For myself, I would add to the list the democrats who did not show up, the under 35 year olds who voted to destroy their futures, the people of color who have put themselves directly in harms way, the people who practice religions other than christofascism who are now threatened, finally the elderly who voted to have their safety nets cut. These are also the people who don’t seem to care what happens next when actually they should be terrified.
A lot of people, especially the less educated and young men, vote with their gut. My son’s friends all thinkTrump is strong—and they love Elon. I still remember my own teenage derision for Jimmy Carter when he collapsed in a road race—and how defeated he seemed on TV, slumped in his cardigan talking about our “malaise,” whatever that was. No wonder Reagan’s jingoism sounded good to people.
Joe Biden looks weak physically and mentally, and in how he allowed Netanyahu and caravans of migrants to disrespect our country, doing nothing to stop it. And Biden and his people weakened Harris from the beginning, framing her as a diversity choice then tying her to the worst of his failures—she was stuck in word circles trying to defending the indefensible while facing an electorate still getting back on its feet economically. I would never vote for the Traitor-in-Chief, and I’m horrified by the whole disinformation ecosystem dividing our country, but the left needs to learn from this epic con and get real about how a large bloc of voters see and hear political leaders. They don’t listen to abstractions and arguments or read the NYT. The weaker, more overwhelmed, and more hopeless they feel, the more they want a clear message of hope and a leader who gives them strength and certainty to identify with—whether it’s the one who says Yes, We Can, or the one who stands up and raises a fist, promising to Make America Great Again.
You are absolutely correct about the type of messaging people need & don’t listen to. Maybe the Dems should take marketing classes & observe the GOP’s repetition of short messages. Repetition creates familiarity & trust; coupled with circuses & noise to draw more attention. (Skip the enrage to engage session.)
Scientific fact (health science): During severe trauma, logic & reasoning take a backseat to the ‘primitive’ or survival part of the brain. We may not hear or remember everything. Even peripheral vision can be suppressed, etc. It’s why eye witnesses are not as reliable as we believe. The severity of the reaction depends on the types of adversity, the severity and how long it/they persist. People who feel overwhelmed and hopeless definitely need clear relevant (to them) messages and a leader who inspires confidence.
This is reinforced by Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (social science). A theory which divides human needs into 5 levels. In general people move from one to the next as the needs of each level are met. If your voters are saying their biggest issues are affordability of basic needs, their concern is Level 1. If it is crime and safety, that’s Level 2. (If you are trump you tie immigration to both & offer a “solution.”) Meet people where they are emotionally. Don’t tell them what they think or insult them. The target is Level 1 & 2 so that people see a path to achieve Levels 3, 4, 5.
In my county, over 60K more people voted than in 2020--and that was a number from a couple weeks back. It ran ahead the whole time, all the way to the finish.
I’m in ruby red Ky. The 2 counties with the largest populations each saw a decline of 5%. The rural counties increased voter turnout. We had a ballot initiative about school funding. Because the state’s electoral votes were never in question that may have made a difference in rural areas.
(Rural areas had not faced this threat to their schools before. The larger counties were always targeted by the legislature with their bills which were struck down by the courts. Rand Paul endorsing the Amendment was ignored. It only received ~35% of the vote.)
I am also in ruby red Kentucky. It’s disheartening, since I knew my BLUE vote wouldn’t change anything for the state. I voted for my grandchildren and children!How sad that people only seem to look toward what will help them, rather than the future of this country and people as a whole!
We are a selfish bunch in America - no question. Selfishness, shortsightedness and apathy herald the end of civilizations. Two things are all huge warnings - the stripping of rights (in this case women) and antisemitism are the two canaries in the coal mine - and they are dead. Add to this when good men (and women) become bystanders, chaos ensues. When people who are in power refuse to take the difficult steps and demand accountability (looking at you Merrick Garland) people like Trump gain and re-gain power.
That is typically how it works when people feel stressed, unsettled or anxious. In times of more prosperity it seems you have a better chance of getting more ‘big picture’ voters.
I have spoken with friends from all over the country. They are terrified and horrified. Nobody can figure out how Trump pulled this off. Nobody can figure out why people voted for this despot. Nobody can understand how someone as qualified as Kamala Harris lost this election. Virtually everybody is experiencing shock and trauma over the realization that everything we were taught, understood to be true and accepted as truth about this country has turned out to be a lie…that when we say the pledge of allegiance, it is a fantasy, a hope and a prayer, but there is no truth in it anymore; or rather, only MAGA’s truth. The flag only speaks to them…only to some whom they deem worthy, and not to the rest of us; the whole of the country; the all and indivisible of us.
I do not share the media’s hand-wringing about what went wrong. I do not share blame for wanting my president to stand for decency, equity, inclusion, and diversity. We have always aspired to the highest and best in us. Unfortunately, the lowest and the worst in us prevailed…over the price of eggs?
What is to be done? Never give up those shining values for a dusty dollar. Never give up on those who seek a better life in all the ways that matter…honesty, integrity, kindness…”with malice toward none, and charity for all…let us strive to finish the work…”
Thank you Ellen for your clear articulate thoughts on this travesty!! I am horrified about the outcome of the election and since 2016 I will never understand why! We have to move forward but I am not sure how we do that!!
