I can't get past this!

[augyboston]

As we get closer to the precipice aka the inauguration, I am feeling despair, fear and mostly anger.

I just can't get past what these assholes did to our country on November 5th and I am damn pissed about it. They threw away our democracy, they shit on decency and they embraced pure fucking evil. To top it all off, they're gloating about it. The only thing that exceeds their ignorance is their arrogance.

The shit show that has transpired since the election is showing us all just what this is going to be like and yet, those that support replacing our democracy with an autocrat surrounded by oligarchs don't have a clue and those on our side who are rationalizing that this won't be that bad are delusional.

A healthy dose of cynicism is necessary at this point in time. I hate to sound overly negative, but I think what's coming is going to be monumentally bad.

Watching President Biden's farewell speech the other night felt like saying goodbye to our democracy and decency. It brought tears to my tired old eyes.

The past couple of weeks have been like one of those nightmares where a monster is coming for me, but I can't run and am only able to watch in slow motion as the evil beast descends on me.

Is anyone else feeling like all hope has been lost?

[William769]

1. You are not alone

We'll all hold hands as we jump into the abyss together.

[BonnieJW]

10. Agree

I think this country needs to sink under this clown. Fear is the best motivator and we need to feel that in order to abolish this magat shit once and for all.
This didn't happen last time and that's why he's back. This time, there are no guardrails and it's going to be crazy Town. People need to be frightened enough to landslide the dems in 2026.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. The destruction of the principles of the Enlightenment is the biggest thing in the world

since the development of gunpowder.

I could rationalize. It was all a delusion anyway, tolerance was never universal, we've always been constrained by trying to retain the fruits of our labor, capitalism made it all worse but look at the products we have and life expectancy is double what it was in 1830!

But now we have Oligarch rulers and economic inequality, wars continue, the Bill of Rights is shredded and look at SCOTUS-6-R !!

We're facing fascism if not Nazism but we've gotten this far and not a war yet! Could there be a war? It would be total destruction for both sides.

We march forward. We turn to each other for sustenance and survival, for goods and services. Ultimately we reject all that corporations throw at us. Internet too! This is not a human life. It's a horse-trader's marketplace. We need to weaken control from the top.

We have work to do! The OP needs to kick it in gear.

[CrispyQ]

27. There's one huge difference between now & similar past events. Climate change.

Humanity's on a deadline that's getting shorter & shorter every year. I'm not sure we can even picture what's coming in 20 years, although for those who live it, it will be like frogs in a pot. I said before this election, that democracy will just get harder & harder to hold onto & this election made our hold even more tenuous. I haven't given up hope but the odds aren't in our favor. Our species is facing dark times.

[BComplex]

3. It's the death of hope. I am totally depressed. It sucks. I just can't quit feeling like life itself is over.

No. You're not alone. America just FAFO'd, but the trump voters have always had their heads up their asses, so they won't figure it out .... they'll just believe that Joe Biden left us in terrible straights, and that the disaster will be all Joe's fault.

In North Carolina during the election, the republican party of North Carolina was sending out fliers that said Kamala Harris was going to take away Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid. That's when I saw the train coming right at us, and we were all tied to the railroad tracks.

[surfered]

4. I take some comfort in the fact that the GOP majority in the House,

…is so slim and they’re known to fight amongst themselves. Secondly, the filibuster still exists in the Senate and a couple of Senators are lame ducks, immune from Trump’s primary threats, including McConnell who doesn’t like Trump and holds sway with his colleagues.

[Walleye]

5. Apparently, truth doesn't conquer deceit, and love doesn't conquer hate.

I said the other day I feel like this is an out of body experience. The “age of reason” has been completely displaced by the age of bullshit. And the ability to reason has been replaced by the ability to rationalize and make excuses.

[Bettie]

23. The worst for me was realizing

that there are more nasty people than there are decent people. Racism and Misogyny are stronger than anything else.

[Walleye]

24. You are right, I knew it had always been there, but I always had hope it would get better. Not anymore.

[ForgedCrank]

35. Ah, but

they do.
Truth always wins, and love always prevails.
But it only comes to those with realistic expectations, patience, and faith.

[lark]

6. Absolutely! I feel on the edge of a deep dark despair over our dying nation.

The America of the last few decades is gone, replaced by right wing fascism, greed and pure hate for the left and middle and poor classes. We are ok under todays' system, not on the brink of anything bad, but hair furher is bound and determined to destroy us. The only question is how far will he go and will we ever have another free and fair election or is all that gone with the ascendancy of eloon, pooty and grotesque orange.

Will they actually cut Social Security/Medicare/Medicaid when so many old white people that rely on these vote for them or will they give a fuck and let it be? Personally, we can't survive without them being retired as we are. Hubs is working part time to get good insurance because he needs a heart procedure and was goiing to retire full time afterwards. Will he be able to retire? My memory isn't great like it used to be and I can't go back to the high level I needed to do my job which was managing 3 departments at a large university medical billing place.

