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smokingbootThe result. It's like I'm looking at this thick old web, not intricate and symmetrical, more like those things on a Dracula's castle set. Unpicking it is impossible, so why try? Why not just wipe it out of one's head? The answer is I have a special gift for the pointless and cannot sleep anyway. I tire so easily I won't be able to do this for long and won't be disturbing much of the spider's home.
So beginning then, with the disclaimer. I don't live in the US, don't have a vote, and my knowledge of what it is to live in America, the challenges faced by US citizens and the truth of how they live is almost a mystery to me. I really do not have much idea of what I am talking about. Why write then? My head, my DW, my rules.
Admitting the prejudice: I have seen lots of Trump's behaviour that I do not like. But even if I accept the massive assumption that all mainstream media has been malign towards Trump's administration, skewing public perception of him, there is one policy and one attitude I cannot get past at all.
Trump's Family Separation Immigration Policy distressed me greatly. I'm not particularly sentimental about children but hold it to be one of the few real requirements of humanity not to bring danger to its youngest and most vulnerable. The questionable argument that parents bring their children into danger through illegal migration does not justify any other adult putting them through more trauma. Of course there must be checks to ensure trafficking/kidnapping is not an issue, but cold floors and cages, no, no. There is no argument that will ever make this sit right with me.
The other? Having seen the 'Hanoi Hilton' and heard accounts of what US prisoners of war endured, I cannot imagine any reason for me to favour a man who mocked military personnel after they faced torture for their country. And I get that it's easy for me to say money issues would not persuade me because I am now in a better position than many. But I have known poverty in my life especially as a child. And with no desire to claim virtue, no great goodness in my character, I'd go through it all again rather than give such a person my vote.
Right, disclaimer pulled out, specific rock hard prejudices pulled out, as opposed to others that might - might! - be argued away with the reasoning that the press misrepresented him.
Now. Reasons or Reasons?
Money
Biggest thickest strand of the web. People felt they personally had more money when Trump was in power. But every leader inherits the financial situation his predecessor left, right? Whatever the financial commentators say, from markets to treasury reports, people measure their security by what they can buy and how much they have left over. Even if it is not about actual poverty, it is about feeling poorer. The outright craziest person I listened to online was a vehement Democrat who brushed aside my questions regarding whether or not Republican voters had valid economic reasons for their choices. He called it nonsense. More about him later.
Illegal Migration
What is this issue exactly? As I understand it, there's a labour shortage in the US, so I do not get why it's a thing. To my very limited understanding, it seems that illegal immigrants are not entitled to state or local benefits, but deciding lawful status comes down to county social service employees who cannot determine immigration status. The employees have no way of knowing whether someone is an illegal alien, so they'll accept whatever proof they are given. That's the loophole to be closed, no? But again, on the feeling level, people who feel poor may well feel ungenerous. There's the beloved human story of how unjust it is that this unworthy person gets a break when deserving people like me don't. And of course, sometimes, there's just dislike for the other, the not-our-folk. I can't speak for the prevalence of racism in the States, I can certainly say it's a factor in the UK.
Unpopular Candidate
This one's strange. I've heard people say that KH's issue was akin to that of HRC; a sense of it being 'her time,' 'her turn,' an exercise in box ticking; a powerful woman, with this and this background and these credentials. I also heard she was disliked by some Hispanic and Latino communities, that she was deemed hard on plaintiffs from certain ethnicities, soft on preferred options. But I can't find any information on this now, so how real was it? Was her own sex and ethnicity an issue? Does the US just not like women in power? There was a cold edge to HRC that alienated many. What was Kamala's problem?
Crime and Homelessness
San Francisco became a big Boschian rock to hurl at Harris' head. I've no idea if it's as bad as has been popularly cited. Crime spikes in cities committed to Defund the Police did not help but Biden was against it anyway. So was this just something to add to the...
Woke Wars
These are easy for me to talk about because if they are real at all, they are real on the internet.
Back to this crazy Democrat who described himself as a 'dispatch writer' in Columba Ohio. He talked about how his letters in the local paper reached thousands of Republicans who could not argue with his representations of them. He demonised them unendingly, laughed at the idea of them having any valid concerns, denounced them as pretty much all insane evil racist Christian fundamentalists and accused me of being a closet Republican when I questioned him. I reckon he's probably three quarters of the way through a bottle of bourbon now, possibly his second, while someone somewhere else is raising a glass to his power of alienating people.