Agree with all your not-getting overs, Steven, but really resolute on 6. and 7. Once again, this country has "passed over" an extremely competent, compassionate, articulate woman for a horrible slug of a person - incorrigibly stupid, lazy, self-absorbed and totally repulsive. When I think of what this country would be like had Hillary Clinton been elected, and now the rejection of Kamala Harris, all I can think is: My God, what have we done? The damage from those decisions is incalculable. What must other democratic nations think of us! Tragically 6. will almost definitely lead to 7. But count on me to hang in there with you.
I was stunned by the numbers of Latino men who continue to believe that machismo is the way to live. (Go back to where you came from! I mean, if immigration is a real plan, right?) And the number of Black men who said that women "are too emotional". WTF?!! WHO is emotional?? (Sorry Steven, I don't use that acronym very often. Only in cases of emergency.)
Thank you, Steven. It is disheartening to imagine that the only way out of this mess is for failure and breakdown of systems and institutions to occur, such that Trumpists must see what they have wrought. If on the drive home from purchasing a used car from a disreputable salesperson the car breaks down and the new owner learns the warranty expired when they drove off the lot, a lesson may be learned.
Hello again! Gosh, it was nice curled up in that fetal ball—very comforting. Now, I’m just pissed. Pissed to see my country, its democracy, stumble. Pissed to see that stupidity and racism and misogyny win out again. Pissed that I am so old now that my only weapon is snark. And yet …
I also will never get over this: "That the man the majority of voters chose to control the highest office in our land for the next four years is a convicted felon, an adjudicated rapist with a documented pattern of sexual assault, and a vicious bigot who mimics the hateful, demonizing language and ideas of Adolf Hitler—and none of that was not a dealbreaker." That his message of hate, division, and bigotry was what so many Americans chose is profoundly sad. I fear for our country.
I'm still too upset. Grieving. Not particularly scared, though, not for myself anyway. In these days the work of truly investigative journalists like Judd Legum becomes even more critical. They're going to have to get creative, and they're going to need our support. That's all I'm sure of right now.
I'm anxious. My husband is an immigrant (naturalized -- though I have heard that some of the most rabid trumpists are looking at eventually removing this status); his family in Maryland and NYC -- who work like Trojans as menial laborers, far, far harder, and with double and triple the number of hours, compared to any Americans I know. They are honest, honorable people. Exactly the people that any SANE nation would welcome with open arms.) Our daughter is half-Tibetan, and has several physical handicaps. What of her? [One note: my older brother is a leader in the White Supremacy movement, and has been for many, many decades. Is he REALLY so stupid that he doesn't realize that his autistic son could be a target?! Or would they spare Robby b/o Bob's loyalty to the "Cause"?]
It is a very reasonable reaction to be anxious. They want everyone to be fearful. I am hoping advocacy groups will work with their communities to get info to them. Maybe there is one near you who can provide information?
According to US Immigration stats almost 8 million people became naturalized citizens just in the past 10 yrs. That almost doubles their supposed target of 10 million.
Would they really deport naturalized citizens but not Malaria and her father? I think they will focus on the low-hanging fruit first that will be easier to turn into “good” headlines - people at the border; in the US without documentation who have committed offenses. Prolong the “having the issue both ways game” on immigration.
The Chief of Staff will be a woman with a long history of winning political campaigns including 2 for trump. (It is reported the infamous Stephen Miller is in line for a deputy policy position - not to be a head honcho. Damaging for sure, but a lower profile.)
Not too long until the mid-terms and the backlash would be severe if they started deporting naturalized citizens. There are few legal reasons to do so. Mostly false info in the application process, certain crimes like terrorism.
The main things advocacy groups I’ve seen talk about are:
1. Ending TPS and other programs that are temporary. Canada is doing that and abruptly telling people they need to leave. Trump tried to end TPS while president and the courts stopped him. It may be why they took such delight in harassing Springfield OH. When faced with the fact that TPS is a legal status, JD said he would continue to say they were here illegally.
2. Deporting head of families to coerce the family into “self-deporting” - both for economic reasons and to keep their family intact. That would impact “mixed status” households. Fear could push people to leave first … as US citizens are doing.
"Would they really deport naturalized citizens but not Malaria and her father?" Of course they would! I mean, she and her father don't have brown skin! Re the reptilian stephen miller: they've always kept him as low-profile as possible. After all, he led the entire deportation process, including tearing children from their mother's arms, with no one being the wiser. Did you know that he (this is TRUE) asked General Milley about bombing boats carrying immigrants from Cuba? He can do much more from behind the screen than in front of it.
It was a somewhat sarcastic remark. The hypocrisy was pointed out when her parents were naturalized and then that administration started blathering about ending ‘chain migration’. Trump wanted to send missiles into MX to stop the illegal drug trade by targeting cartel factories - and pretend another country did it. A lot of things didn’t happen & that’s why people don’t know about them. I think everyone paying any attention knows what Stephen Miller is and how he thinks. His own family has denounced his ideas. According to interviews done with a number of Latinos who voted for trump, many think their community won’t be effected, it is tough talk but more importantly will only affect criminals ‘Biden let in.’ IOW, they think they will be safer without these mythical criminals.
