Don’t believe the polls, everyone.
They traditionally size up which candidate people plan to vote for, but they never factor in the effect of voter fraud. Polls don’t reflect all the absentee ballots that won’t arrive, the filed ballots that might mysteriously disappear, or the reduced number of sorting machines, mailboxes, drop off sites, and polling places–so often in black areas, interestingly enough.
As a result, polls can be seductive and so can predictions, they lull us into a sense of complacency. A couple of weeks ago, when even fake-news peddler Rupert Murdoch swore that Biden/Harris will win in a landslide, I had to wonder about his motivation. Call me cynical, but it seems like Murdoch and his ilk are pushing this scenario because they would love us to feel overly confident and just stay home next Tuesday.
Well, that’s obviously not working, since record-breaking numbers of people have packed a sandwich and some anti-anxiety pills and lined up for hours to vote early, sometimes waiting for hours just to vote out Trump.
How about we take this to the next level?
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The only reason a lot of people are staying home Tuesday is that they’ve already voted! As of Friday, over 85 million ballots had already been cast, comprising more than half the complete total of votes four years ago. This is astounding and inspiring, especially since it seems like the desperate rush to oust Donald Trump is what’s behind this deafening explosion of democracy.
People who used to sit home and not care all that much suddenly care as if their lives depended on it. A lot of those who sat it out last time or voted for Jill Stein because Hillary lacked a certain, I don’t know, “likability,” are now turning out in droves to have their voices heard and make sure we don’t repeat the 2016 fiasco. And this is extra gratifying because we’re going to have to care in huge numbers in order to offset all the voter suppression the Republicans are shamelessly attempting. Again: Don’t believe the polls.
The other day, I made a point of voting early, waiting in an even longer line than at Trader Joe’s, just to make sure I put my two cents in as a concerned citizen. Even though New York State will surely go for Joe Biden, I want the numbers here to be staggering—a massive display of contempt for the base theatrics and gross politicizing of the Trump administration, which has immeasurably damaged us as individuals and as a country.
Related: What’s next for Tiger King Kingpin and Trump-loving drag queen?
The showdown between Trump and Biden has been described by some pundits as the most important Presidential election in American history, and I do believe it is, so I’m calling on anyone who hasn’t done so yet to go and exorcise this demon so we can finally put this communal nightmare to rest. (And don’t vote for Kanye either.)
A second term for Trump would mean four more years of lying, treason, bigotry, and projecting, all eagerly supported by his soulless lackeys. (We’ve got to win the Senate too. Let’s go for broke!)
Biden may not be the answer to all your prayers, but anyone claiming that he and Trump are pretty much the same is as deluded as the MAGAts are.
A few pronounced differences:
- Biden knows that Covid is a devastating crisis and must be paid attention to, based on information, not fantasies. Trump finds the whole thing an inconvenience and from the beginning has tried to make it go away just by claiming it’s gone. What’s more, his reckless gatherings have helped the White House practically become the epicenter of the pandemic. He doesn’t even seem to care if his own followers and underlings get sick—and we’re getting so jaded we’re starting to feel the same way.
- Similarly, Biden is well aware that climate change is a real problem that needs to be urgently addressed, whereas Trump feels it’s a joke and people just need to rake their forests.
- Trump is deeply racist, warning us against Mexican rapists and Muslims, encouraging white supremacists, and assuring suburban housewives that he’s made their neighborhoods “safe.” (Code for “white.”)
- Biden’s done and said some lousy things in the past, but compared to Trump, he’s a beacon of equality and he repeatedly condemns the killing of black people by police brutality. He’s a decent guy.
- Trump openly incites violence with his divisive rhetoric. Biden is unequivocally against that tactic and preaches justice and healing, which are drastically needed right now. Also, Trump enjoys nothing more than spitting on blue states, even if people die as a result. Biden wants to be the President of all the states—imagine that?
- Internationally, Trump has made us a third-class joke. We are now seen as a bargain-basement country full of shady allegiances and absurd resentments—and the more he brags about how great we’re doing, the more hollow it feels. His continual elevation of conspiracies, falsehoods, and propaganda have whittled away at our integrity on a grand scale.
- With almost as many sexual accusations against him as against Harvey Weinstein, Trump would hardly seem to be in a position to judge anyone else’s sex life. But he has viciously taken away many of the LGBTQ protections put in by Obama/Biden, all while throwing “Yay gay” rallies that are about as heartwarming as a “Roaches for Raid” circuit party would be. His demonization of trans people has been particularly random and cruel, leading to a horrifying uptick in violence against them. In the process, Trump has put in Supreme Court judges that are under-qualified and deeply bigoted. Trump’s costar in this whole mess, Mike Pence, is a bible-toting hater and hypocrite. If Pence really believed that every word of the bible was to be taken literally as a guidebook for how to live in 2020, he’d be scorning Trump, who’s shamelessly broken most of the Ten Commandments.
