Update: Well, it seems to be over. I think the most upsetting part is how divided we are – like we really don’t understand each other’s fears or values, and that sucks. I’m not sure if we will be monitoring and publishing additional comments. We have a lot of work today and the mental load to read them before we approve them might not be something i’m comfortable asking anyone on my team to do (we are a design blog after all). I love this country and I know its full of good people. xx
I woke up filled with hope…and nerves…and excitement…and feeling just really scared…therefore Bert, our pet alpaca seemed like the appropriate mascot for Nov 4, 2024. You see, our sweet, sweet Bert is surprised and scared by his own reflection, multiple times a day. “Intruder!! Alien! New Ugly Lover to mount!!” Whatever he is thinking, he’s both scared and excited, and I really get that today. I wrote a 5-page rambling essay over the weekend with my thoughts and feelings about how and why I haven’t really expressed said thoughts and feelings about the election here. And then I saved it to my journal drafts and started this post. It wasn’t a specific strategy, it just never felt like I was the right one to add to the conversation, which might be wrong but that’s what it was – and it says a lot about this election. It felt to me like once the Democrats had a viable candidate most people made their choice (secretly or vocally), with very few actual “undecideds” to sway. We’ve known this ma for 8 years. At this point I think everyone, on both sides, is voting out of fear – fear of going back, staying the same, or of too much change, of going forward into the unknwon. Fear of their comfortable lives not being protected or their uncomfortable lives remaining the same. I get all of that.
I wrote about these same political fears four years ago here and honestly, on the bad days, where I’m angry at those who don’t see things the same way, it has helped me reframe it all and understand the other side.
Me? I’m scared of all the normal political stuff of any election, but this year so much more. I’m scared of the freedom he’ll give the tech world – unregulated AI and social media are real threats to our kids’ mental and physical health and Musk is buying recklessness. I’m scared of the power of the conservative Supreme Court – reversing the social progress we have made towards equal rights on every front (including basic women’s reproductive rights, not to mention racial and LGBTQIA+). It could be really, really bad. Again, he is not a normal Republican. I think many of us would do anything for Mitt Romney to be the candidate.
And yet, I’m also really scared of how we are talking to each other and ironically I’m scared of posting about this all on the internet. I have years of evidence that people are behaving badly right now and that regardless of what anyone says, the attacks will come. I call it the “toddler-dom of the internet’ – a nation full of anonymous kids in a full temper tantrum and there seems to be no parent in charge. The rage that would never exist IRL really thrives on the web – because social media is young and we haven’t yet learned how to properly behave. Our internet frontal lobe is still developing. To be clear, the internet on a good day feels scary, tbh, but during an election cycle with the algorithm pumping out the worst of the worst ugly lies and extreme stories from both sides? It’s a mental minefield. So lets be kind to each other. My mantra is If you wouldn’t say it to an 8 year old in person, just don’t write it online.
If you haven’t voted because you weren’t motivated yet, go for it. And if you are on the fence, or feel weird about voting against the party that you’ve identified with for a long time – I get that, but he’s not your guy. Not this time. He’s not a normal Republican.
So all I can say at this point is the cringy phrase of “thoughts and prayers”. Crossing all these sausage fingers and rubbing our pigs and alpacas for good luck. This season of “America, the TV show” will surely be gripping. And I hope for the sake of every. single. American. that our breakout star will be our first female president. Plus, if he loses, he and I can go back to having our one special thing in common: our mutual love of a bad self-tan after too much self-indulging. We both do that so well. 🙂
*Photo by Kaitlin Green
Amen, Sister.
😢 my husband wrapped his arms around me as I sobbed this morning … god help us
I’m sick…how can people not see the danger we are in now?
Can you help me understand what danger you suspect President Trump will bring?
Hear, hear!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
I love your last two closing lines!
Always looking for something positive and fun. Wow, not easy with that topic. Fingers crossed, we are looking at you, USA. Best wishes from Germany
Thank you for sharing your perspective. Check out +more perfect union – they’re trying to bridge divides in our country and bring people together for meaningful conversations. A little bit of hope amidst all the chaos. https://www.mpu.us/
I also find this video so helpful in understanding that there are also a lot of people voting Republican out of hope and compassion, not just out of fear.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAdlTlkPoiY
I’m Canadian, but I think I finally understand the fundamental divide of Democrat vs. Republican: Democrats (in theory) believe that the majority of the population should always decide, because the people can be trusted to know what’s best for them. Republicans (in theory) believe that the laws should always decide, because people can make poor decisions in the short term, but over the long term, people have done a good job of identifying the deep, natural principles/laws which should govern us even in complex situations. I don’t know how a Democrat can/should think when half the population disagrees with them, but I hope that this mantra “we should all love our kids more than we hate each other” prevails. 🙂
You don’t have school shootings and you are not denied medical coverage for capitalistic reasons or Republican values in Canada. You may not value those things, but thousands of Americans die because of this every year. You watched something, but really you have no understanding of what democracy is and why people vote Democrat.
Honestly the explanation makes no sense in a Canadian context either. The Conservatives (analogous to the Republicans) have been rushing in anti-trans legislation while arguing in other cases that they don’t have to obey laws made by the Federal Liberal Party (roughly analogous to the Dems). And I don’t mean argue against the Liberal Party’s legislation (which would be entirely valid), but outright say they don’t have to comply if they don’t want to. Conservatives threw a trantrum over covid regulations but insist that we need to rush in legislation that conflicts with longstanding humans rights laws just to strip rights away from kids. It’s just a hollow explanation all around.
I really don’t think your explanation makes sense. It certainly doesn’t map to how Republicans/Conservatives have approached laws surrounding Covid, or abortion rights, or trans rights. It’s nice and pat and neat and sounds nice. But ‘laws’ don’t decide anything, people decide on laws. And since the Republicans have overturned long standing laws and rushed in new ones to curtail rights, I’m not sure what you’re basing this on – either in theory or practice.
Republicans do not respect women or their ability to make choices that are right for them. That is all I need to know about them. So, sorry/not sorry Republicans – and especially Trumpers- there is absolutely no respect or understanding coming from me about their backward-thinking position/s. Never going to happen.
Hey, Summer, one quick question for you: if your explanation holds up, if you finally “understand the fundamental divide of Democrat vs Republican” and it’s that “Republicans believe that the laws should always decide”, how come the Republicans are voting for a convicted felon?
Absolutely.
Going to check out this website now. After this election, I’d love to work toward a more civil political landscape, and am seeking to become part of spaces that share that goal. Looking forward to reading about this organization!
This unfortunately is not about the republican party as we know it. It is a fight for America’s life. You can vote for a convicted felon, habitual liar, who is out for revenge, and admires and wants to be a fascist and think things will work out or that your interests as a citizen are at all in his thinking. This is a scary time, and it’s incredibly sad that there are still citizens that think Trump will make us better. He divides, creates hate, and only thinks about himself and blatantly admits it – sad, beyond words. Thanks for weighing in Emily, unfortunately, we didn’t challenge others enough.
