Time for the people to vote

Anxiety has set in as election day approaches, and polls consistently show the race in a dead heat. At this point, many of us are avoiding the news out of self-preservation.

Anxious voters are practicing stress-relief exercises: yoga, running, deep breathing, Hallmark movies. We’re prepared to be either relieved, joyful and thankful after next Tuesday, or disappointed, fearful, even devastated.

Those flocking to Harris rallies in huge numbers are trying to learn more and more about her. At Trump’s rallies, crowds vary in size and are mostly viewed as entertainment, rather than enlightenment. MAGA supporters know full well who Trump is, and like him anyway.

If we’ve paid attention all along to the campaigns, we already know the candidates’ views and nearly all of us are ready to cast our votes.

Vice President Kamala Harris became the candidate for president just three months ago. Sometimes, people forget she was already on the ticket throughout the primaries. Much to the gratitude of disheartened Democrats, she immediately took hold of the campaign, raised more money than anyone else and proved herself perfectly capable of competing at the top of the ticket.

Former President Donald Trump has been campaigning ever since he lost the election in 2020. It’s no wonder he’s exhausted running for president. No wonder everyone else is exhausted as well. Trump has been dominating American politics for nine long years, transforming the Republican Party, raising the level of anger and division among us and lowering the level of stability, morality and civility in our politics.

The majority of voters may very well be relieved if Trump’s participation in American politics comes to an end. Other than the estimated 30% MAGA base who adore him, it’s likely many Republicans wouldn’t mind for Trump to fade from the scene. There is surely some regret they didn’t impeach him when they had the chance. They gambled he would be held accountable by our legal system for his attempt to overturn an election, but they miscalculated.

A handful of conscientious Republican politicians withdrew their support of Trump after the Jan. 6 insurrection, but the majority has remained passive, loyal and subservient. Eventually, there may be consequences for their silence.

Even rank and file Republicans maintain silence when it comes to Trump, avoiding any mention of his name. Lifelong conservatives know their party leader is unfit for the office and they’re ashamed of his behavior and language. Many are deciding enough is enough, and refuse to vote for him again - such as his own former vice president and the majority of his cabinet. They may even cast their vote for Harris, viewing it as an opportunity to save their party from four more years of destruction.

This election goes beyond politics. Enlightened citizens value a strong two-party system. It makes America resilient at home and abroad. It’s good when partisans can believe their own party’s standard bearer is the best candidate; it makes for enthusiastic involvement in our elections. When the opposite party’s candidate wins, however, intelligent patriots concede, brush off their bruised egos and get in line to support the next president. It was always that way - even after Gore vs. Bush. Until Donald Trump.

Trump has changed America, badly damaging our political climate and two-party system. He’s brought fear and ugliness and divisiveness into our lives.

We don’t want to believe politicians are corrupt. We don’t want to believe they are immoral. It’s not pleasant to fear they are tools of foreign enemies and might sell out America. Trump brings out all these fears in us. We genuinely worry about his allegiance to Vladimir Putin and question his loyalty to us.

Trump obviously admires strong authoritarian figures, and his deference to Putin is especially disturbing. Trump’s relationship with multi-billionaire, megalomaniac Elon Musk is even more troubling. Musk, too, has strong connections with Putin and now he and Trump have joined forces, using his money to compete for the presidency - probably in violation of Musk’s contracts with the Defense Department.

Trump has even offered him a seat in his cabinet as a reward for his support. It’s frightening to think how Trump, lured by Musk’s billions, would be easily manipulated by both Musk and Putin.

We have one week until the election. It’s not coming soon enough.