We are down to two presumptive nominees and a whole bunch of sore losers, who think the election was rigged.

There is also one actual, completely nominated ticket that will occupy the Libertarian line on all 50 state ballots in November. It features Gary Johnson, former Republican Governor of New Mexico, and Bill Weld, former Republican Governor of Massachusetts.

Likely there is a trail of disappointed Libertarians who believe the nomination process was rigged to favor the two better-known candidates over unknown but long serving party members. Likely they are right. To them, the election was rigged. Not going to worry much about the disappointed except to dip into the handy crate of participation trophies.

Instead, let’s focus on those whining about rigged elections because in America’s 58 tries since 1788 and including 2016, none has deserved to be rigged more than this one.

First, let’s pop the democracy bubble.

The United States of America is not now nor was it ever a democracy. It was never intended to be and the clever guys (yup, all guys – another bubble popped) who wrote the Constitution would have been appalled at the idea it ever would be.

Notice the words “guys who wrote it?” I never say the word “framers” because there are only two groups of people who do: extremely ponderous, boring people; and ill-prepared law school professors, who often fall into the other group too. Thank you. Yes I am feeling better now, but please lose the word “framers” forever.

This is where shitty writers say, “but I digress.” Since I hope I am not a shitty writer, I will not do that but I will return to the point. [You know what those two sentences were? They were Woody Allen looking into the camera and speaking directly to the audience. So cool. Love that.]

The United States is a republic and that is different.

Without going all poli-sci about it, a democracy is a whole bunch of people of sometimes questionable cleverness making every decision while a republic is the same whole bunch of people of sometimes questionable cleverness choosing a far smaller number of representatives of hopefully greater cleverness to make all of those decisions for them. True, that plan has not been working so well lately but it remains what we are.

Throat clearing here.

So, Bernie, that is why there are super delegates who have lined up for Hillary and given you the finger. The whole idea back in the late 1700s was to avoid the possibility of electing nut jobs. Well done, Democrats. It worked.

Note to Republicans: hmmmm…. Your system looks more like what you would expect from the lefties. How’s that working for you?

Still there remains the whole democracy thing that is not likely to be ended here.

The Democrats are faced with a candidate who might get indicted and the Republicans, who actually flunked the republic test by letting the voters choose by themselves, are faced with a candidate who might actually be mentally ill.

Republicans, here is a little tip. Try to remember the name of your party. Then just say the first three syllables: Re-Pub-Lic. See that was easy. Write it on your hand if you have to but please remember it when you are making rules.

Today is going to be a major bubble-popping day for the idea of democracy.

Do you really think the people are making the decision when the pros are not? Are they all wearing togas and wondering around in an Athenian theme park?

Not bloody likely.

Nope, the decision is being handed to the ad guys and the consultants who know two things but not a third.

They know how to scare the pants off voters.

They know how to overturn donors and shake the money out of their pockets.

But they don’t know squat about running large enterprises. Like countries, for example.

Benjamin Franklin was the one who emerged from the Constitutional Convention and replied to the question, “what have you given us Dr. Franklin?” with “A Republic if you can keep it.”

Well said, Ben. I bet you don’t like being called a framer either.