As many of you know, I’ve been involved in local politics seriously since 2014. I became a local democratic zone leader in 2022. It’s been a big job, but it’s largely akin to running the PTO, but with more far-ranging consequences. You’ve got planning for events, wrangling volunteers, and keeping the peace. There’s choosing projects that are possible, and occasionally picking projects that are a stretch or even impossible, to test what you can accomplish.
This year, we had a wild election season, but the team we assembled and the work that got done were stellar. In many ways, the best its ever been. We got all of our incumbents re-elected, and Harris even won with 14% points here in Chester County. We did our job and then some, which is why the ultimate loss is so disappointing.
However, the aftermath of the election, the circular firing squad of critique from people who are sure they understand what happened and what the answers are, even before we have the data to really understand what the answers might be, this is just ridiculous and it’s inflicting pain on people who don’t need it- especially not now.
What’s Next?
The bottom line is that with every new cabinet nomination, everything we prognosticated and warned about is coming true. I don’t feel smart, or want to say I told you so. Just like as a parent, when you warn your kid that if you do x, y will happen- and they go ahead and test the theory and find out that, wow, Mom and Dad might have known what they were talking about…. yeah, we warned you, but you wouldn’t listen, so now we all feel shitty together. Congratulations. You showed me. Drink my liberal tears as your health care disappears. As your neighbors are deported. As things get more expensive instead of less, because you just deported all the cheap labor the low prices depended on. Listen to the pain of the children who are frightened and scared that their parents might disappear overnight, let alone the generational trauma that will inflict.
Have We Cheapened the Act of Voting?
People voted for Trump like they were voting for Boaty McBoatface. Or the Masked Singer. People didn’t vote for who would run the government better, they were voting to dismantle and destroy the government, without really understanding what the Government does or how it affects everyone of us. This concept of deconstruction of the administrative state will mean more pollution in water, less safety in factories, less checks that things like your planes or your food is manufactured in a way where the end product meets standards to keep us all safe. There won’t be anyone to answer the phone when you have a question, and you’ll have even less confidence that your tax dollars are being spent to make things better.
Because really, what incentive do any of these folks have to make your life better? They are about getting attention and making things better for themselves, and you are at best an afterthought as they figure out how to get you to do what they want, and spend the most of your hard-earned money on making their lives more comfortable.
Moving Forward
I am not sure what moving forward looks like. I am minimizing my exposure to the news because it is just so upsetting to see everything we were concerned about coming true, and see a host of people on the other side going “Wow, I guess he was serious about that? Oh…..” Part of me is that furious teenager just shouting “Yeah, FAFO Mother f;’er!” to thee world, while the other part of me is hiding in a pillow fort, looking for my blankie and a cup of cocoa, hoping this will all go away sooner than later, and with as little damage as possible.
I know people want answers or things to do- I am open to suggestions, but right now, we are in the “Here it comes- get ready” stage, and I know there is no amount of protesting that will fix this- but also not standing up for what’s right isn’t an option. I just need a nap, and maybe after the holidays, I’ll be ready to do more. But right now, if I’m quiet, it’s because a little self-preservation and prep for the coming storm is about all I know how to do right now.