Correction and the Subject of Ranting

First, to those of you who received my email regarding the payroll tax cut, I've had a communication from a small business owner and must adjust my facts accordingly. Although in my research, this item was called a payroll tax cut, it's actually a payroll tax deferment. Like the payroll tax itself, half of the amount to be repaid to the government at the end of the deferment will be paid by the employer. The other half will be paid by the employee. This payroll tax deferment applies (obviously) to those who are currently employed.

On to my second subject. Someone recently responded to one of my emails by telling me that my "ranting" was not going to win over any Trump voters. This surprised me as I had not thought nor did I actually intend to "rant" about anything.

The purpose of my messages isn't to encourage you to cast a vote for Joe Biden. The purpose of my messages isn't to entice you away from casting a vote for Donald Trump. The purpose of my messages is merely to share my thoughts with you. I'm doing this because it allows me a sense of communion with other people in a situation in which many of us have been isolated for months.

The isolation hasn't been terribly hard on me, although I miss the various social and cultural activities I was used to taking part in. As a professional writer for more than 30 years now, I spend most of my time in isolation. As an introvert and a person who has always enjoyed her own company, spending weeks and months alone with my husband and my dog (admittedly, with my dog mostly as she comes to work with me) hasn't bothered me much. Should Donald Trump win re-election, it's possible--not a sure thing, but possible--that I won't be personally hurt.

But how others are treated means something to me, and the truth means something to me. Because of those two facts, it's tough for me to remain silent in the face of a lie or an act of racism, in the presence of misogyny, or in the midst of an encounter with social injustice. And it's impossible for me to look upon an act of brutality and say it doesn't matter because it didn't happen to me and what-was-she-or-he-doing-there-anyway. That isn't who I am, nor is it how I'm made.

We all have a decision to make in November and it's likely we will each see this decision in a slightly different light:
As a chance to save the soul of the country
As an opportunity to heal the republic
As a statement of concurrence to the policies of the Trump administration
As a way to indicate approval and encourage the furthering of the actions taken by the Trump administration
As a way to save ourselves
As a way to help raise up others
As a final opportunity to turn back a perceived tide of fascism
As a firm repudiation of what Thomas Jefferson called self-evident truths
As a declaration of support for the renewed existence of three co-equal branches of government

There are probably as many reasons for the decision we'll each make as there are individuals making that decision. For me it comes down to something simple: Either I approve of what has occurred during the Trump Presidency and am happy to continue with it. Or I disapprove of what has happened during the Trump Presidency and wish to make a change.

I may be wrong and I certainly can't speak for anyone else, but it seems to me that there isn't any middle ground this time. Approve/disapprove. Give us more/go away.

I believe, however, that the important acts for all of us in November are these: we each must vote, and we each much acknowledge and embrace that for which we are voting.

Elizabeth George