Get Out the Vote

 Brett spent a good portion of his afternoon making phone calls for the Republican party reminding Monroe county residents to vote in tomorrow's election.  When I asked him how it went, he said that most people that he talked to had already voted through early voting or absentee ballots.  I wasn't surprised as millions of Americans had done so across the country in hope to avoid exposure to the coronavirus or just to make sure that their voices were heard.  Stories of long lines already occurring at polling places and the tight Presidential polls have dominated the news.  The concern on media outlets that the Presidential race will not be decided until days, weeks or months after the election has also not surprising.  Democrats and Republicans across the country have been fighting ever since Trump was elected in 2016.  Why would the 2020 election be any different?  Neither Doug nor I put much stock in either candidate.  Doug said it best when he stated that it was like choosing between someone who is completely incompetent and someone who is downright crazy.  His real concern was the rioting that could take place once the results are announced no matter who wins.

As poorly as I believe both parties have behaved these past few months, what bothers me the most is the current attitude of the American people.  In the spring when the lockdown orders were mandated, Americans seemed to pull together and support one another.  Since May, however, disagreements on hot button topics have led to rioting and health mandates have turned  into tirades about loss of civil liberties.  The cancel culture has made it almost impossible to support anyone anymore and the moral police have come out in full force to jump on every popular opinion bandwagon possible.  What happened to empathy, caring and kindness?  Those used to be popular buzz words as well.  Why can't we all jump back on the compassionate train?  The overwhelming selfish American attitude in  2020 has become hard to watch.  I pray that the election will end the hate.  Unfortunately, I just don't think it will.