- Biden, by the way, is pro-LGBTQ and actually backs up what he says. Obama/Biden put in the Affordable Care Act, which Trump is, naturally, angling to dismantle. Trump is obsessively against anything Obama did, as well as anything that aims to protect the needy.
- If you’re gay, but don’t just vote your sexuality, I’d have to wonder what else you get from being for Trump. Validation of your distaste for people of color, the media, women, immigrants, and science? If you’re rich and don’t want to pay taxes over $400,000, does that eclipse the fact that your right to happily exist (as well as those of your brothers and sisters) are on the line on a daily basis? And if you’re so thrilled about the economy, I’d ask you to look out the window and see all the unemployed folk who are scrounging to stay alive, all happening in Trump’s America. The stock market is lovely—if you have stocks—but does that really make up for all the horrible stuff you’re enabling by approving four more years of a bullying, selfish, grifting, criminal tyrant? And don’t you realize that Democrats traditionally have to step in and fix the tatters of the Republican economy? (That’s exactly what Obama/Biden had to do the last time it crashed)
- If you’re clinging to a deep-seated anti-Biden resentment because you’re a Bernie-or-nobody voter, well, I like Bernie too–and he’s begging you to vote for Biden!
- Trump’s third wife, Melania, says the Democrats want to take away traditional values. Yeah, homophobia, racism, and misogyny.
Vote for Biden/Harris.
End of Ted Talk.
Sister Bertha Bedderthanyu
Excellent points Michael. I wish I could be as optimistic about the future as you are. I voted for Biden three weeks ago and waited only ten minutes in line but all of us in that line had concluded the same thing as we talked while we waited; if the Russians say Trump stays in office then Trump stays in office. They put him there and it will be their decision on whether he leaves or not. Think about this for a minute. With that many people having already voted and the aura of the majority wanting Trump gone what a perfect opportunity for them (the Russians) to turn our streets into what theirs look like before, during and after all elections. It was a brilliant idea to use the ignorant, lonely and frustrated amongst us (or just about the entire population of whats left of rural America) to begin the erosion of our democracy and it worked. Keep them believing this guy (Trump) is the savior of the white race here in America. They’ve won without firing a shot and on Tuesday I expect them to prove it.
I’m pretty sure you already know this but here in the midwest the two major gun retailers (Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops) have been sold out of guns and ammunition above .22 caliber since the last week in September. Its so bad now all of the local gun shops are now out of inventory and are complaining about it. The indoor shooting ranges (pistols) have extended their hours due to overwhelming demand and are telling people who are not in line two to three hours before closing that they will have to come back the next day because they will not get a chance to shoot. Things are crazy and I have a sinking feeling there is going to be trouble regardless of who wins. I just don’t see how we could take another slap across the face with a Trump victory assisted by the Russians and remain a democracy. Did any of us ever think we would see the day when governors of all states have to add extra security during a presidential election? Its hard to argue against whether or not the Russians have won. I say they have.
Chrisk
Let them start shooting. Then the Government will just send in the National Guard and wipe them out.
Sister Bertha Bedderthanyu
Chris, thats a good idea but its based on two standing armies fighting each other and that will not be the case here in the streets of America. Or at least not yet. Their intentions are to cause terror. No democracy allows conditions to reach the level where its military fires on its citizens (Kent State notwithstanding). God forbid if a post election standoff causes demonstrations and the National Guard fires on a group of Trump protesters. You fired on us but not Black Live Matter will be the rallying cry of Rush Limbaugh and all the rest to the ignorant armed to the teeth self militias that now dot the country? Hopefully you are beginning to see the soon to come scenario. A Biden/Harris win leaves them to tell landlords across the country that because of the out of control infection rate that has once again risen (during the holidays of all times) we are going into a two or three month lockdown and they can’t collect rents but are expected to pay taxes and maintain upkeep. A Trump win means to hell with democracy, science and common sense and the country opens up to infection because people must spend money to keep the economy going. It would not shock me if he decides there is not going to be any stimulus package coming to anyone as retaliation for doubting his right to rule. Oh, and lastly there will be no extension of the no eviction law and landlords whom have waited for over seven months for back rent that they know they are never going to get will be allowed to evict people whether sick or not. We’re in trouble.
Openminded
I tend to agree with you. I fear the BLM protests will pale compared to what we are about to see, no matter how the election falls. Rioting in disgust IF Trump wins, or foolish victory celebrations similar to Super Bowl victories where the winners are so happy they go out, turn a car over, and set it on fire. The expected delay in final results will hopefully give everyone time to chill a bit and react with civility. Sadly, I don’t expect either side to take the loss gracefully.
