‘Tis the morning after. Let’s all take our pills, downers or uppers, let go of anger, frustration, gloating triumphs, and settle down to building this great nation. We owe it to the people who performed their election duty without fuss or fury, without fear or favor, the watchers and watchdogs, teachers, canvassers, candidates, computer experts, even the ”dull and ignorant, they too have their story” (from Desiderata).
Hopefully, it should be business as usual. Democracy is a demanding mistress, and as Michael Bloomberg, a former mayor of New York City, observes, “democracy in action can actually produce a lot of inaction,” such that “when government fails to address the needs of the people, voters in both parties get angry and some politicians exploit that anger by offering scapegoats instead of solutions.” Let’s not forget, the Aquino II administration is still the government. . . let not the Aquino II government forget that, either.
For the rest of us fatigued by a long season of frenetic campaigning, whether as active participants or interested spectators or “silent” fencesitters, all sorts of remedies are available the morning after election day.
An aspirin to dispel headaches, for voters who endured the heat and the confusion at their precinct.
A bloody Mary to cure a hangover, for those trying to drown their sorrows.
An upper to fight severe depression for contributors who’ve just lost half a fortune.
A dose of the truth serum for those who cannot believe that their candidate has been defeated.
A downer for those who have been on a high since the first wave of “trending” was reported in their favor.
A shot of adrenaline laced with vitamins for those sickened by reports of cheating, vote-buying, and other sins.
A brew of coffee to wake up losers dreaming of filing an election protest and expecting instant success.
A cocktail of pills to induce amnesia and even catatonia for those calling for a revolution because their candidate did not win.
A strong sedative for those hysterically threatening a coup d’etat.
A liter of cough syrup to send some people to sleep, such as those afflicted with post-traumatic stress disorder due to election fever.
The real morning-after pill to abort all talk of ill-conceived plans to throw the nation into a state of utter chaos.
