I Am Exasperated

[Baron2024]

I am still having a problem processing the fact that Trump won. I can't believe how many stupid, ignorant, and foolish people there are in this country. Kamala Harris should be the incoming President, not Trump. I can't believe that we are going to have four years of this imbecile and his clown car of idiots that will make up his cabinet. This is like a bad TV reality show and the country is going to suffer for it. When DOGE fires a large number of government employees and the Trump tariffs go into effect, expect the economy to crater. We should have been welcoming four to eight years of sanity and peace under the Harris Administration. Instead we have a four year nightmare headlined by the Orange Idiot and the Freaks and Morons that he is appointing to the "government".

[Think. Again.]

1. I agree, It really is hard to wrap my head around this.

[Bluetus]

15. It isn't that complicated

People are really angry. For decades, Gallup has tracked national sentiment on the simple question of, "Is the country moving in the right direction or wrong direction". From the inception of that survey until about 2005, the sentiment oscillated from about 30% right to 70% right. It was the kind of pendulum swing we have come to accept in our politics. But for the past 20 years, that number has been stuck right on 30% believing we are on the right track and 70% believing wrong track, regardless of which party held the White House.

People are pissed. They know they are getting a raw deal, and the sad truth is that they simply don't see Democrats as doing much to help them. Some of that is based in truth, and some of that is based in really lousy messaging on our part. And of course, this same period correlates with the implosion of the whole concept of objective journalism in our corporate media, and that is a huge problem.

It is not coincidental that during that same period, the number of people identifying as either Republican or Democrat shrunk to about 25% with about 50% now calling themselves Independent.

Among ourselves, we talk a good story about the issues the public largely supports, but they simply don't give us any credit for that.

Most of the issues that have made people really angry can be lumped into "economic unfairness". They know there is rampant price-gouging. They know corporations aren't paying their fair share. They know billionaires have taken over our government. They know higher education is killing people, leaving them with educational debt they may never repay. They know our health care system is beyond dysfunctional. They believe young people growing up today will be the first generation in a century with less disposable income and less economic security than their parents.

We can argue all we want as to why these things are the fault of Republicans. But let's get real. >75 million people don't think we are any better than Republicans on economic issues.

And what did we talk about in the campaign? Not these issues, that's for sure. Yes, some of these issues were mentioned in passing, but the overwhelming message was on abortion, trans rights, immigration something-or-other, and the vague topic of "democracy".

We had better damn well learn how to talk about the issues that are making Americans so angry.

[Think. Again.]

21. With all respect...

None of that explains the self-defeating act of electing a person like trump.

I really don't understand it, but I suspect the majority of people just don't see the dangers ahead, and simply don't realize we are driving ourselves off a cliff.

[Walleye]

27. It is the anger fueled by hatred, they love it. They are addicted to it.

I really don’t think it can be solved by explaining the issues better

[Think. Again.]

30. I guess it must be similar to murder-suicide then...

...the act of taking out the entire family (country) when one person wants to die.

Or maybe we just have way too many people who just aren't interested in living in a Democracy, but still, I have to suspect that they simply don't know what trouble they are asking for.

[Walleye]

32. Sounding like an old curmudgeon, I will say, they've had it too good for too long

[Think. Again.]

34. You might be right.

In fact, I've thought the same thing from time to time.

[Bluetus]

41. Believe what you want about "them".

It isn't going to be productive to blame everyone else. All we can control is what we do (our real actions when in power) and how we present/sell ourselves.

The simple fact -- and I know that most people here don't want to hear it -- is that > 75 million people don't think we have any answers that make sense to them, or else if we have the answers, they don't believe we will actually do anything about it if elected.

We can complain that the billionaires are dumping huge amounts of money into advertising and a RW media infrastructure. That's true.
We can complain that we haven't really had a governing majority because of people like Manchin and Sinema. That's true.
We can complain that gerrymandering keeps the GOP in control of the House. That's true.
We can complain that the filibuster rule allows a Senate that is structurally loaded toward low-population states to be impossibly shifted toward the right-wing. That's true.

But news flash: the public doesn't understand those things and doesn't care. They simply don't see us improving their lives when we are in power. In fact, the first half of every Dem Presidency since Carter was consumed with cleaning up the messes put in place by the Republicans. That's true, but it doesn't matter if the public doesn't understand it. We can blame all these things, but ultimately, it is our job to address the issues of greatest concern to the public and to tell our story EVERY DAY. We don't. We are terrible at messaging, and our current President did the least amount of communicating among all the modern Presidents -- by far. And even at this moment when Trump is running around gathering up tribute payments and threatening to forcibly take over Panama, Canada and Greenland, the only official communication from the President is a national "Merry Christmas" card? WTF?

