Why Having a Biden or Trump Sign on Your Lawn is a Dumb Idea

If you live in the Hudson Valley and have a huge sign on your lawn supporting either Biden or Trump, you're really missing the boat.

Awaiting angry Facebook messages in three, two...

OK, before you get all worked up, hear me out. I know there are a lot of people in the Hudson Valley who are very passionate about the presidential election. And rightly so. Our country is deeply divided, and the upcoming presidential election may be one of the most important yet. But guess what; it has nothing to do with you.

I hate to break it to you, but this year's election will not be decided by anyone in the Hudson Valley. Thanks to the electoral college, the decision of who will be the next president will be left up to a few people living in Florida and Pennsylvania.

Having a presidential election sign on your lawn isn't going to change anyone's mind. Sorry to say, it's not going to affect the election one way or another. The only purpose of a presidential lawn sign in the Hudson Valley is to "own" your neighbors or stick it to that person down the street who's supporting a different candidate. It's basically like rooting for a football team but having no control over how well they will perform in Sunday's game.

Of course, that doesn't mean your vote is useless. On the contrary, your vote is EXTREMELY important... just not the vote you think.

With so many people focusing on Trump versus Biden, the actual candidates that you do have an enormous amount of power over putting in office are being completely forgotten about. I wonder how many people with Trump or Biden signs on their lawn even know that there is a congressional candidate or state senator they need to choose. Those seats have a serious impact on how the Hudson Valley is represented, and your vote in those races will make an actual difference. If you're really worked up over Trump or Biden, you owe it to yourself to learn where Faso and Delgado stand on the issues or if either Maloney or Farley is the person you want representing you in congress.

And don't forget about your local judges. Important decisions about things that immediately impact you and your family will be decided upon by four people that you're most likely just going to pick at random because you know nothing about who they are or what they stand for.

Signs supporting these candidates could actually spread awareness of their campaigns and influence voters, unlike that inflatable Trump doll you have attached to your car roof or the Biden head on top of your Halloween scarecrow.

So yes, those presidential election signs are great for riling up your neighbors and playing identity politics, but in the real world... where we live and work in the Hudson Valley, they are basically meaningless. If you are truly passionate about politics, you should consider replacing those useless signs with ones supporting people who will actually make a difference in your life, and races that you do have the power to really influence the outcomes of.