I'm writing this shortly after midnight, at the start of election day in the U.S., November 5, 2024. I'm a very politically liberal person. I generally try to keep politics out of this music blog. But I'll make an exception to say if you're eligible, please vote!
This is going to be one of the most consequential elections in U.S. history. I believe that either Trump wins and we move towards a soft dictatorship, like the kind in countries like Hungary and Turkey, or Harris wins and we remain a real democracy. And so much more is at stake. In my life, I've seen a lot of Republican and Democratic presidents come and go, but I've never been so scared about the outcome as I am now. This would be Trump vengeful and unchained, very different from how he was president the first time around.
But no matter what your political persuasion is, it's a civic duty to vote, so please do it. It does matter. The logic is, if you don't vote, then people like you probably won't vote either. And if that happens, you and people like you have no chance of getting the government that you want.
Thanks! Now it's back to the music.
Here's an article to support my opinion above:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.vox.com/policy/381636/trump-2024-democracy-threat-orban-second-term
Well said!
ReplyDeleteamen!
ReplyDeleteI could not agree more. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteNicely said, Paul. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteAs a European, I'm reduced to a view from the outside, but also we're associated in several ways and tied to one another after almost 8 decades of friendship and support. I agree with your statement and I'm hoping there'll be more voters who share your points - and in the end more electors.
ReplyDeleteThank you for saying it so very well!!
ReplyDeletepossibly a little more of a democracy with harris but with THOUSNDS of dead unborn babies...or maybe they're just "tissue" or medical waste. not sure if a christian could be a democrat but i do know we ALL will have to answer to the Maker
ReplyDeleteIf your daughter was raped, you’d wish that abortion was legal. Imho in the US it is too much black and white without any nuance. With Trump as president the USA and the Western world is in trouble…
DeleteWell said Bert!
DeleteIts fascinating witnessing the lack of self awareness that contemporary liberals across the western world share (especially those from the USA).
ReplyDeleteThat Trump could even credibly stand as a political candidate, in itself is a damning indictment of the state of US politics and the lack of persuasive policies from the establishment mainstream and its corrupt political class and whoever wins you can pretty much guarantee that a plurality if not majority of those eligible to vote will stay at home (just as they have in every Presidential election since WWII) and that within weeks polls will indicate that a significant majority of the American people will believe the country is going in the wrong direction.
I just feel sorry for them because whoever wins I doubt the vast majority of Americans will benefit largely because the political and bureaucratic elite is simply too entitled, too privileged, too insulated, too corrupt and too divorced from everyday life to understand the issues let alone the mechanics of fixing the issues in a sustainable way. If I lived over there, because I believe you should get out and vote, I'd be forced to vote Libertarian by default as a protest (and some of their policies are 'out there' too)
All in all I'm just glad I'm looking in from the outside because frankly it looks pretty awful whatever the electoral outcome is. America will remain a broken, extremist and divided society.
PS And I suspect the rest of the Western World, whilst paying lip service to the 'Leader Of The Free World' [sic], has long since insulated and distanced itself from the excesses of Washington (and who could blame them?). The 'Western World' will persevere whatever happens in the USA.
You are preaching to the choir in my case, but ‘Amen’ all the same. I’m in the U.S. [Virginia] and voted the 1st day I could. If trump and the MAGAs wanted the scare the hell out of people, they have succeeded. Better their success is there rather than in an election. @Anona Mause, I appreciate your perspectives, looking into the shit storm that is U.S. politics, media culture, etc. What’s been fascinating for you has been terrifying to those like me living in the heart of this beast. I too would vote Libertarian by default as a protest if the consequences of trump returning to office with almost total immunity weren’t so nightmarish for the world. including I fear your part of it. I can’t bring myself to watch the results tonight. I just hope I don’t feel the need to apologize to that world as I did in 2016. Your critical view of the USA is fair. Since we obviously need the help, I’d enjoy reading where in this world you have found the flaws and deficiencies we suffer have been more successfully addressed. This sort of elitist, narcissistic authoritarian greed seems the be a thing around this planet, does it not?
DeleteI remember back in the 1980s, seeing Reagan meet some Middle Eastern leaders in their robes and headgear. I thought they must run circles around our "idiot". And I then asked myself why I assumed they were smarter than Reagan. The fact is that Americans, for both better and worse, are not exceptional in the world, as you diplomatically point out. I often read and hear people say that folks in other countries look on the US in disbelief. On our side, we recently watched Britain slow-walk their way off the Brexit cliff, ignoring the increasing support for staying since the 2016 referendum. We watch countries in Europe and around the world -- both the Western and non-Western worlds (a meaningless distinction if you've studied history) -- embracing far-right leaders or moving their governments to the far right. Hungary, Italy, France, and so on. We've got Prime Minister Modi, the Indian Trump, and the ongoing religious violence in India between Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims. (Like religious violence in the Middle East, the violence in India has a long history.) We had the government in Myanmar, nominally peaceful Buddhists, committing genocide against the Muslim Rohingya. We had Rwanda, Darfur, etc.
DeleteThe fact that the rest of the world is a mess too doesn't excuse us. I've been a bleeding-heart liberal my whole life and I gladly voted for Harris. I'm frightened at the thought of what happens next. We were saved somewhat in Trump's first term by a combination of his adminstration's incompetence and the presence of a few cooler heads. (I recommend reading Michael Lewis's short book, THE FIFTH RISK. He describes 3 cabinet departments: some of their key responsibilities/activities and the arrival of the burn-the-government-to-the-ground Trump teams in 2017.) Now we've invited the arsonists back in for a second chance and I don't think we can now trust to incompetence and we definitely can't count on cooler heads.
Sorry to go on so long!
Two commenters here talked about voting Libertarian. The problem with that is that Li8bertarians talk about the dangers of big government, while completely overlooking the danger of big business. One of the problems of politics today is the enormous power wielded by tycoons like Elon Musk and Rupert Murdoch who are completely unaccountable to the public.
ReplyDeleteOops, typo! Delete the "8".
Deletewell, we're screwed now
ReplyDeleteWe're all screwed now, regardless who you voted for.
ReplyDeleteThanks for encouraging all to vote. Mission accomplished! A real president, finally.
ReplyDeletePaul. Although we are at opposite ends of the political spectrum, I wanted to say 'thanks' for your terrific website. I am grateful to have found it and it has provided hundreds of hours of enjoyment. There's room in the center for both of us and perhaps we will meet there someday. Looking forward to more great posts.
ReplyDeleteI agree Tom. Thanks so much, G.
DeleteSee what you get if you encourage people to vote? That was a bad idea.
ReplyDeleteLooks like Americans got the President they deserve. Let's just hope it doesn't echo the events in Germany, one hundred years ago where its leaders were crazed deviants. The warnings are all there.
ReplyDelete