Catholicslutbox
I live in California. My vote would only clog up the machine.
Trump, however, will win. 8 more years of that d-bag.
Chrisk
Clog up what machine? I also live in California. That makes absolutely no sense unless you’re trying to get people not to vote.
KyleMichelSullivan
If you don’t vote, you’re voting Republican by default. What matters is we get tens of millions more votes against that POS and crush the GOP, completely. Your vote will count in that…
TMBisAOK
This is quite the dumb statement. Please explain yourself and then GO BOT ON TUESDAY! Hell, there are so many important local elections too. You sound like what dems have done in the past on off presidential year elections, and that is not acceptable anymore!
ScottOnEarth
Eight “more” years? At this point, it would be four more years. And your rationale for not voting is really stupid.
Cam
Except for the fact that California wiped out multiple Republican House seats last election, and you’ve been pushing Trump support for months. Trying to demoralize people on here from voting is just embarrassing for you. I KEEP asking the RNC and Putin to send smarter trolls but you just keep coming back.
kevininbuffalo
I live in New York near Buffalo and I voted by absentee ballot on Oct. 5, a straight Democratic ticket. Right now my 29 year old son is waiting in the rain to vote for the first time.
I’m a retired factory worker, life long Steelworker, Senior Citizen and Gay man and I can’t understand why anyone like me would vote Republican. For any office. Trump is just plain nuts and without a doubt the worst president in history.
The Pubbies need a big blue wave to come crashing down on them and people need to shut off Rush and Faux News.
KyleMichelSullivan
Cool! I’m in Kenmore and voted Blue, straight down, by mail-in ballot. I also called Erie County’s registrar and made sure they’d received it.
Mikeymusto
Thank you!!!
charlietex
I’m originally from Buffalo, but live in Texas now. I voted early for Biden. My folks will be out on Election Day voting for Biden. They live in rural Lancaster and say it seems overwhelmingly pro-Trump out there. I certainly see that on FB.
I was friends with Chris Jacobs. He is a good man, and it is sad to see such a decent guy turn into a Trumpian. My folks are voting against him too, and are disgusted with his record.
jeffreyb1960
Excellent points, Michael. We MUST NOT be complacent if we want the orange hair clown out of the circus he has made of the U.S.A.
Mikeymusto
Thank you.
otis
At last, something interesting to read in Queerty
TriciaNYC
Bravo!!!! Michael Musto has once again covered all bases and verbalized what so many of us are feeling right now, with his incomparable common sense approach to even the most illogical of circumstances. Great read
Mikeymusto
Thank you, Patricia.
Bumper
Here! Here!
MISTERJETT
BIDEN 2020!!!!!
SnakeyJ
It’s sad that the only argument here, really, is that Biden isn’t Trump. Biden is just as shady. He’s just as corrupt, but he does it with a smile on his face. The difference between him and Trump is that he would keep poor people poor, and outsource any factory or manufacturing jobs. He has been in politics for 47 years, and has accomplished nothing, so why would it change now? His family is corrupt and in the middle of an FBI investigation, and there is strong evidence to suggest that Biden has gotten kickbacks from shifty European deals. The final argument against Biden… he’s clearly in mental decline, and a wildly corrupt Kamala Harris will actually become president within a year.
Thad
Begone, liar. You have no power here.
Isn’t it interesting that New York and New Jersey, who know Trump best, reject him overwhelmingly? But Delaware, not really a wealthy state overall, loves Joe Biden.
Sister Bertha Bedderthanyu
@SnakeyJ…..just remember these three things:
1. Karl Marx said a capitalist will sell you the very rope that he knows you are going to use to hang him with.
2. Biden and Trump are capitalist.
3. Go back and reread one and two.
SnakeyJ
@Sister Bertha: I’m not sure what you mean. Yes they’re both capitalists. I didn’t say anything against capitalism. I am very much in favour of capitalism.
Sister Bertha Bedderthanyu
@SnakeyJ……….I was referring to two things that do connect “scandals” involving both men and your comparison of them. You see, Trump and his family are in bed with the Russians (who claim they are no longer communist though Putin and his refusal to leave office make that very hard to believe) via hush hush behind the door deals and such. Yes, they got something in return for helping him get elected and it was more than politics you can rest assured.
Biden and his family are in bed with the Chinese communists and he should have known how it would look along with the ammunition he was providing the GOP with by having his son deal with the Chinese whether legal or not. His son was there seeking financial gain regardless of the spin being used to divert attention to and from the legality of it. You, a former vice president of the United States and your son is where talking with whom about what again? The real problem is Biden was never expected to run for any political office again but thats not what ended up happening, was it? Luckily for him no one cares but it is what it looks like no matter in my book. As Marx said a capitalist will sell you the very rope he knows you are going to use to hang him with.
