Are you worried about the upcoming U.S. elections?

[Alisa Anne]

I feel shell shocked and sickened by Trumps success. We are seeing the rise of the far right worldwide as in the 1930s. The far right agenda, as far as I can see, involves the bullying of chosen scapegoats -these used to include Jews and homosexual people, among others. These favourite targets have been swapped by the new far right for  Muslims and transgender people (gay people will follow I'm sure, once they have dealt with trans people) OK, so I know it hasn't reached the degree of the unhealthy politics regime, but in essence it is the same thing -scapegoating and bullying, and a lot of suffering lies ahead.

Economically, they are big fans of deregulation, ensuring that corporations have the freedom to screw both populations and the environment to their hearts content. And against taxation = very little funding for healthcare and education. It is a massive money and power grab for the oligarchs.

Here on TERF island things aren't looking great either, the far right have devoured our politics. I feel frightened. I want to come out, but this kind of -crap- makes me want to keep my head down -a real rock and a hard place situation. I despair.

[Ivy]

Just now, Alisa Anne said:

I feel frightened. I want to come out, but this kind of -crap- makes me want to keep my head down -a real rock and a hard place situation.

I know the feeling.  

Being open about who you are can put a target on your back.  It is a real concern.

[KathyLauren]

Just now, Alisa Anne said:

OK, so I know it hasn't reached the degree of the unhealthy politics regime

 

It is indeed the same thing.  In 1933, the Unhealthy Politics people started with us: the burning of Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld's library.  And they are starting with us this time around. 

 

Here in the great White North,things aren't looking good, either.  Our likely next prime minister will be rubbing his hands in glee at the US election results.  He figures he will be next.

 

I am happy that I have completed my transition and that I am accepted as myself.  Most people I meet have never known me as anyone else.  So if necessary, I will go stealth.  But I'd hate to do that, because I spent most of my life living in stealth mode the other way.  I don't want to go back there.

 

At the moment, I am reading a book about Warsaw in WWII.  So all this is hitting home hard for me.

[Guest]

Just now, KathyLauren said:

 

It is indeed the same thing.  In 1933, the Unhealthy Politics people started with us: the burning of Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld's library.  And they are starting with us this time around. 

 

Here in the great White North,things aren't looking good, either.  Our likely next prime minister will be rubbing his hands in glee at the US election results.  He figures he will be next.

 

I am happy that I have completed my transition and that I am accepted as myself.  Most people I meet have never known me as anyone else.  So if necessary, I will go stealth.  But I'd hate to do that, because I spent most of my life living in stealth mode the other way.  I don't want to go back there.

 

At the moment, I am reading a book about Warsaw in WWII.  So all this is hitting home hard for me.

What book? I was rereading the Rise and Fall of Third Reich.

 

[KathyLauren]

Just now, Lindsey_D said:

What book? I was rereading the Rise and Fall of Third Reich.

It's a novel.  "The Warsaw Sisters" by Amanda Barratt.

[Guest]

Just now, KathyLauren said:

It's a novel.  "The Warsaw Sisters" by Amanda Barratt.

I like historical novels. You gots to keep the salt handy with them, but I enjoy them especially for painting word pictures that give a more ground-level view of life rather than the ten or twenty thousand foot view you get in histories. And slap me, but I actually enjoy some romance in them.

[Ivy]

Just now, KathyLauren said:

I am happy that I have completed my transition and that I am accepted as myself. 

I wonder, have I "completed" my transition?  I guess I could say so.  In a way it's odd to think of it as that.  But yeah, this is my life now.  There's no going back now.

 

Just now, Lindsey_D said:

And slap me, but I actually enjoy some romance in them.

Yes! Please!

[Guest]

Just now, Ivy said:

I wonder, have I "completed" my transition?  I guess I could say so.  In a way it's odd to think of it as that.  But yeah, this is my life now.  There's no going back now.

 

Yes! Please!

Romance as opposed to eroticism. Some of them get way too explicit.

