OPINION: Let me be clear: President No. 47 is not my president

The hillside candles of golden larch trick my eyes to see sunshine on a rainy day. I have been fooled by lofty clouds posing as extensions of mountain peaks and ridges. The ventriloquy of a Steller’s jay dupes me to look skyward for the red-tail hawk — that isn’t there. The weather fools the snowshoe hare before it can change clothes for summer. Even with the brief trickery of trees, clouds, birds and bunnies, I respect the changing forces of nature and the honesty of purpose — but in our “civilized” world, I am increasingly bothered by the farce of a new foolhardy culture that kicks truth like a hacky sack and then reshapes the tatters with nonsensical filler.

The 2024 presidential election is a done deal. My preferred candidate lost; so did the nation. With the 49.9% to 48.3% split, a penny’s worth of votes determined a future imbalance in our democratic checkbook. We could have achieved stability and greatness with a competent woman but ended up with the rank choice. I have survived other political disappointments and made adjustments to accommodate the transitions. Regardless of the chosen president, my trust was secured with knowing our Constitution and Bill of Rights would be the inviolable guidelines for government conduct and actions — until now.

I am a conscientious voter, persistent patriot, fairness advocate. I did not vote for No. 45 in 2016 but willingly put my judgment on hold while observing job performance. He failed a critical leadership test during the pandemic, when we needed a unified front to combat a common enemy. He injected denial and derision into the chaos of fear and misery — and later instigated the shaming of America on Jan. 6, 2021. I did not vote for No. 47, either. Could not; would not. He may be duly elected but his reign will be predictably unruly. My concerns may be categorized as sour grapes or bitter raisins but this is what I know: I can abide winners and losers, contrasting opinions and campaign issues. But I have never been taught or expected to glorify a liar, cheater, adulterer and crook with the reward of an American presidency.

Conservative pundits and MAGA groupies imply each of us should accept No. 47 as “my” president. As a possessive pronoun, “my” indicates ownership of something with personal value and importance. For me, that isn’t No. 47 — who is already possessively obsessed with self. I can’t change the ’24 election or the voters who were fooled by pretense and ostentation — and I can’t claim ownership of a president who is immoral, immature, mean and mendacious. That profile does not fit my ideal of a true leader. Frankly, No. 47 sounds more like a caboose than an engine; more like the jersey than a team player. Do not ask me to sanction a persona who embodies all the seven ugly vices: envy, gluttony, greed, lust, pride, sloth, wrath. Don’t expect my support of a president who makes no bones about his adoration for anything big: crowds, wealth, genitalia. I can’t validate a president with the “2025” program to stifle criticism, smother opposition, euthanize democracy.

Typical of a huckster, No. 47 has sold us a bill of goods and the cost of those goods will be pricier with the deportation of essential workers and the tit-for-tat tariffs. The ’24 election was predicated on the trickery of fear and the foolery of a felon. Many voters worried about the price of eggs instead of the exorbitant price of maintaining an egocentric president. If my post-’24 American life is made greater, I will amend my position. Right now, I am politically and emotionally “blue,” but I won’t hold my breath and turn physically blue while waiting for the rapture. I will always be an allegiant American and involved citizen. I will always comply with constitutional and societal laws.

On Jan. 20, president No. 47 will swear on a Bible to uphold the Constitution he has vowed to dismantle. It will be out with the old and in with the — old. Sigh. On that day, my dogs and I will go on a hike and take our chances with nature. No. 47 may be “our” president, but he is not mine. I reserve my respect and support for those who earn it. No foolin’.

Dumas, of Grangeville, is an independent outdoorswoman.