US Election 2020

Even though Trump is a vile human being - a misogynist, a bully, an unempathetic pathological liar, a borderline racist, a failed businessman (according to his tax and bankruptcy records) among other things, I do have a few friends who will vote for Trump - unconvinced by our plea to make American presidency decent again! To them, the small government, the tax cut along with all the usual deep state conspiracy theories are much more significant, even at the cost of social progress - like health care, education for all, social justice, reducing income inequality, assisting unemployed people etc.

For many of the moderates and progressives, 2016 was a shock. All the national polls were wrong and all of the national media kept repeating the polls as if the election was a done deal. They kept talking about what Trump would do after losing the election. I remember all of them including CNN, PBS, NPR were talking about TrumpTV. In fact, media's broadcasting "it's all over for Trump" - was a contributing factor why Clinton lost - people just didn't bother to go vote. Yes, media helped Trump win in 2016.

So I hope all of my friends, acquaintances and strangers would stop looking at any polls and would go out and vote this time - and not sit this election out.

Over the last four years, many of the Trump voters have become more vocal. They are fairly well versed with opinion-based engineered facts - thanks to social media and Fox News like propaganda machines. When you talk to them - BLM issues are counter argued by the need for Law & Order; HealthCare and education are counter argued by the Freedom to choose; Abortion and LGBTQ issues are counter argued by the need to be 'governed by God'. These people posses a general affection for autocrats and dictators - sort of like saying - 'someone ought to give these politicians a good beating'. Their opinions and views are probably more hardened over the last four years. Even as recent failure as covid with 215,000 death in the US, they respond by saying - "you cannot blame Trump for a pandemic" - in other words, focus on the disease, not how it is managed.

But I cannot help thinking - couldn't there be some Trump voters who would look at the four years and reconsider their choice? Could there be enough of them to make a difference? May be this time - they are shy about expressing their dissatisfaction with Trump.

Remember in 2016, many Trump voters publicly remained quiet and then voted for him at the polls?

Well, I hope this time, many Trump voters will quietly and privately vote for the other guy at the polls.

I can hope.. can't I?

https://youtu.be/Idi_M9ISor0