I'm 76 now. I've been voting for what seems like forever. I'm a citizen with dual nationality who has witnessed, more times than I care to remember, the hypocrisy, misinformation, disinformation, false claims and clear lies of politicians which, while ubiquitous, seem to proliferate at or prior to elections.

I long since lost any expectation that any other than an extremely rare individual would actually enter politics with the intention of furthering the lot of the majority, let alone one actually able or willing to retain that aim for very long. This is particularly true wherever the politician is a member of a political party, as opposed to be elected in their own right as an independent.

I have voted positively, negatively and purposely as a donkey. Sometimes I have simply been so angry or disturbed that I've acted irrationally. In most cases, however, it has been a response to living in an electorate which has or had a 'safe' seat and within a nation where voting is both mandatory & preferential - in other words, where my vote could actually assist a candidate to whom I objected.

I support what we know as democracy but regret that, today, it is possibly a misnomer because it seems inevitable that even in supposedly free and democrat nations, autocracy or oligarchy and massive inequity between the influence of corporations and the 'person in the street', is what governs policy.

I have, much to my chagrin, found that I can no longer trust the 'colours' of a candidate or elected member to indicate that they will act according to the principles they purport to support and, even worse, that sometimes they will do precisely the opposite.

However ..... I have never, in around 60 years of interest and study of politics, felt so shocked, amazed, bewildered and moved to such abject resignation as I have been since Trump entered politics.

The political situation in the USA today is so absolutely discombobulated and dangerous that it is beyond the pale and leads me to a fear not unlike what was present many years ago, during the 'Cold War', when I served with the RAF keeping our 4 minute warning deterrent in the air - the Victors, Valiants, and Vulcans.

It seems beyond belief that such a man as Trump can be seen by so many to have the competitive charisma not only to be elected president but then to be supported in denying and insulting those involved in the electoral process, surrounding himself with acolytes, yet sacking them on a whim, continually denying events for which there is more evidence than convicts many criminals, and abusing anyone who criticises what he says, does or thinks - including even abusing and demeaning judges & others with impeccable records.

That this apology for what a man ought to be, can be the nominee of even a right-wing political party in a 'free' and 'democratic' country surely invites an inquiry of its own at the highest and most objective level. - It ought not to be possible. That it is so and that one of only two major political parties can nominate this man as their candidate for a second election to the post of President of the United States is probably the most frightening and mystifying situation of my life.

Despite having written all that I just have, I have to say, I am lost for words. I daren't even contemplate 'what next?.'