On Tuesday, November 3, 2020, 160 million Americans voted for their new president. The 66.9% turnout for this election is the most surprising one since 1920. On Wednesday, Donald Trump was already confident in his victory, but the night was long. As the gap narrowed in four key states - North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Nevada - Biden already had the majority in Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona and New Hampshire. This gave rise to protest in several major cities in the US.
"Biden's win has restored my faith in democracy, renewed my faith in the American voters to do what's right, and rehabilitated my hope for the nation's future", says Jerry Nelson, an American expatriate in Argentina. He believes that Joe Biden as vice-president during former President Obama's mandate was the right person in the right place. “ Biden was there when the tough decisions were made and when America was up against the wall. Yes, Biden has been in the government for over four decades; he is a “professional politician”. According to him, Trump proved that too many Americans confused celebrity with competency. "Biden's win has restored the hope of many older Argentines who remember America's shameful legacy in the 1970s and 1980s ‘Dirty War' when 30,000 Argentines were killed with the help and complicity of the American government. Many were fearful that Trump's nationalism could make it happen again”. He firmly believes that life as an expat is pleasant once more.
This sentiment is shared by many Americans who agreed to share their views with us, like Harvey, who now lives in Ireland. “I'm sorely disappointed that the race is so close. Even if Biden wins, what kind of country is it that is doesn't roundly reject a president as crazy as Donald Trump? That is a big part of why I am in Ireland. I don't want to be a part of that anymore. ” And he's not the only one. Angelica and Shangrila, two Americans, are looking to move abroad soon. “Too many Americans not only are complacent but are emboldened by Donald Trump. This is no longer my home. I must accept this reality and move forward in finding a safe haven outside of the US ”, says Shangrila.
But for John, an American expat in Thailand, there are different ways of framing this election. “ I keep coming back to this: what could Trump have botched any more than he actually did over the past four years? It's unpleasant that Trump is insulting and annoying, or even sexist and racist, but I'm talking about actual impact. Tarnishing the role of the US as a trade partner and international relations leader covers both, image and function”. For him, Trump's greatest achievement was supporting a tax cut for the wealthy, ballooning national debt, which didn't benefit anyone outside the richest 1%. Even that 1% didn't change fortunes; they didn't need it. John also believes that Trump's greatest failure was spreading misinformation versus actually playing any positive role in the pandemic. "Starting a misguided and pointless trade war with China was significant, with plenty of real economic impact on both sides”. Regarding the voting, "American people vote with their gut, and can't separate real news from media spin (probably at least partly true on both sides). Many, maybe most, fail to recognize their own best interests. Unless media tells them something is a problem they couldn't possibly suspect that it's a problem (like the wage gap, national debt, climate change, etc.). In a sense the country truly deserves to experience four more years of decline, even with a narrow majority voting against Trump," says John.
Hank, an American expatriate in Colombia, also believes that there are several factors to take into account. "Trump may have lost by six million or more when the popular votes are counted. His margin of defeat in the previous election was about half that amount. By comparison, Richard Nixon lost to John F. Kennedy in 1960 by 112,000 votes.” For him, it's hard to beat an incumbent US president. “Presidents have been denied a second four-year term only twice in the past century (Bush the Elder and Carter). It's especially tough to defeat one who exploits the government and the bully pulpit and employs dubious tricks in support of his re-election bid.”
For Frank, who lives in Germany, “This election is one of the best thrillers of this century, with extended suspense whether the evil anti-hero will prevail over his likeable, but clumsy opponent, with everyone hoping an unforeseeable stroke of luck will lead to a happy end. This is an appropriate climax of four years filled with giddying drama and comedy (but nothing based on facts or science).”
