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MineralMan

(146,192 posts)
Sun Nov 1, 2020, 04:16 PM Nov 2020

Like I do every day, I spoke to my 96-year-old father yesterday.

He was talking about the election. We don't really discuss politics, because he is a Republican and I am something far different, but we do discuss voting. Yesterday, he told me that, for the first time, he will not vote this year. He has his and my mother's absentee ballots, but said that he wasn't going to bother taking them to the drop box at the local library. "What's the point?" he said. "Clearly, the guy you support will win in California." I was surprised, because he has always made a strong point about voting as a responsibility.

My mother, who has advanced dementia, wouldn't be voting, and my father, who still drives and runs errands in town, just isn't feeling it this year. He doesn't like Trump one bit, but can't bring himself to vote for Biden. So, he's just going to toss his ballot in the garbage and let it go at that.

I wonder how many other Republicans who recognize what an asshole Trump is will do something similar. They can't vote for Biden, for whatever reason they think makes sense, but voting for Trump is almost equally as noxious a choice for them. I think my father will not be alone in just tossing the ballot and getting on with their lives.

In a way, I suppose, not voting makes some sense for people like my father. Maybe others will feel the same.

That is my hope, anyhow.

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Like I do every day, I spoke to my 96-year-old father yesterday. (Original Post) MineralMan Nov 2020 OP
My instinct is that many Republicans will do the same. yardwork Nov 2020 #1
I hope that happens. Not voting is another available choice. MineralMan Nov 2020 #3
Works for me. And it helps us downticket, too. yardwork Nov 2020 #4
We won't know whether they vote or not. MineralMan Nov 2020 #5
That is what I am hoping my dad does. MLAA Nov 2020 #2
Sorry to hear about your mother grantcart Nov 2020 #6
Yes. She was fine until about 92 years of age. MineralMan Nov 2020 #8
This message was self-deleted by its author grantcart Nov 2020 #7

yardwork

(61,408 posts)
1. My instinct is that many Republicans will do the same.
Sun Nov 1, 2020, 04:18 PM
Nov 2020

Like your dad, they haven't returned their ballots. They won't bother to vote on Tuesday.

The polls are meaningless. It's who actually votes that matters. Every vote counts.

MineralMan

(146,192 posts)
3. I hope that happens. Not voting is another available choice.
Sun Nov 1, 2020, 04:20 PM
Nov 2020

The cognitive dissonance is strong for many people this year.

grantcart

(53,061 posts)
6. Sorry to hear about your mother
Sun Nov 1, 2020, 04:34 PM
Nov 2020


I wonder how many senior women in their 70s and 80s and fed up with a lifetime of abusive bosses like Trump say to their Trump voting husbands

"Honey here is a piece of pecan pie, I have to go to the pharmacy for some meds. Hand me your absentee ballot and I will drop it off" and ends up putting the Trump ballot in the mail, lol.

MineralMan

(146,192 posts)
8. Yes. She was fine until about 92 years of age.
Sun Nov 1, 2020, 04:36 PM
Nov 2020

Now, she recognizes nobody. It's incredibly sad to experience. My father is devastated by it.

Response to MineralMan (Original post)

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