Opinion

Fill Empty Inauguration Seats With Regular Folks

Joe Alton Contributor
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A large number of congressional Democrats will be boycotting the inauguration of President-Elect Donald Trump on January 20th. Dozens of liberal politicians are refusing to bear witness to the peaceful transition of power that is a cornerstone of American democracy.

That’s a lot of empty seats, as I’m assuming that their family and friends aren’t interested in those tickets either. Democrats hope, by their absence, to embarrass Mr. Trump and everyone who supported him in the 2016 election. Instead, they’ll stay home or wait to attend the next day’s Women’s March, where they’ll have free license to spew anti-Trump venom to receptive ears.

Boycotting Democrats smugly assume that their presence on January 20th will be sorely missed. They’re wrong. If you’re a Chicago Cubs fan and your team wins the World Series, do you want a bunch of Cleveland Indians fans lining the parade route? Probably not. The day is a celebration, and the less sour faces at the party, the better.

So what to do about those empty seats? Here’s an idea: For every Dem congressman or senator that has announced that they aren’t attending the inauguration, take their seats and fill them with regular folks.

There are many people who consider it a privilege to be able to attend the inauguration of a new president. It’s a historic moment; a multitude of average citizens will be vying for a good vantage point to see Donald Trump put his hand on the bible and recite the oath of office. Pick some of these folks out of the crowd and give them the thrill of a lifetime.
Bitter Democrats want us to think that Donald Trump is an illegitimate president. Unlike previous presidents, he hasn’t received the common courtesy of a grace period to see what kind of statesman he’ll be. It’s like having a wedding, honeymoon, and divorce all on the same day.

But most Americans are willing to wait a while to find out what a President Trump and his America is like. Put some of those Americans in the inauguration seats of the intolerant politicians who refuse to give our new president a chance to “Make America Great Again.”