Three months ago, on Election Day, I swore I wasn't going to let the second Trump term cause me the daily anxiety and stress that the first did.
Yeah. That's not working out. At all.
I've never been so frightened in my life over politics and the direction of our country. Every day it's just more and more horror. The rule of law, precedents, norms, civilized behavior..............none of it means jack shit anymore.
I find myself resenting Trump voters even more than I used to, and that's saying a lot. I'll have zero, ZERO, sympathy when the lowlife losers and racists who voted us into this mess lose their Social Security, disability payments, workplace protections, FEMA disaster relief, Medicaid, and on and on and on. Fuck every single one of them. We tried and tried to tell people what a disaster this was going to be, and "owning the libs" meant more to them than anything good and worthwhile that America has stood for for the past 250 years. They can all go to hell and rot.
The only thing I regret is that the decent people in this country are going to suffer right along with them. Over the weekend I actually found myself googling "safest blue states for women and minorities" and making a plan for selling the house and moving before things get too bad and we're trapped here. States that border Canada are my first choice.
I can't even believe I just wrote such a thing here on the blog. Never in a million years did I think things would come to this. I love my house, my state, my life, but I won't sit around while our version of the Taliban comes into power and live under the control of such people. We have literal (neo) NAZIS running the show. NAZIS. And a way-too-large portion of our population are ALL FOR IT. It's sickening. Scary. Almost unbearable.
How are you coping? Do you think I'm crazy? Alarmist? If not, are you making plans? I'm afraid this is all going to get much, much worse before it gets better. If you have any words of comfort that might make me think otherwise or feel better, please share them.
And thanks for letting me get this off my chest. As you can probably tell, it's been a bad day.
I’m stressing often, too. But I have the benefit of already living in another country. You’re not crazy or alarmist. But there does seem to be a major legal and political kickback beginning. I’m hoping this momentum will die and he’ll spend any time he has left in legal battles. (And I wish Elon Skum would disappear from the earth, and Booby Kennedy’s worm would eat what’s left of his brain.)
ReplyDeleteI'm so scared, Mitchell. I really and truly wasn't being flippant when I said we're trying to figure out the best time to sell our house and move. I envy you more than you know, living in Spain. I hope things will be okay for Chuck. I'm so scared for him and people like him with disabilities. Trump and Musk and their enablers are monsters. Monsters.
DeleteIt is that bad. You're not over-reacting. There will be much suffering and not any clear ways to stop it. Somehow, we must each stay strong as individuals, until and if we find a way to act together. I'm forcing myself to limit my scrolling and doing my best to organize my life in a disciplined way to accomplish practical things that need to be done at home. My equivalent to picking up and moving, which is impractical for me. Better than letting things slide. The nuns used to tell us God doesn't give us any guarantees that we'll have a nice life. So far, an awful lot of us in the US have had a damned nice life. If that nice life is coming to an end, somehow we just must find a way to bear it. We somehow have to find a way to live in a disordered and unpredictable future.
ReplyDeleteWise words. Thank you. You know, the thing is, I'm not as afraid for me as I am for some of my friends. The trans friends, the gay friends, the disabled friends, the brown and black friends. I'm a white cis woman, I'll be okay. I can "pass". (What irony!!!)
DeleteBut thank you. Really, thank you. I can stand my nice life coming to an end. I've done nothing to "deserve' that other than being human. But I fear for my loved ones. ]
Knowing there are so many folks like you makes a difference, though. Thank you.
Excellent rant, but sadly the MAGAts bought into his lies, as they always do, and refuse to accept the truth, even now when it's in their faces ... he's not done anything about grocery prices or eggs or stopping the war in Ukraine ... that was all lies and these idiots fell for it and will continue falling!
ReplyDeleteAs I said in a comment above, I'm not as afraid for me as I am for my friends who aren't straight, white, cis males. I'm so disgusted, Bob. So scared and discouraged. This isn't what "America" is supposed to be.
DeleteIt is definitely that bad. I range between white hot rage, fear and helplessness. I live in Washington and you would be welcome here although the cost of living is high, the drivers/traffic stink and it does rain, although not as much as people think. I would treat you to one of my handmade mochas!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds wonderful, Margaret. We have a niece who just moved to Washington and she loves it there. I'd love one of your handmade mochas!
DeleteThe future is not looking good.
ReplyDeleteNo. It's not.
