You know it’s coming. Disputed votes, contested elections, allegations of fraud, illegal aliens voting, felons voting, dead people voting, etc etc. It’s unavoidable. It’s just how America does things nowadays. Personally I believe it’s more important to consider what we’ll get depending upon who wins the election.

Let’s Play “What If...”

If Trump wins the presidency and the Republicans win both houses of Congress, we’ll likely see a boatload of pro-business tax reforms and deregulation. Our Second Amendment rights will remain safe. America will probably move ever closer to energy independence and Biden’s ridiculous agenda for electric vehicles will get set back at least a few years. And, perhaps we’ll see an end to biological males competing in women’s sports. All good.

On the downside, evangelicals will attempt to flood Washington with legislation to enforce their religious convictions as law. They’ll make a major push to get religious teachings and forced prayer in our public schools. With a SCOTUS already loaded with far-right conservatives, liberals and moderates will likely get left out in the cold. Women’s reproductive freedoms will be compromised even worse than when Roe was overturned. Marriage equality may also be challenged. Anti-religious speech (like mine) may even see some legal challenges. The Second Amendment will be safe, but I worry about the First Amendment.

Okay, But…

If Harris wins the White House and Democrats gain control of both houses of Congress, we will likely see a federal law banning the sort of draconian abortion restrictions adopted by Florida and Ohio. The possibility also exists that we’ll see fewer restrictions on marijuana use. Hopefully it will get rescheduled. Public schools will probably adopt a more secular approach to education, which will benefit students immeasurably. And the LGBTQ communities will likely get some better protections from the unreasoning hatred of the far right.

But there is a downside with Harris and the Democrats as well. Oil drilling would likely be severely restricted and the insane push for electric vehicles will continue. Women’s rights, once so important to the left, will continue to be trashed as biological males weasel their way into women’s sports. Anti-capitalist laws thinly disguised as environmental regulations will plague American industries. And regarding the LGBTQ communities, there is a fine line between protection and privilege. I want them to have all the rights I enjoy. No more, no less.

On The Other Hand…

If we get a combination of the above, like maybe Trump in the White House and Republicans running the Senate, but Democrats running the House we might actually see some progress. A Democrat-run Senate is a non-starter because the Dems don’t compromise. But in the House they’d be more likely to work together with Republicans because of a closer connection to their constituents. At least, that’s how I see it. I’ve been wrong before.

If one party runs all of Washington it’ll be a train wreck for the losing party, and all of the American people. We need the two parties working together for the greater good. Is that possible? Yes. Is it likely? No. There is a reason for the old saying, “politics as usual.”

I’ve said it before and I’ll repeat it here: We need a viable, moderate third party with enough congressional seats to force the toxic toddlers in the two major parties to work together. Will that ever happen? Doubtful. Personally I think we’re screwed.