The new WH isn’t going to lead with deporting naturalized citizens who don’t have major legal issues. For starters, in this phase they want big headlines. There are so many easier opportunities for the big headlines. They are making a lot of noise to rile up the folks who are extremists, want this & to frighten people who don’t - including people frightened enough & able to leave on their own. Trying to discourage pushback in advance. “Self-deporting” is viewed as a win-win. No $$ involved; no detention centers needed, etc.
People knew Miller was the guy behind the curtain on immigration policy - if they cared. Deporting naturalized citizens is a P/R problem and a basket of legal problems. Worse than DACA Dreamers. It’s not long to the mid-term elections. Traditionally mid-terms are when the voters swing against incumbents. That’s why in 2022 they thought there would be a ‘red wave.’ The Dems don’t even need a “wave” in the midterms to take back Congress.
trump has tried to tie all the voters’ issues to immigration: Housing shortage and costs; inflation; jobs; wasted tax dollars. Aside from building or staffing prisons, there is nothing that will come close, even superficially, to addressing any of them. Prices and day-to-day costs like housing are not going to drop.
And in a country with a labor shortage, businesses especially small business will take a hit. This brings us to the other big promise they are NOT talking about: fixing inflation with tariffs. Nothing about tariffs or anything financial. The main issue voters cared about.
Please get confidential advice & a plan from immigration experts like attorneys and well established advocates. Naturalized citizens have the same rights as citizens. They want hopelessness and fear to defeat us because it is so exhausting. Draw strength where ever you can. 🫶
What I cannot get over is the inability of the majority of Americans to think, to reason,to consider other viewpoints & how many are just plain stupid.
A man was complaining about the cost of his groceries a few days after the election, then got all excited saying But wait till next week & we'll see the prices go way down. He actually thought trump being elected meant he was now president. I tried to explain to another man that tariffs would increase prices.Got a blank look & a "huh?".
trump wants women's rights dictated by the states, then says every state must accept another state's open gun carry law. Which is it?
I continue to converse, joke with all, but I certainly have lost respect for so many. I find I cannot forget or forgive. Not yet.
Proving that when people are frustrated, angry & anxious the brain does not fully function. I would not be surprised if trump tries to distract from the economy with splashy headlines on tax cuts, crime & immigration. We’ve seen that act before. Empty binders, blank “documents” and lots of pictures.
Sooner or later, the chickens are going to come home to roost for the trumpers, when his policies are in place. Then there will be millions who will lose their health insurance, the women who will continue to die for lack of care, poor people who will be beset by inflation once the tariffs kick in… on and on. I will never have an ounce of sympathy for those who voted for him or sat home. All my sympathy will go to those they drug down with them.
But when? It took a nightmare for Germans' idiocy to finally end, with 40,000,000 dead or injured soldiers from every nation; 45,000,000 civilians deaths , and innumerable civilian injuries; starvation and homelessness by hundreds of millions; the expansion of Communist Russia with dire consequences; wholesale destruction of cities, some of great historical significance -- as starters. I read a sanguine post on another site, where a reader wrote, "But in the end we WON! The Nuremberg trials proved it." "WON"??!!! WHAT???
well, I don't know. you'll have to ask the people who voted for Trump, and the vast majority against their own best interests. But - they've been doing that for 8 years now, haven't they? and the rest of us are collateral damage. I didn't vote for this nightmare. It might depend on how soon the millions who did come to their senses. I did what I could to prevent it, and I lost that battle. Now that we know there will be millions of victims at some level, I guess we'll have to wait for the ones who voted for this to come to their senses and vote a different way next time - if there is a next time to vote in a fair and free election. I have strong doubts.
In addition to all of the above (thank you!), the Brennan Center's Nov. 6 "Briefing" newsletter included this: "[O]ne-third of the president-elect’s funds came from a small handful of billionaires. That is something new and ominous." It's especially so when combined with the strength of right-wing media, to which it is not unrelated.
I keep coming back to something I learned while living in the UK in the mid-1970s: In general, USians are woefully ignorant about what "the economy" is and how it works. The Biden-Harris administration gets blamed for the state of "the economy," not the price-gouging corporations and the hedge funds and all those billionaires and mega-multimillionaires backing the GOP. It's not hard to understand how this came about: since the late 19th century, the wealthy and the corporate have been squelching any talk of economic justice as part of a communist plot. To this day even Democrats trash other Democrats as "far left" for addressing the shortcomings of our economic system. And people who benefit from Democratic policies wind up supporting the billionaires.
As a young person coming of age in the mid/late 1960s, I learned *a lot* about both the Vietnam War and the U.S. civil rights movement from informal teach-ins. The media and the political landscape have changed plenty since then, but creating alternatives to the mainstream narrative is still crucial. For instance, how do we Substackers (who may be numerous but remain a small fraction of the U.S. population) take what we learn here into the wider world?
