r/politics • u/ben_watson_jr • May 19 '24

How Can This Country Possibly Be Electing Trump Again? Soft Paywall

https://newrepublic.com/article/181287/can-america-possibly-elect-trump-again
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u/Life-Bed4301 May 21 '24

I fear it will be the end of our country all together. And unfortunately, I really feel this will happen. I’m an almost 60 yr old woman and have seen a lot. Everything out of his mouth is hate and vitriol. I don’t think he cares about the country & normal Americans (non millionaires) and will destroy the country my family fought and bled for. I’m not okay with that and never will be. I’m never going to consider voting for someone that only wants to represent the 1% & screw the rest. But that is just me.

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u/Milocobo May 21 '24

I understand that.

But your country has never served me. Both my parents died still working, with no retirement. I am one of 11 kids, and I am the only one they could afford to send to school, and I really do have to keep them afloat, making life more difficult for my immediate family. Besides that, we aren't secure from the use of force from your country.

Your family fought and bled for a country that doesn't serve my family. That actively exploits my family.

And you don't care to fix it. You would rather my family continue to barely limp along so that your descendants can be more comfortable.

Like I said, I'm no Trump advocate. But all 10 of my siblings voted for Trump in 2016 and they will again this year. I don't think they like Trump either. But just a brief, non-exhaustive list of things we will never be guaranteed to have in your America:

  • The right to be safe and secure
  • The right to be productive
  • The right to political expression

Really, our opportunity to pursue happiness is exceedingly curtailed, specifically to feed your America.

And you don't care to fix it.

Like I said, a lot of people feel like the only way is to put your right to safety and security at risk. Your right to productivity at risk. Your right to political expression is at risk. Because if you can pursue happiness, you don't give a shit if anyone else can, so taking away your ability to pursue happiness by electing Trump here is. the. point.

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u/Life-Bed4301 May 21 '24

I’m so sorry you feel that way about me personally because you really don’t know me at all. I am not the person you think I am at all. But that is fine and you have every right to think, believe and feel any way you want.

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u/Milocobo May 21 '24

You're right. And I'm not talking about you particularly. Feeling the need to qualify that it doesn't apply to you isn't helpful (sort of like when in the context of sexual harassment, saying "men are the problem", a man qualifying "not all men!" isn't at all helpful).

I am talking about the general attitude of middle-aged, middle-classed white America.

Like if you think of this current America (the country your ancestors fought and bled for) as the end goal, and that Trump is the only threat to it, then you are advocating for a country that threatens my people, as long as it doesn't threaten yours.

Put another way, Trump isn't the first time this has happened. It's just the first time you feel threatened by it. But Bill Clinton AND George Bush already did what you fear already... Their policies made it harder for my community to live free and work. It just didn't affect you, so you weren't interested in protecting the 90% at the time.

So unless you support fixing our government, not just defeating Trump but actually building an inclusive democracy, what you are saying to me is "I only care about stopping an America that doesn't serve the majority of us if I am not in the privilege minority".

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u/Life-Bed4301 May 22 '24

I would love to make America a better place for the minority and me being a woman is the only minority I am a part of but I absolutely hate where we are as far as how we treat minorities. I personally feel that the majority of the people currently in politics are too old and out of touch with what the country & quite frankly the majority of its people want and need. A long time ago we should have stopped worrying about a minimum age to run for office and implemented a maximum age as well as term limits for all offices. These career politicians get in office and even if they had good intentions going in, somewhere along the way and after way too many years & too many lobbyists, those good intentions went out the window and it started being about what was good for them and their interests. They also are so out of touch with what the average working people need to just survive that it is insane. We need some younger individuals to step up and get involved. I would love some of those options to choose from. Not a candidate that will tell you they will do what you want them to do, only to then tell you once they are elected that they know what’s best for you. It’s frustrating to me and I can imagine that it is a thousand times that for you. I hear in your words. And I cannot say you aren’t justified in your feelings.

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u/Milocobo May 22 '24

I agree with your policy aims. I know many, many Americans that do, on both sides of the aisle.

These policies would require Constitutional amendments, and neither party would ever push for them, regardless of popular mobilization.

THAT is my problem.

Kennedy said if you make peaceful revolution impossible, violent revolution is inevitable. This is where we find ourselves now.

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u/Life-Bed4301 May 22 '24

Can I just say that I very much appreciate our conversation and even though we are very different people, from very different backgrounds we are able to discuss these things and hear each other. It is enjoyable to have that communication but sad that not enough of it happens. I wish it would. It’s frustrating that we don’t all stand together to bring about this change. I’m getting older (60 in just a matter of weeks now) but it would make me happy, although that seems like such an understatement, to be able to at least see that change starting for my grandchildren. They are from 6 to 20 and they don’t understand how everything got so f’ed up and they blame the older generation & I can’t blame them. But again, thank you for taking from your time to explain your point of view & just a small fraction of how you’ve been let down by it all. I can tell by the way you speak and conduct yourself that you are an intelligent person.