Election Panic

To my grandchildren: 

What a terrifying time to be alive! It’s three days post-Election-Day, and we still don’t know who our next President is going to be. Luckily, it’s looking more and more like Biden has the votes he needs to get him into the White House, and thank goodness for that. I do have quite a few concerns about what’s going to happen in four years when Biden can’t get anything done while he’s in office because of the Republican Senate majority - will America elect someone even worse than Trump? 

I’m trying very hard not to think about that too much. Right now, we need to celebrate whatever win we can get - God knows that wins are hard to come by these days. I’m assuming y’all won’t read this for another 50 years or so; I have my fingers crossed that you live in a world where intolerance is so obsolete that the stories I tell you will feel archaic. And be sure to let me know when my old-fashioned ideas are seeping out, like if I make fun of you for your robot boyfriend or something. 

The last couple days have felt like a million years. The information never stops coming - it’s at the tip of our fingers, and it’s just so hard to look away. It’s not unlike picking a scab. It’s not good for you, and the more you do it, the worse it gets, but for some reason, you just can’t stop. How could I stop, when the President’s claiming that there’s fraudulent votes - but only in the states he’s losing? When there’s a new update on the vote count in swing state counties every hour? When it feels like everything could change if you blink for a second too long? Apparently, this type of engagement with social media is called “doom scrolling,” and it’s exactly what it sounds like - the more you scroll, the more an overwhelming sense of doom washes over you. 

Also, why does the Electoral College exist? I mean, I know why it exists, but why does it STILL exist?!

I’ve been trying to distract myself, but that’s a little tough when nothing’s open and the pandemic is rearing its big, angry head once again (not that it ever stopped) because it’s been mismanaged from the very beginning. So far, all I’ve managed to do is re-enter my middle school Harry Potter phase. (Do NOT ask me about which Draco Malfoy fanfictions I’ve read. I’ll tell you when I’m on my deathbed, so be patient.) 

Until next time. Take care of yourselves until then. 

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