Re: the “communist” threat or the “evils of communism” - the DeSantis label.
September 10, 2018, NY ran a story - “In Florida, DeSantis Hopes to Woo Latinos — Not Just Cubans — by Denouncing ‘Socialism’” The main thrust of his campaign, particularly in heavily Latino areas, was “the mayor of Tallahassee, is a failed Socialist Mayor.”
That’s how he won his 1st term and flipped Miami-Dade. A first for a GOP candidate.
He continued over time with a drumbeat that conflated all socialism to communism while expanding the actual meaning of communism. It was Susan Wiles who propelled his campaign to victory; Rick Scott’s gubernatorial campaign before him and trump’s 2016 campaign. It’s no coincidence that Latino social media & influencers spread anti “Commie-La” memes & info. Or that trump used similar ‘nicknames’ in 2024.
DeSantis is still laser focused on this anti-communism game while in his last term as governor. This spring he signed a new education executive order at a photo op. It is a prominent issue on the governor’s website & now thoroughly embedded in FL politics, schools and likely Latino political views in many places.
In 2022 he declared a Victims of Communism Day to be observed in schools.
A wonderful history prof of mine (the late Jack Reece, U of PA, ca 1973) opened his first lecture on Fascism and Nazism with "What is a fascist -- other than someone you don't like?" Whereupon nearly the whole class chuckled or grinned a little nervously because most of us had used "fascist" exactly that way. Anti-communist rhetoric has a much longer history, but it seems to have morphed into meaning "anti-liberal." Which is ironic (or LOL funny depending on your mood) considering that not so long ago the real communists were not at all fond of (and didn't trust) liberals and the feeling was definitely mutual. Thanks for that link!
Here's where I have landed: if the final chapter of my life is to be spent under the rise of fascism, then that chapter will be spent fighting against that dark cloud. I will not -- will NOT -- lie on my death bed wishing I had done more, wishing I had had the courage to stand up against tyranny. If this is what my final years look like, so be it. I will not let the fascists own me. They cannot have me.
I donated to Harris and to my representative who is a blue dot in a red state. I donated to candidates in purple states all over the country, and I had long conversations with a longtime Republicans who eventually saw the light. And none of that helped. I was lucky to convince one Republican to vote Democratic. The rest of them are not open to discussion. I don’t know how to deal with cult members. I really don’t know what I can personally do to turn this around and I find that very frustrating.
Same here. There was absolutely NOTHING I could do that would have made any difference. Now tell me: how is this different from what happened at the start of the Third Reich?
• It’s a looong article. — “In 2017’s national elections, AfD won 94 seats in the Bundestag, turning it into Germany’s third-largest political party.” Later it talks about early signs in many places came after the end of the Cold War. And that while attacking democratic values “Every one of these new authoritarian movements presented itself as deeply and authentically democratic.”
Any one of these Facts ought to have immediately disqualified this Imp for any leadership role. Let alone for Presidency. And a second time at that!? Like most here I’m numb and taking a break from any TV news. For a while now anytime citizen Phlegm spoke or was shown I’d just mute or change the channel. I will continue to do so. The repulsion is such. I certainly will continue to Hope for more critical thinking to prevail. This is nothing new either. Many have imagined just such a populace existed in this country, only to be shocked into submission it just isn’t so.
Thank you, yet again Steven, for your Wisdom and insights. You’ve kept me educated and curious.
I have been listing isolated and directionless since last Tuesday, struggling to find a way to make sense of how I felt. You have captured my feelings so well with this post Steven. Though I must still find a way to process the lingering feeling of being in a country of unrecognizable countrymen and women, where I am not welcome.
Part of me wants Biden to use his new Supreme Court granted presidential Actions Immunity to remove Musk for Visa Violation, revoke Trumps pardons to convicted criminals and mandate convicted Felons can’t serve as President or in any other government office capacity.
Also, investigate Musks Satellite proliferations prior to the election and subsequent disconnecting them after the election…if true, as rumored!
For myself, I would add to the list the democrats who did not show up, the under 35 year olds who voted to destroy their futures, the people of color who have put themselves directly in harms way, the people who practice religions other than christofascism who are now threatened, finally the elderly who voted to have their safety nets cut. These are also the people who don’t seem to care what happens next when actually they should be terrified.
A lot of people, especially the less educated and young men, vote with their gut. My son’s friends all thinkTrump is strong—and they love Elon. I still remember my own teenage derision for Jimmy Carter when he collapsed in a road race—and how defeated he seemed on TV, slumped in his cardigan talking about our “malaise,” whatever that was. No wonder Reagan’s jingoism sounded good to people.