We are so fucked, I have no idea what it will even look like but I'm really freaked out about it. Don't want to watch, won't watch one second of regular tv Monday, streaming or silence and walking if I can, smoking pot to relieve anxiety and reading good escapist sci-fi. But after that, do i continue checking in here to see what's coming or just bury my head in fantasy and exercise? I almost feel compelled to watch, but since no one is protesting or doing anything to stop the roll, and there's nothing I can do personally other than boycott the trumpist and msm spew, I'm tending towards escapism until there is no escape at all. Then I will just try to survive or seriouly consider moving to another country.

[yellow dahlia]

7. The Twilight Zone

My thought every day. It is like the script of several Twilight Zones, all at once.

It started before the 2016 election.

And then - Covid...talk about Twilight Zone.

And now everywhere you look - another Twilight Zone episode with the Cabinet Secretary nominees.

And the denial of Climate Chaos, as we face apocalyptic fires and once in a thousand year storms.

[Artistree22]

28. Earlier...

I feel this ongoing episode of our real life Twilight Zone started when the supreme court stopped the count and stole the election from Gore, then swift boated Kerry, tea party, birtherism BS and then the orange assface himself was hoisted upon us by putin, then of course "her E-mails" and the theft of the election from Hillary and now the theft from Kamala and sudden injection of Leon 's influence in right wing.

Yes, I believe 2024 was stolen through a series of actions not just at ballot box. They all knew that he had it in the bag. You could see it in real time and no one was focusing on his bizarro behavior at those last rallies. The media could have taken him down just over the one where he had a town hall but didn't answer questions and just played music and the one where the said he would be our protector whether we liked it or not. The Media failed this country because they are for profits not for us.
Yes, surreal times.
NO MEDIA MONDAY.

[NoMoreRepugs]

8. Depression, anger, feeling lousy - this has become my new normal. The enormity of what the shitbird Deplorables just

did seems to dominate my day and I’m hard pressed to escape it.

[Scrivener7]

9. I'm trying to deal with it by thinking of spheres of control versus spheres of concern.

While staying loosely informed, I'm trying to limit my concern about things I have no control over, and maximize my attention on things I can control.

For example, people pooh-pooh the idea of not shopping in Amazon, or not using Facebook and Instagram and X. My use of Amazon (I've never used social media) is a drop in an ocean. But my use of it is what I have control over. It's something I can do. So I'm going to do it. I'm trying to look at everything that way.

Another example: I don't have to listen to every trolling comment the felon puts out there. So I won't. I have no control over what he'll say. I have control over what I'll take in. I'll watch what he does and, as much as possible, ignore what he says.

We can only put one foot in front of the other, and the only choices we have are where we'll place those feet.

You can get through this. May we all find some peace.

[aeromanKC]

11. Just let go and Tough Love.

GOP has broke it, they buy this mess and we just sit back and watch them take America to the bottom. We offered an intervention and treatment, but they refused to accept the help. America cannot grow into the future until we hit rock bottom. It's going to take a generation. Germany did it so can we. (Well, you guys will. I'll be dead) Now off to do the things that make me happy with the few years I have left.

[Ohioboy]

12. The Hegseth and Bondi hearings scared the hell out of me

The childish way they evaded questions on basic Constitutional rights was disgusting!

[Mister Ed]

13. "The only thing that exceeds their ignorance is their arrogance."

Aye.

[Lonestarblue]

14. Perhaps it would help to focus on our own ability not to see events differently but to control our reactions.

This quote from a Buddhist nun and teacher speaks to me. It isn’t that we can’t be angry or depressed but that we can try to manage our mental and emotional feelings.

"Inner peace begins the moment you choose not to allow another person or event to control your emotions.” Pema Chodron, US-born Tibetan Buddhist

[Festivito]

15. Just survive. I'll make them mad.

[DV1]

16. If a predator is coming at you, you have a choice:

Submit to it, or eliminate the predator.

[KS Toronado]

17. I doubt very seriously if Biden would do it but I'd love to see

him pull Martial law out of the hat at the last minute and catch everybody off guard. Then educate
the public that the Jack Smith report proves tsf is a traitor for informing Putin who our secret agents
were and for giving him top secret documents.

Then announce a new Presidential election in 30 days.

[Clouds Passing]

19. Me too KS. We can hope 🩵

[Clouds Passing]

18. March and April are predicted to be chaotic. In the chaos they steal, basic thievery m.o.

[Fla Dem]

20. I think many Democrats feel the same way. I have my up and down days.

I try to stay positive, but often i find myself thinking, especially when I'm by myself, thinking about how the USA will survive and if we'll ever get back to the country most of us love.

Being on the border of senior/ elder I worry about what kind of country my family who will live after me, will live in.

[LaMouffette]

21. Yes, I agree with everything you said, except I am clinging to the hope that things get SO bad that the MAGAs wake up

and realize that they've been deceived all along by Rump, the GOP, FoxNews, and rightwing radio and social media.

Talk about a thin hope to cling to! But it's all I got. Oh, and hope in a future generation of college students who might rise up in protests, as in the 1960s and '70s.

