.

It is the commentary that is far more interesting, though by no means more rational. I love how pundits are so quick to turn everything into one reason. The reason Trump won was because he picked up Reagan Democrats. The reason Clinton lost was because of Comey. Or that people finally got fed up with Clinton's parade of know-nothing celebrities. Or that people are angry at the system. Or that they are copying another Brexit... because both scenarios are so alike(?). Or that America is not advanced enough to elect a female. People are racist. 94 million people need jobs. Black voters didn't show up. Pollsters were wrong. The Cubs won the World Series (perhaps the most convincing of all). A pundit simply picks a point and runs with it. I thought it was hilarious to watch Anderson Cooper on CNN speaking a nervous mile a minute about how a Michigan county voted for Obama in 2012 and so, darn it, their votes were going to start pouring in and then change the whole election and Clinton was going to win and Trump lose and darn it votes start coming in already(!) and is it getting hot in here? That's just it, Mr. Cooper, the whole point was that these voters were not voting like they did in 2012. If they did then we wouldn't be where we are. Later, one pundit even boldly stated: "Ideology is now dead!" But isn't politics without ideology like going swimming without water? Sorry pundits, it may just be possible that there were many factors involved in Trump's win. Though if you asked me for the biggest reason: people ultimately hate Clinton more than Trump. But alas, I am sounding like a pundit now.

However, one idea that could use some commentary is the Catholic angle. America has a fascinating political past. One that, let's not forget, has been anti-Catholic. By all accounts Senator William Seward of New York should have been the Republican nominee in 1860. Until they found out that he had, 20 years earlier, helped secure money for Catholic schools. Enter Abraham Lincoln to take his place. By all accounts the Catholic Church should have been the greatest player in the abolitionist movement. But many abolitionists thought of the Church as yet another form of slavery. And many in the Church were too "political" to want to interfere with the slavery class system (eerie similarities with our current abortion plague). This rocky relationship has moved forward. Here we stand today. A country divided. A Church divided. At some point commentary loses its touch with reality. Because reality, true reality, involves God. Inevitably there is only one commentary which does actually sum everything up. No God = misery.

In City of God St. Augustine lays it all out. We spend all of our energy on the earthly city. We forget about the heavenly home we are called to, or we even work against our heavenly home. And then we are miserable and nothing works. Sound familiar? He writes: "The peace of the celestial city is the perfectly ordered and harmonious enjoyment of God, and of one another in God" (Book 19). The fundamental root cause of America's (and Canada's, and Britain's, and...) misery is found in the absence of God. The America institution, The Machine, though being one nation under God, has long rejected Catholicism. Catholicism, as it often does, thrives under such rejection. However, especially since the 1960s, the America institution, has departed also from Christianity, morality, and proper order. Less God. Less happiness. More confusion and anger. While this is more than a Catholic problem, I fear the Church is failing to learn from past lessons.

Go back to slavery. As I said, the Church was sometimes good, sometimes non-existent with the issue. The same can be said for abortion in these modern times. It is interesting that it was Abraham Lincoln who ushered in the end of slavery (though admittedly the Civil war was far more complex). Remember, Lincoln replace the Catholic sympathizer. Can history repeat itself? Can Trump, by no means a friend of the Church, be the one from which abortion ends in the United States? Yes he can. Good Catholics will pursue this. Lukewarm Catholics, and yes I include much of the hierarchy, will sit on their hands and do nothing, or worse even hurt the movement. Why? For one, so as not to disrupt the current system, as with slavery. But abortion can be ended. The murder of innocents can be ended. Let us pray the Church wakes up to this reality.

Yet will this be enough? When slavery ended a golden opportunity for evangelizing those in the slave trade, including the slaves themselves, was left untapped. This is one of the great regrets for the Catholic Church in the United States. If, and hopefully when, abortion ends in the United States is the Church prepared for a golden era of evangelization? So many beautiful babies. So many young mothers looking for somewhere to turn. It will be an opportunity. The pessimist in me says no. The realist in me says probably not. But that little part of me which recalls St. Augustine's words to have a supernatural outlook says absolutely. And then, and only then, can the misery of a nation begin to turn towards joy. For it will be returning to God.

The political landscape in the USA is fragile. It is fragile with disorder. Do not turn to Anderson Cooper to explain why everyone feels so miserable. Do not turn to Katy Perry. Or Hillary Clinton. Or Donald Trump. Simply seek the City of God first, and the earthly city will start to take care of itself. Until then pray, hope, and don't worry.

And get some sleep too.

A Poor Sport

I love sports. The thrill of victory. The agony of defeat. I soak it all in. There is a Roughrider theme song which has the words:

"Well, seasons come and go. Like the glory and the pain.

One sure thing I know. It's we'll live through that again.

Even in the worst of defeats *cough* 13th man *cough* there is one thing we know, we'll be back. Hope springs eternal every new season.

  

Not so much in politics.

In politics if you lose you wait four years for another shot. In the meantime you lose 5.5 trillion dollars (possibly more this time around), 4 million babies to abortion, put leaders of Catholic organizations in jail for failing to act against Church teaching, continue redefining marriage and morality, raise taxes, beat up Israel... oh yeah, and put your neighbours to the North in a tough spot by your non-existent economy.

In sports you maybe get a new coach, get rid of a few players, sign some new players, have the draft, and next thing you know it's training camp again. Nobody dies. Life goes on.

Not so much in politics.

I guess there are a lot of solid Catholics who will wake up feeling miserable down South. But I'm sure they will dust themselves off and get back to work. You think the devil is resilient? He's got nothing on a ticked off Catholic.

As for those who voted for Obama, they're pretty elated right now. There's nothing like getting your own way, even if it is suicide. Nietzsche would be proud. But hey, there's no arguing democracy. Right?

Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.

                                                                                                                            ― James Bovard

I think I'll go watch some football.