The 2020 Presidential Election has been rife with controversy. President Donald Trump and his legal team have contested the election results through both state and federal lawsuits. As it stands, nearly sixty state election-fraud lawsuits have been dismissed, along with two speedily rejected Supreme Court cases.
A new political, social media movement has appeared among some conservative Americans in the wake of the court losses. The social media frenzy aims at classifying two distinct socio-political parties: traitors and patriots.
There are 2 parties now .. TRAITORS AND PATRIOTS!!
— Tina40 (@RealTina40) December 14, 2020
In an ever-polarizing political environment, the dissolution of moral disagreements based on political beliefs sets a dangerous precedent. The precedent can send many Americans down dogmatic paths of nationalism and patriotism, vindicating acts of violence or oppression against the radical left “traitors,” or anybody who voted for Biden for that matter.
Institutions of law and order have already been under attack by both the left and the right. For example, the “defund the police” movement compared to the “election fraud” movement. Both are attacks on institutions that underscore the American national identity.
Tweet’s like the one above moreover have manifested into countless protests and counter-protests. Most recently, violence broke out in Washington D.C. after a pro-Trump rally. Notably, the confrontation occurred between members of the Proud Boys, a neo-fascist group known for inciting street violence, and members of Antifa and other activists. Four people were hospitalized for stab wounds, and at least 23 people were arrested.
As President Trump continues to tweet and make public claims denouncing the 2020 Presidential election, similar confrontations seem likely unavoidable. The electoral college is set to certify its official results today. So far, Trump has 56 votes compared to Biden’s 108. The result projects Biden wins with 306 electoral college votes.
Only 270 votes are needed to declare an official winner, and Trump has noted that he will continue his fight beyond the electoral college process. Rumors of some Republican legislatures sending their electoral slate are circulating, albeit they will likely not affect the official certification.
One good thing to come out of today will be another step towards the top-rated political betting sites paying out bettors on their 2020 Presidential election odds. In 2016, some sportsbooks took a bath by making premature payouts to Hillary Clinton bettors, before the electoral college flipped for Trump. This time around, bookmakers have held off due to the election contests to avoid taking another bath.
The electoral college certification not only will most likely be the final nail in the coffin to Trump contesting the election but will also be the last validation bookmakers need to confidently payout political bettors. The 2020 election will be the most prominent political score for bookmakers in betting history.
Sources:
CBS News