And yes, I hate to actually hope that things get brutally awful, but it is what it will take to get the MAGAs to wake the hell up.

[Skittles]

34. the fact that the first Trump presidency failed to truly wake them up

does not bode well for democracy

[LaMouffette]

39. No, it does not bode well at all. The rightwing propaganda brainwashing machine is incredibly powerful. Unless a new

Fairness Doctrine, but with teeth this time, is enacted and Citizens United is overturned, we are all but doomed.

Damn. I need to go for another long walk in a beautiful place this morning to try to reclaim my hope for our future.

[Skittles]

40. honestly, the stupidity of people just floors me

the propaganda is SO DAMN OBVIOUS

whatever happened to critical thinking skills???

[LaMouffette]

42. They probably don't teach it anymore. And any teachers who try to teach critical thinking skills will be fired.

CTS will be the new CRT for the rightwing to demonize.

Remember: Trump said at a rally (probably more than one): "I love the poorly educated!"

God, what a depressing and shameful day it is today. But we have to persevere and redouble our efforts to fight the fascism and its propaganda.

[ananda]

22. I've been doomy ever since I realized that we had lost...

the climate change battle.

That was after Al Gore lost.

[Artistree22]

29. Same here.

Just think where we could have been if Gore had rightfully been our president. It's sickening really to think that we take one step forward and 2-4 steps backwards now.

[live love laugh]

25. It's past not pass ....

Sorry for being the grammar police 👮.

[bif]

33. Thanks

I was going to post that. I'm usually the irritating person who comments.

[Bayard]

26. Yes

It sent me into a manic depressive dive, and I'm not getting over it.

[EarthAbides]

30. Move forward

Pay attention to the upcoming train wreck, but let it go. Buy a professional slingshot and practice. Life is going to change, be ready.

[Artistree22]

32. I like this.

So funny, I was just thinking recently that I really wanted one and may make one until I can get a good one.. I loved making them as a kid.
Also practice my nunchucks, martial arts, grow my garden, learn to like fishing again, most of all - make time for good people in my life.

[Artistree22]

31. Yes

It's gonna be ugly for sure. Our ancestors survived struggles beyond our imaginations and we will survive this.

It's gonna be hardest for those who have the least already and we need to channel our energies locally and focus on building our communities of neighbors and friends.

Outrage overload is a thing BUT we can choose how much we consume. Look at media like hard liquor, NEVER in the morning and limited consumption or no consumption for a happier/healthier self.

Yesterday, I checked in here and the first thing I saw was an article about how SNAP benefits were going to be cut as well as other social programs that help the poor/children. They want to force birth but no help. Anyway, I was in a bad mood the rest of the day. These cuts may or may not happen but ultimately I have decide if I want every outrageous thing they say to affect me. The only way is less and sometimes no consumption of news/media and even my daily DU.

I'm going to hold on to the hope in our new crop of young reps and our senators will hold down the fort the best that they can. They are smarter than the r-wingers after all. What can I do that they can't do within the workings of our government?
We need to be mentally strong and any addictions (News junkie is an addiction) will only make our struggles harder.
love n peace

[DET]

36. Between Rage and Despair

The hardest things for me…

- I’m absolutely convinced that the election was stolen and nobody did a damn thing to even investigate.
- We’re returning a traitor to the White House who should have been arrested four years ago.
- Billionaires - many of them crooks - bought the election and are in control of our future.
- The entire concept of justice has been perverted. There is no justice.

It’s like everything we believed in has been destroyed. It’s hard enough for us, but it’s worse for our kids.

[summer_in_TX]

37. I'm tied in with groups that are determined to push back hard and try to make the erosion of

democracy difficult and slow. One group led an online book discussion of Timothy Snyder's On Tyranny. We're trying to figure out how to be helpful to the most vulnerable and are organizing. I find that the action has erased depression and filled me with resolve, and I suspect the others feel the same way.

I read and follow people who are activists working in various areas to 1) save everything we can, and 2) slow down the destruction everywhere we can. Public education is one focus. I'm in Texas and the Republican legislature is going to try hard to give public money to private education. There are lots of people who believe in public schools and we plan to increase their knowledge of what the legislature has planned, and work to ensure they weigh in. Maybe we can't stop it since the Republicans have a supermajority, but perhaps we can keep it from being wildly corrupt and a sinkhole for our tax dollars.

To quote Jack Hopkins, "We were made for this time."

[young_at_heart]

38. Thoughts of an 85-year-old

My husband and I are pretty sure we won't be around for the longed-for "take-down" of the GOP and we have to figure out a way to make the end of our lives not be completely insane. Our friends discuss all this too and no one really knows how we can take the stress away. Somehow we need to have the strength to slog through it. Our children are depressed too but they have hope that the intelligent and decent people will figure out a way. Being old and weak (my husband has cancer) makes it a lot harder!

[DavidDvorkin]

41. I'm feeling angrier at this country every day

I felt shock on Election Day. That turned to gloom. Now it's anger.