By admin 
I’ve often subjected myself to what I call the barbecue litmus test (I live in Texas, y’all). You may find it useful as we await the election results.
Boris Johnson speaks about Trump and his potential impact on world politics
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson sat down with USA TODAY’s Susan Page to discuss the 2024 U.S. election.
We will soon know (I hope) who America has chosen as its next president.
When the election results are clear, a large portion of Americans will be disappointed, perhaps even angry. Another large group of Americans will feel exhilarated and victorious.
If Vice President Kamala Harris wins, Democrats will undoubtedly wonder whether Donald Trump will concede defeat. If the former president wins re-election, Republicans will brag about themselves in self-righteousness.
I’m a conservative, but I can agree with both views. It is understandable to be concerned or upset if your ‘side’ or your candidate loses. It’s also natural to feel happy or even smug when your candidate wins.
Be that as it may, this election has been a hard-fought battle. But it doesn’t have to continue to divide our nation or damage relationships between families, friends and neighbors as we move past Election Day.
The 2024 election cycle was messy, to say the least
This election year seems messier than other election cycles in recent history.
President Joe Biden’s cognitive health seemed to deteriorate rapidly and Americans realized in the middle of his re-election campaign that he was no longer fit for the job.
Suggest Harris as his replacement. She was fresh and full of joy, but… lacks content and authenticity.
In recent weeks, Trump and Harris have gotten nasty: Racist comments and swearing have been rampant. It’s as if the schoolyard bullies are now running for the Oval Office.
These elections came at the end of four difficult years. After a controversial 2020 election, Trump refused to admit he had lost, resulting in the now infamous Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. COVID-19 gripped the world as we grappled with the fallout of a pandemic, including government-imposed lockdowns.
Thanks to the economic stimulus packages that Trump created and Biden continued, Inflation spiked to a forty-year high and Americans are still struggling with sharp increases in the costs of food, rent and other necessities. There is a war raging between Ukraine and Russia, and Israel is fighting for its existence against Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran.
America is not as divided as we think. Just do the BBQ test.
It seems that Americans are more divided than ever. Only one research into polarization – through the Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace – discovered that things are not always what they seem.
“American voters are less ideologically polarized than they think, and that misperception is greatest for the most politically engaged people,” the study said.
I hope that’s true – for the sake of our country.
The research also revealed two other relevant findings: It is actually American politicians who are highly ideologically polarized, and while Americans may not be as polarized as they think, they are “emotionally polarized.” Or simply put, “they don’t like members of the other party.”
I’ve seen this firsthand. I’m an outspoken conservative, and after USA TODAY my column published When I explained why I – and millions of other Americans – will vote for Trump, I received a wave of vitriolic responses. Every job has its drawbacks, and angry and personal feedback is certainly one of them.
I’m not complaining; I am extremely blessed to be able to do this work for a living. My point is that we live in a political environment where a reader scans an article and then sends me a message disparaging my character, berating me as a wife and mother, and even insulting my children. My colleagues left and right report that similar responses to their work are routine.
An environment in which Americans decide to immediately dislike their fellow citizens because of their political views is not healthy.
So Trump and Harris call each other terrible names, and their supporters feel like they’re in a fight with their neighbors based on who has a Trump sign in their yard and who has a “Hope is making a comeback” sign.
I’ve often subjected myself to what I call the barbecue litmus test (I live in Texas, y’all). You may also find it useful.
The questions I ask myself: Would I invite my neighbor for ribs if he voted for Harris and I voted for Trump?
What about if I’m for tax cuts, and he thinks it’s patriotic to pay a significant amount of taxes?
Would I have a beer with my neighbor if he supported abortion restrictions? What if he even sobbed? − pro-life?
At what issue or candidate do I draw the line and say, No, I can’t invite my neighbor to a barbecue because of political views?
I would like to believe that most people in America can have dichotomous thoughts in their heads: Republicans are not waste because they are pro-life and support the only candidate who is pro-life. Democrats are not waste because they oppose Trump and support the only viable candidate who opposed him.
The system is the problem, not our fellow Americans
It is true that election anxiety is real. This is evident from a new poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research 7 in 10 Americans feel anxious or frustrated about the presidential campaign.
Americans are interested in who wins. They are hopeful that the next president will solve their problems. According to Gallup, the economy, democracy, national security and the next Supreme Court justice are voters’ biggest concerns. When times are tough, the effects of inflation are still hurting and people are feeling stressed, it makes sense to look to our political system – our elected legislatures – to fix things.
But none of that justifies hating fellow citizens who disagree about how to find solutions or which politician has the best policies.
No matter who wins or loses, we shouldn’t hate each other for it. If anything, we should hate a system that is distorted and promotes ideological polarization. We should abhor a system that rewards elected leaders with whatever resources they can somehow acquire considerable wealth while he had been in office for years, even decades.
We must be intolerant of politicians who are elected on the basis of certain promises, and then do what suits their ambitions once in power. We must demand the best of our elected officials, and if they do not serve us, we should not re-elect them.
If we feel angry on Election Day, we should be fighting the system, not each other.
Nicole Russell is an opinion columnist at USA TODAY. She lives in Texas with her four children. Sign up for her newsletter, The Right Trackand receive it in your inbox.