I love this. Thanks for being brave and saying what a very large portion of us (hopefully large enough) feel. Fear should never control our feelings – love should. My little family voted early, our four year joined us and happily said, we are for Harris. Her rights matter. Women’s rights matter. Basic human rights matter. They are all on the ballot. And, I am so hopeful for today.
Thanks for courageously posting your thoughts, Emily. While there are many events going on in the world (including some horrific ones), the outcome of this election is so extraordinarily important for the states and for the world…May democracy win (as imperfect as it is).
I’ve been full of despair and fury, but today, I am full of hope and faith and excitement. Today, Americans will elect Kamala Harris to be our next president, though we may not have the final result for a long time. Americans will choose a dignified, kind, whip smart woman over a grasping bully. Kamala Harris is not extreme, she’s a very middle of the road Democrat who will look out for the interests of all Americans, even the ones who are afraid of her. She will not hurt you. She is not making an enemy list or plotting revenge. You are safe! Go vote for Kamala!
Katherine, I was lucky enough to be in the VVIP (yes two V) section last night at the Philadelphia rally. I was so so proud to be part of such a peaceful joyful crowd celebrating and uplifting such a joyful, strong, present, indefatigable woman like Kamala. She didn’t utter one divisive, cruel word but injected SUCH hope and kindness into her speech. You could just feel it. YES, you are safe! Go vote for Kamala!
Thanks for being brave, posting this, and making your voice heard. I don’t live in the US but I can assure you the whole world is watching and holding it’s breath and hoping your country chooses normalcy over chaos.
Thanks for using your platform for this important message.
Thank you for this. I know it takes courage.
Thank you Emily. You’re strong and brave to post this, knowing there will be some backlash. But it’s so important! A key point- he is NOT a normal
Republican. I’m so sad and tired of the hate he spreads. And honestly, scared of how T and his loyal haters will respond if (when??) he loses.
I have already voted for Trump. I don’t think people like you who live in million-dollar homes like you realize how people are hurting. People are sad at the grocery store. The economy is the number one issue and being middle class doesn’t seem like a great economic policy. “Vote for me if your life is better than 4 years ago.” Many people don’t feel that theirs is. Do you really think people are worried about social issues when they wonder how they are going to pay their bills or maybe go on a vacation? I delivered food to a food bank two weeks ago, and the people working there said they have never been so busy. I saw a young woman on TV the other day who said she put back socks in Walmart because she didn’t think she should buy them. Every single bill we receive has gone up…. our food bills, our gas bill, our heating bill, our insurance, our cable bill and even our garbage bill. Ha. Democrats have become the party of coastal elites and big cities. Look at an electoral map, Emily. The whole middle of the country is red. There are many reasons… Read more »
As an older, middle class, Midwesterner, I whole-heartedly disagree with this take. As an Iowan, I’m stoked that our state is projected to win for Harris. Crossing my fingers and hoping that holds true.
I was talking about the electoral map. I know many Midwesterners are Democrats…..even members of my family.
Hey there! I deeply relate to the anxiety at the grocery store. Prices HAVE gone up – largely because of the pandemic. But with all due respect, every economic expert (including the magazine The Economist) has said Kamala’s plan will do much more to help struggling folks than Trump’s. She has plans to ban price gouging, to lower costs for consumers across the board, build more affordable housing, and to pay for it by raising taxes on billionaires and corporations. Trump’s magic bullet is “tarriffs” – which sound great, but experts say will actually INCREASE costs for consumers. Trump is most concerned about staying out of jail and cutting taxes for himself and his rich friends. But Harris has a plan for regular Americans (not just coastal elites – remember, most folks living in big blue cities are NOT rich). I understand that Fox News etc paints Harris and the Democrats as crazy out-of-touch liberals, but everyone I know who is voting for Harris is a sensible, compassionate person who IS thinking about that woman at WalMart. I know you have already voted, but I wanted to respond for anyone who may be thinking similarly to you and still on… Read more »
Well, Emily, you wondered about writing your post, but I knew I would get a lot more rebuttal than you and I did. I have followed you for years and I will continue to follow you. My own family is divided.
Gail, please know you are not alone!
Second that!
obviously very much not alone. I’ve followed emily since the brass petal days and was stoked when she won design star. I didn’t vote for trump the man – I voted for his policies and his team (most of whom are former democrats).
I am midwestern. Please don’t lump your views with mine. The whole middle of the country is NOT red. And yes, I do think people should be more worried about social issues than going on vacation. Ugh.
Look at the electoral map. Except for Minnesota and Illinois (my home state), it is usually almost always red. I have never lived in Missouri, but I just happened to see that Trump may win by close to 20 percent. The Midwest is pretty red. Do you really think young families should have to give up a vacation because of social issues? Anyone who says something like that isn’t worried about paying for a nice vacation.
i think we can agree that all people should be able to buy food and go on vacation. Where I get confused is how you think the Trump agenda will do that. I love my fellow Trump supporters but I fear his word soup has confused people to the point where they can’t see he is not concerned about you or your family. He is happy to help his big business buddies; he is not interested in making your life better
A nice vacation is absolutely not a priority for me.
What is a priority: ensuring that a nine year old girl who has been raped by her grandfather is spared from giving birth.
I think “social” is a word we need to stop using in regards to desperately important issues.
As someone who lives in Missouri, please please don’t look at this state as a bastion of Trump-loving Republicans. We are state that is heavily gerrymandered in favor of rural areas. Because of that, we have a GOP supermajority in our legislature that prevents so much from being accomplished. We were the first state to ban reproductive rights after Dobbs. We have legislators who state, with a straight face, that an ectopic pregnancy can be treated by removing the fertilized cells from the fallopian tube and re-implanting them into the uterus of the pregnant person. Racism runs rampant in Missouri. Many, if not most, of our rural counties have gone to 4-day school weeks because Missouri underfunds education (see that comment about reimplantation of a zygote from a fallopian tube into a uterus). Missouri is ranked 48th out of 50 for education proficiency. And yet—we are state of hope—we have a senatorial race that is giving Josh Hawley a run for his money—and we hold out hope that Lucas Kunce will defeat Hawley. We have a Democtatic candiate for governor who would be an asset to our state. We have grassroots efforts (Dirt Road Democrats) in rural areas fighting against… Read more »
Gail, if your approach boils down to “why should I care about other people’s rights when I’m worried about having a nice vacation?”, well, I think you have more in common with those “coastal elites” you are using as a boogeyman than you might like. The economy, paying bills and keeping food on the table is important. But worldwide economic downturns after Covid aren’t the Biden administration’s fault and setting this up as a choice between economic recovery (which Trump pretty clearly isn’t offering to lower/middle class families) and social issues is a false and artificial choice – social issues aren’t coming at the cost of economic recovery and anyone who tells you they are has only their own interests at heart. You’re right that people focusing on social issues aren’t worried about paying for a nice vacation – they’re worried about their safety and rights and the safety and rights of others. I honestly hope you get to take that vacation though. I hope it’s nice.
