A few months ago, I realized that regardless of what the man occupying the Oval Office says or does, he will always have a group of hard-core supporters.

Some of them support him because they truly believe his rhetoric – that legitimate news sources and journalists are making up the facts and twisting reality.

Some of them admit that he’s not perfect but believe that as long as his party affiliation starts with an R, he is the best option.

Some of them don’t care what he says or does as long they will personally benefit from his agenda  – regardless of how it impacts others.

And then there are those who wave the American flag and claim that being patriotic requires being deferential to the President. They try to shame those of us who can’t support Trump by telling us that we are hoping he fails as president. I 100% agree with this. They generally follow this by saying that by hoping he fails, we are hoping America fails. I 100% disagree with this.

I want Trump to fail because his agenda isn’t American and his personal behavior and words don’t reflect what America is all about.

I want Trump to fail because I believe that health care is a right and not something that should be based on your job, your bank account, or to whom you are married.

I want Trump to fail because I believe that the majority of immigrants bring opportunities and not problems to America.

I want Trump to fail because trickle-down economics has been a proven failure to the people who most need the opportunity to make a living wage.

I want Trump to fail because I believe we should focus on improving public education rather than expecting the best education to be provided by private institutions.

I want Trump to fail because I believe in science, and the environment, and national parks and global warming.

I want Trump to fail because I don’t believe that a man who has publicly degraded woman on numerous occasions is an acceptable role model or, for that matter, a decent human being.

I want Trump to fail because I don’t believe in banned books or banned words, particularly words such as diversity, vulnerable and evidence-based.

I want Trump to fail because anti-bullying programs aren’t going to work when the supposed leader of our country is a bully.

I want Trump to fail because this country was founded on the principle of religious freedom – and that includes all religions – not just various Christian denominations.

I want Trump to fail because the United States shouldn’t be a country in which one’s man’s words can hold more power than the truth.

Yes, I want Trump to fail. But to all those people who claim that means I want our country to fail?  Think again.

I want our country to succeed, but my definition of a successful country is apparently different from theirs.

Because to me, a successful country is one that puts people over money, science over profit and love and respect over hate and prejudice.

And if  supporting  people who put that agenda first and opposing those who don’t isn’t patriotic? Then I don’t know what is.