To live happily in DC, don’t talk about politics

To live happily in DC, don’t talk about politics
To live happily in DC, don’t talk about politics

Next Tuesday’s election is on the front pages of the newspapers and is stirring up social networks like never before. Everyone has an opinion on the question of whether Donald Trump or Kamala Harris will make a better president for the next four years, almost all around the world. Few are undecided and the two camps are so opposed that the country is fractured as rarely.

In Washington, the heart of American democracy, there is no photo. The Democrat should easily win the three major voters in the District of Columbia, with more than 90% of the votes. But the debate is spiced up by the hundreds of thousands of workers who arrive every morning from neighboring Virginia or Maryland. You only need to move a few kilometers from the city to see the famous little signs glorifying Trump flourishing in the gardens.

In town, the subject is not easily broached by restaurateurs, shopkeepers or even on terraces with coffees far too large to be drinkable. When entering an establishment, there is the usual welcome with a big smile and the traditional absolute need to know “how is” the potential future customer – but without listening to the answer, necessarily -, just to ensure a good tip in case. But throw in the subject of the election to test the waters and the mines close very quickly.

A Swiss worker from the American capital explained it to us in his own way. He refuses to enter into political debate with his clients and those around him “because it helps avoid confusion. The political subject is generally dribbled by those who are a little intelligent. On the one hand, we have 25% of people fully for Trump, on the other 25% are completely behind Harris and 100% of people will judge you without knowing you if you express a preference!” Given the violence of the campaign which is ending, we want to believe it.


World

-

-

NEXT the NGO World Central Kitchen suspends its activities in the Gaza Strip