‘Scare’ tactics likely to last all the way up to final second of '16 voting cycle

Normally, I’d be contemplating writing a commentary for this moment that harangues those of you who haven’t bothered to vote on Election Day. Although it seems like such a piece of copy would be pointless this time.

Is this 1909 cartoon about female political empowerment somewhere in Donald Trump's mind about "making America great." Image provided by Library of Congress collection.

For it seems that many people are using the early voter option, and not just me because I want my day Tuesday to be free so I can focus on what other people are doing at the polling places

THE COOK COUNTY Clerk’s office let it be known Monday that 357,982 early voting ballots were cast amongst the roughly 1.51 million estimated registered voters in the suburban parts of the county. In Chicago proper, some 1.57 million are registered – with some 284,506 people having voted early through Sunday, according to the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. Across Illinois, the early vote tally is just under 1.3 million.

There’s also the Washington-based Morning Consult group that came out with its own study showing that many of the people who cast those early votes did so because the very thought of one of the presidential candidates scares the bejeezus out of them.

Some 46 percent of people who voted Democrat did so because Donald Trump leaves them “scared,” while 31 percent who voted Republican feel the same way about Hillary Clinton.

A vote for a "first,"...

For what it’s worth, only 23 percent of people who voted for Clinton could say they were “excited” about her, with 21 percent truly feeling positive about a potential Donald Trump presidency.

THIS TRULY HAS become the campaign cycle of, “Who do you hate the most?!”

 
The truly sad part is that the campaigning tactics meant to emphasize those fear the most aren’t over with. We’re going to keep getting them until the absolute final polling place closes out on the West Coast – or perhaps out in Hawaii.

I know in my own e-mail I received a pair of Internet surveys, each asking me the same question; “Have you voted yet?” One came from a group that clearly states it is trying to get Donald Trump elected president, while the other comes from a group that, based off its past surveys and e-mail statements, would appear to be one in support of the political interests of Hillary Clinton.

... or the same-ol', same-ol'?

The point of these surveys is that these groups are trying to figure out where to best focus their efforts on Tuesday so as to encourage the kinds of voters most likely to cast ballots for their preferred candidate.
 
WHILE ALSO NOT wasting a lot of time on people who already have cast their ballots. Which, at least in suburban Cook County, appears to be a significant number of people – already recognized as a record high that was still to be boosted by the people who waited until the absolute last day Monday to “early” vote.

Of course, it could also be an effort by Trump interests to figure out who to harangue into trying to change their minds – since Trump himself is on the record as saying that early voters should take advantage of legal provisions that exist in some states that allow someone to cancel out their early vote ballot by actually showing up at the polling place to vote.

Trump envisions a nation of people with “buyer’s remorse” who will have cast their votes for Clinton and her historic presidential campaign (all that “first female” jazz) and will wish they could take it back to pick yet another rich, white guy with an overblown ego to be the head of state.

I don’t know if I quite buy into that line of logic – although I suspect the people most inclined to think that way will be the 21 percent who claim “excitement” about the possibility of a Trump presidency.

BY THE TIME you read this, it is likely your polling place will be open. For all I know, you may already have cast your ballot (unless you’re the type who waits until evening hours after work to vote).

You’re probably sick and tired of hearing the trash talk, that will continue for a few more hours until we learn late tonight (or early Wednesday) who “won.” Then, we’re likely to hear for years to come from the “sore loser” types who will go on and on about how we, the people, made the “wrong” choice!

In fact, the only suspense left for me in this year’s election cycle is the question of how gauche Trump will be Tuesday night whether he wins or loses, just because he IS The Donald! and most likely can’t help himself.

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