At press time, what most disappoints me about the 2020 Presidential Election is, actually, the electorate. Sure, Joe Biden has so far garnered north of 73 million votes–an all-time record–but more than 69 million have voted, inconceivably, after everything, for the incumbent. An incumbent who, at press time, is dishonoring the process with lies, lawsuits and the insistence that, in some states, the vote count be halted. In some states!
It does not get more un-American than that. I mean, why be upset with foreign meddling when the incumbent is willing to do his own election dirty work? But this is off topic, and has been much made mention of.
My bone to pick is with the electorate. How, after all the lies and scandals, the trashing of norms, an impeachment, nepotism, emoluments, cabinet turmoil and thousands of undignified tweets–each starting with the 2016 campaign and continuing yet today–can more than 69 million benighted souls still have voted for this man?
I thought his mishandling of the pandemic alone, with a death toll surpassing 235,000, would be his undoing.
And now this man, desperate as the mail-in vote in Pennsylvania and Georgia may be swinging the election from him, goes on national television, from the White House briefing room, to maintain only those votes cast in person or received by election night are legitimate. Or, as he phrased it, “legal.” All while we are still in real time here, counting–ironically–the first votes last because an unprecedented 97 million chose to avoid the coronavirus by voting via mail.
So maybe it’ll be his undoing, after all.
One thing is certain. During the actual counting it was unseemly of him to say anything whatsoever. The proper time for him to launch his machinations is after the vote has been tallied. Then, he can demand a recount in every state; then, his team of attorneys can attempt to cast doubt on any amount of ballots.
Still, we wouldn’t be in this pickle if we simply picked our president by the popular vote. There would be no incessant wrangling, no flinging of falsehoods, no vigils in front of the television. The time has come to change–especially, somehow, if the incumbent, having lost by four million votes, again wins the electoral college.
Like four years ago, it would be telling four million Americans they don’t matter a damn.
Mr. Oldenbourg, Hah! I hate to be a Debby Downer, but I too share your sentiments on this election. Although I do not champion Biden and he was not my first choice, I am glad he is the next president elect. I could not tolerate four more years of Trump’s, incompetence, straight stupidity, and hateful rhetoric. What in the heck are they thinking??? Yes, surley any logical person would think the handling of the pandemic and tally of preventable deaths would eventually sway Trump’s supporters, but in the end they proved to be loyal to a fault! I am convinced that our countries constant reign of white supremecy from it’s conception to the present day stands strong in the ideology of many. The so-called, founding fathers knew exactly what they were doing when they instituted the electoral college in our voting process… Rich white property holders, because of course anyone of lesser status surely would not know how to vote. I used to think, that at best Trump’s cult of followers were selfish, people who cared only of their own families, with a handful of strays who did not educate themselves properly or continue to vote along party line and at worst they were pretty much miserable, hateful, racists! Well, I believe the latter. I am done making up excuses and trying to find rationality in such outright stupidity. Back to the fight of trying to make this country a better place for myself, my child and everyone to live in. Back to the fight against injustice, racism, and hatred!
I agree 100%. Biden is now leading by 6 million votes, and Trump is doing everything to hinder the transition, most especially during a pandemic! Today he withdrew troops in Afghanistan which puts us at risk! The DOJ sent 16 Federal prosecutors to investigate they found no fraud, it is just more lies by a person who should have never been put in the White House to begin with! God help us all because I fear until January 20th, Trump will try to damage our country even more.