Apologies if this letter is a bit long. I DID cut out over half of it as I edited. But I will understand if you want to scroll down right away to a YouTube video at the end from a guy who said it better than I can.
I needed a week to digest, regurgitate, scream, and cry about last week’s election. I am shocked, ashamed, and embarrassed by my fellow Americans. The 70 plus million who could vote for something worse than pond scum. And the many millions who did not vote. Disgusted, appalled, repelled.
I like to view situations by standing back and evaluating how others might see things. I am thinking about Ukraine and Europe. I see the glee in Putin’s eyes. He now has an asset in the White House. Again.
I am thinking about the millions of women who are losing their bodily autonomy and their healthcare - a human right in the richest country that has ever existed.
How could it be that a majority of Americans were able - willingly - to look past the multiple flaws of Donald Trump? Misogynist, Racist, convicted Felon, Sexual abuser, tax Cheat, non-profit Cheat, 6 times Bankrupt Casino Operator, leader of a Violent attempted Coup, Thief of Top Secret Documents….friend of Vicious Dictators.
How did VP Kamala Harris receive less votes than President Biden did four years ago? Harris is one of the most qualified candidates to have run for the office - behind perhaps, only Biden himself.
And now. We prepare for autocracy. For mass deportations. For the gutting of the government and the regulations that protect us all. For more tax breaks for the rich and threatened social safety nets like Social Security, Medicare and food for poor people and…kids.
Anarchy and cruelty. Millions of rich and/or stupid people will applaud - at first.
If enough farm workers and food processing employees are in fact deported, food prices will escalate. Unlike President Biden who helped us as inflation DECREASED, Trump will reverse that progress and be infamous for creating a self-inflicted wound - inflation invited.
And those tariffs on foreign goods? Even his most fervent advisors know that the American people will pay for them. Bingo. More inflation. The irony would be hilarious if it wasn’t so cruel to those who are already struggling. The last time Trump pulled this stunt, China stopped buying our soybeans - farmers suffered until they were given compensation from the taxpayers. None of this makes any sense!
Speaking of struggling, there is some consensus that VP Harris lost this race because she didn’t recognize, identify and call out the financial dire straits so many working Americans face. Instead of crowing about how much better off we all are (we are) the Democratic platform should have emphasized change! Too many people are struggling to afford housing, health care and child care. And where would the best ideas come from to help the “average American”?
Ask Bernie Sanders. The original “populist” of our generation. The man who has long been calling for a better shake for young people, the working poor, the elderly - everyone except the oligarchs! The Democrats need to launch a financial revolt. It was not enough to say “things are better and we will make them even better…”
Democrats and fair minded Independents need to shake the money tree and propose some serious redistributions of wealth. The Maga gang demonized the “others”. That’s pretty extreme and cruel. The Maga maniacs are not afraid to propose all manner of crazy ass ideas - crazy - but THEY WON.
Dems like to be “nice” and try not to offend this group or that group. We present pretty stats and talk about unity and blah, blah, blah. And WE LOST.
Perhaps it’s time for us to get extremely angry - at the fact that Elon Musk and crew just bought an election with a boatload of money and lies. We need some Norma Rae style rebellion. We need to launch a movement. A movement of money. Not “trickle down” style. A flood. A torrent of money harvested from the ultra rich.
NOBODY needs billions of dollars to lead a very happy and very comfortable life. You pick a number. Or I’ll take a stab at it. Place a 90% tax on all income and ASSETS above ONE $Billion. OK, two billion…we can be flexible. And maybe a real tax (without deductions) on mega millionaires.
When the kings and nobles of old, rode through the villages and shires, they would toss a few coins to the ground for the desperate peasants to fight over. As they left, their soldiers grabbed some livestock and grain and a couple of the prettiest young things for the pleasure of their lieges. And yet, the peasants didn’t rebel. Until, until, they had had enough.
So to all of you who voted for the new “King” and his Uber rich buddies - &#$%*&^! Don’t come running to us with your problems when the eggs and potatoes are too expensive and there is no one to care for your old mom in a nursing home. No one to clean your hotel room, serve your food, fix your roof or…even build your new house.
To all of you who didn’t vote for Kamala Harris because she is a Bi-Racial Woman - *@#$%^&*! You belong in a time machine bringing you back to a random age and time where you belong. Go there. Stay there.
But the pendulum does swing both ways. For now, it apparently needs to swing further to insanity and depravity (talking to you, fake Jesus freaks). But it will swing back to fairness, democracy and compassion. Some day. I believe that.
Richard (“I am not a crook”) Nixon was overwhelmingly re-elected in 1972 with over 60% of the vote. He carried 49 states. On August 9, 1974 Nixon resigned before he could be impeached and convicted. There is a surprise around every corner. Let’s be ready to embrace it. Let’s be ready for the Revolution.
For now, sorry to say: “Welcome to Gilead”.
A friend just sent me this YouTube reaction to the election. This man expresses our outrage with down to earth eloquence. Please share it.
But just one more thing:
Watch Heather Cox Richardson "Politics Chat" from last night.
https://fb.watch/vQkb2a6Tke/
There have been all sorts of theories about why the Harris/Walz team lost the election. I’m not going to pile on. But I think part of it is racism and misogyny - whether or not voters will admit it. There’s also what I call the “alternative universe” created by Fox News and other right wing media. While we were listening to the news about high-ranking military leaders saying that Tramp (sic) is dangerous, they were listening to propaganda about migrants invading the country. They blame Biden for inflation and aren’t even aware of the administration’s accomplishments. “The price of gas was lower under Trump!” they say, ignorant of how gas prices work. I find it really interesting that in a poll in October, people preferred policies advocated by Harris over those advocated by Trump, IF the names of the candidates supporting these policies were not provided! That’s probably why many state initiatives to protect abortion rights, for example, succeeded even as voters went for Trump.
Like you, I have to believe that the pendulum will swing back… assuming our new leader doesn’t cause a nuclear war.