Gail it’s not all red. You don’t realize that many of the people in your church, many farmers, and many of your neighbors are Democrats. They might not say that to you because they don’t want conflicts. The map shows red majority. But majority can mean +1 vote than the minority. Granted it’s a little more than that, but not that much more.
As for economy, inflation is everywhere. Americans are actually recovering much faster than many other nations. Trump actually wants to increase prices via tariffs and wants to give tax cuts to his billionaire friends. He said people shouldnt get overrime pay, and he would fire anyone who protests to have better working conditions or pay. How is that going to help the economy or people shopping at Walmart?
I’m a midwesterner and I absolutely care more about protecting my LGBTQ family and friends, making sure my disabled nephew gets the healthcare and the school aides he needs, and that I was able to get an abortion last year when it was deemed my very wanted, very planned baby had a fatal brain defect and would not survive outside my body, than being able to take a vacation. Caring about others, and ensuring we live in an equitable nation where basic human rights and dignity are protected, supersedes the desire to take a trip any day.
That has to do with the electoral college. Get educated on how the maps work. A vote in a state that shows up red could ge 50.1 republican and 49.9 democrat, that means it is plit, but the state will go red as it won slightly. This is so important to know to understand, no, not everyone in those states believes what you believe, it’s a margin in many battleground states, with the urban educated population — yes, emphasizing educated tending to vote blue, because they are more informed on economics and who really benefits. Middle class do not benefit from republican economics. As Emily pointed out, you wanted a way out, those were Kamala’s policies.
There is zero chance Trump would improve the economic lives of anyone but rich people.
More like zero chance that Harris will fix the economy when she said that there is nothing that she would change of Biden’s agenda.
i’m curious how you think it could be better – i know that inflation is up and that things are expensive (trust me, i’ve been trying to buy a home since the trump era!), but america had the strongest economic recovery in the world post-covid and we have the lowest inflation rate worldwide. sure, i’d like things to be better – but biden’s plans worked better than anyone else’s in the world.
i feel really heartened by their plans for small business tax credits of $50,000 and for down payment assistance of $25,000! and since i make less than $360,000 a year, i will 100% guaranteed have more cash under a harris presidency.
economists worldwide agree that trump’s plans are worse for almost all americans – and in recent memory, democratic presidencies have added 25-50x more jobs than republican presidencies – so i’m always surprised by this argument that democrats are doing things wrong!
if you’ve felt the stress of a tax bill over the last few years, it’s because trump’s plans are still in place – i’m eager to keep things on track to see how much better we can improve life for all americans!
If people didn’t feel that life was not better under Trump, he wouldn’t even be close in the election. Harris’ plan to give you $25.000 to buy a home will never go through Congress. If I was selling you a house as many have said, I would just raise the price that much. Sorry, but if you can’t afford to save a downpayment as all of us had to do, you won’t be able to make the payments, either. In 2008 many of the loans given with no downpayment ended up with foreclosure. I see Harris as just promising lots of money to people to get elected. As Thatcher said, “The problem with socialism is that you finally run out of other people’s money.” I have not felt any tax issues as, as I said, I live in a red state. My son’s taxes in Illinois are at least twice as high as mine just a few hundred miles away. Ha.
i disagree – i think the election is this close because we’ve gotten so polarized and fragmented! i think you may be surprised by how many things we agree on. i do think you are callous in your down payment comments – the average age of a homebuyer in america this year was 56. inventory is being scooped up by private equity and older folks who see housing as an investment – it’s impossible to get in on the ground floor. i see harris as promising lots of money, sure, but i also see her promising a fair tax plan where the wealthiest can fund those programs! corporate tax rates have never been lower – there’s more than enough cash in america to feed, clothe, and house everyone comfortably if we can pull together to pass fair tax legislation. i shouldn’t be paying more than a person who earns millions a year, you know? i’m a hardcore capitalist, but i also know that we can do better. america in the 1960s had more socialist policies than modern day sweden, and look how that fared for your generation! incredible wealth and prosperity. when we get hung up on these buzz words… Read more »
Didn’t Biden and Harris run 4 years ago on a fair tax plan? Ha. Think they ran on uniting the country, too. Think they said there would be no red states or blue states. How did that go?
yeah – and they’ve made huge strides since then! they cut child poverty in half; they saved the economy (leaving it at an all-time high, no less); they protected pensions for millions of workers; they oversaw a record 19 million new business applications; they brought us the lowest unemployment in 50 years; they started a corporate mimimum tax; they’ve negotiated fair prescription drug prices; they’ve lowered health insurance premiums and utility bills; they’re responsible for more homes under construction than any other time in the last 50 years. that’s not too shabby of a record, in my book! on the uniting the country front – respectfully, i think this type of goading (“ha,” “how did that go,” etc.) is part of the problem. if you have facts you’d like to share, i’d love to read them! i’m happy to learn more about the policies and positions you support, but i haven’t read any so far. it’d be a lot easier to bring the country together if we could all work towards understanding vs. criticizing, i think. i know we won’t agree here, but i’ll leave it at this: in my lifetime, democrats are the only party who have passed policies… Read more »
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Preach, Caitlin!
Caitlin, well said and informed – yes, going with what every economist has demonstrated is a lot more reliable and informed way to go, but some people don’t want facts, they aren’t critical thinkers and have drunk the kool aid). Thankful for informed citizens like yourself.
Gail, please know I stand with you!
Me too!
We all know that the majority of the Trumpers support him because he mirrors their racists and bigoted views. I hear it all day long in my neck of the woods.
As I ponder the disturbing outcome of today’s election and wonder what’s to become of the world, I do feel obliged to point out that just because America as a whole has recovered better from Covid and inflation is lower doesn’t mean all Americans share that wealth.
I honestly believe economic inequality in the US and the waning of a middle class is what is driving a lot of the madness that’s coming out of the US.
Americans need to stop celebrating conspicuous consumption and seeing
I also feel I should say that Australia brought in a down payment program for first home buyers 25 odd years ago and it sent prices ROCKETING! Many call it the home seller’s grant.
She has not once said that. Please stop with the misinformation!
She actually didn’t say that, so stop watching fox news. She had specific proposals for first time homebuyers, address the cost of groceries, you know what Trump had — nothing — nada — he is going for helping billionaires like Elon Musk.
Agree about ‘stop watching Fox News’! Conservative media shoulder a majority of the blame for the Trump win. You can tell where conservatives are getting their “information” because they all make the same arguments, in the same way. The constant barrage of falsehoods, innuendo, snippets of stories taken out of context, and blatant fearmongering (just to name of few of the network’s charms), directed to an audience that accepts much of it at face value without doing any of their own research, was obviously extremely convincing. Why they won’t believe what experts are telling them, about the economy for example, is beyond me. And anyone who thinks they were better off during the Trump years has a very short memory.
Indeed, the gap between the classes will broaden under his policies.
