[Make up] Module 9: Free write

 The final week of the Presidential campaign seems like a life time ago. However, what I do remember from the time before we knew Joe Biden would be president was one of the most tense times in American history. While all the polls and metrics pointed towards a Biden-Harris victory, it was as unbearably close as expected. What the tense atmosphere of that week taught me is that, despite the fact that most Americans don't deal with federal government very often, they act as if they do. What I mean by that is that Americans do not seem to care much for politics, politicians or elections until it is at their doorstep. Then in a switch that befuddles my mind, the American populace can rise up in anger over the results of the Presidential and other elections, while sometimes not even voting. All of this depends on which demographic you are apart of, and that groups views on voting.

The theme I am writing about the duality within America, from non-caring to overwhelming care  within days. This is also how our news media often portrays Americans which further perpetuates the self fulfilling stereotype. Perhaps even going so far as to discourage voting by emphasizing the meaningless of it, or the futility due to long lines or other forms of suppression.

This all may change with the changing of Americas demographics, as the "darkening" of America continues, there is some data to suggest that will lead to greater voter turn out. The Brookings Institute released a paper on the future of the American electorate past the 2020 election on October 19th, where they walk through how not only Americas ethnic diversity growing, but Americas rural population continuing to shrink. Which in fact threatens many rural living Americans as they rightly feel as they are being moved lower and lower down the political priority list. 

This feeling of being underrepresented, and having "their country stolen from them" obviously culminated in the heartbreaking storming of the capital during the certification process. It felt like that was going to happen from the minute the election seemed to be swinging towards Biden's direction. As soon as Biden began to experience success accusations of fraud began to swirl. A plan laid out long ago by Former President Trump, who said if he lost it would be only due to fraud. Therefore he had given his supporters impetus to question the election no matter what. Like I had already stated many of these people have felt ignored by the government for multiple generations, so the distrust of the system was already heavily in place. How this ties to my overall theme of duality is that while these people distrust the government, democrats, republicans, and pretty much all political establishment, why do they suddenly care ?

They care because whether they voted or not, Donald Trump had at least the political willpower to look at white rural America. Second when he looked, instead of pointing out the many problems to be found within the culture, education systems, or the blatant racism, he pointed out how beautiful they were. He pointed out how obviously proud they were to be Americans, a fact that is to be envied by "everyone." Donald Trump was in many ways the first politician to reach out to many of these fringe conservatives, and anti-democratic racists. The genuineness of his actions can be questioned but his success in building a popular following in rural and white America can not. Therefore how he and his campaign were successful should be studied for all rural running campaigns. 




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