Dear America - Election 2020
Dear America,
I know we have not always had the best relationship, you and I. I have been sarcastic about you in the past, adopting a similar manner to many of my countrymen. Indeed, after the last election in 2016, I was fairly scathing about the result.
But, since today is Election Day once more for you folks in the States, I want to try and put all that behind us. The truth is that I have a deep love and respect for your country and I want to ask a favour of you. It’s not the favour you might expect.
Naturally, I have my own personal political persuasions and opinions and I have a personal preference as to who you name as your next President. But the truth is that, since I don’t have a vote, my opinion does not really matter.
Either way, it is not who you vote for that I want to talk to you about, it is simply this: Please vote. Please vote in your millions. Please choose the person you truly think will be best for your country and vote for them to be in the White House next year.
More than anything else, America and the world need an American President who has got the nod from their people to do the job they are choosing to do.
But there is more than that. America needs a President who leads by the will of the people and who is properly and sensibly monitored by an organised and coherent opposition. Some of you will not like the result of tonight’s vote. That is the nature of democracy. But the democratic and governing processes do not begin and end with election season.
Tonight is a moment for America to once more lead the world by example.
Let’s be honest, the last few years have been something of a shambles politically across the world – and especially around the Atlantic Ocean. Some of the Western nations who traditionally and haughtily considered themselves civilised and democratic have descended in muck-slinging and verbal warfare whereby people scream their opinion into an echo chamber of agreement or hurl abuse at those who suggest an opposing viewpoint.
It’s painful, undignified and helps almost nobody.
America didn’t start this trend. It has been building for years and we in the UK jumped the gun with our shambles of a debate over Brexit. But you are bigger and louder than we are and the world is watching today.
They world is watching to see who wins, but also to see how they win and how that victory is received.
Not for the first time, the eyes of history are on America and they rest on and with each of you as you vote and as you watch the results come in.
It is time we started doing better and you can lead the way. I believe in you.
God bless America.
Mr Chatterbox is the Millennial Gent opinion column.