DeleteThank you for expressing how I feel! My heart aches for my country. All I can do is pray as I try to make a plan but given our finances I'm not certain how we could leave esp. If we lose our social security. Peace to you....
ReplyDeleteMy husband gets social security, and if it goes away we'll be in trouble. And now that they're gunning for the Dept. of Education, and I work for a school, who knows what will happen to my job. It's frightening.
DeleteI agree. It really is that bad. Each day is something else. And this nonsense w/Gaza and the USAID. How dreadful. He is creating chaos all over the world. And Kennedy probably being confirmed? That is truly frightening. I am in Ohio, which is just an utter wasteland. I'm glad my kids have moved back to the East Coast.(We're originally from Philly/NJ.) Wish I could afford to move back also but it is so expensive. So, I am trapped. Feeling useless.
ReplyDeleteI'm right there with you. A plague on all of their houses.
ReplyDeleteYes. For sure.
DeleteDear Jennifer, the world's eyes are turned on the person currently occupying the White House, and I imagine depending on the country (and which news channel one follows), the news about the latest plans, ideas, and utterings coming from there are reported with notes of incredulity, worry or enthusiasm.
ReplyDeleteLast night on our main news on state TV, there was this about Gaza, and the faces of the people who were listening to the speech spoke volumes, while the German newsreader was very obviously making a big effort to keep her facial expression serious/neutral.
As you know, we're in the middle of an existential government crisis ourselves, with general elections in less than three weeks. I echo what you wrote in one of your comments: "I'm not as afraid for me as I am for some of my friends. The trans friends, the gay friends, the disabled friends, the brown and black friends. I'm a white cis woman, I'll be okay. I can "pass"." Same here. I have many friends who do not meet the criteria of those who want to keep "German to the Germans" - sounds horribly familiar, doesn't it?
I was shocked when my friend Martina told me (a couple of years ago, but it's still true) that her older German relatives LOVE Donald Trump and were rude to her because her mother told them she had probably voted for Joe Biden. I couldn't believe that in GERMANY of all places that people don't see what a monster Trump and his ilk are......I used to wonder how ordinary people stood by while the Holocaust happened...I don't wonder anymore. I see the exact same people all around me. It's mind boggling. And so, so, so disappointing.
DeleteLet it all out girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think we know, we all feel the same. I know it's hard to ignore all the dumb shit he is doing, and while he is doing it, it is also being done to distract us from the big things he is doing that we are hopefully not seeing. I cut way back on news, and from seeing memes and stories and other things, I can't take it daily, but even when I do see it, my friends and family fear I'll break a blood vessel over my rants. And I too have cut off friends and others I knew that voted for him. They were like how can you be so cold? I explain, you say you don't support his views and morals but liked his handling on money issues (which then I fail to see). I tell them a vote for him IS accepting and letting him and them all, do whatever they want!!!!! There just as guilty as he. I can get dark, and if it takes him to rip the country apart, take rights away, destroy programs, drive prices up and let his rich friends tinker and run the country into the ground, and takes everybody with him with a civil war....I say do it, and let them hit the bottom of the barrel and lose almost everything to finally see what the hell WE were warning them of. I have already said to four different people who already are like what the fuck is he doing, why did I vote for him, my favorite line of I told you so!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteOf course, we democrats have a huge uphill battle and need to do a major clean out and get new blood in, and learn to embrace the independents, progressive and yes... even the red torries, the like of Adam Kinzinger and Cheney types into to help. It's evident the old democratic party that has gotten to center, and in some cases as bad as the other side with letting to many "rich" into decisions... is not working anymore, as evident by the number of democrats that did not vote.
Oh... and yes...I cope with-copious amount of gin!!!!!!
DeleteHere here
DeleteWe watch, open-jawed.
ReplyDeleteThings are going to get worse, too. I hate to say that, but I think it's true.
DeleteWhat you say... I think you are speaking for millions of democratic Americans. If the worst comes to the worst please get on a plane and fly to England - with Gregg of course. I will pick you up from the airport (Manchester would be best) and you can come and live in our house. We won't tell the authorities that you are here.
ReplyDeleteThat's very kind, Neil.
DeleteBeing in the same space you are I have nothing to say that would make you feel better. No advice either. Who could have planned for this? We knew it was going to be bad. How bad though- that we did not foresee.
ReplyDeleteAnd I too am feeling more and more anger towards anyone who voted for Trump.
