It’s difficult to mourn the loss of a political campaign without looking like a whiny, sore loser. But this morning, that’s exactly how I felt. I managed to stay in bed until 5am when I finally let myself look at the election results to see the unfortunate result. And since then, I’ve struggled to find a way to be optimistic and hopeful about the future. Anybody can be disappointed. Finding a way around the disappointment is a sign of maturity and class.
Right?
Well, if so, consider me a little bitch because I’m pissed off. We didn’t know what we were getting into the first time Trump was elected. It was a hail mary to just try something different. And what did we get? Two impeachments, an insurrection, and the emboldening of racists across the country.
And we’re such a flawed nation that we decided once wasn’t enough.
This can only be explained by intentional ignorance, selfishness, and a combination of sexism and racism. The economy is rough right now. Things are expensive. And if you took the time to compare the economic plan of both candidates you would see that Trump’s vague ideas were misguided and unrealistic. But using the cost of groceries as your single issue is a selfish way to look at the election when so many civil liberties were on the line. And if you knew about all that and still couldn’t stomach voting for a woman of color, well there’s your sexism and racism.
There are very real consequences to giving Trump a second term. Will he actually round up 12 million illegal immigrants and put them in concentration camps? I doubt it, but there’s a chance. At the very least, we can expect the end of any and all climate change initiatives and the elimination of regulations to favor businesses over the well-being of the rest of us. Combine that with another campaign of appointing judges all over the country and you have long lasting repercussions that are going to fuck things up for a generation.
Project 2025 is almost 1,000 pages long so there’s no way all of it gets enacted. But if even some of it is implemented there are going to be even more draconian impacts on the country.
These are just some of the reasons I was incredibly disappointed this morning. That’s not to even mention the fact that Trump looks and acts completely insane at all times, carries himself with a sickening level of undeserved arrogance, is a convicted sexual predator, a historic liar, and has been called an existential threat by almost everyone in his first administration—and you have good reason to be flabbergasted that over half the country said, “Yup, this is the guy that represents my interests.”
I’ve always tried to understand things from all sides. I try to avoid assuming that my beliefs are unimpeachable so I can be open to understanding other points of view. But when it comes to this election, I can’t understand why you’d make that choice unless you fall into one of the three categories I mentioned earlier.
I know some of my friends and family—some people I love and respect—voted for Trump. I’m struggling to find a judicious way to interpret this election to leave room for them to make an intelligent explanation of their choice. I’m open to it because I so badly want to find it, but it’s beyond me right now. That’s on me. The hit is still too fresh. I’m still clouded with disappointment and embarrassment for my country.
But this is what elections are for. What I interpret as a hellscape is the will of the people. We apparently want to single out marginalized parts of our society and attack invented boogeymen. The people on my side of the aisle have to reconcile the fact that we are in the minority. We are surrounded by people that want to hold back people for who they are in defense of their own selfish desires. It’s a society based on fear, an unwillingness to understand those different from us, and clinging to outdated and untrue ideations of American supremacy.
Lashing out at those who are different from us isn’t what makes us exceptional. In fact, it’s the exact opposite of that.
The right loves to condemn liberals as if wanting to help people is a bad thing. I care about the well-being of others and want my government to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to be free to express themselves and succeed. But that makes me a snowflake because tough guys are supposed to roll coal and cut the sleeves off their t-shirts. If you interpret helping others as draining your own cup, you need to get off public roads, unhook your water pipes from the city pumps, and shit in a bucket. You don’t get to enjoy the fruits of shared resources while withholding them from others.
This should be the part where I put something hopeful about the future, but I just don’t have that. Not yet. Maybe I’ll get there, but I’m going to take a page out of their playbook and be selfish for a little while. I’m focusing on my own mental well-being for a bit. I’m turning off the TV and taking myself out of the constant news cycle before it gets too dark (because it will get very dark, very soon).
If you’re disappointed by the news today, find anything you can do to make yourself smile. Listen to a good record. Eat a bunch of candy. Don’t argue with anybody on the internet.
And if you voted for Trump…