I feel like I need to address the fact that I’m still struggling about the results of our presidential election. We’re all still struggling, right? I know we have to find ways to cope and sometimes that means stepping away from the news and the podcasts and the doomscrolling. And I’m doing that. But as one friend said to me this week, “We are supposed to be upset.”
We’re living in the scariest timeline. This isn’t going to be like it was in 2016-2020, even though that felt like living in a dark timeline (the pandemic notwithstanding). This time, Trump can have unchecked power. He is already filling his cabinet positions with MAGA loyalists, he has a majority on the Supreme Court (and will get to fill at least two more seats), and will appoint even more federal judges that serve for life. Checks and balances? Those don’t exist anymore. Not when the Republicans (most of whom are fiercely loyal to Trump) control the presidency, House, and Senate.
I know people are saying “it’s just four years” and “we’ll take things back in 2028.” But will we? Are we even going to have a democracy after this? I think that’s where the most of my panic stems from. Trump wants to be a dictator. For fuck’s sake, he staged a coup when he lost an election and his supporters wanted to murder the vice president for certifying the results of the election. That’s not normal politics. A peaceful transfer of power is one of the cornerstones of our democracy. And the fact that we rewarded this by giving him another four years makes me want to throw up.
I’m mad. I’m sad. I don’t know what to do. I’m scared for immigrants who are here legally and may get deported (because yes, that’s his plan). I’m scared for kids with disabilities and kids in poor school districts who are now no longer going to have the funding they need because Trump wants to dismantle the Department of Education. I’m scared of how unregulated our food will become once RFK Jr. steps in as head of Health and Human Services. I’m terrified for myself as a queer woman and as a woman who could get pregnant—my rights are already being stripped away and what more could happen? (I’m grateful to live in a very blue county in a red state, though.) I want to throw things against many walls when I think of Matt Gaetz as attorney general.
I listened to an episode of the 5-4 podcast yesterday, and it was both maddening and enlightening. The hosts (who are left-leaning but also criticize the Democractic Party quite regularly) broke down what happened in this election and where Kamala’s campaign went wrong. I don’t agree with everything they said, but it was helpful to better understand what happened, how we failed so miserably, and what needs to happen moving forward (that is, if Democrats can even gain power again… that remains to be seen).
I don’t have any tidy bows to wrap up this post. I just needed to get all of this out of my head. Things are going to get very dark and very scary for America, and I just hope we can make it through.
Solidarity! I feel exactly the same. It’s really scary and hard to remain hopeful. The goal is to dismantle governmental institutions and fill positions with loyalists, not experts. Hang in there! There is comfort in knowing there are so many of us.
It’s been a lot for me to process as well and I have gone from feeling numb to feeling rage to feeling embarrassed. His cabinet picks and other appointments are so ridiculous. A Fox News host who has a limited military record and a white nationalist tattoo as secretary of defense? COME ON. I think I am most upset that he has talked about recess appointments (which seems unlikely to happen but STILL.). I mean can you even imagine the outrage if Kamala won and then said she was going to use a loophole to get her cabinet picks in?? Have the GD conviction in your selections to follow the law.
I know a lot of people voted for him because they are upset about the level of prices. But nothing he is promising will put downward pressure on inflation. And price declines tend to only happen during recessions. But of course his stump speech about lowering prices sounded so compelling to people who want to pay less for rent and groceries and such.
I am glad I live in a blue state, though…
I hear ‘ya. Nothing seems like it should be, yet here we are facing the worst bunch of American scoundrels I’ve seen in my lifetime. No idea where this is headed, but do know that I’ll not bury my head in the sand, pushback when I can. And also, to quote Mary Engelbreit: I shall: “KEEP CALM, They Hate That”
Not only for America unfortunately. I worry for Europe as well, Ukraine most of all.
*hugs*