[awkward-yet-sweet]

Well, I'm relieved to not have an upcoming Harris presidency.  And I'm truly surprised that attempts to manipulate the election didn't succeed.

 

But...that doesn't go so far as to be delighted in a Trump presidency.  And my worries certainly aren't over, they've just changed form. Now I get to worry about the militant leftists causing havoc like back in 2020.  Maybe another pLandemic, or economic collapse.  I still feel like 2025 is going to be pretty dang rough. 

 

Whether you love the outcome of this election, loathe it, or feel indifferent... get ready.  Have some money saved.  Extra fuel, food, water, and medicine at home.  Power generation equipment, communication equipment, and defense equipment if you feel the need (I certainly do).

[awkward-yet-sweet]

[Mirrabooka]

Just now, awkward-yet-sweet said:

... get ready.  Have some money saved.  Extra fuel, food, water, and medicine at home.  Power generation equipment, communication equipment, and defense equipment if you feel the need (I certainly do).

You forgot rolls and rolls of tinfoil, so you can keep making those hats...😉

 

The following words are not mine, but after reading them elsewhere earlier I thought that they were too good not to share:

 

"The Machiavellian brilliance of Trump's approach is that he never has to follow through on promises, he just needs to continue to make the poor and vulnerable believe he is there fighting for them. As the saying goes, it is easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled."

[awkward-yet-sweet]

Just now, Mirrabooka said:

"The Machiavellian brilliance of Trump's approach is that he never has to follow through on promises, he just needs to continue to make the poor and vulnerable believe he is there fighting for them. As the saying goes, it is easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled."

I guess maybe some people believe he's fighting for us... I sure don't.  I saw a sign on election day that read "Jesus is my Savior, Trump is my President."  Like, really?  Trump's name next to Jesus?  I. Don't. Think. So.  For me, its darn near blasphemous.  I have no illusions about a Trump presidency.  The only thing I can say is that it will likely be "less bad" for me and mine than the alternative.  But it won't be enough for us to want to put the 50-star version of the American flag back on the flagpoles in our county anytime soon. 

[Birdie]

I stayed out of this conversation up until now, but it thought I'd throw in my two cents worth.

 

Yes I did vote for Trump, but not because of Trump but rather because of Harris. I do not think that she would be a very good president at all. It was more of a least of the worst scenario.

 

Harris had made the comment about forcing Israel back to the 1969 border that never existed (it was an Armistice line when Jordan invaded Israel). That policy would make Israel exactly three miles wide, and an indefensible strip of land along the coast.

 

I also took the time to sit down and read her policy on immigration, and it was a long winded speech. The nuts and bolts of it were basically that if you provide a path to citizenship for everyone there is no illegal immigration.

 

I buy groceries every week and I look at the prices. I used to spend $35 a week to feed myself, I now spend over $100. The price of groceries, and my cost of living is dramatically increased under a Biden presidency. When asked, Harris said she would not change anything from the Biden presidency. Strange that she ran on a campaign of "change?"

 

I have no love for president Trump, but his economic policy and record proves that he can bring prices back down again and make living affordable. Besides that, I think he is arrogant and superficial and he would most definitely not be a friend of mine if I met him on the street.

 

The far hard right Republican policies are of course rather scary, and are not embraced by moderate Republicans like myself. It seems the far hard right is extremely anti-trans in passing laws against us all (intersex included). The state of Texas is making it almost impossible to change genders, and communities are passing laws that state you must use the restroom that matches your birth certificate. I therefore carry the copy of my birth certificate on me at all times. But I generally try to use the family restroom if one is available.

 

I have friends and family members that are now screaming that we will go into Global nuclear war as a result of the Trump presidency. That is the end of the world as we know it. It seems that there are conspiracy theories on both sides left and right.

 

If I am correct, Trump will most likely turn the economy back around and we can enjoy that economy for the next 4 years. His base of Hardcore far right activists will most likely push for anti-trans legislation that may or may not get passed. We will just have to see what happens.