I remember a black lady in academia talking to a white man with two jobs and a family on the breadline about his privilege. There are situations where this may be acceptable, there are situations where it's tone deaf, and one must consider the end result. Exhausted people who are freaking out about money and life are better at anger than comprehension. So he won't get the point but he'll remember he was called names, he'll take it to the ballot box, and better believe the equally knackered co-workers, mates, and family he told about it will do the same. If a woman asks what makes a transwoman a woman and the answer is shut up you bigot, she'll probably get out of the line of fire cos she's afraid, but she'll recover her courage in time for the election. Clear fact based argument is the progressive's ally. Ignore this and learn that while we can't persuade die-hard antagonists, we can sure as hell create them.
There will be more, many more, but the unpicking stops here. I've learned a lot from Brexit and the failures of those of us who tried to persuade against it! Not that people in Blighty want to talk about that now you understand. That comms victory is thorough but far too late.
I feel for those who tried hard for the Democratic party and applaud so much hard work. To chums of Republican inclination, may Trump prove worthy of your vote and bring you what you want/need, but I trust to your generous nature to understand my hope that he doesn't destroy the rest of us.
So beginning then, with the disclaimer. I don't live in the US, don't have a vote, and my knowledge of what it is to live in America, the challenges faced by US citizens and the truth of how they live is almost a mystery to me. I really do not have much idea of what I am talking about. Why write then? My head, my DW, my rules.
Admitting the prejudice: I have seen lots of Trump's behaviour that I do not like. But even if I accept the massive assumption that all mainstream media has been malign towards Trump's administration, skewing public perception of him, there is one policy and one attitude I cannot get past at all.
Trump's Family Separation Immigration Policy distressed me greatly. I'm not particularly sentimental about children but hold it to be one of the few real requirements of humanity not to bring danger to its youngest and most vulnerable. The questionable argument that parents bring their children into danger through illegal migration does not justify any other adult putting them through more trauma. Of course there must be checks to ensure trafficking/kidnapping is not an issue, but cold floors and cages, no, no. There is no argument that will ever make this sit right with me.
The other? Having seen the 'Hanoi Hilton' and heard accounts of what US prisoners of war endured, I cannot imagine any reason for me to favour a man who mocked military personnel after they faced torture for their country. And I get that it's easy for me to say money issues would not persuade me because I am now in a better position than many. But I have known poverty in my life especially as a child. And with no desire to claim virtue, no great goodness in my character, I'd go through it all again rather than give such a person my vote.
Right, disclaimer pulled out, specific rock hard prejudices pulled out, as opposed to others that might - might! - be argued away with the reasoning that the press misrepresented him.
Now. Reasons or Reasons?
Money
Biggest thickest strand of the web. People felt they personally had more money when Trump was in power. But every leader inherits the financial situation his predecessor left, right? Whatever the financial commentators say, from markets to treasury reports, people measure their security by what they can buy and how much they have left over. Even if it is not about actual poverty, it is about feeling poorer. The outright craziest person I listened to online was a vehement Democrat who brushed aside my questions regarding whether or not Republican voters had valid economic reasons for their choices. He called it nonsense. More about him later.
Illegal Migration
What is this issue exactly? As I understand it, there's a labour shortage in the US, so I do not get why it's a thing. To my very limited understanding, it seems that illegal immigrants are not entitled to state or local benefits, but deciding lawful status comes down to county social service employees who cannot determine immigration status. The employees have no way of knowing whether someone is an illegal alien, so they'll accept whatever proof they are given. That's the loophole to be closed, no? But again, on the feeling level, people who feel poor may well feel ungenerous. There's the beloved human story of how unjust it is that this unworthy person gets a break when deserving people like me don't. And of course, sometimes, there's just dislike for the other, the not-our-folk. I can't speak for the prevalence of racism in the States, I can certainly say it's a factor in the UK.
Unpopular Candidate
This one's strange. I've heard people say that KH's issue was akin to that of HRC; a sense of it being 'her time,' 'her turn,' an exercise in box ticking; a powerful woman, with this and this background and these credentials. I also heard she was disliked by some Hispanic and Latino communities, that she was deemed hard on plaintiffs from certain ethnicities, soft on preferred options. But I can't find any information on this now, so how real was it? Was her own sex and ethnicity an issue? Does the US just not like women in power? There was a cold edge to HRC that alienated many. What was Kamala's problem?
