We’ve just had a crushing blow to our belief in American goodness. Like many of you, I am frantic not for myself–I’m 83, and my likely duration in the Dark Ages won’t be long. But I have children and grandchildren, who are suddenly faced with a world far more precarious than the one we all thought we occupied.
I’m fortunate that one of my sons lives in Amsterdam, and one of my granddaughters lives in England. While the wave of fascism that is sweeping the globe will undoubtedly affect them to some extent, and the global consequences of electing an ignorant lunatic as U.S. President will be significant, their prospects aren’t as bleak as they would be here over the next years.
Or as daunting as the landscape that faces the rest of the family.
My youngest son–parent of the younger two grandkids–has taken what I believe to be the only rational position available to those of us who still occupy a sane and humane America. With his permission, I’m sharing the message he sent to his son and daughter, both of whom are currently in college, and both of whom were blindsided by the (previously) unthinkable results of the election.
Kids, I’m still struggling to process the election results and to contextualize it in a way that is not entirely negative. I keep coming back to a handful of facts and themes. First, WE (our family) are likely to be OK. While we are psychologically traumatized by the implications of the election — and the thoughts of how bad Trump might be for vulnerable people, minority communities, and non-citizens — our daily lives are unlikely to be directly or irreparably affected by Trump’s election. In saying this, I am not discounting the genuine risk to women — particularly young women of childbearing age — but WE are fortunate enough to have resources and options that likely mute those direct threats.
Second, and really based on the first point, WE now also have a greater obligation to help those who aren’t as fortunate as we are. I don’t know how or in what ways those opportunities will present themselves, but we have an obligation to help those who are going to be attacked or adversely impacted by Trump and Trumpism in the years to come.
Finally, as horrible as many people have shown themselves to be, know that OUR community is still OUR community, and made up of all the same loving, caring, funny, positive-values-holding people. I am trying to focus on these facts in the days, weeks, and years ahead… OUR community will help us weather the dark storms ahead, and we must do our part to help our family and friends weather it as well.
I love you! We will be OK, even if we are currently suffering deep psychological wounds from this election and its implications.
I can’t add to that.
I think that message sums up both the challenge we face and the obligations we must now assume. The challenge is a concerted effort by a cohort of people who believe Hitler “had some good ideas” to remake the United States into a 21st-Century fascist state. There are far more people in that cohort than most of us recognized or still want to believe.
Our obligation is twofold: first, to resist that transformation with every fiber of our beings, with every tool we can muster, with every grassroots organization we can create or support; and second, for those of us who are privileged, who are fortunate that our circumstances (or religions or skin colors) buffer us from the full effect of authoritarian animus, to work wherever and whenever we can to ameliorate the adverse impacts on those less fortunate.
Speaking of community: I’ve been doing this blog for several years, and have been gratified by the genuine sense of community that has grown up among the regular commenters, few of whom know each other personally. With the exception of a couple of trolls who weigh in now and then, you disagree with civility, share your knowledge freely and offer each other–and me– much needed moral support. You are one of the communities my son referenced in his text to my grandchildren.
Like many of you, I am still in shock. But when we emerge, we need to figure out how to save our world–how to gift our children and grandchildren with an America that is recognizable and future worth inhabiting.
Thank you.
Professor-thank your son and thank you for sharing your son’s wisdom
My youngest son, Scott, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer almost three weeks ago; in his weakened condition and in pain from numerous biopsies to learn the extent of his cancer; he and his wife Anne stood in line on Tuesday to vote for Kamala and Tim and the Democratic candidates down ballot. I know of others who just didn’t vote because they didn’t agree with who our candidates were. They will blame the outcome on Trump supporters and never realize that their NOT voting against him is how he got elected to the Presidency. Meanwhile; we all wait for whatever is ahead for America and Americans on both sides of the political situation in this country.
I’m wondering if my son can possibly survive his cancer and Donald Trump and the MAGAs.
