By R.Lee Poole
So here it is, November 3, 2020. The day Americans vote for the president and many other government officials across the nation.
If you listen to the campaigns, the soul of the country is at stake. The incumbent is making the same promises he made last time. Drain the swamp, put people back to work, remake healthcare, and on. His base is still eating it up like it was free pizza and wing night at the bowling alley. The challenger is bringing his best. He is calling out the lies, the lack of integrity, the leadership failures and all the other presidential flaws.
The back-and-forth has been like a car crash. You don't want to, but you can't help watching. Our national anxiety level is at a fever pitch. Incidents of intimidation have already been reported along the campaign trail. Even here in my home town, I watched a group of MAGA folks buzz through the parking lot of the early voting location with a decorated truck and trailer. They went right along the voter line well within 100 feet of the location. The cool thing was nobody near me got rattled. Folks just shrugged it off and continued waiting to make their voices heard. It was either a sense of solemn duty or the chill in the air. I couldn't tell.
That was last Saturday. Today, I've been putting myself in a limited social media and news blackout. Instead of doom scrolling Twitter and bouncing through the news, I'm keeping occupied to fight the anxiety of the day. I've done some chores, walked my dogs and am watching movies. More chores later and maybe a peek at the news.
I used to keep glued to the television and have multiple screens going on election night. That changed in 2016. I couldn't believe what was happening and feared what the reality show host and failed businessman was going to bring. In retrospect, I had no idea how divisive things would become. I never thought I'd tell people in 2020 that this isn't the country I served. The chaos, disregard for the constitution and rule of law have been mind-blowing.
Then the pandemic happened.
More than 200 thousand souls lost and our president is calling the scientists “idiots” and holding super-spreader events across the nation. This after many of his staff have contracted the virus that his base calls a hoax. We've heard promises it'll all go away, a vaccine is on the horizon and we're “turning the corner” on the virus. What's around the corner? A long, hard winter according to the experts. That means a spike kids. It's going to get worse before it gets better. If the incumbent remains in office, it will get much worse.
What I would like to see: A Biden/Harris victory, a sweep of the senate and retention of the house. It may be a pipe dream, but a kid can dream.
If it happens, there may be civil unrest, but my gut tells me we won't tumble into civil war. After the new administration will bring a feeling of calm back to us. The scientists will be trusted and the Defense Authorization Act will be brought into full action. Healthcare workers will be issued the PPE they need to protect themselves while treating the sick. We may even have a vaccine by the middle of next year. Supply chain issues may crop up, but I have faith we'll have it available to all at a reasonable or no cost.
Faith is what we all need to have. In ourselves, in each other, and in our democracy. If we don't, we're more screwed than we think.