TMBisAOK
DUDE GTFOH WITH THAT CRAP!
Kangol2
@SnakeyJ,
Biden isn’t Trump, but this garbage that he “accomplished nothing” in 47 years is BS. I hate some of the legislation he authored, co-authored or pushed, but he also did co-author the Violence Against Women Act and the former Assault Rifle ban, shepherded the 2009 stimulus bill through Congress, helped pass the Affordable Care Act, and more. I mean, just repeating the idiocy of Don the Con is not an argument. Biden did push or support horrible legislation, including the Federal Crime Bill (which a majority of Congress at the time, as well as most Black leaders supported), the Iraq War, etc., but it is just foolish to say he “accomplished nothing.” Please, let go of the Don the Con propaganda.
@Sister, you do realize that Don the Con has been double-dealing with China extensively himself, right? It’s not just Russia, UAE, and Saudi Arabia. The man had (has?) a secret bank account in China, and paid more taxes to that country than he did to the US. Everyone has just decided to disappear the fact that, as John Bolton, a right-wing Republican and Don the Con administration official, pointed out, Don the Con begged Xi Jiping to help him get reelected, and also agreed to overlook the mistreatment of Hong Kong protesters and Uighurs in concentration camps in exchange for help. China also granted Ivanka Con tons of patents once Don the Con became president, essentially buying the two of them off.
The garbage about Kamala Harris is just pure right-wing insanity, @SnakeyJ but you know, given that you’re basically parroting Con propaganda, what else is there to say except open your eyes. This president is a walking, snorting disaster. He’s doing to the US what he did to the taxpayers of New Jersey, only in murderous form with Covid-19. Please, wake up!
Cam
Oh look! The New screename for the same old Troll!
Liquid Silver
I voted at the beginning of October. I got the e-mailed confirmation of my vote acceptance and confirmation of its validity two days later.
I give it a fifty-fifty chance that the Supreme Court decides not to count my vote because Pennsylvania will take more than 4 hot minutes to count votes and that’s too slow for the Republicans and the Court, they’d rather declare Trump the winner because he got the most votes on Election Day. We’ll see.
ScottOnEarth
As always, you absolutely nailed it, Michael. Every. Single. Thing you said is profoundly true and compelling. This is, without a doubt, the most important election in U.S. history. This country is on the verge of true disaster, part of which is the complete dismantling of LGBTQ+ rights. This vile, evil administration will truly stop at nothing to decimate our rights to live freely. Any and all decent, intelligent concerned voters need to do the right thing and vote not only for Biden/Harris but an entirely Democratic ballot. Our lives are literally on the line here, people. And, thank you, Michael, for using your voice. Love you.
Kangol2
Everything Michael Musto says above is true, and I guess we will see what happens given that Don the Con keeps announcing every day or so that he is planning to find one way or another to steal the election (or have SCOTUS or the GOP state legislatures or Russia or somebody do it for him). He also keeps ramping up the violent rhetoric, the threats against his opponents, the lies that his cultists take to be the truth, and the clear fact that he is unwell and should be nowhere near the presidency, let alone anything but a padded room. I voted early and would urge anyone who is on the fence about voting but is tired of the last four years to show up, vote for Biden/Harris, then hold their feet to the fire if they don’t show they are committed to turning things around. Instead of Making America a Grave, the Don the Con approach, tell him he’s got to go!
charlietex
Great points. I am in a relationship with a Republican. I try to make these points but he doesn’t get it.
GayEGO
Too bad, he is brainwashed by Trump. There are a lot of Republicans who are voting for Biden.
SnakeyJ
@charlietex: maybe he does “get it” but doesn’t agree with the argument. Most of the points in this article are not backed with facts. Your partner probably reads both sides and then makes up his own mind based on the facts.
Cam
@SnakeyJ
Troll tactic, make a vague insinuation but no facts to back it up.
Please, by all means, point out exactly what in the article was wrong.
jkb
Many people need healthcare. Joe won’t pass M4A which would save lives. Joe won’t legalize marijuana though lives are being wasted in jail because of laws against it. Not all lives depend on this election.
JessPH
So don’t vote for Biden and just keep the guy who would dismantle the ACA? How immensely stupid. Ugh.
GayEGO
Biden is much better than Trump! Vote Blue!
Cam
Great article Michael! Already voted, Straight Dem.
One side note. Aubrey O’Day, stated that Ivanka is a lesbian and insinuated Jared was a marriage of convenience. NOBODY in the Trump family has even threatened to sue her. She says she has proof.
So what do your gossip spies say???
GayEGO
I already voted by drop off ballet box on October 14th, it was accepted on October 16th!