I worked the polls Tuesday. One woman in a wheelchair came to vote. She was 104 years old, and was born on the day that women were “granted” the right to vote. Her granddaughter told me that she was hoping to see a woman become President. Bless her heart.
Thank you, thank your son.
We are entering a difficult time.
Perhaps it will take the experience of this deluge of ugliness(I refer specifically to the horrible people in our highest State offices and in the US Senate/ House) for all of us to get back on track toward a better Nation that realizes its promise to all.
I don’t know.
Right now Indiana, with the vote, has chosen ugly and scary.
I thought the boil had been lanced four years ago, but now I realize that the core was not rooted out completely and that after four years of festering it has re-emerged more stubborn than before. All we can do is hope that the next four years will be the wake-up call America needs to find its way again.
Most baffling: folks who vote against their own interests. And:
It’s becoming much more clear that Trump’s constant demeaning of the voting process, led to a near-record lower turnout everywhere. He shrank the voter base to a number over which he could prevail.
Classic political addition-by-subtraction.
We will figure this out. Slowly. Painfully.
Hopefully with grace and patience.
The first Republican report card is four years away. By then, the world will be unrecognizable because change is relentless. I hope to be here to see how they did.
Bless you. Thank you. Love to you and yours.
The next few years are a very worthy engagement in hope, persistence, not giving in, and love thy neighbor. As Harris said, Roll up our sleeves.
Europe has many fascistic leaders, and so does the Middle East. England, Germany, France, and Italy don’t have the brightest bulbs in the box. And what about Canada right now?
This has been a global trend for quite some time now. Young people stood up against genocide and were physically told to shut up and sit down and not to do it again. The Democratic Party and its donors did that. The universities obliged because that’s what their donors wanted.
Biden is fighting a proxy war with Russia and is threatening China. #GenocideJoe, anyone?
Those who drink the red and blue Kool-Aid from their TVs don’t see what’s happening and what happened to the Democratic Party. I wouldn’t waste a penny of your money on any organization supporting the DNC until they announce major changes and back that with real action.
If Trump pulls us out of Ukraine and stops our military expansion in the South China Sea, how odd is that? Since when are the Republicans less war-hungry than the Democratic Party?
The press hyped Kamala, bringing excitement to progressives – young and old – but it didn’t equate to voting action. They wanted eyeballs and would say whatever they needed. From the newsletters I’ve seen from major news outlets, they are already kissing the king’s ring.
We are amid a major class conflict, but neither the press nor citizens want to acknowledge it. After four years of Trump/Musk/Koch and their media outlets, we shall see if the public becomes enlightened. I seriously have my doubts.
Shiela … both your son and you speak for me. Thank you.
To some of Todd’s and others’ points, I listened to one Democrat Party worker who told stories of door knockers who went to thousands of homes and residences to solicit vote. What those knockers discovered it that the vast majority of the people they encountered had NO IDEA OR CLUE about what was at stake in this election. They made erroneous answers to the most basic of questions concerning the candidates and their positions on topics on which they were running for office. And since local elections usually get less air time than national, many had no idea who their local reps were at ANY level.
Maybe that helps explain a variety of things, but mostly why 40 million more people stayed home than in 2020.
Well done, citizens. Did our founders and war heroes die for nothing? Did they die so you could remain ignorant? Maybe we DO deserve what we just got.
I’m 83 too and glad I’m this old. My heart is broken by the various factors causing our society to be so weak that they would elect a convicted felon and rapist to be President. We just got a D- in civics. Let’s hope WW III doesn’t happen in the next 4 years.
Have you noticed that the gasoline prices are dropping? Nothing’s changed except the election.
When oil prices are high, it affects everything from metals to food and energy production. But how could there be a shortage of oil to make the price so high? It’s because of the stock market wizardry. Those who are robber baron allies, buy future’s contracts to artificially show that there is way less available oil than they’re actually is. So even though they don’t take possession of the oil, they own it on paper. When the price of oil gets high enough, they dump the stock, or, contracts rather, and make a huge profit all the while sending food and energy and gasoline and medical care spiraling higher.
