(WIFR) – With Election Day just two weeks away, the political climate is only going to get more intense, but is the tension good for the campaign?
Political warfare, whether red or blue, is more aggressive and slams are struck below the belt.
Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have both argued that their opponents are unfit to be president, and have exchanged insults. Currently, the public is drawn into conflict by the use of foul language and personal attacks.
Barb Jolitt was a member of the Winnebago County Selective Citizens Coalition and ran for local council in the mid-1990s. She remembers turning her opponent into a “big, fat cat” in an ad that ran without her blessing. Recalling the backlash she received back then, she says people these days accept slurs too much.
“When you say bad things about someone, it all comes back to you and makes you look very bad,” says Jorit.
Conflicts between candidates can cause tensions among the public. It may continue long after November 5th.
Kevin Porkey, a licensed clinical social worker at Four Corners Wellness Center, said key people at the center remember that our relationships are more important than any election.
“The people we want to win win, but how do we do that gracefully? And if the party or person we want to win loses, how do we do it gracefully?” Because it’s really about relationships,” Polky says.
Jolitt says it’s hard to understand how people can side with an unruly candidate. But it’s the strong opinions that get people to vote, she added.
“At the end of the day, it’s about getting involved in their personal lives, and that’s the main reason why women are really getting involved, more than ever before,” Jorit says. “They want to be involved.”
The researchers found that only 8% of U.S. adults reported seeking emotional therapy after the 2020 election. This includes 11% of Democrats and 6% of Republicans.
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