Bill Dawson: States are going to great lengths to protect every ballot

To The Daily Sun,

After watching the first presidential debate and whatever that was last week, I sat down to list a few dominance techniques being tried out by President Trump. One of his most frequent approaches to other’s questions is to pompously deflect the inquiry. His hostile body language is, by now, famous. You remember some of it when he “debated” Hilary, I am sure. With her, he walked around the stage while she was trying to make a point. While debating Biden he used that sarcastic grin he puts on to distract to the max.

His attempts to control the conversation were met with considerable resistance from “Sleepy Joe” and Chris Wallace. Neither was successful in reining him in but they gave it a valiant effort. When it became apparent to him that they were curbing his steering attempts, he tried a little channel-switching and playing the outraged victim. He brought up the old song about being picked on since day one. And, while they were doing it, I did all these great things…

As the night wore on, he did a spate of name-calling and arrogant invalidation of Joe as a person. That, of course, brought forth some ego defensiveness from Biden. Chris was clearly in over his head. Any resemblance of control fell away during the first half-hour. As the 90-minute time limit arrived the audience sighed with relief and the waring parties stood mute while their spouses tried to act supportive.

The up-coming debate should be held in Zoom with the moderator authorized to mute those not speaking. Time limits for responses should be set and adhered to by the parties debating. Warning lights should signal time is near the end. Giving the moderator the authority to curb the participant responses that wander from the focus of the question into unrelated subjects.

Unfortunately, this last debate is destined to be live. Going live allows the president to insidiously sow distrust of procedures that guarantee election results. The constant implication that the process is corrupt is not backed by specifics. Stating that “his people” will be watching at the polls is tainted by implied threat. If you are not “his people,” can you, the majority, be trusted?

The fact is, states have gone to great lengths to assure a secret ballot no matter whether it is cast at the polls or as an absentee submission. Further, there are precautions in place, backed by legal statutes, to make sure only voters get to pass beyond those appointed to check the identification of those voting. Entrance to polling places should be free of intimidation. Relating to the actual counting of the vote tally, only those registered to watch in advance are allowed to watch. Any challenge to voting procedures should be in the courts, not the polls.

Bill Dawson

Northfield