I appreciate your candor and completely understand your economic struggles and fears. I just remain confused as to how Trump represents a solution to the problems you and so many Americans face. A very quick survey of the candidates’ economic plans and experts’ analysis of those plans reveals that Trumps are targeted to corporate interests and Harris’ are designed to aid working class people. Not only that but almost all economic experts agree that Harris’ plans will add greater benefit to the economy overall. And the inflation we are all dealing with is a byproduct of Covid-era shortages exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, not Biden’s policies. And ultimately Trumps’ plan to deregulate industries will do incredible long-term harm to us all without benefiting anyone but his fellow billionaires. As for illegal immigration, Trump failed to pass any new laws even with a Republican congress and house, and instead leaned on the short-lived power of executive actions to limit legal immigration, and then went on to help kill a bipartisan bill that would have given Democrats too much credit for improvement of a surge in immigration during Biden’s tenure that had everything to do with other country’s political and climate… Read more »
You are kind of forgetting that the President, the Senate and the House were Democratic for two years. Pelosi didn’t pass any immigration bill, either.
You are kind of forgetting that it takes 60 votes in the Senate to pass a bill that is not directly related to the budget. The Democratic Senate did not have the votes, just as the BIPARTISAN bill did not have support of Republicans after Trump told them to kill the bill so he would have something to trigger the pent-up racism of his supporters.
Even Democrats voted against the bill. It also had lots of added pork in it and money for the wars. It simply was too late, though. Everyone knows that the third year of a Presidency is a dead year when little is done. Biden realized too late that he had better do something about the border in his last year or he wouldn’t win the election. He, too, did an executive order. I am so tired of the racist comment. The farmer in Iowa, the rancher in Wyoming or the electrician in Michigan are not all racists because they vote for Trump.
A BIPARTISAN bill does not happen over night and can take a while to develop, especially one surrounding the border. To think otherwise is naive.
Sorry to strike a nerve on racism, but you only have to listen to rhetoric of the last couple months, forget eight years, to know the racism of the Trump campaign. From claims of Haitians eating pets to Latinos having too many kids, and Puerto Rico being garbage, it’s not hard to miss. Not saying the people you mentioned are racists, but they’ve all decided it’s not a dealbreaker and instead, they their support…
Perhaps, but they’re apparently ok with voting for someone who is. And if you’re tired by the “racist comment” imagine how tired those who are affected by his racist comments and myths are! If it makes you feel better to say “I’m not a racist, I just voted for one!” you can make yourself feel better more easily than I could.
The company we keep is a reflection of our values.
I think that Democrats didn’t vote for it because it wouldn’t make the majority anyway. When they don’t vote uniformly, they have a chance to reintroduce the bill at a later time and pass it then. It’s obvious Republicans don’t want to solve anything if they are not willing to vote on smaller bills either. The reason why they put so many things in it,.because that’s the only way they compromise. It shouldn’t be like that. So essentially Democrats give in to Republicans in exchange for something or vice versa. It’s how the government works. You don’t like it but you don’t want a popular vote either, even though millions more have a different idea of what is best for America.
I appreciate you kindly sharing your perspective, Gail. I appreciate and value the personal position, even if we have come to different conclusions on who’s the best leader for our country. Healthy, respectful debate is the best of our democracy and rare these days when we’re all feeling scared.
Trump will hurt you financially. Fox News has lied to you.
Until my dying day, I will never understand how Trump managed to convince so many middle class folks that he cares about them. You think this man cares about your grocery bill? He said in a rally yesterday that he’s unfamiliar with the WORD groceries! This man hasn’t been to a grocery store in decades, if ever. You’re upset with ‘coastal elites?’ Ma’am, Donald Trump is THE coastal elite! He’s literally a billionaire (allegedly) from New York City! What about him makes you think he cares about middle-class Midwesterners? And how exactly is his plan to cut taxes for billionaires and ‘tariffs’ going to make anything more affordable for anyone?
It’s just so frustrating to me because I’m from the Midwest and I know so many people just like you who have been taken in by this con man, and I just don’t know how to convince any of you that this man is USING you. He doesn’t care about you! He doesn’t care about anyone other than himself. He’s running for president to make himself richer and to stay out of prison, not because he cares about making your life better.
Oh gosh, yes!!! Preach, Nik
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YESSS — Nikki ! This is 100% accurate and I am also astounded by how folks like Gail have been conned and vote against their best interest and are so deeply entrenched in it that 40 women are respectfully helping them understand the holes in their thinking and still nope, won’t hear it. That is a close minded person that only wants to believe the propaganda they have been sold or are not honest with them selves about what they truly stand for, and it’s not the wellbeing of middle class citizens or those who need their rights defended.
Thank you Nikki!! This is the most shocking to me! He is not one of them and never was!
If you make less than $360 K per year, your taxes will increase under Trump; if you make more than $360 K per year, your taxes will decrease under Trump. “Coastal Elites” would be better off voting for Trump.
I should clarify that I don’t think anyone would ‘be better off’ voting for Trump. It’s just that people seem to think he is for the working class when he really is not.
Well, Musk is. Ha.
I do hear you. What I don’t understand is why you believe Trump and Republicans will improve the lives of the middle and working class when they vote against such things as support for child care, tax credits for children, and affordable access to health insurance while being determined to interfere in people’s private lives and decisions. Trump’s proposed tariffs will make goods MORE expensive for everyone. I personally do fear his intention to govern as an autocrat but even leaving that aside, his policies will hurt, not help the vast majority of Americans.
You do realize that tariffs increase the pricing of goods, right? A 20% tariff is passed along to consumers, not paid by the export country. It is not enough to make us buy American, because American is even pricier. We will all pay more under a Trump presidency. Harris is prepared to tackle price gouging and find a better way forward to address inflation. Currently, inflation is at 2% which is lower than any other developed country…. Bidenomics are working even if you refuse to acknowledge this.
Plus, China will strike back by putting their own tariffs on crops like soybeans and corn that US farmers export to China, which will further increase prices of US goods and decrease sales for US farmers. When China was hit with Trump Tariffs in 2018, they put tariffs on US imported soy beans and also began to source from other countries, so they are ready to drop buying form the USA. Consequently the federal government has had to provide subsidies to US farmers since 2018. All caused by Trumps first failed presidency. https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/R45310.pdf
Also, Christians should follow Christ’s example in keeping government and religion separate. “Give until Caesar what is Caesar’s” and “My kingdom is not of this world” are clear in keeping church and state separate. It is not up to the government to make religious decisions for people. This includes abortion which is a personal matter not of the government.
I’m not religious but abortion is a life and death issue, a moral issue and deserves attention well beyond the private realm.
The issue of abortion extends further than just a fetus that cannot live on its own outside the body of the mother. Women are dying due to being septic from miscarriages because abortion is illegal in certain states. This is not a “kill a baby” issue. It’s much greater than that and a woman’s health is not up to the government to decide.
Anyone who hasn’t voted yet and agrees with what Gail says about the economy, please read this: https://open.substack.com/pub/heathercoxrichardson/p/october-11-2024?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=cae5m
Heather Cox Richardson is a professor of American history who looks at current events through the lens of our past. She uses a wide variety of facts and experts to summarize what is happening and how we’ve gotten where we’ve gotten.
