Just an American full of dread over here

[ErinKC]

For the last several years I made it a point to simply avoid the news entirely and it suits me well. It's a bit sad because I was once a huge political wonk, following everything, out going door to door for my candidates, etc... but politics in America has become unbearable.

But here we are in 2024 with the ever increasing inevitability of Donald Trump returning as our president and it literally kept me awake last night. I realize there's a full year before he'd be sworn in if he does win, but the Iowa caucus was just a dreadful reminder of all the anxiety and upheaval and mania that ensued in 2016, through his whole presidency, and then again during the 2020 election. I just feel sad that this is where we find ourselves in my country.

[.Poppy.]

I just keep saying, it's not over til it's over. I really wish we could get more than just the two political parties in the game. I think the biggest threat right now is that Biden has done some things that make progressives (and especially the younger generations) unhappy and that may cost him some votes. I think that discontent within the democratic party has been brewing since Trump won the last time, when there were a lot of people who were pulling for Bernie but the DNC pulled strings to put Hilary up instead.

My perspective is that there are a lot of progressives who are kind of tired of democrats just pandering and keeping the peace vs. making big political moves like the right is so willing to do. And I'm sure there is an element there of some politicians being just as "in the pocket" of businesses so they're not really motivated to make some changes. I did vote for Hilary and then Biden, but the "vote blue no matter who" tagline is kind of exhausting when we need real change and we only get baby steps.

Unfortunately, a lot of things in the US are quickly becoming unsustainable, fast. It's going to need to come to a head at some point because we can't keep going like this.

I remember last year, and in past years, I helped my parents go door to door because they're both active in their local party. I won't do it anymore, and my mom won't either because it can be dangerous. They will sometimes go talk with people who have voted blue in the past and just aren't listed as "active" any longer, but no more random door knocks.

[ErinKC]

I agree with all of this 100%, Poppy! The democrats are certainly full of blame for where we've arrived. The two party system is so broken.

It feels like both parties are completely unhinged from reality and almost like America is this great ship lost at sea without a captain. Everyone is just shouting about who should be in charge and meanwhile we're about to sink. It's just so disconcerting and destabilizing. All made worse by the fact that the ship is armed with nuclear weapons!

It is true, though, that it's not over until it's over. And perhaps even though democrats are quite unexcited about Biden, the knowledge that Trump really COULD win and memories of what it was like will motivate people to get out and vote. I think a big reason Trump was successful the first time around was both what you said about the party just not listening to voters and pushing Clinton and the mistaken idea that there was no chance Trump could win, both resulting in very low turn out. I really think it was a bad choice to leave Biden on the ticket, but at the same time the opposite would also not have looked great and Harris is not popular either.

In a country of 330 million people, how are these our choices???

Part of me wishes he'd just won reelection in 2020 so we'd be coming to the end now. He also wouldn't have been driven in his second term by as much anger and revenge as he has now. And I think other alternative - like states keeping him off the ballot or other legal ways of preventing him from running/winning would have all kinds of negative effects on our system. So, there's really no great result other than getting people out to vote for poor rickety old Biden.

[Sparkling_Fairy]

I'm not American, but a big America lover! Would love to move there.
I will say this, I obviously don't have the perspective of being on the inside. But did Trump really do anything during his presidency?
I feel like he didn't do anything, good or bad. No, I take that back. The bad thing he did was appoint a bunch of conservatives as supreme court justices who are now reversing laws and setting the US back to the 50s! And his treatment of illegals coming across the border.

But aside from that, it was a lot of talk but no action. He played a lot of golf. Didn't do much running of the country. I dread him coming back too. Don't get me wrong. The world doesn't want him back either.
But I hold on to the fact that it'll be another 4 years of nothing, and then we're done with him.

Just came back to add: I do think his supporters make the country way worse! Racism and bigotry is a lot more out in the open with him in charge. That said, it's always there anyway. He just brings it out in people.

[.Poppy.]

Getting control of the Supreme Court is definitely bad; they’ve been able to cause harm via judicial rulings. But he also amassed a cult like following which has caused instability.

But it’s not just Trump, there are a lot of bad actors. Creating a mess at the border, defunding education, defunding any little bit of social security or healthcare we may have, destroying the climate/water, and all of the abortion stuff too.

[MyNameIsTerry]

But isn't he just a name? The problems don't go away and sometimes bubble up or are brought to the surface by an opportunist AKA pretty much anyone with the nob title politician

Fix the underlying issues and there is no oxygen.

We have similar problems right now with a two party system that next may land us a weak coalition, and they tend to do little other than squabble, or a weakened leading party. Both are woeful as are the leaders.

So our underlying issues just keep building until pressure has to be released. I'm a centre voter voter with no affiliation and don't fancy voter for either. I have often, pretty much always actually, had to vote using the least worst principle. I'm not sure I will bother this time. My area often sees only 2 candidates as other parties don't seek to move into traditional working class areas (we aren't trendy enough) but I would be willing to look at an independent showing they might try to do something worthwhile other than join the gravy train or use it as an activist platform for their own wants.

