Feeling powerless? How foreigners can survive the US election without complete nervous collapse

[Violet_Crumble]

This is how I'm feeling right now...

As much as we want to scream HOW CAN YOU VOTE FOR THIS LARGE ORANGE CLOWN, don’t

Now, millions of us around the world recently sport what I call the “FiveThirtyEight Pallor” – a face-bound, sleepless waxiness that results from relentlessly refreshing US poll sites to see if there’s any projected movement in Maine’s second district. Vast hordes of non-farming, non-Americans now intimately familiar with the price of soybeans in Iowa is a terrifying symptom of these anxious times.

Is there a way for powerless, poll-watching foreigners to get through the next 24 hours – and the aftermath – without complete nervous collapse? Probably not. But let’s delude ourselves into thinking that we can follow the below advice and go through this with a sense of calm.

1. We must admit to ourselves we are powerless over the US, and to think otherwise will make our lives unmanageable

As much as you may want scream HOW CAN YOU VOTE FOR THIS LARGE ORANGE CLOWN to Americans visible on Twitter, don’t. This very publication is haunted by the failure of “Operation Clark County” back in 2004, where British Guardian readers wrote letters of persuasion to a swing district of American voters, requesting politely they not vote for George W Bush. “Real Americans aren’t interested in your pansy-ass, tea-sipping opinions” began one of the gentler replies.


https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/nov/03/feeling-powerless-how-foreigners-can-survive-the-us-election-without-complete-nervous-collapse

Good luck for tomorrow, my American friends. I'm keeping my very anxious fingers and toes crossed that American democracy can be saved and we'll see President Biden and Vice-President Harris from tomorrow...

[CottonBear]

1. Thanks for the moral support,Violet! 🇦🇺 🇺🇸

It’s 3:02 AM here in Georgia. I campaigned door to door for my local Georgia State House Representatives this past weekend, and I finished my last Phone bank call session for Raphael Warnock at 8pm EST on Nov. 2. It’s up to the voters now.

Hello from Georgia! 👋🍑
I’ve met so many nice Australians in my travels abroad and also here in Georgia!

We’ll see you on the other side! 🗳🔵🌊🍑🇺🇸

[DFW]

2. Thanks from an American expat!

I will probably be pulling an all-nighter here in Düsseldorf. I was contacted by a radio station here to be in on an all-night live election coverage, but it seems the lockdown nixed that. However, I will be following from here, and on a zoom watch for a while with at least of one of the north Texas women running for Congress (Candace Valenzuela). I have been in touch with two more within the last day or two, as well as the man who will, with any luck, be our next Senator from Colorado.

My German wife, the eternal European pessimist, thinks we are in for another nasty surprise (she thought so last time, and told me, "I told you so!" so I can't call her wrong--YET!). She would be only too happy to say she was wrong tomorrow morning. So would I.

[Laurelin]

3. Thanks from expat 2

At least I could vote (but did it count? In Texas? It's not like my signature hasn't changed since I registered 20 years ago. At least Travis has a democratic secretary of state. But still...)

Where do I find my wizard?

[hlthe2b]

4. I wonder just how much the rest of the world knows they are simply expressing the same

thoughts and feelings as the 60% or so Americans with a functioning brain. There is no signficiant separation between progressives (and the rational) in terms of our views on what is happening (and has happened) in American politics.



I, for one, am glad to read the global reaction/perspective and tend to devour those English or German-language international newspapers I find online to get a sense. Very reassuring.

[Hortensis]

5. Thanks, Violet Crumble. Good suggestions, especially about the polls,

except I'd skip the kind of foods trumpists might cling to. Sounds like it'd just bind those who make that mistake up in anxious misery. We certainly wouldn't wish that on our friends as we all wait this out together.