Joe Biden looks weak physically and mentally, and in how he allowed Netanyahu and caravans of migrants to disrespect our country, doing nothing to stop it. And Biden and his people weakened Harris from the beginning, framing her as a diversity choice then tying her to the worst of his failures—she was stuck in word circles trying to defending the indefensible while facing an electorate still getting back on its feet economically. I would never vote for the Traitor-in-Chief, and I’m horrified by the whole disinformation ecosystem dividing our country, but the left needs to learn from this epic con and get real about how a large bloc of voters see and hear political leaders. They don’t listen to abstractions and arguments or read the NYT. The weaker, more overwhelmed, and more hopeless they feel, the more they want a clear message of hope and a leader who gives them strength and certainty to identify with—whether it’s the one who says Yes, We Can, or the one who stands up and raises a fist, promising to Make America Great Again.
You are absolutely correct about the type of messaging people need & don’t listen to. Maybe the Dems should take marketing classes & observe the GOP’s repetition of short messages. Repetition creates familiarity & trust; coupled with circuses & noise to draw more attention. (Skip the enrage to engage session.)
Scientific fact (health science): During severe trauma, logic & reasoning take a backseat to the ‘primitive’ or survival part of the brain. We may not hear or remember everything. Even peripheral vision can be suppressed, etc. It’s why eye witnesses are not as reliable as we believe. The severity of the reaction depends on the types of adversity, the severity and how long it/they persist. People who feel overwhelmed and hopeless definitely need clear relevant (to them) messages and a leader who inspires confidence.
This is reinforced by Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (social science). A theory which divides human needs into 5 levels. In general people move from one to the next as the needs of each level are met. If your voters are saying their biggest issues are affordability of basic needs, their concern is Level 1. If it is crime and safety, that’s Level 2. (If you are trump you tie immigration to both & offer a “solution.”) Meet people where they are emotionally. Don’t tell them what they think or insult them. The target is Level 1 & 2 so that people see a path to achieve Levels 3, 4, 5.
https://www.simplypsychology.org/wp-content/uploads/maslow-needs3.jpg
In my county, over 60K more people voted than in 2020--and that was a number from a couple weeks back. It ran ahead the whole time, all the way to the finish.
Do you believe these numbers? I don't.
I’m in ruby red Ky. The 2 counties with the largest populations each saw a decline of 5%. The rural counties increased voter turnout. We had a ballot initiative about school funding. Because the state’s electoral votes were never in question that may have made a difference in rural areas.
(Rural areas had not faced this threat to their schools before. The larger counties were always targeted by the legislature with their bills which were struck down by the courts. Rand Paul endorsing the Amendment was ignored. It only received ~35% of the vote.)
I am also in ruby red Kentucky. It’s disheartening, since I knew my BLUE vote wouldn’t change anything for the state. I voted for my grandchildren and children!How sad that people only seem to look toward what will help them, rather than the future of this country and people as a whole!
We are a selfish bunch in America - no question. Selfishness, shortsightedness and apathy herald the end of civilizations. Two things are all huge warnings - the stripping of rights (in this case women) and antisemitism are the two canaries in the coal mine - and they are dead. Add to this when good men (and women) become bystanders, chaos ensues. When people who are in power refuse to take the difficult steps and demand accountability (looking at you Merrick Garland) people like Trump gain and re-gain power.
Yes, it is disheartening.
That is typically how it works when people feel stressed, unsettled or anxious. In times of more prosperity it seems you have a better chance of getting more ‘big picture’ voters.
I have spoken with friends from all over the country. They are terrified and horrified. Nobody can figure out how Trump pulled this off. Nobody can figure out why people voted for this despot. Nobody can understand how someone as qualified as Kamala Harris lost this election. Virtually everybody is experiencing shock and trauma over the realization that everything we were taught, understood to be true and accepted as truth about this country has turned out to be a lie…that when we say the pledge of allegiance, it is a fantasy, a hope and a prayer, but there is no truth in it anymore; or rather, only MAGA’s truth. The flag only speaks to them…only to some whom they deem worthy, and not to the rest of us; the whole of the country; the all and indivisible of us.
I do not share the media’s hand-wringing about what went wrong. I do not share blame for wanting my president to stand for decency, equity, inclusion, and diversity. We have always aspired to the highest and best in us. Unfortunately, the lowest and the worst in us prevailed…over the price of eggs?
What is to be done? Never give up those shining values for a dusty dollar. Never give up on those who seek a better life in all the ways that matter…honesty, integrity, kindness…”with malice toward none, and charity for all…let us strive to finish the work…”
I share your amazement that so many would toss it all away.
We’ve seen for years that Americans are less educated, particularly concerning their government than in most of the world.
Elections last way too long and are basically corporate funded.
Disinformation is killing us.
Great post in The New Republic which even Heather Cox Richardson cited on Nov 8th:
https://newsletter.tnr.com/index.php?action=social&chash=2715518c875999308842e3455eda2fe3.1073&s=11c340fb66c9b72f24dd4fbbbad6e4cf
Really good read.
Thank you Ellen
Thank YOU, Helen!
Thank you Ellen for your clear articulate thoughts on this travesty!! I am horrified about the outcome of the election and since 2016 I will never understand why! We have to move forward but I am not sure how we do that!!