Middle class Nebraskan here- and Kamala supporter. I have many friends that are not voting for Trump that also live in the Midwest, whether they have voted Republican in the past or not. Fully agree with the statement “he’s not a normal Republican.”
I used to live in Nebraska, too. I just looked up the latest poll in Nebraska and Trump is ahead by 18 points. Think you and your friends might be the underdogs.
It was 60-40 – hardly a sweep in a traditionally red state.
Gail, I am sorry that you feel this way about the future according to Harris vs Trump. The economy is a complex situation and most economists believe that Biden’s policies have actually helped the economy recover. But for me the biggest issue is that Trump DOES NOT care for the American people and is only out for himself. It is readily apparent that he is a petty, angry, small minded, egocentric man with no morals or ethics. How any American can look at what comes out of his mouth, and think that he is a good person to represent our country is mind boggling to me. In fact that is what bothers me most about Trump. He is a bully, he is coarse, he tried to steal an election, he incited a riot, and I could go on and on. There is much more than the economy or really any single issue to think about when judging whether or not Trump has the character to be president.
Another older Midwesterner here. I understand folks are having a tough time with inflation. What is frustrating is that most don’t take the time to understand what drove those price increases … which was essentially supply chain issues coming out of a pandemic that was woefully mismanaged under the previous administration. All countries have experienced inflation, and the U.S. has actually managed it better than most. I also can’t understand how folks can value their pocketbooks over everything else … and put a rapist, racist, narcissist in such a position of power. Character should matter.
The whole middle of the country is NOT red, and for you to claim so is not only irresponsible but just plain wrong.
THANK YOU! I agree wholeheartedly. Kamela wasn’t even elected to be on the ballot! People are hurting…hard working families are hurting. Your blog is a design platform and it’s great that you shared your opinion. I form my own political thoughts based on my perspective of being pro-life (favoring the unborn babies is very important and should be a fundamental RIGHT of a child to not be killed). Kamela Harris hasn’t offered policy because she’s not capable. No one wanted her on the ticket in the first place. Thankfully we are all entititled to our opinions and I will continue reading your blog because I believer you’re good at what you do.
quick note – this is patently false. kamala is an elected official – the VP is the only person a president cannot fire, as the VP was also elected – and she was nominated at the DNC convention. kamala harris has offered policy, which you can read here: https://kamalaharris.com/issues/ (and if you really want to get into it, you can dig into this 82 page pdf here: https://kamalaharris.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Policy_Book_Economic-Opportunity.pdf) and look, i hear you – i was raised catholic, i went to catholic school, i get it. but american women, on average, will experience 2 births and .5 miscarriages. a miscarriage is traumatic enough as is, but within the last few years, i have watched firsthand as a miscarriage has devolved into sepsis – the only cure for which is a doctor to scrape out the remaining tissue that the body failed to pass. i know MANY women who would be dead now if not for abortion care – don’t their lives matter, too? what about the other children they’ll never be able to have, or the families they won’t be around to support? there are lots of ways to reduce abortion – and i promise, i understand your viewpoint –… Read more »
I feel you about prices rising – it affects my family too. I am an economist who works on public policy and will tell you that recent analyses have found Trumps concepts of policies would add more tot he federal deficit than Harris’. He has also proposed
Policies that will reduce taxes for multimillionaires and increase taxes for the rest of us by way of his tariffs (which tax businesses for using foreign parts). Economic research also has disproven the myth of trickle down economics and worth a look. Trumps policies are also undermining the availability and quality of natural resources and increasing pollution which is having impacts on human health. It’s importance to balance economic statistics with those on human welfare and environmental health. I suggest you look at resources like these: https://www.crfb.org/papers/fiscal-impact-harris-and-trump-campaign-plans
Unfortunately, you have been misled to believe that Trump is the candidate that will address your woes. He doesn’t care about the middle and lower class, he uses you to get elected. His policies are all for billionaires. He uses the fascist rule book because he is one to rile up citizens and think normal government that provides health care, education, social security and social structures that protect you — yes, you, in the red states. The immigration piece is the same propaganda, did he fix it when he was president, no, just used that platform to get elected. Women are dying in Texas because of the abortion bans as it is sometimes a medical procedure, so you are not pro-life. You are pro controlling women’s bodies, hopefully, someone you love won’t be next. Did you like Hitler, and the Nazi regime, as that is his playbook, and this is not propaganda — he openly admits this in project 2025. God bless us all, we will need it.
Hey Gail. We can disagree.
As a fellow midwesterner, I know that inflation is global right now. Usually in order to keep inflation down, the Fed needs to increase rates to the point that unemployment starts going up and growth slows. This also means RECESSION. Retirement funds disappear, people lose their jobs, people’s lives get ruined. What Biden and Powell did after Covid was (learning from 2007 recession!) use Stimulus to boost the economy through high rates. Creating a situation where we could ENDURE inflation (real wages, retirement, kept jobs, continued to grow). Inflation was going to happen either way, period. Thank you Biden and Dems! Growth kept happening, unemployment record low BECAUSE the economy is strong DESPITE inflation! This has NEVER happened before and is a win. Democrat presidents build economy and the GOP hands that money to corporations, Elon, banks, billionaires. Every single time.
But yeah, bread is expensive. Which is a real problem. Just not one that DJT’s malignant narcissism, fragile ego, chaotic, mean-spirited, divisive, racist, sexist can fix. He is unfit for office, without question. I am so sad.
As a very middle of the road person on most things, I love this post. You did a great job of explaining fears on both sides and you also combined the seriousness of the situation with a little brevity. Just wanted to say that you’re doing a good job!
Kudos, Emily! Kudos.💗
You’ve felt the fear … and posted anyway.
These type of posts, the real you, the thinking you, are my favourites, because you let the shroud fall to the floor and are categorically authentic.
What you wrote was tactful, respectful of differences and hopfefully, encouraged people to vote!
The USA, in fact, the entire world, is on edge as the undisputed ‘leader of the democratic world’ teeters on the precipice of undoing doing that very democracy, via an orange vote.
We watch, with USA voting coverage plastered all over our international and local news, fearful of what might happen…not only if he wins, but if he loses. Legitimately loses. What might happen?! Civil war?! Based on an unruly, disgruntled, sore loser?!
This is akin to “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Only, in real life. Our lives.
I Australia, it is compulsory to vote. I’m glad. I believe no-one has a right to complain unless they’re prepared to vote.
Please, Citizens of the USA, use your vote wisely and vote for sanity, balanced views and the rights of all, not just old, white men in positions of power.
We, the people of the whole world, are counting on you.💞🙏👀
Rusty🥰
Thank you! Beautifully and thoughtfully put.
I am glad you are using this platform to speak about how you think and feel about the election. Some people will comment that “this is a design blog, not a political one” but I think it is important to share whether it is with a large audience or the smaller one many of us have. Thank you!