If you look at history, once again it points the way! And this has been going on for decades. Why hasn’t it been changed? The last time there was such a huge kerfuffle about it, they said that the persons who buy the contracts have to take possession of the oil. Not just contracts, not just on paper. But there was an outrage unleashed about that potential regulation. So it continues. And an artificial shortage which creates great angst in the population, drives stupidity for those who want to just listen to others tell them what to believe!
An executive order would have changed all of that, but, there are huge bundlers that fill the pockets on both sides involved in this sleight of hand, so why kill the Golden goose?
These shadow traders which really are not shadows at all, but doing it in plain sight, control the prices of everything, and, artificially cause unnecessary pain and burden on the average individual. Don’t take my word for it, just do your research!
And I have to throw this in there, there were so many that didn’t vote for Kamala Harris because they were afraid of electing a black woman. It voraciously spread through the Latino community, and, the male contingency of most ethnic groups!
Like I said, stupidity, willful stupidity? Will full ignorance? Willfully deluded/delusion? Or just an excuse? It’s the mob mentality, well so and so must know something, and so and so heard such and such on blah blah! It makes it easier to be willfully stupid! And it also makes it easier to expose your prejudices because there’s an excuse, giving those plausible deniability!
Character did not count in this election. How do you say to children – you can grow up to be president one day. Work hard, be a good person and you too can be president. Wait. be a felonious, treasonous, cheating, lying man (because misogyny keeps women from power in the U.S.) and use pejoratives when you want to get to the top. Brag about your ill gotten wealth while having no charity in your heart. Have sexual escapades. Do all those things with impunity and you will rise in the opinions of more than half of this country
Sheila,
You and your son sentiments are spot on. We must support and lift each other up during the coming times of insanity.
Thank you for sharing your son’s comments. I, too, am in a category that will probably be ok but I have an obligation to help make our world safe for the next generation, including my niece and my nephew and his family, that includes two little girls. So I won’t give up.
Your son is wise beyond his years. Thank you. It’s confirmation of the old adage about the apple that doesn’t fall far from the tree.
At this time we really need to begin to focus on one of your favorite things: civic literacy. I wrote yesterday about man on the street interviews that were scary because none of them knew when the election was held.
Consider that we have just elected a convicted felon. He has yet to be sentenced so we don’t know what will happen. If he gets prison time, will it be stayed for four years, will he be allowed to do the job from prison or will the 25th Amendment be put to use to install President J.D. Vance? I’m betting on option three, but that depends on how the demons in the Senate really feel about their former colleague.
Let me join the chorus. Thank your son for providing such wise advice and counsel to his children. It’s what all of us can do for future generations. Resist and persist.
I’m a little older than Trump, and I remember him advertising for himself as a demigod, for free, all of my life.
He changed his tone to politics before Obama ran for his second term.
He ignored any semblance of truth for that entire time.
The outcome is a four-year hiatus for the country from being a monarch-free zone (what “republic” is defined as) and to being “united.”
So be it.
Get up, dust yourselves off, and maintain advertising for a liberal means four years from now to the end of recovering our place in what will be a completely different world then because the pace of change is always more rapid.
Letter in today’s Boston Globe:
About 60 percent of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. People are angry at the system for their economic pain. The Kamala Harris campaign prioritized moving to the center and reaching out to Republicans in an effort to expand its base. Harris often described herself as “a capitalist” who would reach across the aisle to work with Republicans. There was little focus on the fact that we are living at a time of the greatest income and wealth inequality in this country since the 1920s. There seemed to be a concerted effort to de-emphasize the class divide.
The American people wanted more “I’m going to go after the people who are causing so much pain” rather than “Let’s all work together.” Trump understood that; Harris, not so much.
Charles Lane in today’s Times:
Democrats have been acting like the proverbial American tourist in France, trying to get their point across by shouting louder in a language only they understand. Cast out of the White House, the Senate and quite likely the House of Representatives, Democrats should stop yelling for a while and listen, really listen, to the economic and cultural concerns of ordinary people.
