First, some context. I live in a solidly blue, suburban town. It is not in a swing state, it’s one of those unquestionably considered Democrat and it has reliably been so for as long as I’ve been around, which is well over half a century. I suspect that most Republican voters cast their ballots not because they believe it will make a difference in the outcome, but out of patriotism and duty.
I’ve just returned from reconning my voting location, a local high school gymnasium. At 20 minutes from the time the polls opened at 6:00 AM there was a line about 50 yards long down the sidewalk emanating from the entrance door. Across from the entrance on a small embankment was a gaggle of Biden-Harris signs. By stark contrast I noted that nowhere to be seen either on that lawn area nor on the way over were there any readily visible Trump-Pence signs. Our local paper and town blogs have had numerous stories about how GOP signs from the top down have been vandalized over the last couple of months. It goes to show just how angry, vile and repugnant the hardened Left is.
The people in line seemed solemn and all were dignified. Strikingly, there was no way to tell who people were going to vote for. No MAGA hats, no bright blue indicators, no pins or descriptors of any kind. There was little animation, little discussion going on…just a quiet, almost reverential queue. Most but not all wore masks, and many of those who did had them down below their noses, their disdain and grudging compliance in full view.
Here’s my take. I surmise that the vast majority of those voters in line were going to vote for Trump-Pence as well as the down-ballot Republicans. And I believe that the number of voters throughout the state who will similarly vote Republican today will be greater than in either 2016 or 2018. It may not make a difference to the outcome for the presidency, but I can’t help but wonder if it will make a difference down-ballot, with gains for the GOP in county-wide and local contests. It just might.
As I turned on the tv upon returning home I was deluged with talking heads, of course, and notably, all commented either directly or indirectly on THE NUMBERS. It struck me that everyone is substantiating their opinion based on reported data of one sort or another. This genuflection to THE NUMBERS is laughable. First, the numbers are frequently, in fact most of the time, WRONG! Sampling is about as inexact a science as there is. It’s based on the faulty and dubious assumption that the sample is representative. Far more often than not, human nature being what it is, it isn’t.
But it sells ad revenue. The more controversy, the more drama, the more conflict, the more blood, the more people are gripped and the more they watch the accident by the side of the road.
As we saw in 2016, what matters is the scoreboard at the end of the game. I’ve taken my omeprazole, have had my two cups of coffee, have turned the sound off on my tv, turned on my Parler, stock market and classical music playlist feeds, and settled in for what will be a long day. About 6:00 PM I’ll start my deep breathing exercises and continue my vigil well, I suspect, into the night. This IS the most consequential election of my lifetime, and may very well determine the course our country will take for the next generation. Whether we are led by pragmatic adults or dysfunctional utopian dreamers will be determined. The adults, I maintain, will prevail.
May God bless America and despite our faults and inadequacies, give us the leadership we need.
