By JOHN KANELIS / johnkanelis_92@hotmail.com

I feel like a pebble covered in an avalanche of boulders.

I live in Princeton, Texas, in Collin County, which is considered a Republican stronghold. I didn’t vote this month for Donald Trump. I supported the candidacy of Joe Biden and continue to support his ascendance to the presidency of the United States.

However, given that I live in this GOP ocean, I am silenced a bit by the complicity of GOP political leaders who are engaging in one of the most shameful acts of betrayal I have ever witnessed.

I want to tell my neighbors that their politicians are enabling Trump to undermine our sacred democratic process by their refusal to even recognize Biden as the nation’s next president. I don’t dare tell them what I believe.

As reprehensible as Trump’s conduct has been since President-elect Biden was declared the winner of the election, the conduct of GOP political leaders — especially those in Texas — is even worse. They are contributing, enabling Trump to continue his charade. He tells the Big Lie that the election was “rigged.” GOP leaders in Texas and elsewhere are silent. Their silence implies agreement, complicity in this monstrous demonstration of presidential petulance.

Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz are silent. My congressman, Van Taylor? Not a sound. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has offered a reward for anyone who can provide proof of election fraud in Texas. Bold stuff, Dan, given that no one will produce anything of the sort.

They won’t even refer to Biden as president-elect.

This is beyond ridiculous. It is dangerous. It betrays the Constitution they all swore to protect and defend. Their silence gives Trump license to sow seeds of doubt into our precious democratic process.

Previous presidents of both parties have lost re-election bids. They have accepted the results of the voters. They have done so with class and grace. This one, Donald Trump, doesn’t exhibit any of his predecessors’ decorum. Worse than that, neither do the mindless minions who continue to kowtow to this man’s idiotic notion that he won re-election “by a landslide.”

They should be shamed for the rest of their political careers.

By JOHN KANELIS / johnkanelis_92@hotmail.com

My head may be about to explode.

I am trying to wrap my noggin around what is continuing to unfold after President-elect Biden defeated Donald Trump in the 2020 election.

Trump is refusing to concede to Biden. He is withholding national security briefing material from the new team. Trump’s foot-dragging is stymying the president-elect’s transition team.

Worst of all, he is blocking efforts to enable the new team to prepare for how it plans to deal with the COVID pandemic that continues to kill hundreds of American every day.

I am at a loss as to how I am supposed to react to this. It is outrageous that Trump is doing this. It also outrageous that he seems to care not a damn bit that lives are going to be lost because of this astonishing, astounding, shameful refusal to accept the plain fact that Trump lost to Biden in a transparent, free and fair election. There was no “widespread voter fraud.”

Trump is preaching the Big Lie … delivering fake news!

He is committing arguably the most un-American act many of us have ever witnessed.

What’s more, we have plenty of shame to pass around.

Let’s start with congressional Republicans who continue to resist acknowledging President-elect Biden’s victory. Good God in heaven! they are even refusing to refer to him as “president-elect,” choosing instead to engage in some sort of verbal gymnastics. They have become cowed by a lame-duck president who is continuing to play to his cult of personality.

They, too, are engaging in a shameful display of cowardice the likes of which is utterly beyond my ability to comprehend.

I am struggling to hold onto my hope that Trump eventually will do what he must do, which is accept President-elect Biden’s victory and allow the transition to the new team to commence … at all levels!

It is getting more difficult with each passing day and each outrageous act by the Sore Loser in Chief.

I don’t want my head to explode.