Outcome of the U.S. 2020 Election?

A reader sent me the meme here and writes: Seems like a repeat of 2016. Not sure why folks think there will be a different outcome.

Assuming that Biden’s momentum carries him to victory in the Democratic primary, I actually do expect a different outcome. Here’s why:

• Everyone in this country, not to mention those around the world, have had four long years to observe Trump in action.  Perhaps we knew that it would be bad going in, but few expected the nonstop torrent of blatant lies, nonsensical and self-destructive trade policy, skyrocketing national debt, coddling of dictators and aggression against allies, total environmental devastation, the Stalinesque purging of those of questionable loyalty, the divisiveness and support of white nationalism, the demise of the middle class, the gross obstruction of justice, the wanton cruelty to children, and whatever happened in the last few minutes before I hit “publish” on this post.

• Biden doesn’t carry the huge disapproval/negative rating that Hillary did.  Biden won’t be calling Trump-supporters “deplorables.”  (I will, but he won’t.)

• The wealthy have already gotten what they need from Trump; given what he’s already done to the U.S. Treasury on their behalf, there is a limit, one would suppose, as to how much additional looting is possible.

• It’s possible that his ineptitude surrounding COVID19 will upset voters.  Lying to the American people through Trump’s collusion with Fox News as to the severity of the disease and its impact is a crime against humanity; some people just might object to that.

• Biden has the complete backing of Bloomberg, whose coffers are unlimited, as is the intensity of his demand that Trump exit the White House.

• It’s clear that the entirety of the U.S. military and intelligence communities perceive the sociopath-in-chief as a threat to the nation of the largest possible proportion.  Exactly what this means in terms of this election, I have know idea–and frankly, I don’t want to know.  It’s probably one of those “you could tell me but then you’d have to kill me” things.

• At a certain point in the race, Biden will announce not only a running mate, but perhaps a prospective cabinet.  Candidates here include everybody whom Biden will have beaten to get where he is: Sanders, Buttigieg, Klobuchar, Gabbard, Warren, Steyer, Yang, Booker, and numerous others–all of whom carry some level of voter support.

A senior member of the Department of the Interior told me recently, “In terms of environmental damage, Trump has had far less effect than most people realize, since so many of his destructive orders are hung up in the courts.  If he is given four more years, however, this is going to be a complete catastrophe.”

As presented here, there are lots of vectors that point to Trump’s removal.  Let’s hope that Americans can wrap their wits around this.