This is Alice in Wonderland stuff.

[OldBaldy1701E]

42. You got it.

That orange gibbon was elected because that idiot will burn the whole thing down.

Which is what they want. They see no correction to this country and they want to start over. That orange gibbon did not win because of his wonderful ideas or his amazing personality. He won because he destroys everything he touches. And, with enough cronies in Congress, he will do just that.

They have deduced that there is no fixing the economy because the rich are too entrenched. They see no way to control capitalistic greed because the rich have either removed the means to address it or have convinced enough of the population that their way is the best. They see no way to change any of it because change has been tried before and it doesn't seem to ever take hold. They see endless wage slavery and an American Dream that turned out to be a bunch of bull due to classism being rampant in this supposedly 'free society'.

In short, they see the same as if ever was. And, since all the other methods failed to make anything change... it's Etch-A-Sketch time!

(The real issue is that they have no idea what to do once they destroy everything. That is why it is not the best idea, even though some of us feel it has become the only one that creates a solution.)

[Think. Again.]

43. I have to admit...

...when I was younger, I would have felt the same way, except I think I would have chosen to try building new before destroying the old.

[OldBaldy1701E]

58. Or, at least have a structure to replace the one you wanted to tear down.

That is my concern. I don't see anyone bringing up anything to work with.

That is why I kept telling my more radical friends that the Democrats, despite their own faults, are the better choice to correct all of this before it does become nonviable. We may have some bad plans, but at least we have plans. These guys have nothing and just want to see it all burn. I guess they are hoping some deity will arrive to make everything better? The MAGAs are going to think their savior will, but they are in for a major letdown.

So is the rest of the country.

[sop]

52. All revolutions destroy the existing order with little thought to what will replace it.

Karl Marx was wrong about revolutions. In practice they beget Napoleons, Stalins, Maos, Ayatollahs and Trumps.

[OldBaldy1701E]

59. Well it is like a democracy. Everyone has to agree to practice it or it won't work.

With a percentage of the country too far gone into greed and power to care about democracy, it becomes nonviable as a societal model. Yet, those who are at the top of this model will fight to keep it until the bitter end because doing otherwise would remove their power and stop their greed.

And, we seen to be fine with that, I guess.

[Bluetus]

63. Trump doesn't care about that, nor does Musk.

"they have no idea what to do once they destroy everything. "

They are both mobsters who have thrived their entire lives on chaos. The idea that in making this "score of a lifetime", they will be destroying an entire economic and governmental system is really of no consequence to them. They have their moment of ultimate power and they aim to pocket as much money as is humanly possible during this moment. What comes as a result is of no concern whatsoever to them. Trump will soon be dead. Musk has enough money to buy an entire country and live (literally) like a king for the rest of his life.

Neither wants to build things. They want to OWN things. They want to rule over things. They want to see their names in lights and they faces on TV every day. It is a level of narcissism beyond the imagination of any of the world's psychiatrists.

[happy feet]

53. I differ-Only one party

Has trained their constituents to take their anger out on their fellow ‘other’ Americans. Only the repubs.

Dems want everyone to have a better life.

[Bluetus]

62. I am not questioning "what we WANT"

That simply doesn't matter. In our system, you cannot accomplish any of your "wants" unless you win elections.

And I am telling you it has been a very long time (over a generation) since we had enough electoral power to accomplish our "wants" through governmental action. And we will never have a clear governing majority by treating campaigns like a 6-month thing that happens every 3.5 years and then talking mainly about our "wants" instead of the issues the public is really angry/scared/confused about.

I am telling you that it is plain to see that there is a reservoir of anger evident for at least the past 20 years, and most of that is all about economic unfairness and fear of economic uncertainty.

The really good news here, excellent news, is that Trump and Musk are doing everything in their power to show Americans just what it means to be ruled by billionaires. They are going to try to cut all our social programs. They are going to come down on the side of the biggest corporations every day of the week. THIS is where we can build a new brand. Because we have no effective branding/messaging, Trump successfully branded us as the party of open borders, the party of trans-gender sports cheaters and the party of schools that do secret sex change operations. There was no effective push-back and the branding stuck. That's a simple fact. That's where we are.

Where do we go from here? We must build a new brand, and the easiest, most effective way to do that is to be the anti-billionaire party, or the party of "economic fairness" if that sounds better. But the key is for everyone to hammer on the economic messages every day for the next two years. Make Trump own his love for billionaires and dictators.

