No opposition party. No mudslinging. No negative press. No
hanging chads. No foreign collusion. No electoral votes against him.
However, the VP election was another story. While Washington
got all 69 electoral votes available, John Adams received only 34, with the
remaining 35 being split between John Jay, John Hancock and others.
The system then allowed for each of the 69 electoral voters
to vote for 2 candidates for President. The person with the larger number of
votes became President and the second place candidate became Vice President. So
to become VP, Adams had to also run as President, knowing Washington would get
elected.
And then began the fun that we know today. Adams, like
Washington was a Federalist. Thomas Jefferson was a Democratic-Republican. [A
phrase you’ll never see today.] The election of 1796 was won by Adams with a 71
to 68 majority. Jefferson went on to win in 1800 after a tie with Aaron Burr at
73 electoral votes each, so the tie breaking vote was held in the House of Representatives.
Adams was a northerner, Jefferson a southerner. Thus began
one of the many divisive patterns in American politics. It became north vs.
south, east vs. west, coasts vs. the middle, red vs. blue, liberal vs.
conservative, etc. etc.
The purpose of this
brief history is to remind us that political battles are nothing new. Our
current president is not the first to receive harsh criticism, irrational
opposition, non-stop verbal and written abuse, and unfounded accusations. Nor
will he be the last.
It is our freedoms that allow for such fights. These
freedoms were established and upheld through all of our 58 Presidential
elections. Let us pray that they will continue for the remaining elections we
will have.
God has blessed the USA, is blessing the USA, and will bless
the USA – we hope and pray.
COPYRIGHT 2018 BY CARL E GUSTAFSON
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