No, Trump doesn’t have a mandate

Let’s get a few things straight: President Trump has no “mandate” to do anything. He lost the popular vote by nearly 3 million, and his narrow wins in certain states were facilitated by Russia’s role in our election. What? Russia’s massive efforts had no effect?

Second, it is clear that Trump has his base’s number: Even if he shot someone in Times Square, his base would stick with him. Or, is that not true? Perhaps some local Trump supporters will specify just what it would take for them to say “Enough!” Another war for fake WMDs? As things stand now, our “democracy” has been taken over by a minority of voters who will not tolerate facts and who deny even science — from evolution to the human role in climate change. “Truth” exists only in Trump’s twitters, Limbaugh’s rants or FOX world’s charade.

Especially if the USA continues its attack on public education and maintains that “one person, one vote” is trumped by the idea that money is free speech, like that in the TV ads that can sell anything, we will always have misinformed voters who are motivated more by fear, hatred and snake oil than by facts.

This story was originally published June 16, 2018 at 2:20 PM with the headline "No, Trump doesn’t have a mandate."