Bring it. Let the people see exactly what they voted for. Just like addiction, you have to hit rock bottom before you can move up. Clearly the US hasn’t reached rock bottom.
That so many people are ignorant of the politics that impacts their lives (as per Vernon) is sad.
That bigotry, in all its forms, is so prevalent is sad. I have been told that Black and Hispanic men, could not accept the idea of a female president…could be, I’m not in a position to know that first hand. But, the folks at the DNC should have considered the possibility.
Bernie might have won in ’16, and in ’24, but those DNC folks seem to be afraid of his politics.
Sheila, thanks for sharing your son’s point of view.
I suspect the stock market already had a DT victory priced in. The U.S. markets rose on 11/6/24.
An 11/2/24 financial website headline forecast read, “Trump Wins, Eliminates Federal Income Tax, Economy Booms.”
I am hopeful the U.S. middle class does, indeed, see an economic boost and a rise in real wages.
I am also anticipating a recovery in the depleted U.S. manufacturing sector that can benefit from inexpensive U.S. energy, and perhaps prosper under protective tariffs, giving select (and strategic) U.S. industries, such as steel, a chance to recover.
Thank you, Sheila, for your words of wisdom and your willingness to put something positive in our minds. I so agree with you and your son in all ways, and am working on getting over the feelings of despair, and putting on the garments of hope and care. My heart aches for the people who are going to be treated so unkindly, and will work on figuring out ways to help them. Ahhh – the America I believed in! It WILL return, but will take many people’s help to make it happen.
Another view with some uncomfortable truth:
“the presidential contest became an example of what’s known in economics as “creative destruction.” His opponents certainly fear that Mr. Trump will destroy American democracy itself.
To his supporters, however, a vote for Mr. Trump meant a vote to evict a failed leadership class from power and recreate the nation’s institutions under a new set of standards that would better serve American citizens.”
as i have read and many times filed the brutal rights.lets call em what they are. the party of bilionaires. con people,as in my world, ignorant SOBs. but as the decades long files ive accumilated on my i,pads,on stories,opinions etc, it leads me to believe the billionaires intend on culling heard. trump own he said ‘why dontcha just let em die.'(his own family member whos in non responsive care)to his family member. the fact medicare and soc security is doomed. privatize and kill off those who dont pay. debter prisons suck to many profits. am I off? nope,its written just like a hitleresque bad dream? i doubt in wrong. if you read project 2025 its a rewrite of what the republicans and many demos have already tried since 1980.now 2025 the training vids,look into the eyes of those “being trained to take over”theres just a hollow body/s with nothing but greed looking back. greed,maybe money,were talking,, im talking about power to decide,,who lives and who dies.the comics have trump as hannibal, they are right. the billionaires,wall street, asswipes,and mnuchin like squabs have now taken over. hillsdale college is bustin at the seams with nationalist style religion,for free. we lived in a good age.but the billionaires after 45 years after reagans slap on the working classs], has finally paid off.now,whos gonna replace alito and thomas? (i reserve the right to not use capital letters where needed)
reality baby,reality..
Thanks for the beautiful share Sheila. Observing from Canada I grieve with you. And, a Trump presidency will affect us also — obviously, not to the extent it will you folks. We also have a national election coming soon and the Conservative party appears to have the edge, although it may end up being a minority government. I do not like their leader. Argggg….the world is going ‘right’.
You have been my inspiration to seek out a Unitarian Universalist community in my part of Pennsylvania. I personally need such a community of like-minded people right now. I also attended the MoveOn mass call last evening. I am heading into my 76th birthday and like you have children and grandchildren for whom to be concerned.