[Littlered]

55. Well stated.

Unfortunately, your words will not resonate with very many people here. It’s unfortunate, and actually somewhat painful to see this site becoming a cacophony of fortune telling thought distortions. I personally lack the tactful manner to effectively communicate this in a way that doesn’t earn me “hides.”

As to your premise. I had the opportunity to be sequestered with some high end Trump voters last week. Listening to their thought process was very educational, as it almost always is when I get these opportunities. In a nutshell, they said exactly what you said, albeit the wording was different. But the overall premise was the same. These folks aren’t “maga” by any stretch. Just educated, successful people that share many of the grievances you mention.

[Skittles]

2. it's like we had a four year semi-break from the insanity

I say semi because he never really went away, did he? America has become a fucking joke with that fascist orange ass clown

[LeftInTX]

6. I feel like it's Trump third term!

He never went away!

[3catwoman3]

13. "He never really went away, did he?"

No, he never did.

He’s been in the news every damn day for 3481 days, ever since he rode down that fucking escalator on June 6, 2015.

And now it will be 1485 more, unless he dies in office.

[Skittles]

19. I will never forgive Trump voters

seriously WTF IS WRONG WITH THEM

[LSparkle]

51. What I'd give for one fucking day without that thing

Without hearing the name seeing any image any fucking thought of the thing ... please God I want some peace ... I long for the Obama era before the rocks got turned over and all the magats began slithering out.

[akbacchus_BC]

47. America did not even have a break from the menace, he undermined President Biden from the get go.

Orchestrated an insurrection and got off free. Gosh, only in America an insurrectionist can run for President! That MF should have been jailed from day one, but Garland was a wimp. I cannot believe the amount of power this effing loser has to influence the gops to kill the border security bill. The buffoon is picking goons for his Cabinet and calling the shots before January 20. Democrats need to fight fire with fire, what is wrong with them? It will be a rough four years.

[2naSalit]

3. It's all getting to be a...

Little too much for me, honestly. I am wondering if I need to pull all my funds and keep it in cash since there are so many ways to keep me from getting to it with all this computerized everything that can be messed up in the blink of an eye. I don't have much trust in anything lately.

[Beck23]

11. CDs are good

Interest rates are still fairly high.

[Mr.Bee]

20. You can only listen to so many CDs

before you have to clean the player.

[Kilgore]

46. Well Played!

[akbacchus_BC]

48. Best reply ever, too funny! nt

[Think. Again.]

22. I've also been thnkin a lot about how to best secure whatever financial means I have.

[2naSalit]

39. I don't have much...

And I'm going to be needing it, especially if social safety nets disappear.

[yellow dahlia]

4. i have these same thoughts - haunting me every day.

[Fiendish Thingy]

5. Don't surrender in advance

And don’t assume every proposed action will unfold exactly as described.

Turn off yourtv, go for a walk, listen to some good music.

[Think. Again.]

23. And continue to keep a sharp eye out for the actual dangers ahead.

[RainCaster]

7. This should reduce the GOP to a pathetic nano-party

Our country really needs two strong parties. Sadly, the Republican party has become the Party of Hate. No longer are they: Party of Family Values, Party of Fiscal Responsibility or the Party of Law and Order. They have completely failed on all those issues in a spectacular fashion. All they have is Hate, for everyone who is not an old white straight Christian man.

[Think. Again.]

24. It isn't a challenge to achieve cultural balance anymore...

...it's not between the Democrats and the republicans anymore, and it hasn't been that for a long time.

It's now a fight for the assets of a once great nation.

Will we keep those assets in the hands of a nation struggling to be a peaceful and just place in the world?

Or will our nation be gutted for whatever bits of monetary value this group of marauders can carry away?

[mr715]

8. It is tough to take

We have never been the country we hoped we were

But hey we get to be the resistance. The resistance is always a sexier posture from a narrative perspective. It is a shame so many people are going to get hurt in this real life greek tragedy.



MR

[Walleye]

28. It's like Joe Biden says, we have never lived up to our ideals. But up until now, we have never walked away from them.

[akbacchus_BC]

49. The only redeeming factor is that the magas will suffer like everyone else once the pos tariffs

kick in. I cannot wait to hear them turn from the asswipe.

[Beck23]

9. Republicans make a mess and...

Bring in the Democrats to clean up. It's a pattern.

[akbacchus_BC]

50. Thank you. By the time the Dems clean up the republcans shit, it's another general election.

What Democrats should do after winning an election is to push through all their policies, especially if they have the House and Senate. The pos will do so much damage as he now controls all three branches of Government. Makes me so sick.