 

In my opinion, we did not have a good candidate choice in this election.

 

 

[Mirrabooka]

Just now, awkward-yet-sweet said:

I guess maybe some people believe he's fighting for us... I sure don't. 

Noted. And respected. I just get the impression that a large number of republican voters just don't realize that all they've been sold is a dream. I guess they will find out the hard way.

 

Maybe we're getting a bit off topic here, but do have a similar feeling to me in that the 50 states that make up your nation are more like 50 countries? Or, at least, in blocs of common value states? Most states are fixed in their votes. New England and the west coast always seem to be blue, for example, and the rural states and the bible belt are always red.

 

Is there merit in considering a reorganization? Considering that the number of swing states is relatively small, should there be a consolidation of mainland USA into four or five countries? The progressive countries would be free from draconian federal laws that persecute minorities if conservatives are in power, and conservative countries would be free to do what they want with gay abandon, forever and a day.

 

FYI we have a very different system here, with preferential and compulsory voting, and the voting rules are consistent across the whole country, overseen by a national authority. This eliminates suspicions of fraud. And, no state is immune from switching.

[Cyndee]

Seems the atmosphere has been heating up, you can argue the causes, the next regime does not appear very interested in making things any better, only exploiting Mother Earth more. Just look at all the terrible recent weather events in Texas and Florida especially. The floods in Spain this past week were unbelievable, no place on this planet will be spared, prepare....Feel for all the young people that will need to live on this rock beyond our time....

[Mirrabooka]

Just now, Birdie said:

In my opinion, we did not have a good candidate choice in this election.

Spot on. Harris failed big time. She got sucked into the vortex and in sporting parlance, played the man rather than the ball. She was unable to provide anything inspirational. In a mainstream sense, the only reason to vote for her was to cancel a vote for Trump.

 

Trump is Trump. Here, he would have been carted off to the funny farm years ago. Over your way, people adore him. Personally, I am coming to realize that the culture gap between our countries is much wider than I originally thought.

 

I have previously attempted to demonstrate how Trump's proposed economic measures will be detrimental. Deport millions? Wait 20 minutes for a coffee, or maybe your bus won't turn up. Time will tell.

 

What is frustrating is that by all measures, the US economy is actually booming, it's just that it hasn't been felt on the street yet (probably due to corporate greed and the resultant continued failure of the trickle-down economics theory, but that's another story). If good times are imminent, Trump will take the credit, even though he has not been responsible for it. If they don't ensue, of course he will blame Biden.

 

 

 

 

[Mirrabooka]

Just now, Cyndee said:

Feel for all the young people that will need to live on this rock beyond our time....

This.

 

At some stage, we have to stop raping the planet.

[Ivy]

1 hour ago, awkward-yet-sweet said:

I saw a sign on election day that read "Jesus is my Savior, Trump is my President."  Like, really?  Trump's name next to Jesus?  I. Don't. Think. So.  For me, its darn near blasphemous. 

For me too.  And I'm not even a Christian.

[Ivy]

Just now, Birdie said:

In my opinion, we did not have a good candidate choice in this election.

Yeah, probably.

I think that is a trend now.

 

Personally, I don't think the president has as much control over the economy as people think.

 

Just now, Mirrabooka said:

What is frustrating is that by all measures, the US economy is actually booming, it's just that it hasn't been felt on the street yet (probably due to corporate greed and the resultant continued failure of the trickle-down economics theory, but that's another story). If good times are imminent, Trump will take the credit, even though he has not been responsible for it. If they don't ensue, of course he will blame Biden.

Exactly.

But in half the people's bubble, they have been told that the economy has tanked.  Sure prices are up, partly as a result of Covid & recovery - and of course corporate greed.

But if I say much more, I'll probably sound like a radical marxist for what that's worth.