Brave writing! Our country is indeed fractured and people are deeply worried. I am old and I had hoped to live out my final years in peace yet that has most definitely not happened. I find myself living in a world where a nightmare is happening in Gaza, a bloody soul destroying war is being fought in Ukraine and the oligarchy like Musk are flexing their muscles – it is scary. I have never before considered that a man who I feel has no honor could become president and then possibly be reelected. I am hoping for the best and hoping that my fellow Americans will somehow move through this firestorm and come out together on the other side.
Thank you so much for using your platform. So much is on the line. Kamala is a principled, experienced, compassionate leader. Trump is a convicted felon and lifelong grifter. There’s only one wise, loving choice here.
Surprised to see this comment upvoted after what Emily wrote. I voted for Kamala, too. But this comment is so extreme, so binary, and it’s this kind of rhetoric I’m hoping to ease across our country with my vote today.
I realize that we’re several days past the election by now, but Elle, how on earth is Emily’s comment extreme? Trump IS a convicted felon and lifelong grifter; what is Emily getting wrong here?
Already voted for Trump, I do GET it, I really do, he is abrasive but he is also passionate. He spent his life brokering deals and he knows how to make peace with foreign powers. I trust that he can actually do it (even if part of that is his ego, that he has claimed he can, so now wants to do it) I would love a woman president, that would be so cool! But I don’t trust her, I don’t trust that she has the skills, I don’t trust that she gives word salad answers to things and try to laugh her way out of situations. I don’t believe her when she claims that she couldn’t have done anything these past 3 years because VPs have no power….um you are telling me Joe Biden has all the power? If he doesn’t that means he is a puppet, and that means she will also be a puppet. I also don’t like that when someone said “Jesus is Lord” she said “you’re at the wrong Rally” there is nothing remotely Christian about her, at least Trump has professing Christians in his party, even if he is not. The most compelling thing… Read more »
Abrasive doesn’t even begin to describe what Trump is. He wants to be a dictator. He wants to lock up democracy away from normal Americans and hand it over to people like Musk who want to use America as his plaything. There is nothing even remotely Christian about this man. And if you don’t believe that Harris has the skills after every job she has held and been rightfully elected for, there will never be a woman who is fit enough in your eyes to be President. That right there is the definition of misogyny.
I kind of dislike your comment more than any on here. I understand that you are for Harris, but to say that Kat is misogynic because she is not voting for Harris is just name calling.
Gail, I don’t want to put words in Tricia’s mouth. However my interpretation of the comment is that she is saying it is misogynistic to say that Harris doesn’t have the skillset to be President. She has served as a district attorney, attorney general, and US senator before becoming Vice President. Women are repeatedly held to higher standards than men because of society’s deeply ingrained misogyny of women’s inherent incompetence and inferiority due to our gender.
Mary you’re completely right. How can someone who has legal expertise and been in government jobs for years be less qualified than a tv personality? I completely don’t get it. Love Kamala. I also don’t get when some people say they know little about Kamala. Were they hiding under a rock?
Gail if it makes you uncomfortable for me to say that the notion of always calling a woman unqualified whenever she runs for President is misogynistic, I would implore you to ask yourself why.
Make peace with foreign powers? Omg, we are really doomed. Also, this is not a Christian country. Trump is using you and powerful Christians, who have explicitly said that they plan to take away basic rights from women, are using him.
Kat, 8 years ago people said it was fear mongering that Roe v. Wade would be repealed. And look where we are now. I have less rights over my reproductive body than my mother did. I do not want my daughter to be in the same position when she hits puberty in a few years. So these days, I am taking people at face value for what they say. I believe that GOP politicians want to continue repealing women’s reproductive rights because they say that they will. I believe Trump when he says he will come after the enemy within, Americans that do not agree with him. I believe all of the people that have previously served under Trump and said that he is unfit for office and a danger to democracy because they have seen him in action. As for the rally comment, she said that to hecklers who cheered while she was talking about Roe v. Wade being repealed. Clearly, they were not there in support of Harris/Walz. Kamala Harris was raised in an interfaith household, growing up Baptist and Hindu, and has talked about her faith on the campaign trail as a VP candidate and now as… Read more »
Very well said!
Trump is not a Christian. Don’t kid yourself. Taking safe, responsible, life-saving healthcare away from women is not a pro-life move or a Christian move, it’s an uninformed, misogynistic move. It helps no one except for men angling to win the so-called Christian vote. It’s a lie.
Harris is a prosecutor. Trump is a former game show host. His own chiefs of staff have reported that his goal is to divide this country, not unite it. People are tired of that. We want respect and fairness. We want the US to be seen as the leader it used to be.
Trump has said that he doesn’t understand why servicemen volunteer to the join the US military because he doesn’t understand what they get out of it. That says everything you need to know about him. He is not a man of this country; he is a war monger on every level. You should be terrified of him.
I feel baffled as to why Christianity is a requirement for holding political office when our country is literally founded on the separation of church and state.
Thank you! This angers me every time I see someone talk about voting for him (or any other elected official) because he claims to be a Christian. Not only is Trump the antithesis of every definition of Christianity I’ve ever heard or seen, but the United States of America isn’t a Christian nation, and Christians need to stop forcing their beliefs on everyone else.
The man can barely put together a sentence, how can he broker deals? He was a b level developer at best.
And I live 12 miles from the border – tell me more about how illegals are taking my job, or killing me? I’m way more afraid of the US born, white teenage male that wants to shoot up a school than anyone who has sacrificed everything to walk hundreds of miles for a better life for their family.
Elon Musk is only out to line his own pockets. Bobby Kennedy is anti vaccination and doesn’t believe in seed oils. Give me a break.
How you can say that Kamala speaks in word salads in shocking. Take a look at this rant from Trump: Trump: I say, “What would happen if the boat sank from its weight and you’re in the boat and you have this tremendously powerful battery and the battery’s now underwater and there’s a shark that’s approximately 10 yards over there?” By the way, a lot of shark attacks lately. Do you notice that? A lot of shark — I watched some guys justifying it today. “Well, they weren’t really that angry. They bit off the young lady’s leg because of the fact that they were not hungry but they misunderstood who she was.” These people are crazy — He said: “There’s no problem with sharks. They just didn’t really understand a young woman swimming now who really got decimated and other people, too.” A lot of shark attacks. So I said: “So there’s a shark 10 yards away from the boat, 10 yards. Or here. Do I get electrocuted if the boat is sinking and water goes over the battery? The boat is sinking. Do I stay on top of the boat and get electrocuted, or do I jump over… Read more »
Yes!!! 🤣🤣
You also lost me with “I trust JD Vance, Bobby Kennedy, Tulsi Gabbard, and Elon Musk”…
Let’s take Bobby Kennedy for example. A conspiracy theorist who wants to ban vaccines. He says he has a brain worm. His ex-wife committed suicide after reading a detailed journal he kept of his hundreds of affairs.
He is a science denialist. If these are the type of people “you trust” there really is nothing else left to say.