I share your despair. I liken this period to a time when I will walk around with my umbrella, in case it pours…
Agree with all your not-getting overs, Steven, but really resolute on 6. and 7. Once again, this country has "passed over" an extremely competent, compassionate, articulate woman for a horrible slug of a person - incorrigibly stupid, lazy, self-absorbed and totally repulsive. When I think of what this country would be like had Hillary Clinton been elected, and now the rejection of Kamala Harris, all I can think is: My God, what have we done? The damage from those decisions is incalculable. What must other democratic nations think of us! Tragically 6. will almost definitely lead to 7. But count on me to hang in there with you.
I was stunned by the numbers of Latino men who continue to believe that machismo is the way to live. (Go back to where you came from! I mean, if immigration is a real plan, right?) And the number of Black men who said that women "are too emotional". WTF?!! WHO is emotional?? (Sorry Steven, I don't use that acronym very often. Only in cases of emergency.)
Thank you, Steven. It is disheartening to imagine that the only way out of this mess is for failure and breakdown of systems and institutions to occur, such that Trumpists must see what they have wrought. If on the drive home from purchasing a used car from a disreputable salesperson the car breaks down and the new owner learns the warranty expired when they drove off the lot, a lesson may be learned.
Hello again! Gosh, it was nice curled up in that fetal ball—very comforting. Now, I’m just pissed. Pissed to see my country, its democracy, stumble. Pissed to see that stupidity and racism and misogyny win out again. Pissed that I am so old now that my only weapon is snark. And yet …
The process continues.
"Pissed that I am so old now that my only weapon is snark." Maybe there is still something we can do?
I also will never get over this: "That the man the majority of voters chose to control the highest office in our land for the next four years is a convicted felon, an adjudicated rapist with a documented pattern of sexual assault, and a vicious bigot who mimics the hateful, demonizing language and ideas of Adolf Hitler—and none of that was not a dealbreaker." That his message of hate, division, and bigotry was what so many Americans chose is profoundly sad. I fear for our country.
I'm still too upset. Grieving. Not particularly scared, though, not for myself anyway. In these days the work of truly investigative journalists like Judd Legum becomes even more critical. They're going to have to get creative, and they're going to need our support. That's all I'm sure of right now.
I'm anxious. My husband is an immigrant (naturalized -- though I have heard that some of the most rabid trumpists are looking at eventually removing this status); his family in Maryland and NYC -- who work like Trojans as menial laborers, far, far harder, and with double and triple the number of hours, compared to any Americans I know. They are honest, honorable people. Exactly the people that any SANE nation would welcome with open arms.) Our daughter is half-Tibetan, and has several physical handicaps. What of her? [One note: my older brother is a leader in the White Supremacy movement, and has been for many, many decades. Is he REALLY so stupid that he doesn't realize that his autistic son could be a target?! Or would they spare Robby b/o Bob's loyalty to the "Cause"?]
It is a very reasonable reaction to be anxious. They want everyone to be fearful. I am hoping advocacy groups will work with their communities to get info to them. Maybe there is one near you who can provide information?
According to US Immigration stats almost 8 million people became naturalized citizens just in the past 10 yrs. That almost doubles their supposed target of 10 million.
Would they really deport naturalized citizens but not Malaria and her father? I think they will focus on the low-hanging fruit first that will be easier to turn into “good” headlines - people at the border; in the US without documentation who have committed offenses. Prolong the “having the issue both ways game” on immigration.
The Chief of Staff will be a woman with a long history of winning political campaigns including 2 for trump. (It is reported the infamous Stephen Miller is in line for a deputy policy position - not to be a head honcho. Damaging for sure, but a lower profile.)
Not too long until the mid-terms and the backlash would be severe if they started deporting naturalized citizens. There are few legal reasons to do so. Mostly false info in the application process, certain crimes like terrorism.
The main things advocacy groups I’ve seen talk about are:
1. Ending TPS and other programs that are temporary. Canada is doing that and abruptly telling people they need to leave. Trump tried to end TPS while president and the courts stopped him. It may be why they took such delight in harassing Springfield OH. When faced with the fact that TPS is a legal status, JD said he would continue to say they were here illegally.
2. Deporting head of families to coerce the family into “self-deporting” - both for economic reasons and to keep their family intact. That would impact “mixed status” households. Fear could push people to leave first … as US citizens are doing.
"Would they really deport naturalized citizens but not Malaria and her father?" Of course they would! I mean, she and her father don't have brown skin! Re the reptilian stephen miller: they've always kept him as low-profile as possible. After all, he led the entire deportation process, including tearing children from their mother's arms, with no one being the wiser. Did you know that he (this is TRUE) asked General Milley about bombing boats carrying immigrants from Cuba? He can do much more from behind the screen than in front of it.
It was a somewhat sarcastic remark. The hypocrisy was pointed out when her parents were naturalized and then that administration started blathering about ending ‘chain migration’. Trump wanted to send missiles into MX to stop the illegal drug trade by targeting cartel factories - and pretend another country did it. A lot of things didn’t happen & that’s why people don’t know about them. I think everyone paying any attention knows what Stephen Miller is and how he thinks. His own family has denounced his ideas. According to interviews done with a number of Latinos who voted for trump, many think their community won’t be effected, it is tough talk but more importantly will only affect criminals ‘Biden let in.’ IOW, they think they will be safer without these mythical criminals.