It's a cruel mess. Take care of your own physical and mental health. Don't let them win by beating you down with stress and despair. We must be healthy and strong and informed to pick up their mess and restore our democracy. I'm finding stories of those who are fighting back with lawsuits and marching in protests. "They" want us to give up and feel defeated and we must not.
ReplyDeleteYou are right, Ellen. This is good advice. Thank you.
DeleteI was just watching “World on Fire” —sort of soap opera-ish about World War II “ – – (but historical too—PBS) – – and a couple of the characters are underground resistance.
ReplyDeleteAnd I thought, I wonder if that will come to this here in our country in time?
So, just a thought—If you’re more concerned for your vulnerable friends than for yourself, is there something you could do for them by staying where you are instead of moving to a place of greater safety?
Could you be a safe person, a resource for your friends who can’t “pass”, as you say?
We are made for bravery and love.
PS. Of course we can do good wherever we are – – if you can’t survive where you are, move!
DeleteOh, one more thing – – I live in the bluest city in a blue state – – and this is where George Floyd was murdered by the police. There is no safe space – – there is just people, us, rising to the occasion. It’s scary because it’s dangerous—I love your friend’s reminder that there is no guarantee of a nice life.
DeleteWe'll only move if things get really bad and we feel we have no choice. Leaving our home is the very LAST thing we want to do. And I will always stand up for my less privileged friends any way I can. I've said for years that those of us in red states need to stay put and fight back. But I'm feeling so discouraged and like we're almost at the point of no return.
DeleteJennifer, I agree with every single solitary word that you wrote. You are not crazy, nor are you being alarmist. I find myself stressed out to no end even when I am not thinking about it. My son is leaving the country because of what has happened, and my heart breaks for all of the people that are facing really bad things in their lives because of all of the things tRump and Musk are doing. My whole family lives in the Northeast, but I cannot move there just yet as Michael has a few more years to work before he can retire. I would love to move to Canada, but I just don't have the money or resources to do that. The glimmer of hope that I am seeing is that people are starting to speak up. Whenever I am out in a store, I find myself looking at people wondering if they are MAGAs or not. I hate myself for stereotyping people that way, but I am so angry that people voted this moron into office for four terribly long years. Take care....
ReplyDeleteThe next four years are going to go very slowly
ReplyDeleteSomething's going to give here in the US before four years go by. Mark my words.
DeleteDefinitely not alarmist. We’re making the same plans here in Florida. I’ve never been this existentially stressed like this before. I feel the same way about anyone who voted for him. They’re complicit. Let’s hope the courts can push back.
ReplyDeleteXoxo
Barbara
All this overwhelming fear and stress and anxiety.....easily a third of the people I know are feeling the same way (and those are just the ones I know about!). Somehow we're going to have to pressure politicians in the House and Senate to do everything possible to fight back. The Republicans could get it done if they only would. Don't they know this is going to be a disaster for EVERYONE? Sigh.
DeleteI don't think you are crazy. If anything, perhaps there's some comfort to be found in the fact that many, many of us are struggling with similar feelings. The thing that frustrates me about Trump's followers is they will NEVER admit they were wrong. No matter what he does and what insanity follows, any missteps will be somehow blamed on "deep state resistance" or Democrats or globalists or some other amorphous "enemy." It's like all these Trumpers who blame the Iraq War on Democrats. They've totally rewritten history.
ReplyDeleteI find myself having the weirdest reactions to the news, a combination of laughter and horror. Tragicomic, you might say. Like when Trump announced his Gaza "plan," all I could do was laugh, even though his proposals are not only wildly impractical but violate basic human decency. I just don't know what else to do. It's dreadful and absurd at the same time.
Sadly, I'm not sure moving will solve anything. We're all so intertwined that Trump's actions affect the whole planet, and most countries and regions seem to have their own mobs of MAGAts or equivalents. Even England!
Keep in mind always you are not alone; many - more than you realize feel the same way. Persevere, do the right thing, don't take BS. The Orange Nero will eventually fall.
ReplyDeleteWe must come to terms with the fact that America has fallen. At this point, survival is the priority—and for those who remain, rebuilding in its aftermath. This is a global concern, as its impact will be felt by everyone on Earth.
ReplyDeleteApache Dug sent me here and I am so in support of your post. I am angry and frustrated and just terrified at what our country has become. I have gone from a Sunday School teacher to a person wishing ill on everyone who supported this monster and I pray for him to drop dead every day.
ReplyDelete