Right, you “do GET it” you “really do” but think that people don’t support Trump because he’s abrasive? All the while thinking people are fear mongering and irrational while *checks notes* Republicans have actually stripped women of rights? Also I’m not sure I follow you on the VP comment – it’s illogical and circular. If she didn’t have much power then that tracks with the president having power and the president not being a puppet. Which implies that she would have power if she assumes the same role. Yes, the President has the overwhelming balance of power in the VP/President relationship, I suppose if that wasn’t the case that would make the President a puppet, but we have no reason to think that that’s the case, and it not being the case tracks with the argument being made. So I think you’re a bit confused? You express disbelief at the idea of the president having all the power (“Are you telling me that Joe Biden has all the power?”) in the relationship, then switching to saying that if that’s not the case then he is a puppet, from which basis you say she would also be a puppet? But in… Read more »
Thank you for this <3
You absolutely nailed this. In some ways, I think no matter who wins, we have all already lost. The divisions are too deep. But what you have said about fear is so spot on. If we can conquer our individual fears, I think we can move forward, united.
Thank you for posting your thoughts and feelings. Speaking for some of us hesitant to to do so. I am a Midwesterner who did not put out a Harris/Walz sign because the signs get stolen and I was afraid of retribution. We lived through Carter interest rates (16.4%) while trying to sell one home and build another. We worked three jobs to keep up. Hard to be sympathetic today but definitely have been there. There being in tears in the grocery store because I only had $30 to feed the family that week. Selling our house way under value because we were about a month away from going under. Different times. Yes, we did own a house but opportunities for a college educated woman to earn a good salary were very limited back then. Don’t want to go back. “Make America Great Again” reads empty for so many.
Thank you for recognizing what an important day today is!
As a non US citizen, living in the Middle East, watching US fund weapons that are blowing little children to pieces… my heart is broken and my faith in humanity is at an all time low, I can only hope that something good comes from this election. Please demand better from your leaders.
Absolutely! On the issue of the Middle East, it is clear that we are much more likely to have an impact to addressing these issues in an inclusive Harris administration than a divisive Trump one that is more wreckless.
I’m shocked your comment made it and was posted. I’ve posted about this very specific issue a few times in the past year and they didn’t make it past the person that approves comments for publishing. I’m with you. Number one topic on my mind. And I’m an American citizen in a swing state. Third party voter here. Can’t green light our administration’s key role in what’s been happening for the past year.
Eve, you are not alone. What the US has contributed to the global conflict in the past year is morally unconscionable. Lots of US citizens are also horrified.
Thanks for being brave, Emily! Middle class from Georgia and voted Harris/Walz and I agree with you!
Same! Cheers fellow Georgian, maybe even ATLien. 🙂
Same here too! Cheers to all of you, fellow middle class blue voters, from a Savannahian!
Same! from Roswell GA 💙
We Can Do It! 💪🏽
Much like your sweet Bert, I am afraid of what America’s reflection may reveal. “He’s not your guy” is such a simple and truthful way to say it. Thank you for being brave and sharing your thoughts, fears and hope publicly. Here’s hoping love wins and this is the historical change we need!
I told friends yesterday that I’m wildly optimistic and deeply terrified at the same time. The comments are so interesting! Social scientists will have a rich environment to study human behavior and how this man and his media partners have influenced the deep and disturbing discourse in the US. You have a voice and a platform – good on you for using it.
I’m with you.
Thank you, Emily! I completely agree. As a Georgia voter, our state is being pounded by ads for and against Kamala. Many of the against are lies that have been fabricated or have such miniscule impact (like sex changes for inmates) that it’s absurd to think it’s even an ad, but it resonates with the phobias and -isms of his audience. Luckily, my MAGA family does not live in a swing state and their states are lost for Kamala, but it’s still hard seeing the hate and division that comes from the MAGA mentality. It’s also often hard to know you may need to completely distance from family at some point as they grow more extreme. I hope for a Kamala victory where we can truly find a new path forward of unity and leave the Trump years as an example in the history books as what not to repeat.
Well said, and thanks for bringing a little bit of levity to a serious topic.
Thank you so much, Emily! I love Kamala’s policies on the economy and on affordable housing. I love that she’s worked hard for her entire life and has had experiences at many levels of our political system. I love that she’s a woman who is a loving stepmother and wife. I love that she’s smart and kind. I want this kind of leader!
Many people in my family are lower middle class and are voting for Kamala. They have read her economic policies and know she’s for them : ) So happy to cast my vote for the woman I know will lead us calmly and safely into the future.
Love your style, love your voice, love your team, love you!
Well said Emily!
Thank you Emily for your bravery in speaking your mind & sharing your feelings about the election!!!!
Emily, the reason I was able to read your post today….is because of how you express yourself. (Everybody on this staff has excellent entertaining and informative writing skills) I too feel the fear of how we talk to each other. I don’t hate anybody who does not vote like I do. I don’t even have to understand why others vote the way they do. I just want us to move forward as a nation. I believe there is one candidate that will help us heal and move the bar forward. Thanks for what you and your team do Emily to make the world a bit better. fondly and my first EVER response to a blog!
Thank you for using your voice! None of this is normal and people need to keep saying it.
I subscribe to this blog to be inspired by home decor! Not by people’s opinions about the election. We get so bombarded politically in so many ways–its everywhere! I really was disappointed to see it here. Therefore I will be unsubscribing. Please everyone, have some faith with no matter who wins the election. We all need to get to a better place, and bad mouthing either of these candidates is not the way. Everyone has issues that are more important to them than others. I used to work with the media, and I can tell you they spin information that best suits their network and their agenda. There is no fact checking anymore. I’m surprised anyone even wants to be President — with all the negativity.
This is a ridiculous comment. “[H]ave some faith with no matter who wins the election”??? Why would we do that? Because we’re not supposed to believe all of the heinous things that Trump has said about marginalized people? We’re supposed to have faith that he was faking it? “Everyone has issues that are more important to them than others”??? Yeah, like women not dying because they’re being denied basic medical care. Sorry for “all the negativity”–it’s only our lives on the line.
Hi! Not looking to argue, just want to offer a different perspective.
Obviously, it is your blog and you are allowed to post whatever you want! I’m honestly not sure what I would do if I had a platform like yours.
I just have political burnout, so I have been frustrated by designers and others posting about politics when that’s all we see on TV, our phones, and hear about in conversations. I come here for good design. This blog is normally a great palette cleanse from all of the nonsense in the world. I love accounts like yours because it is a form of escapism for me. Not going to unfollow or anything like that, just wanted to share my thoughts in case anyone else felt similarly!
I think this post is completely appropriate considering what a stressful time this election has been for everyone. I see it less as a ‘political’ post and more of an invitation to gather and articulate and share our feelings about the election with the community that she has created here on her blog. Thank you, Emily!
Both Harris and Biden have been in for the last term and it’s not the end of the world. Trump was previously president for a full term and the world didn’t end then either. I come here for decorating ideas not this overly dramatic nonsense. Unsubscriping now.