The new WH isn’t going to lead with deporting naturalized citizens who don’t have major legal issues. For starters, in this phase they want big headlines. There are so many easier opportunities for the big headlines. They are making a lot of noise to rile up the folks who are extremists, want this & to frighten people who don’t - including people frightened enough & able to leave on their own. Trying to discourage pushback in advance. “Self-deporting” is viewed as a win-win. No $$ involved; no detention centers needed, etc.
People knew Miller was the guy behind the curtain on immigration policy - if they cared. Deporting naturalized citizens is a P/R problem and a basket of legal problems. Worse than DACA Dreamers. It’s not long to the mid-term elections. Traditionally mid-terms are when the voters swing against incumbents. That’s why in 2022 they thought there would be a ‘red wave.’ The Dems don’t even need a “wave” in the midterms to take back Congress.
trump has tried to tie all the voters’ issues to immigration: Housing shortage and costs; inflation; jobs; wasted tax dollars. Aside from building or staffing prisons, there is nothing that will come close, even superficially, to addressing any of them. Prices and day-to-day costs like housing are not going to drop.
And in a country with a labor shortage, businesses especially small business will take a hit. This brings us to the other big promise they are NOT talking about: fixing inflation with tariffs. Nothing about tariffs or anything financial. The main issue voters cared about.
Please get confidential advice & a plan from immigration experts like attorneys and well established advocates. Naturalized citizens have the same rights as citizens. They want hopelessness and fear to defeat us because it is so exhausting. Draw strength where ever you can. 🫶
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/08/13/stephen-miller-is-an-immigration-hypocrite-i-know-because-im-his-uncle-219351/
What I cannot get over is the inability of the majority of Americans to think, to reason,to consider other viewpoints & how many are just plain stupid.
A man was complaining about the cost of his groceries a few days after the election, then got all excited saying But wait till next week & we'll see the prices go way down. He actually thought trump being elected meant he was now president. I tried to explain to another man that tariffs would increase prices.Got a blank look & a "huh?".
trump wants women's rights dictated by the states, then says every state must accept another state's open gun carry law. Which is it?
I continue to converse, joke with all, but I certainly have lost respect for so many. I find I cannot forget or forgive. Not yet.
Thank you Rita
Proving that when people are frustrated, angry & anxious the brain does not fully function. I would not be surprised if trump tries to distract from the economy with splashy headlines on tax cuts, crime & immigration. We’ve seen that act before. Empty binders, blank “documents” and lots of pictures.
Sooner or later, the chickens are going to come home to roost for the trumpers, when his policies are in place. Then there will be millions who will lose their health insurance, the women who will continue to die for lack of care, poor people who will be beset by inflation once the tariffs kick in… on and on. I will never have an ounce of sympathy for those who voted for him or sat home. All my sympathy will go to those they drug down with them.
But when? It took a nightmare for Germans' idiocy to finally end, with 40,000,000 dead or injured soldiers from every nation; 45,000,000 civilians deaths , and innumerable civilian injuries; starvation and homelessness by hundreds of millions; the expansion of Communist Russia with dire consequences; wholesale destruction of cities, some of great historical significance -- as starters. I read a sanguine post on another site, where a reader wrote, "But in the end we WON! The Nuremberg trials proved it." "WON"??!!! WHAT???
well, I don't know. you'll have to ask the people who voted for Trump, and the vast majority against their own best interests. But - they've been doing that for 8 years now, haven't they? and the rest of us are collateral damage. I didn't vote for this nightmare. It might depend on how soon the millions who did come to their senses. I did what I could to prevent it, and I lost that battle. Now that we know there will be millions of victims at some level, I guess we'll have to wait for the ones who voted for this to come to their senses and vote a different way next time - if there is a next time to vote in a fair and free election. I have strong doubts.
I guess we’ll begins to find out about that “WHAT.”
In addition to all of the above (thank you!), the Brennan Center's Nov. 6 "Briefing" newsletter included this: "[O]ne-third of the president-elect’s funds came from a small handful of billionaires. That is something new and ominous." It's especially so when combined with the strength of right-wing media, to which it is not unrelated.
I keep coming back to something I learned while living in the UK in the mid-1970s: In general, USians are woefully ignorant about what "the economy" is and how it works. The Biden-Harris administration gets blamed for the state of "the economy," not the price-gouging corporations and the hedge funds and all those billionaires and mega-multimillionaires backing the GOP. It's not hard to understand how this came about: since the late 19th century, the wealthy and the corporate have been squelching any talk of economic justice as part of a communist plot. To this day even Democrats trash other Democrats as "far left" for addressing the shortcomings of our economic system. And people who benefit from Democratic policies wind up supporting the billionaires.
As a young person coming of age in the mid/late 1960s, I learned *a lot* about both the Vietnam War and the U.S. civil rights movement from informal teach-ins. The media and the political landscape have changed plenty since then, but creating alternatives to the mainstream narrative is still crucial. For instance, how do we Substackers (who may be numerous but remain a small fraction of the U.S. population) take what we learn here into the wider world?
