I’m An Eight Time Loser
Reflecting on a lifetime of presidential elections today. My first, as a 20 year old college student, was 1972. Viet Nam was heavy on all of our minds as our friends and brothers were getting drafted, some not coming back. Protests everywhere. Richard Nixon won. I feel for the young people who are new voters and now feel like I did in 1972. My track record is not great (6/14). I have lived in blue and red areas of red states, in blue and red areas of blue states and overseas. Even with deep disappointments, I have never felt as devastated as 2016, and did not want to feel that way again. Which is why I did not watch returns, and locked up the whiskey. Oh well, here we are, gut punched again by a felon who has no business running for president of anything. My sparkling wine is still in the fridge.
In earlier times, people all sat down to watch the nightly news with Walter Cronkite, and I think we were all better aware of reality. Decades of misinformation from too many sources have taken a toll on the electorate. Our education system is under attack. Our justice system is no longer just. Separation of church and state has been blurred. Our national empathy and understanding of people who are not like us is disappearing. Too many people caring about only themselves.
I don’t know what the answer is. You can’t stop people from watching/reading poor ‘news’ sources and believing them, no matter how many facts you counter with. You can’t undo racism and misogyny. I’m so afraid that until the consequences of hate touch the haters personally, nothing will change. It will take a shooting at your kids’/grandkids’ school, a loved one dying of sepsis when they can’t get a D&C, suffering shortages of fruit and vegetables, meat and dairy, when all the harvesters and processors are rounded up and put in camps to deport. When they can’t find any elder care or day care providers. When their imported cheap products at Walmart and the Dollar store become unaffordable due to tariffs. We will all suffer, but those who can least afford it will suffer most. The wealthy oligarchs are calling the shots.
I will keep trying to understand, and be thankful I live in a state that fits me. That my daughters live in states that will take care of their reproductive health. And I will move forward, as soon as I’m done grieving. It might be a while.
I feel the same way as well. In a farcebook discussion, rather truth vs rant, the final blow from the trumper was ‘bring on the tariffs. Factories will come back to America.’ She is wrong. The factories will move to the next low cost country not affected by tariffs. The woman is also on the cusp or being eligible for SS benefits.
She has no idea what Project 2025 has in store for her. Trump said he knew nothing about Project 2025. Yet another lie on his part. NOTHING counter to her programming is considered ‘truth’. In her eyes I am SATAN. These people are very, very ill.
1Fran, my history mirrors yours, except I have lived in Texas all my adult life. 2016 broke hearts and spirits, 2024 creates a despair that has been growing since that first unimaginable event. How on earth did we begin to applaud and normalize such ugly behavior? One grandfather (born in Mississippi and a veteran of WWI, preached “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything.” My father and his brothers (born in Texas and all veterans of WWII) would be appalled at the culture that prevails now. And their mother would have washed their mouths out with soap if they repeated the language we are subjected to everyday. I fear for the children and grandchildren of our nation. They will be coming for “us” next.
2Yes, I was totally blown away by the results, most especially for volunteer work for Kamala. I am now living in two “camps”. One camp is certainly afraid that tRump has an extraordinary list of “enemies” he wants to hurt like hell. Now well imprinted on that list are all ther women who publicly supported Kamala. Liz Cheney is no doubt at the top of that list followed by all those young women who once worked in the White House and blew the whistle on tRump. Women who have abortions will be penalizez, most likerly with jail. Then comes the rest of us fiesty dames who volunteered for Kamala.
I went to church this morning and heard a very good idea in the sermon: concentrate on Thanksgiving. Fine. Very few of us women ever have the ability of NOT concentrating on a holiday involving a banquet. Then I recalled all those Thanksgiving families who have to deal with a grandpa or an uncle who have gone “doolollie” like the Brits say. Yup! that grandpa and uncle who are mentally in another strange world. And as long as grandpa and the uncle can say “NO” they can’t be sequestered in a senior care ccenter. Thats what we have now coming into the Oval Office. Well, as long as tRump remains scatter-brained we may just get a whisker of a break. And NO I do not think his handlers can contain him.
And as far as those folks who have created an unprecented internet search for a safe country to live in, may I just gently promote Canada. There is an awful lot of property up there already owned by Americans. Its a lovely place! And you will really enjoy a gfreat deal of courtesy.
3Hi Fran, It’s your sister, Anne. I remember you voting in your first election in ‘72. I wasn’t yet old enough to vote, but I remember it very well, because when I heard that Nixon won, it was the first time I dropped the F-bomb in front of Mom!
4This election, there is not a mighty enough swear-word.
Y’all are far more optimistic than I am.
Comrade Donnei is setting up an autocratic dynasty with the total help of the Rethuglikkkan Party.
He and his spawn will front it, while the real RWNJ PTBs in the dark shadows operate things.
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I first voted in 1968, for Humphrey (had just become eligible, since 21yo was still the limit), then all the Democrats since (was interested in politics since the early 50s, as a toddler even). Clearly a satanic demonic voter.
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For those thinking to become expats, it’s a whole lot more difficult than you think. All other desirable countries to live in have very high admittance standards that few can meet (particularly financial). Even Canada’s requirements may shock you, and exclude you.
My ex, a staunch Democrat (even a former delegate), has said that she is probably going. And she rarely says anything that she doesn’t mean.
She’s one of few who could swing it, having the financial resources to qualify. Her native Valley Spanish will stand out in Spain (preferred), or even Mexico (imo, Costa Rica would be best). But she’ll manage, if she really goes. She hates Donnei that much, and sees what’s coming.
It really is 1933 again…
5I’m over the shock. I’ve voted in fourteen Presidential elections now and have only voted for the winning candidate five times. (Voted once each for Carter, Clinton, and Biden, then twice for Obama) So far, we have muddled through even the worst of administrations. Living through decades of Republican rule in Texas I always carried hope for an historic realignment, when we the people finally ‘stand athwart history and yell stop,’ as Bill Buckley put it. I’ll be waiting.
6I’m with you. I am grieving now much the same as after Kent State (sadly, I am that old) and Nixon’s tragic win. I ran and hid from politics and the world until Reagan. It may take me a while, but the clear and present threat of environmental losses, judicial losses-to say nothing of the threat to democracy from an authoritarian will make my hiatus shorter.
7Here is a link that may help
“Election Grief Is Real. Here’s How to Cope
Understanding the psychology of ambiguous loss can help people struggling with grief and depression in the wake of the 2024 election results”
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/election-grief-is-real-heres-how-to-cope/
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