[Srkdqltr]

10. He is still having rallies, he's stumping for 2028 already.

[Walleye]

29. I agree, he sure isn't behaving like a man who isn't eligible for reelection

[PeaceWave]

12. You HAVE to process it. It IS happening. We're all at the top of the roller coaster, ready to plummet.

[Trueblue Texan]

14. I am completely with you...I am not handling it well...

My response is to drink heavily. I do not recommend it. I have few other strategies for now. I wish you well.

[Evolve Dammit]

16. This is not all on Dems. This is a culmination of 40 years of Rush and 25? Of Fox propoganda

[Think. Again.]

25. Well...

Some could say Dems had a responsibility to stop those hateful mouthpieces even back when they were just instigating danger to small groups of us.

[chouchou]

17. It's the American people. I'm tired of hearing "The Dems should have done this and the proverbial That."

I call bullshit. The American dumb fucks keep making damn sure that (just about) every time the congress is "Balanced".
That's right..American idiots, make damn sure that the Dems are B-A-R-L-E-Y able to have a tiny slice of trying to pass bills
that would actually help the populace.
I'll tell you what>> If the Americans IN THE PAST, had voted like they do now> The Social Security bill (s) would
have never happened. Child Laws...OSHA...FDA...and many others. Many older citizens would be living in ditches.
Face it. The Voters are insufficiently able to see 17 feet down the hiway...you stupid assholes.
ON EDIT..Ronald Reagan?? Jesus Christ..You've GOT to be kidding.

[Ms. Toad]

18. DOGE has no authority to fire anyone.

It is not part of the government. It is a private entity that, as far as I know, does not yet even exist as a legal entity (let alone exist as a government department).

[Think. Again.]

26. That's true..

...we have to be careful not to mix up what they say they want to do with what they actually do.

[malaise]

31. THIS

Rec

[bucolic_frolic]

33. We are overdue for some luck

It won't take much. The Crisis Team won't be able to handle much due to competence deficit. It will be mostly corporate PR strategies.

[Ferrets are Cool]

35. I'm right there with you.

[Omnipresent]

36. We may not have four years of trump.

He is aging badly, unhealthy looking and has chronic bouts of dementia.
We probably stand the real chance of a president dying in office of natural causes for the first time since Roosevelt.

[akbacchus_BC]

45. Even if trump croaked, vance is no better!

[Omnipresent]

54. Vance would be in over his head...

He wouldn’t be afforded the teflon coating, trump supporters give to trump.

[OldBaldy1701E]

60. Vance is MUCH worse. (n/t)

[The Madcap]

37. Americans can't even define

The right and wrong path. They tend to think church and wallet and not much else. There are exceptions, of course, as those in this forum tend to think quite a bit deeper about our country. Most Americans don't look at the reasons for their pain critically because they seem to want to avoid complexity.

[ThePartyThatListens]

38. The answer is simple

It's time for Democrats to be Democrats, aka champions of the left.

It's time for them to fight.

Put down this "my friends on the other side" nonsense.

Pick up the "I WELCOME their hatred!" mantra of FDR.

Americans want politicians who will FIGHT for what they believe in.

Democrats start doing that, they'll start winning.

Just like FDR.

[Think. Again.]

40. Well said.

[OldBaldy1701E]

61. Yup. (n/t)

[akbacchus_BC]

44. I totally agree with your post. Still wondering how on earth the orange menace won the

elections this time again. Just shows that a certain sector of voters dislike intelligent, educated and moral minded women. The dumbing down of America started with Reagan and this is the outcome. However, when the tariffs start to kick in, let's see if the morons will continue to support the buffoon. I kid you not, the orange menace and his band of goons are looking to destroy their own country. I cannot wait for the pos to fire musk, he will boast that he fired a billionaire just because of jealousy. Four years of this pos will have a devastating effect on the entire world. I am hoping that the Democrats in the House and Senate will fight like never before to salvage their country and protect the world.

[CTyankee]

56. It took me a while to get my anger under control.

I know a very few repubs, mostly folks who arrogantly call themselves "independent" voters (yeah, right...). But I decided that stupid is stupid and my anger will be wasted and will only hurt me by increasing my blood pressure.

[CTyankee]

57. I go to art where I find solace. Particularly Rembrandt.

See his magnificent "Return of the Prodigal Son." It encapsulates great humanity, humility, deep emotional sorrow and forgiveness.
https://www.tripimprover.com/blog/the-return-of-the-prodigal-son-by-rembrandt