[rhonda74]

Not too surprising even some friends within our own community, had voted for Trump. Not one spec of blue on the map of Florida which turned red. Why would somebody in our community vote for a president that doesn't support our civil rights?     Years back when Trump was first time in office, I asked women why on earth did they vote for Trump? "Well, there is a scripture quote in the Bible that says women should stand by their man"  Oh for pet sakes, well they were intitle to their options. Anyway, I thought I would live to see the day we finally have a woman president for once, but look at all that red on the map, yikes!  

[rhonda74]

Just now, Ivy said:

In my opinion, we did not have a good candidate choice in this election.

Yep, she smiled, and she laughed, oh she laughed a lot..  made me questioned about my vote 

[Guest]

6 hours ago, Mirrabooka said:

You forgot rolls and rolls of tinfoil, so you can keep making those hats...😉

 

The following words are not mine, but after reading them elsewhere earlier I thought that they were too good not to share:

 

"The Machiavellian brilliance of Trump's approach is that he never has to follow through on promises, he just needs to continue to make the poor and vulnerable believe he is there fighting for them. As the saying goes, it is easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled."

Not Trump specifically: that is every politician in modern America.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, awkward-yet-sweet said:

I guess maybe some people believe he's fighting for us... I sure don't.  I saw a sign on election day that read "Jesus is my Savior, Trump is my President."  Like, really?  Trump's name next to Jesus?  I. Don't. Think. So.  For me, its darn near blasphemous.  I have no illusions about a Trump presidency.  The only thing I can say is that it will likely be "less bad" for me and mine than the alternative.  But it won't be enough for us to want to put the 50-star version of the American flag back on the flagpoles in our county anytime soon. 

Not adjacent but same idea: "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's"

 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Mirrabooka said:

Noted. And respected. I just get the impression that a large number of republican voters just don't realize that all they've been sold is a dream. I guess they will find out the hard way.

 

Maybe we're getting a bit off topic here, but do have a similar feeling to me in that the 50 states that make up your nation are more like 50 countries? Or, at least, in blocs of common value states? Most states are fixed in their votes. New England and the west coast always seem to be blue, for example, and the rural states and the bible belt are always red.

 

Is there merit in considering a reorganization? Considering that the number of swing states is relatively small, should there be a consolidation of mainland USA into four or five countries? The progressive countries would be free from draconian federal laws that persecute minorities if conservatives are in power, and conservative countries would be free to do what they want with gay abandon, forever and a day.

 

FYI we have a very different system here, with preferential and compulsory voting, and the voting rules are consistent across the whole country, overseen by a national authority. This eliminates suspicions of fraud. And, no state is immune from switching.

We fought a Civil War over the idea of dividing the country up. Yes, there are those narratives; they turn up in end of the World fiction. As for anything REAL, I don't think so.

[awkward-yet-sweet]

1 hour ago, Mirrabooka said:

Or, at least, in blocs of common value states? Most states are fixed in their votes. New England and the west coast always seem to be blue, for example, and the rural states and the bible belt are always red.

 

Is there merit in considering a reorganization? Considering that the number of swing states is relatively small, should there be a consolidation of mainland USA into four or five countries? The progressive countries would be free from draconian federal laws that persecute minorities if conservatives are in power, 

Yes,Yes, YES. Oh from your lips to God's ears, Yes!

 

I don't want to be in the same country as new England or the West Coast, period. Traveling to those areas is like going to a different country, and they even speak a different kind of English almost.  

 

Really, I  think our areas could get along better as neighboring Nations and trading partners than as part of the same nation. I don't want a civil war, but it may become necessary someday. I would prefer to see a peaceful separation before that. And yes, there would be issues in places that are not as unified as mine. But many of the states in the Midwest and South are less 50 / 50 politically, and more like 75 / 25. And in many cases, that 25% that votes Democrat primarily lives in small urban areas near a State University.

 

If there is a division, some states may not need or want to remain intact in their current form, when Democrat voters are geographically concentrated compared to the rest of the state.