Im gonna refreash to a subject. the DNC. again the party we support did a no show with labor again… what little they did, didnt do squat. its the hilary thing again.except it has now sunk the ss democracy. we need a party of the masses. not being told who to vote for. I truly believe a progressive party needs to be bougt forth and save this country by the masses. its time we let the world observe how this nazi like politcal system has now jepardized the rest of the worlds democracys. time to push it into the fan and let it fly. being called a smowflake has done nothing but kill America. if leaders like Bernie Sanders and Shawn Fain were allowed to slap some faces and screw decorum, we probably wouldnt be here. after all,the billionaires just shit on us. time to wipe it off fast,and make roads to changing with the masses. educate what the rich are gonna do to everyone. and never sit down again
best wishes..
A few random thoughts–first, Trump is an addiction and there are many, many people who are literally addicted to him and what he says and does. The Dems just like family and friends who try to intervene and help the addict and to show them the light and the attempts to help them—well, just like all addictions, the addict does not want help and it is the addict that has to help themselves and suffer the consequences–they have to hit rock bottom and unfortunately like all addicts–we have to allow them to hit rock bottom. We have never seen a large swath of people worship an individual in America–saw it in Europe and through many decades–
2nd random thought—about the same time frame as the rise in mega-churches and Evangelicalism there was a decline in economic opportunities in the middle and southern states–drive around and we all have come a crossed towns that have died and there is nothing hopeful in these areas. LIke urban, blighted areas, gangs became family and a source of belonging in a world of broken families and broken promises….in the rural, blighted areas, I feel a toxic form of Christianity took over. This form is male dominant–women are subservient–the more power that has been gained the more toxic.
I want someone to study the lost in economic power of the middle; the loss of good paying jobs leading towards the fragility of too many young men–and the rise in the prosperity doctrine and the rise in Evangelicalism which has become Christian Nationalism. I think we will see some parallels.
The Dems have spent decades ignoring the middle and southern states, focusing on the coast –when Kamala was chosen and she ran a fantastic campaign but I knew it–because she was a woman and not a white man she was going to lose.
Sigh–just my rambling thoughts
Thank you for sharing your son’s honest, caring and supportive words to his kids. So well said and comforting to read.
My husband and I have concerns for our only daughter who works as an immigration lawyer. Her work is hard, and I know she puts her heart and soul into trying to help some vulnerable people. We’ll be using our energy to support her and her family, including our two young beautiful interracial grandchildren that are Americans.
Hope has been delayed again, but thankful for the Biden reprieve years and righting the course for a while. Why is it that the democrats seem to be the clean-up crew after the republicans go in and have their selfish greedy way with their administrations? They reap the bounty; take credit for all the heavy lifting the democrats did and then leave it in shambles.
I’m with Lester on this.
From The Guardian’s Jonathan Freedland:
What, then, will be left to hold Trump in check? It won’t be fear of losing the next election: he’s constitutionally barred from running again (though you wouldn’t bet against him testing that limit too). The conventional media will do their best, but if the Trump era has shown us anything, it’s that the information ecosystem of the US is changed utterly. Fifty years ago, if three broadcast networks and a couple of east coast newspapers declared the president a crook, that president was finished, as Richard Nixon learned to his cost. Now, the mainstream press can reveal the most damning evidence about Trump and it goes nowhere. His supporters either never hear those revelations – because they get their news from Trump-friendly TV and social media channels – or, if they do, they flatly dismiss them as lies. We truly live in the age of “alternative facts”, and that gives Trump enormous freedom. He could do heinous things in office, or simply fail as president, and tens of millions of Americans would never know about it.
Ultimately that task will fall to the Democrats. Except they will soon wield no formal power in Washington. I asked one seasoned hand what practical tools the party had to restrain or even scrutinize Trump, given that they will soon lose their current ability to launch congressional investigations and convene official hearings. The answer: “They can hold press conferences.”
I always appreciate you sharing your wisdom (and today that from your son)! It is wonderful to be able to find comfort in community. Thank you!
Thank you!
Lester’s insider says, “They [the Democrats in Congress] can hold press conferences.”
Listening to the professional liars in Washington handling the Biden admin, military, and secretary of state’s office, was just folly. It was the same when Trump was potus. It’s a waste of time and space.
