Treating Election Anxiety Disease
This was written by a friend of mine, George Dillingham, the county chair of Washington County, Texas. It helped me a lot yesterday so I decided to share it with you.
I have received calls from many Democrats who are suffering from what I call election anxiety disease. This disease has no biological basis but has infected many good Democrats as a result of the memory of the disappointment and shock felt on election night in 2016. If Democrats gather together with or without masks and begin to obsess about the 2020 election, election anxiety becomes highly infectious.
I suggest that one remedy for calming frayed nerves and anxiety is to refrain from comparing the election in 2016 to 2020. Joe Biden, the Democratic candidate, is much different from Hillary Clinton. He is a respected white male who represents an acceptable alternative to swing voters and disaffected Republicans who don’t want to vote for Donald Trump. While the polls were favorable to Hillary Clinton in 2016, Joe Biden has much larger leads than Clinton and in many states is above the margin of error. Finally, it appears that there will be a record turnout in battleground states which has historically benefited Democrats.
My view and that of many knowledgeable political pundits is that the “Blue Wall” of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin will be resurrected for Biden/Harris. But I caution that there may be some anxious moments for Democrats on election night as all three states take some time to count absentee ballots.
The odds of Trump’s re-election are very long when you look at the election map. He can’t afford to lose any two of the states he narrowly won in 2016 and he must win Florida and Texas with both of these rated very close contests. The election math is very much against him.
In addition to general election anxiety, I have been questioned by Democrats about the reality of actually turning Texas Blue. My opinion is that the huge increase in voter turnout in Texas moves a win by Biden in Texas from unlikely to possible. We have known that for a long time that low turnout in Texas has greatly favored Republicans. With the dramatic increase in voter participation, we could also see Democrats take control of the Texas House of Representatives and elect several new Democrats to congress like our own, Mike Siegel. Finally, the trend is favorable to turning Texas Blue. In 2012 Mitt Romney won Texas by 16 points. In 2016 Trump won Texas by 9 points. In 2018 Ted Cruz won Texas by 3 points. The trend here is definitely our friend.
I hope that some of this information is helpful in dealing with you election anxiety. As for myself, I already have a bottle of Champaign on ice, but I realize that I might not pop the cork until November 4th or 5th.
I wish I could be as sanguine. Will white-knuckle it here for the next few days.
1Thank you for sharing those words of wisdom, Ms. JJ. We’re staying both busy and “on call” should someone need to take a ballot to a drop box or need a ride to the polls tomorrow. No poll number watching, and definitely no early returns watching tomorrow. Whereas poll watching tomorrow is on our horizon as requested to keep the polls accessible to voters.
Normally I looks at a cellphone as a PITA sort of convenience. But it’s been a healthy advantage the past few days, so I can go about my normal business without worrying about neglecting one voter or vote.
Our boys are thriving on the extra attention, mommy baking at an unusual pace, and daddy always ready to throw a baseball around now more than ever available. Our youngest Jack isn’t quite ready to learn various grips on the threads but can throw a respectable fast ball into a bale of hay. His big brother KJ has a better than average chance already at the ripe old age of 4 of going pro with both speed and control. And their proud papa and grandpas?, we’re doing our best to restrain ourselves and make sure the boys love sports for the fun of the game. Let the little guys start with Little League and decide for themselves past that.
2Yes, thanks and good advice. I’ve been hearing the pollsters and pundits talk today about how different 2020 is than 2016, and all the elements that helped Trumpf in 2016 that are just not there this time around. Unfortunately, it’s my nature to not get overconfident, whether it be in the sports teams I root for or politics. Was unbelievably distressed when Trumpf was elected. I hope I will be able to forget that this week and start being hopeful about the next 4 years.
3Anyway, thanks. Polls start closing in 24 hours and 20 minutes.
OT : Speaking of anxiety:
A soon to be Cat 5 mega-hurricane is fixing to slash into Nicaragua and Honduras with sustained winds of up to 170mph, which is equivalent to a gigantic EF4/5 tornado.
Hurricane Eta has had almost no coverage in the US media [I’m waiting on the NewsHour].
This cyclone has developed very rapidly, and is expected to turn and re-emerge back into the NW Caribbean on a northerly track. Whether it reaches the GOM isn’t progged yet.
With a storm this intense many people are going to have their lives ruined or taken.
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
“WTNT34 KNHC 022351 TCPAT4
BULLETIN
Hurricane Eta Intermediate Advisory Number 9A
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL292020
700 PM EST Mon Nov 02 2020
…ETA CONTINUES TO RAPIDLY INTENSIFY AS IT APPROACHES THE COAST OF
4NORTHEASTERN NICARAGUA…
…LIFE-THREATENING STORM SURGE, CATASTROPHIC WINDS, FLASH FLOODING,
AND LANDSLIDES EXPECTED ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AMERICA…
SUMMARY OF 700 PM EST…0000 UTC…INFORMATION
———————————————-
LOCATION…14.4N 82.4W
ABOUT 70 MI…110 KM ESE OF CABO GRACIAS A DIOS ON NIC/HON BORDER
ABOUT 70 MI…115 KM ENE OF PUERTO CABEZAS NICARAGUA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…150 MPH…240 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT…WSW OR 250 DEGREES AT 9 MPH…15 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…934 MB…27.58 INCHES”
“FiveThiryEight” has some positive type articles worth reading. Google it.
5There has never been a presidential race in history in which all votes are counted on election night. It’s just not physically possible to instantly count that many ballots — possibly as many as 150 million on the night of Nov. 3. AP
64 days ago, The Atlantic ran a piece called ‘Don’t Sweat the Polls’ that made sense and added hope. 5 ways 2020 is different than 2016.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/don-e2-80-99t-sweat-the-polls/ar-BB1avo0E
7John @ #7- good article and makes a lot of sense. Similar to what I’d been reading today. Might help me sleep tonight. Good reading all. God I hope all this is correct. 24 hours from now it’ll be 10 pm eastern. I hope James Carville is right.
8My stress relievers are live cams of baby birds (raptors) in their nests and animal videos. We’ve done all we can, so now it’s just wait and see what happens.
9Evening J.J.
10Thanks for sharing this.
And thanks to Mr. Dillingham.
As we all know concern and empathy for others is almost a requirement to be a Democrat. Your words are a great example.
On a related note, I realize I’ve been kinda prickly for awhile now.
So to any I’ve been a prick to, apologies.
MAGAts would think admitting bad behavior and actually apologizing is the worst kind of weakness.
That’s horseshit.
Fear of appearing weak to the point of denying the truth is the worst weakness.
About two weeks ago, I had a tele-conference with my doc. I asked for and received a prescription for an anti-anxiety medication — just enough to last through January.
She just wrote the scrip, not even asking me why, since we had run into each other at a women’s protest march in January, 2016. She knew why.
So far, it seems to be helping. Somewhat.
11Well, if there’s ANY reason for people to relax today, it’s because of all the people who have worked so hard to get out the vote!
You know who you are, phone banking and driving the citizens of “battleground states” crazy (Or texting. Or the emails…). Or going door to selected door dropping off literature. If Dems win (bigly) it’s because of hard work and citizen involvement.
Thank you!
12