Crime and Homelessness
San Francisco became a big Boschian rock to hurl at Harris' head. I've no idea if it's as bad as has been popularly cited. Crime spikes in cities committed to Defund the Police did not help but Biden was against it anyway. So was this just something to add to the...
Woke Wars
These are easy for me to talk about because if they are real at all, they are real on the internet.
Back to this crazy Democrat who described himself as a 'dispatch writer' in Columba Ohio. He talked about how his letters in the local paper reached thousands of Republicans who could not argue with his representations of them. He demonised them unendingly, laughed at the idea of them having any valid concerns, denounced them as pretty much all insane evil racist Christian fundamentalists and accused me of being a closet Republican when I questioned him. I reckon he's probably three quarters of the way through a bottle of bourbon now, possibly his second, while someone somewhere else is raising a glass to his power of alienating people.
I remember a black lady in academia talking to a white man with two jobs and a family on the breadline about his privilege. There are situations where this may be acceptable, there are situations where it's tone deaf, and one must consider the end result. Exhausted people who are freaking out about money and life are better at anger than comprehension. So he won't get the point but he'll remember he was called names, he'll take it to the ballot box, and better believe the equally knackered co-workers, mates, and family he told about it will do the same. If a woman asks what makes a transwoman a woman and the answer is shut up you bigot, she'll probably get out of the line of fire cos she's afraid, but she'll recover her courage in time for the election. Clear fact based argument is the progressive's ally. Ignore this and learn that while we can't persuade die-hard antagonists, we can sure as hell create them.
There will be more, many more, but the unpicking stops here. I've learned a lot from Brexit and the failures of those of us who tried to persuade against it! Not that people in Blighty want to talk about that now you understand. That comms victory is thorough but far too late.
I feel for those who tried hard for the Democratic party and applaud so much hard work. To chums of Republican inclination, may Trump prove worthy of your vote and bring you what you want/need, but I trust to your generous nature to understand my hope that he doesn't destroy the rest of us.
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no subject
Date: 2024-11-07 12:36 pm (UTC)Bingo.
I actually think the trans stuff played an enormous role in the election results. When I was out canvassing, I talked to people who told me that the reason they were voting Republican was because Democrats funded sex change operations for pre-teen children—-and also supported abortion up to 39 weeks.
There was nothing I could say to them in return—-because I have my own issues with trans, basically believing that everyone has the right to do anything they want with their own bodies but I'll be goddamned if I have to remember the pronouns that go with their fleshly cosplay plus trans women should not be competing against biological women on the sports field and if people under 18 aren't allowed to drink, they should not be allowed to have gender-altering surgery. So, you know: I'm not a real progressive. 😀
The voters that really just amazed me were the ones who did not vote for Harris because (words to the effect) they refused to support a regime that countenanced Gazan genocide. The Muslim population of Dearborn, MI, falls under this umbrella.
Hello, idiot voters! Do you not remember the Muslim ban Trump wanted to enact his first term in office? Do you not understand that Trump supports Israel unilaterally? And will give Israel huge amounts of foreign aid to wage a proxy war against all Muslims? Except the ones that run LIV Golf?
Anyway, it is what it is. I did do a lot of work on behalf of the Democratic Party this time 'round, but I am not a Democrat, so I have no inclination to beat my breast or smear my body with ashes.
I am seeing lots of parallels with the Weimar Republic, though. Which will strengthen as inflation kicks in again——and it will. I'm not entirely sure how to respond to that.
no subject
Date: 2024-11-07 02:17 pm (UTC)As for the Muslim populations you mention, I keep reading your comment over and over again, astonished. How short can memories be? Maybe they're hoping for some new cordial approach from his administration? After all, he's reputed to be in like Flynn with Putin who seems to have made strong inroads among Arab nations. If their vote isn't based on something like this, I'm lost as to what they think he's going to do for them.
Re the Weimar parallels, fingers crossed inflation will halt before it gets that far.
no subject
Date: 2024-11-07 02:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-11-07 02:19 pm (UTC)