It’s been a big 7 days . It’ll probably be a another big 7 to come . Could we have ever envisaged a life change so big and so timely that we’d be living in the USA during the 2020 presidential election? You can take it for granted that you’re an Aussie and you don’t care that much , or that it’s not our problem, but it’s difficult to ignore , especially when every waking minute the tv , social media and locals are talking about it . Politics mean so much in this country , it’s a pity either side don’t give a lot back . We are talking about a country where it is viewed to be on the extreme left to have universal health care , cheap education , higher wages and of course higher taxes . The US of A just happens to be one of the only industrialised nations without universal health cover , the other is South Africa . Oh , and add 2 weeks annual leave to the average worker and you start to see the picture .
This election has gone to script . We knew the big guy would campaign hard and rally the masses . In golfing terms he had to come from 6 shots back in the last round to clinch the Masters ( yes , all Aussies know this one with Faldo and Norman ) and by the 12 th tee he had done the unthinkable and grabbed a 1 shot lead . The messages started shooting through from Australia that Trump was going to be the winner . Newscorp journalists had already penned articles . Premature ejaculation is a major problem when you get too excited . On cue the postal votes crept in and Biden eventually came hobbling down the 18th fairway with his walking stick looking like the winner . We were told and warned by the big fella that the postal votes are fraudulent , even during a once in 100 year pandemic where most viewed it as the safer option . Now come the lawsuits . Exactly like we were told it would .
Trump is a beaten man ,a man who can’t accept defeat . He’s playing dirty now and you can’t really blame him after the relentless harassment on the Russian meddling and subsequent frivolous impeachment that the democrats pursued . It’s his turn to bring on the lawsuits but sadly it doesn’t look good for the big fella .Things are gonna get boring over the next couple of years with sleepy Joe Biden ,but the country needs to heal and boring will do just fine . There’s no doubt the pandemic has swept the course and almost certainly cost Trump a dominant win and second term . 70 million people voted for him . Speaking of the pandemic , it’s a mess and getting worse . It’s been a tumultuous year with civil unrest , BLM and now a pandemic that has been poorly navigated . COVID has killed many over here , including the Trump government .
Here in Hermosa Beach nothing changes . School is still online , most offices too . Gyms are closed or severely limited , restaurants cater for outdoor dining , major shopping malls allow 10% capacity and masks are mandatory in public spaces . We are still free to travel but that may change as the pandemic starts to close in from all angles . As we approach Thanksgiving and Christmas there’s a positive vibe in our small corner of the US . There’s a sense of relief that the drama of Trump is running out of gas , a vaccine is in sight and Biden their man is in . It’s really only the virus to avoid now and possible lockdowns might just scupper holiday plans ( why would you travel in the USA with covid going nuts ) . Sure we had friends over for a few drinks to celebrate the election win and Kamala Harris as the 1st Black woman to be Vice President . That’s what happens here . Politics means so much in the the US it sucks you in ,but at the end of the day nothing will change in Hermosa Beach . I think I’ll check to see if the surf is up .
aussiehowieinla 
Good to hear a first hand viewpoint and to bypass the media 🙂
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