Oh sorry we’re all being overly dramatic. What’s the right about of dramatic? I mean, after the last election was followed by an attempted coup? I have to be careful which period tracker I use because they can be used against people who Republicans have stripped of reproductive rights, and that’s pretty minor inconvenience – others have died. I suppose you could say their “world ended”.
You have just given a perfect example of what I mean. This fear and drama occurred during covid and look at the social damage it caused and the irrational decisions made. I saw plenty of human rights being stripped during the covid era and it was both parties partaking. AND If you are going to use an interior decorating blog to highlight a political issue then for goodness sake make it Gaza. I think the death and starvation of thousands of children and babies is a lot more important than Trump vs Harris right now.
Right, I’d agree it’s a lot more important – by all means talk about that. I won’t accuse you of being overly dramatic. People are dying. It’s ok to acknowledge that the stakes are high. Call it out. Fight against it. Whether it’s one party or the other. Or look the other way if you must. But complaining that people are being overly dramatic when they talk about it, then trying to find even more intense things to top it is absurd (and is an example of what you claim to be against). We’re allowed to care about things that don’t reach the level of the world literally ending. People are dying and people here are trying to treat that as though it is important. Dismissing it is glib and thoughtless. Coming back pointing to the horrors in Gaza doesn’t refute my point, it agrees with it. Be upset people are dying. Be angry. You balk at an interior design blog posting about important matters, I’d fault them if they ignored what’s at stake to simply post another design article.
Totally agree. #VoteKamala
I live in Portland, OR and am a registered Democrat. Eight years ago I voted for Hilary and four years ago I voted for Biden. This year I am voting for Trump. I have read through all of the comments on here and people seem to have really missed the mark on why people might vote for Trump. In our social circle of upper middle class and well educated friends, all of whom still do and/or would have considered themselves liberal/progressive, about half of them this election are voting for Trump, none of them had in the past. Not one of them is voting for Trump because of HIM, we are voting for him because it is a vote against what the Democratic party has become and what it stands for.
I agree with all of the comments about what a vile person he is, and that he truly lacks morals, but what I despise more is watching the party I have always been part of become a party I no longer recognize.
Huh. Odd comment. Not a single specific about what has changed or worsened. Just that the conclusion is to vote for a party that, what, you do recognize? Just a lot of odd insistence about how half of your social group is “well educated” and “progressive” and everyone here has missed this vague “mark” and don’t see why (and please do tell the actual why) half of your liberal circle is voting for Trump because mumble mumble something something what the Democrats stand for. I could certainly believe not voting in protest, but somehow all your liberal friends can’t bear what the Democratic party stands for/has become, but is ok with what the Republicans stand for? Sure.
Why would I get into the specifics in a place where people have already made up their minds that the other side is completely wrong? I am not trying to sway anyone here. And based on your response, I highly doubt there is a single thing that I could say which in your mind would justify my decision. This isn’t the place to have an intellectual discussion about different policy aspects. It’s a comment on a design blog. I was simply offering a different perspective inside of an echo chamber of one belief.
I’m not asking you to justify your beliefs nor for some extended policy brief. But when you say people are missing something, but don’t/can’t say what they’re missing then I find that odd. And when the logic fails (I don’t like how the party is now, so I’ll vote for something they/”we” have always and would always have been against, instead of voting for a third party or not at all) and the actual claims are absent and those gaps are filled with a lot of easy signalling, that maps very clearly to the trend of people claiming they’re from a side they’ve never believed in for perceived rhetorical value. I am not asking you to justify your decision at all, but I am saying there’s something fishy in your story. It could all be perfectly true, of course – but if that’s how I tried to offer a differing perspective I would want to know.
Vote 3rd party if you don’t like what the Democrat party has become. To throw your hat in with Trump means condoning his racist, sexist, xenophobic comments. It means you are ok with those, and so maybe take a deeper look at the racist thoughts you are comfortable with.
Can someone please cite examples of President Trump’s racism?
Alexandra’s comment is very odd given that it’s well-documented by political scientists and historians that the Republican Party has moved VERY FAR to the right in recent years and has become very extremist while the Democratic Party has stayed very centrist on the political spectrum. Her comment reads to me as “I’m against trans rights and I’m uncomfortable using people’s preferred pronouns so I’m going to jump ship on the Democrats and vote for Trump.”
Thanks for stating your views publicly. It takes courage. I know you will probably get some backlash for this, but also know that there are many that applaud you. This isn’t a normal election of differing economic and social views of Democrats and Republicans. I’ve evolved over the years…I come from a two party family….at times I’ve been a registered Republican, an Independent, and now a Democrat. I have been able to understand both sides. But not this time….this is different. Kamala is a vote for calming the political differences, someone with empathy, someone who can work with both parties to achieve things.
Thank you for posting!
Thank tou Emily. Well said. Here’s hoping for a good outcome for us all.
Of course it is your right to speak your mind and use your platform as you wish, but I really wish you had not. This such a beautiful place of inspiration for all, but now you have put your blue checkmark on it which may be alienating to some.
anyway hopefully all this will be in the rearview mirror soon.
Acting like an Ostrich, perhaps?
Um, yeah, it’s definitely NOT going to all be in the rearview mirror soon. That’s an incredibly privileged thing to say.
Thank you for this post Emily. Hopefully things will look good tonight and tomorrow. Judging by the upvotes and comments, people are mostly in agreement, and that is so good to see.
As a Canadian who doesn’t have a direct connection but has American friends who are feeling roughly the same as you….I’m nauseously optimistic (to steal a comment read earlier today). Our fingers are crossed, our hearts are open.
This was very brave of you and I honor you for posting your real feelings and vulnerability. I couldn’t agree more with your words!
Ironically, or not, when I opened your site I was bombarded by MAGA pop up ads all over the page:(
this has been the most frustrating part of the election – we specifically ban political ads (and we eat a 30% ad revenue loss because of it!), but the trump campaign and its surrogates have intentionally mislabeled their ads to (a) pay lower ad rates and (b) evade filters on sites like ours. it’s cheating that affects our business and it makes me really upset! he’s already hurting small businesses – not to mention the wake of unpaid rally bills, left to be shouldered by underfunded cities – and i’m disappointed to see that people consider this to be “good” economic policy.
i don’t normally speak this candidly on the blog about how irritated i am by this specific issue, but it felt good to get it out today! ha.
And I’m so glad you did and are, Caitlin. I was cheering when reading all of your whip-smart, kind, sensible comments above. YES YES. Si se puede!
Thank you. I don’t believe that his supporters are afraid of posting, saying or doing anything, sadly. We must not be afraid of speaking and posting the truth. I am deeply saddened by the evil and cruelty he has spawned. I welcome a return to kindness and civility, where the racists , misogynists, white supremacist, sexists, anti- LGTBQ are forced, once again, to crawl back into their respective holes because society will no longer tolerate their hate speech.
I welcome the light and promise and hope that a true leader will bring to our democracy.