I wear a mask. I keep physical distance when I’m away from home. I voted early by mail.
All this makes me the enemy of President Donald Trump. And on this point I agree with Trump. He has good reason to fear people like me.
One of the main reasons for voting early by mail is concern, given the pandemic, about the health and safety of voting places. Many of us remember the Wisconsin primary, when voters were forced by a judge’s ruling to vote in person, despite the pandemic.
This means that those of us who voted early by mail because of the pandemic aren’t likely to show up, unmasked, at Trump rallies. When Trump hears reports of widespread early voting, he knows those voters aren’t the ones worshipping him at his rallies.
No wonder Trump is desperate to convince his followers that voting by mail is tainted by fraud. This is despite all the evidence that voting by mail is safe and secure. But wait, Trump isn’t saying voting by mail will be fraudulent in all states. No, it’s safe in states that will vote for him. It’s only unsafe in states where he’s likely to lose or where the race will be close.
Remove mail boxes and mail sorters in states where Trump could lose? No problem. We’ll just say such steps are routine efforts to increase postal efficiency. Make African Americans stand up to six hours in line to vote while making it easy to vote in white affluent suburbs? No problem.
Punish CDC scientists who have the nerve to say that there won’t be a safe vaccine until sometime mid to late 2021? No problem. Trump is smarter than all the scientists in the world combined.
In Florida, deny the legal right to vote for those who’ve paid for their crimes and are back leading lawful lives in society? No problem. We can’t have criminals deciding elections — unless we’re talking about Roger Stone and his ilk.
Not admit what foreign governments are doing to affect the election? Not necessary. Why would anyone think Russia and Saudi Arabia would want Trump in the White House, weakening NATO, insulting European allies, punishing Iran and ignoring the ongoing plight of Syria?
Threaten to remain in the White House if he loses? Not a problem. Elections will be better decided by a conservative Supreme Court, just like in 2000. Letting the people decide who should be president is too much of a gamble. Better to rig the game before it’s even played. With a straight face, we’ll still wave the flag and call it a victory for democracy.
Ask voters to forget climate change, an unfair judicial system, the need for police reform, the plight of immigrants, the loss of our nation’s standing in the world and the failure to respond effectively to the coronavirus? No problem. We’ll keep repeating “Keep America Great” over and over again until people no longer question what “greatness” really looks like.
For someone who tries to sell the American public that he’s the tough guy in this election, Trump seems opposed to all efforts to make the election a fair fight. But we all know his type. He’s the bully in junior high who cheated in every game he was in.
David Carlson of Franklin is a professor emeritus of philosophy and religion. Send comments to [email protected].
