To say that there's been a lot of emotional tumult this past week and a half is the understatement of the century. How so many Americans believed that a convicted felon, twice impeached former president with clearly diminishing cognitive capabilities would be the preferred leader of the USA is mind boggling. And devastating. And enraging. And so so so depressing.
There were warnings blared from across the globe as the world feared Trump would win. Hell, there were warnings domestically as well, from military and political leaders both inside and outside the Republican Party. And yet the majority of Americans either didn't see, hear, read, or heed those warnings, and the very future of the USA is now in real jeopardy.
Depressing: Where we are
That so many people believed Trump and therefore chose to vote with their pocketbooks (or for whatever single-issue was their top concern) at the expense of other peoples' freedoms makes me equally depressed and infuriated. The irony, of course, is that many of these voters unwittingly voted against their own interests and are likely to be the ones who will feel the consequences of their actions most acutely.
It is also incredibly depressing to me that many people voted for Trump because of what he stood for (stands for): prejudice (in all its iterations), mockery, vengeance, anger, and violence (spoken and physical). How sad it is that so many people want to hurt others (through words or deeds).
Mind Boggling (and Depressing): How we got here
The United States of America is seen by many as a beacon of hope and success around the globe, with its President often referred to as the Leader of the Free World. Therefore, I find it mind boggling and depressing that there are such deep-rooted societal problems -- which are worsening -- that played significant roles in Trump's recent re-election.
The Dumbing Down of America. The (public) educational system in the US is doing an injustice to our youth. While there are certainly districts which are stellar, most are no longer pushing students to think and analyze as much as they once were. Many standardized tests no longer include questions which require written responses, but rather just choosing an answer from a list. This actually communicates that there are correct and finite answers for questions which in the past might well have required an essay to support a response. In short, independent thought is actually discouraged in many school districts at the same time that whitewashing history seems to have become standard operating procedure (e.g., slavery not being taught and "questionable" books being banned). Further, it is horrifying that much of this discouragement of independent thought is by design. The less young people need to think deeply/ critically, the more likely they are to blindly accept whatever they're being taught, enabling rhetoric and propaganda to take hold. Politically speaking, just as higher education can play an important role in keeping democracies strong, a less-educated population can play an important role in keeping autocracies strong. (Click here to read more about this if you think I'm making that up.)
On top of that, our public education systems are not effectively teaching civics, and therefore many Americans do not understand the way our democracy is supposed to work (and that church and state are meant to be kept separate). Want a quick and relatively easy fix to get us started here? Bring back Schoolhouse Rock! It educated many in a generation; let's get it trending across all media platforms these days.
The lack of an unbiased media and spread of misinformation. Not so long ago, when public civility was still a thing, the media reported news. There wasn't much, if any, commentary, and so everyone in the country based their decision-making on a common set of facts. Now that billionaires own and impact how and what news is disseminated, and with Trump and many of his followers screaming that Mainstream Media is totally biased, many folks are getting their information from sources with ulterior motives. I have no idea how to get this genie back in the bottle, but to start, I think we should teach folks how to detect fake news/misinformation, like Finland does in their schools.
Now that Trump has won, many have started to realize that perhaps they were lied to/ misled, and are experiencing some degree of buyer's remorse. To wit, queries of "can I change my vote" and "how do I change my vote" rose the day after the election, likely as additional news sources reported (finally!) that tariffs will, in fact, lead to prices going up, and that the mass deportation of immigrants will also lead to prices going up (as well as the departure of loved ones). If only they knew the truth...
The breakdown of civility: Prejudiced and hateful speech, as well as vile gestures are now acceptable thanks to Trump's personal demeanor and speech. He has made it "cool" to be an asshole, and that has to end. There is no hope for peace and tolerance if people are openly/publicly/overtly hostile, rude, defamatory, and disrespectful.
Devastating (and Depressing): Where do we go from here
The framers of the Constitution called our democracy an experiment. And, devastatingly, after almost 250 years, I feel that the experiment has failed. While seemingly the majority of Harris voters are calling for the continued fight to save the country and its democracy, I personally think the time has come to cut bait. (I'm clearly a pessimist). We tried to save our democracy from Trump and failed.
It seems obvious that we are not ONE NATION UNITED in any way right now. And it is crystal clear that EQUALITY AND FREEDOM FOR ALL is not the desire for a large swath of this country. So why are we trying to contort the majority of Americans to support the founding ideals of this country which seemingly mostly only the coastal (liberal) elites hold dear? I mean really, don't you think it is an anachronistic misnomer to still call this country the UNITED States of America?
I believe that we need to find a new or revised model of government for the country. What that should look like, I can't say. But with Trump's 'border czar' warning Democratic governors to ‘Get the hell out of the way’ when Federal troops come for their immigrants, the notion of another civil war truly doesn't feel at all far-fetched to me. So, unless and until we can address the three societal ills outlined above, and very quickly, I am sorry to say that I think the USA, such as it has been, is doomed.
As an inveterate planner, I have been giving a good deal of thought to how this country might look if things continue to devolve. And I keep finding myself wondering if a variation on a theme of the European Union might not make some sense. Sure, there are imperfections in that model, but it allows for fundamentally different national priorities while recognizing the strength of a shared currency and justice system (which would obviously need to be revamped). Just think: the US Dollar could stay in circulation, there would be a common passport, but different countries (states/clumps of like-minded states) could have their own constitutions, educational systems, tax systems, and personas.
I'm open to another system, as well as to the healing and reunification of our country as we have known it, although I have a hard time believing that free and fair elections are in our future. [Oh, how I hope I'm wrong about that!]
Enraging (and Depressing): Coping & Consequences
There's a lot of rage out there right now, and it needs to be addressed before people can move forward. While many are trying to be extra kind as a coping mechanism, that's not going to work for me. I need to lay blame (sate my rage, if you will) in order to move forward. (I never said I was an emotionally healthy person, lol...)
Now, one of my credos happens to be, actions speak louder than words, so when I heard about someone (who voted for Trump) post that he was incensed when someone who didn't know him personally had the temerity to accuse him of being a racist, misogynistic, nazi (or something like that), I couldn't help but think, "well, what did he THINK (non-Trump) people would think of him?" He voted for someone whose actions proudly and obviously embody those qualities, and while this person may not be actively or overtly racist/ misogynistic/nazi-like, he must at least condone those hateful behaviors/rhetoric on some level. So, yes, I lay blame for the monumental and existential shit show this country is now facing on every Trump voter who chose to be complicit, condone, or overtly support Trump's character and policies, even if they only voted for him because they believed he'd bring down the price of eggs or gas (or whatever else was their single issue).
Hopefully, this stage of enraged blame-gaming ends soon, so I can start to step outside my teeny little bubble and actually help enable a viable future for this country. What that future looks like, I don't know. But I do know that since going high when they went low didn't work, I will go low, if necessary, to fight for our citizens' freedoms to live, love, and worship however they want.
It's time to take the gloves off and really make a big change in this country -- inconvenient, loud, and messy though it may be.