The world is now subjected to a tsunami of multimedia messages concerning the 2024 US Presidential election and the protagonists. Little substantive discourse escapes the emotional pleading soundbites in the well viewed shallow offerings of televisual media and radio. Informative, in depth discussion and analyses of the issues of most interest to voters has become an insignificant niche side-room visited by few. Traditional broadsheets have deserted depth for the more lucrative shallow end of emotive partisanship. This election is the latest battle in a global cyber-war against human minds. Most Orwellian.
For those promoting the Trump/Vance ticket, this election represents the opportunity to save America from an illegitimate regime destined to destroy America through mass importation of foreign, illegal immigrants and the corruption of the Institutions of law. Vote for Trump to reassert the Constitution, clean up the corruption in the legislature and judiciary, get America’s economy functioning, end the foreign wars and streamline the federal government. It is a vote for freedom in favour of tyranny!
For those promoting the Harris/Walz ticket democracy is on the line: victory is essential to ‘save democracy’ and to protect Americans’ rights from a fascist regime headed by Donald J Trump, the racist, misogynist new age American Hitler. It is a vote for freedom in favour of tyranny!
Of course both can not be correct.
For the vast majority of Americans who fall into neither of the above baskets, the vote in this election is about traditional party loyalty or independence, about jobs, inflation, house prices, pay, healthcare and about immigration, the issue which voters worldwide are beginning to understand affects all others. How will they respond in this election considering the plethora of media inputs and the chaos of the modern day information world? For those tuned in live on 5th of November and watching on election night with a Going Postal window open in their browser, I’ll leave a couple of pointers which should give you an indication of how the election has gone:
The first results will come from east coast states shortly after midnight GB time. Results in states which report early will give an indication of how the election will pan out.
Firstly, New Hampshire and North Carolina – early reporting states. New Hampshire is ‘slated’ to go to Kamala Harris. If her margin of victory is two points or less, or in the unlikely event of Trump winning New Hampshire, then it will be a good night for Trump. If Trump wins North Carolina by 3% or more, a state where he has won in the previous two elections, it will be a good night for Trump. A Trump victory announcement in Pennsylvania would close off a viable route for Harris to win the election.
Should North Carolina become a coin flip and Harris blows Trump away in Virginia by more than 10 points, and if Pennsylvania is ‘too tight to call on the night’ – this would signify a good night for Harris. Should Trump not clearly win Georgia, expect Harris to squeeze the marginals of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
Sadly, those watching will not be seeing the genuine tally of the votes of American citizens. The convoluted and corruptible methods that have been woven into the electoral systems in the USA have become mistrusted, and the officials who oversee elections openly ignore and contravene state laws and actively use law to reduce the openness, clarity, and integrity of the very elections they are entrusted to officiate. This has spawned an industry of election monitoring and the active interest of citizens in providing eyes and ears at the sites where ballots are handled and counted. We will be watching a media show – one which may not provide a definitive answer to the question ‘TRUMP? OR HARRIS?’, but one which may go on for days or weeks.
I’m an Englishman so I don’t have a vote – nor should I, but may interest can not be understated. My heartfelt prayers for the American people and a strong Trump victory are my only personal contribution to the matter.
Oh, for the days of paper ballots, a cross in the box, and voting in person at the local designated polling station on the same day!
© James Dalton 2024, (former Councillor (Independents for Direct Democracy), Holme Valley Parish Council and most complained about councillor in Kirklees history!)