I remember the “teach ins”.
Re: the “communist” threat or the “evils of communism” - the DeSantis label.
September 10, 2018, NY ran a story - “In Florida, DeSantis Hopes to Woo Latinos — Not Just Cubans — by Denouncing ‘Socialism’” The main thrust of his campaign, particularly in heavily Latino areas, was “the mayor of Tallahassee, is a failed Socialist Mayor.”
That’s how he won his 1st term and flipped Miami-Dade. A first for a GOP candidate.
He continued over time with a drumbeat that conflated all socialism to communism while expanding the actual meaning of communism. It was Susan Wiles who propelled his campaign to victory; Rick Scott’s gubernatorial campaign before him and trump’s 2016 campaign. It’s no coincidence that Latino social media & influencers spread anti “Commie-La” memes & info. Or that trump used similar ‘nicknames’ in 2024.
DeSantis is still laser focused on this anti-communism game while in his last term as governor. This spring he signed a new education executive order at a photo op. It is a prominent issue on the governor’s website & now thoroughly embedded in FL politics, schools and likely Latino political views in many places.
In 2022 he declared a Victims of Communism Day to be observed in schools.
https://floridaphoenix.com/2022/05/09/desantis-signs-k-12-victims-of-communism-bill-while-railing-against-college-campus-communists/
A wonderful history prof of mine (the late Jack Reece, U of PA, ca 1973) opened his first lecture on Fascism and Nazism with "What is a fascist -- other than someone you don't like?" Whereupon nearly the whole class chuckled or grinned a little nervously because most of us had used "fascist" exactly that way. Anti-communist rhetoric has a much longer history, but it seems to have morphed into meaning "anti-liberal." Which is ironic (or LOL funny depending on your mood) considering that not so long ago the real communists were not at all fond of (and didn't trust) liberals and the feeling was definitely mutual. Thanks for that link!
Oh. Well. That makes sense: let's honor victims-of-communism in the schools, but make sure that their textbooks are scrubbed of the word "slavery".
"That is something new and ominous."
Here's where I have landed: if the final chapter of my life is to be spent under the rise of fascism, then that chapter will be spent fighting against that dark cloud. I will not -- will NOT -- lie on my death bed wishing I had done more, wishing I had had the courage to stand up against tyranny. If this is what my final years look like, so be it. I will not let the fascists own me. They cannot have me.
👍👏
I donated to Harris and to my representative who is a blue dot in a red state. I donated to candidates in purple states all over the country, and I had long conversations with a longtime Republicans who eventually saw the light. And none of that helped. I was lucky to convince one Republican to vote Democratic. The rest of them are not open to discussion. I don’t know how to deal with cult members. I really don’t know what I can personally do to turn this around and I find that very frustrating.
Same here. There was absolutely NOTHING I could do that would have made any difference. Now tell me: how is this different from what happened at the start of the Third Reich?
It is happening across the globe. It is not an exaggeration to say democracy is in danger.
• Coup plots in Germany. Far right AfD party rises to historic approval levels while others fade https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/11/05/germany-arrests-eight-suspected-far-right-group-members-accused-of-neo-nazi-takeover-plot
• It’s a looong article. — “In 2017’s national elections, AfD won 94 seats in the Bundestag, turning it into Germany’s third-largest political party.” Later it talks about early signs in many places came after the end of the Cold War. And that while attacking democratic values “Every one of these new authoritarian movements presented itself as deeply and authentically democratic.”
https://www.vox.com/politics/361136/far-right-authoritarianism-germany-reactionary-spirit
Yes, Steven… 7XYES!
Any one of these Facts ought to have immediately disqualified this Imp for any leadership role. Let alone for Presidency. And a second time at that!? Like most here I’m numb and taking a break from any TV news. For a while now anytime citizen Phlegm spoke or was shown I’d just mute or change the channel. I will continue to do so. The repulsion is such. I certainly will continue to Hope for more critical thinking to prevail. This is nothing new either. Many have imagined just such a populace existed in this country, only to be shocked into submission it just isn’t so.
Thank you, yet again Steven, for your Wisdom and insights. You’ve kept me educated and curious.
Thank you. Hang in there.
I have been listing isolated and directionless since last Tuesday, struggling to find a way to make sense of how I felt. You have captured my feelings so well with this post Steven. Though I must still find a way to process the lingering feeling of being in a country of unrecognizable countrymen and women, where I am not welcome.
I understand, Sam. Hang in there. Prepare for the long haul.
Steven
You covered it all!——-
Part of me wants Biden to use his new Supreme Court granted presidential Actions Immunity to remove Musk for Visa Violation, revoke Trumps pardons to convicted criminals and mandate convicted Felons can’t serve as President or in any other government office capacity.
Also, investigate Musks Satellite proliferations prior to the election and subsequent disconnecting them after the election…if true, as rumored!
Your list completely summarizes my feelings, Steven. One thing he has accomplished: Making America Stupid Again.