EDIT: auto correct put nob instead of job. I think I will leave it as it's more accurate

[Sparkling_Fairy]

More parties isn't always better. I'm originally from Belgium and we have 7 parties either side of the country. 7 Flemish, 7 French. And they have to try and form a government. Typically it's 3 from each side that get picked to form a government based on the election results. No party can get enough votes to flat out win, so a coalition always has to be formed. But even that isn't always fair.
We once had a party on the Flemish side that won the elections vote number wise, but they took more than a year arguing with the other parties not being able to form a government, so the other parties decided to oust them and go with someone else. No matter our votes. So what does voting even matter anymore?
I think each system has it's own flaws to be honest.

[ErinKC]

Sparling_Fairy - I agree with everything you've said. I think in many ways he is an empty suit like most politicians and there are plenty of policies of his that I didn't even particularly dislike. I would also choose his immigration policy and Supreme Court appointments as the most damaging and long-term problems he created. But, in general, it's more his callousness and disregard for American institutions. I don't think (like the press likes to hyperbolize) that he'll become a dictator. But I don't think that's for lack of interest or trying. I was actually a Republican for many years (it's been 12 now since I left the party), so the idea that people in that party would so wholeheartedly embrace someone who at best ignores and at worst detests our political traditions and constitution is just sad and bizarre!

You also make a good point about multiple parties. The system you describe also sounds dysfunctional! I think the worst part here is that the two parties have such extreme control over candidates and issues. They decide who qualifies to participate in debates, how people qualify to get onto ballots, etc... so they are able to very skillfully keep out anyone who doesn't parrot their specific version of views. More moderate candidates are often left out, so it allows the parties to become more and more extreme, even as the country is generally fairly moderate. But eventually, the people get pulled along and I think slowly Americans are also becoming more and more radicalized because all they see on TV are radicals.

Terry - I'm in the same place as you. This will likely be the first election since I turned 18 (I'm 40 now) when I don't vote. It's a huge decision for me because I've always so strongly believed in the importance of political participation. But, I feel like not voting is the best way for me to "vote" on how absurd it's all become. I live in a blue state (it will always go Democrat), so my lack of vote will make no difference because of the electoral college. It still feels significant to me though. Also - I haven't seen you around here in a while, so good to "see" you, Terry!

[MyNameIsTerry]

Yeah I'm not a fan of coalitions as they can end up similar to zombie Parliaments. But a two party state is like a donkey wearing a rosette election, those local elections like Erin mentions where only one party ever wins.

I'm not a fan of the electoral college system either, it seems to work against the people and for the parties.

My area was Labour ever since it was created many decades ago until many complacent MPs, and changing younger generations, saw it turn to Conservative two General Elections back. This is a traditional working class area where the main industry was pottery and steel. Those industries died off under the Conservatives in government, so that party has hated around here, yet it got so bad they won back voters they never could. And this happened before the big Brexit promise election. It flipped by quite a margin due to Labour being taken over by activists too far to the left installing a puppet leader more aligned to the far left. Your average working class person is more to the centre. So the hated Conservative party ended up closer to them than the party created for the working classes.

So I don't know whether to vote to keep the worst out or just give up this time. I'm hoping the council elections will take place as I can at least vote based on the individual. The local Conservative councillor has done good things. Again it flipped from decades of Labour councillors who were like ghosts and did nothing. Our councillors don't sit in Parliament so have no connection to government. This guy has been walking around posting leaflets about his actions throughout his terms and meeting residents.

It's nice to see you too, Erin. I was really pleased to see your thread about your career. I've not been on as much as my mum's Alzheimer's has advanced and I'm now a full time carer so you can imagine I don't get much time anymore.

[WiredIncorrectly]

Since early December I started heavily following the wars, Epstein, Andrew etc.

Daily I would check new news, old news, or any news I could find from any source.

I'd message my brothers and friends constantly about how Ukraine is on its last legs, and how much of a travesty it is for Israel to bomb it's own people with western weapons. I'd involve myself in arguments on social media.

I was full of so much anger. It affected me constantly every day. 4 days ago I blocked social media and news websites. I haven't Googled any news since.

Don't worry about what isn't in your control.

Biden and Trump are as bad as each other. The USA and UK have a similar problem in that it doesn't matter which side you vote for because you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

We're just peasants. Slaves to the system that churns out money for weapons and war. Democracy and freedom are mere illusions. Comparing us to Russia or China is whataboutism. I know one thing is certain. The "west" is collapsing and the global power is moving east. Things are going to get worse for a long time yet.

Since blocking it, I'm doing better. There's too much to worry about in the world, and I don't have the mental capacity to worry over it all. So I'd rather bury my head in the sand. Until it affects me personally, or my family, I don't care anymore. For my own sanity.