Some years ago, a popular phrase was, “you are what you eat.”

Today, we might more accurately say, that from a political perspective, “you are what you read.”

Perhaps the best example is the difference between the Establishment mainstream Progressive press and the more Conservative independent press. The Epoch Times is giving considerable details on specifics of election fraud, while the Washington Post hardly mentions it. NEWSMAX television gives extensive coverage, CNN hardly at all.

Therefore, if you read or listen to one source rather than the other, your entire impression of the current debate over election integrity would be different. It is almost as if Americans are split, living in an alternative universe, because their information flows are so different in perspective.

Notice I did not say Democrat or Republican. There are an uncomfortable number of Republicans, who disliked the outsider Trump, who seem oddly unconcerned about the integrity of the process, because the result rid them of Trump. This position is perhaps even more odious than that of Democrats, who understandably for partisan reasons, liked the results. Republicans are supposed to know better. A good example is the recent editorial from National Review, that believes all of this controversy is simply because Trump can’t admit he lost.

This should not be the case. Either there is evidence of election fraud or there is not. We might differ in opinions but it seems today, we now differ in facts as well.

Thus, for many of us, we see evidence of significant fraud in the election, while the victors (mostly Democrats and Progressives) see no problem at all with the recent election.

In a sense, this should strike us all as odd. As voters, should we not all be concerned about the integrity of our elections? Afterall, the whole idea of “We the People” is that government works for us, not we work for the government. We are supposed to be ruled by the consent of the governed, and if that consent cannot be transmitted to political power in what all should agree was an honest process, then the very integrity of our democratic process is in doubt.

If you feel elections are a “rigged game”, then the very faith in the country is undermined. This is a dangerous development for everyone.

The current thinking seems to break into three camps.

There was no election fraud, and any suggestion that there was “undermines democracy.”  However, if you truly believe there was no fraud, and this is just pique by Trump over the results, an investigation would prove your case. Therefore, why would you object to an investigation?

There was election fraud, but not to a degree that it would really alter the outcome. This is an interesting position since it raises the question, exactly how much fraud are you willing to tolerate? And how much fraud was there if you oppose the very investigations that will uncover the extent of the fraud?

The third camp, says there is already enough fraud determined in key states like Pennsylvania and Nevada, that the election results have gone to the wrong party. Some 70% of Republicans seem to believe this position.

This is an enormous number of people who feel the election was a sham. Further, this is really bad for the country.

Mr. Biden may well take power, with a serious split in his own party, only to be faced with huge numbers of people who feel he is illegitimate.

This is much worse than “gridlock.” We are talking about millions of people who doubt the government is even properly elected, let alone divided.

At The Prickly Pear, our position is as follows: Investigate to the maximum degree possible the integrity of the elective process. That mean judges and legislators should not impede an investigation. Priority should be given to the integrity of the elective process and a liberal approach should be taken. We will accept the results whatever they may be, after an exhaustive and unbiased uncovering of the facts.

Thus, it would seem to us, there is no harm to any of the three positions by having a complete and comprehensive investigation of the election results. Whomever is determined the winner, takes office with much more confidence.

What is most important right now, is not which candidate is elected. What is at stake is the very faith Americans have in the electoral system.