If a person from the press asks too difficult a question and makes the potus or spokesperson look bad, they are scrubbed off the list for a press pass.
The truth and revolution are our weapons against an oppressive system, but our press has abandoned their core purpose of existence. In this age, people think Elon Musk is a truth teller. I am afraid that we are screwed for long awhile…
Todd – gimme a break – he was being cynical….
What really concerns me is the economy. When I look at history from political, economic and social movement standpoints, there are many strong parallels between the current situation and the 1920s. I am concerned that the incoming administration may remove the economic guardrails that have been put into place over the years protect us from what happened in the 1930s. I think we all need to be financially prepared for a stock market crash, bank failures and a long recession, possibly a 1930s kind of economic depression. I think we getting close to 1929. Of course, depressions breed wars. Heaven forbid that would follow.
Lester, your insider might have been cynical, but I wasn’t being cynical. All the Democrats have left is to talk with a select group from the “press corps,” which is absolutely worthless. A revolution, which is what is needed, won’t be started by “educating ourselves” on TV.
I sent my gay cousin a text this morning…I said, I cried this morning. I didn’t cry because I lost anything, I cried for you. And your gay friends and family. I cried because women will die without healthcare or from men that view them as property. I am married to an immigrant with brown skin that is visible quicker than his accent. I’m worried for everyone of his family that I’ve grown to care deeply about. I cried for the b.s. they will probably endure. I’m still so furious though and my tears dried up in minutes unlike in 2016 when we really didn’t know. I cried for 3 days then. I’m going to use this energy for something good. I still question the end result. A landslide? No way.
Anything that harms others done by his administration will be the fault of Dems. The world is watching the death of the American dominance. The economies of the world are watching. Military alliances are changing even as we speak. Gaza is gone, Ukraine is gone. Taiwan is gone. The world’s most vulnerable have been abandoned to cheap groceries and religious indoctrination with public money.
He told us who he is. Believe it.
I, too, am deeply upset over the election —not just because Trump is incompetent and unfit for office but because so many people fell for his lies and the unmitigated racism and misogyny—aided and abetted by MAGA media pumping out lies that America is in decline and the country is headed in the wrong direction—proven , they claim, by high prices for groceries and housing. Polls showed that the majority of Americans believed these lies. Democrats couldn’t shake these lies because most Americans don’t understand economics or believe that inflation is coming down and that our economy is the envy of the world. Trump will take credit for the successful economy created by Biden, just like he did with Obama’s economy.
At one of his rallies Trump told the crowd that if they voted for him, grocery and home prices would fall precipitously and that their personal wealth would soar. Substantial numbers of people believed these lies. Of course, Trump had no clue, much less any plan, for how to accomplish this—and it’s not the first lie he told to get votes—e.g.”Mexico will pay to build the wall.”
So, I would have thought that voters would remember all the lies and failures of Trump and demand some concrete plan for how Trump would accomplish it—but they fell for it. Why? I believe that’s where the racism and misogyny come into play. Trump called Harris “stupid “ and a “DEI hire”, even though she is far more qualified than he. He accused her of being a failed “border czar”, even though there is no such thing and he killed the Border Security bill to create a fake issue to run on. He claimed that migrants are committing crimes, raping women, overrunning small towns and taking jobs away from Americans—all lies. Marco Rubio called Harris “trash “—even though she is the sitting Vice President.
I am hurt because so many Americans fell for the lies and blatant racism and misogyny, the result of which is that now we are stuck with a wannabe oligarch and malignant narcissist with no moral compass who will, once again, fail spectacularly, but not until after he destroys much of our governmental structure by firing tens of thousands of career civil servants, installs radical judges, including possibly 2 more on the Supreme Court, destroys our economy with his stupid tariffs, alienates our allies and does everything possible to help Putin take over Ukraine. I guess I expected too much from my fellow citizens. P T Barnum said “there’s a sucker born every minute.” He was right.
Thank you for these wise words.
Resist.
Beautifully said! Thank you.