Fascism and Oligarchy are familiar bedfellows that share several structural similarities, including the concentration of power, the suppression of dissent, the prioritization of ruling-class interests, and the erosion of democratic norms.
The repressive effect of fascism and oligarchy on citizens includes loss of political voice, economic inequality, reduced civil liberties, and social polarization. Horrifyingly, we’re seeing the effects of fascism and oligarchy in America today.
I understand the cynicism Americans feel around politics — and it is totally justified. But, to effectively fight the spread of fascism and oligarchy, we MUST participate in democratic processes, even when they feel imperfect. So, educate yourselves (and others), build cross-community solidarity, push for structural reforms, and stay connected and refuse isolation.
My Paper, My Words is a collection of essays, stories, and poems that reflect the challenges of a middle-class husband and father trying to navigate a rapidly changing political, religious, and technological landscape of post-911 America.
For the last several weeks, I’ve been pushing my poems through the Suno AI music generator to see how they work as song lyrics.
I’m no Suno expert. In fact, I’m sure that I’m barely scratching the surface of its capabilities.
My process is simple (bordering on rudimentary).
I copy and paste a poem from my blog into the “Lyrics” window in the Suno song generator.
I enter a free-form description of the music style to use for the poem. For example: “Rap, Hip Hop, with Grunge Guitar licks, Female Vocals“.
I add a title for the song and click Create.
Suno generates two songs based on the criteria I entered. Next, I listen to the songs. I can tell right away whether I like what I hear, and often, I delete the song only after the first few bars. Other times, I find that some of my lyrics “work” nicely, while others don’t flow with the music and need tweaking.
I usually have the lyrics open in a text document as I listen to the song, pausing to rework my phrasing to better match the song’s cadence and rhythm. I add or delete verses, move chunks of text around, then have Suno create a new version of the song (with the same criteria). When I have the new songs with my lyrical updates, I go through the same listening and editing exercise.
It’s a very iterative process—and probably not the best way to use the tool. I haven’t managed to fiddle with the remixing and song editing features.
Poems don’t always have a verse-chorus structure commonly found in songs, so reworking these poems into lyrics often involves coming up with a memorable/catchy chorus. That has been the most fun and challenging part of this project.
Some poems that I envisioned as rap or hip-hop songs end up sounding better as rockabilly/country western songs. Switching the vocals from male to female can give a song an entirely new feel.
With Suno, I’ve repurposed my poems into thoughtful, memorable, and singable songs, even though I have no musical skills (I’m not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing, but it’s definitely a thing). The following table summarizes my “collaborations” with Suno that are publicly available for listening.
I’d love to hear what folks think of these songs or of AI music in general. Post your comments here or on Suno. And please follow me on either platform.
These lyrics are from a poem I wrote years ago after a spate of school shootings. I really like how Suno split the lyrics between male and female vocalists without me specifically directing it. I always heard this poem musically in my head, even when I was writing it. And, I always envisioned a female vocalist singing the “I see angels” part – it was like Suno was reading my mind on how to turn this poem into a song. Favorite Verse:I’m the isolated IncelThe bullet in the gunThe angry white AmericanWho’s blaming everyoneI’m the cryptic manifestoThe video onlineThe AR-15 lover-boyWho grew-up Columbine
I wrote the poem “Pierced Hearts and Sorrow” after the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas. I also wrote a short story titled “That Final Hug” inspired by that horrible day. I’d gladly give up this type of inspiration if it meant fewer mass shootings where children are murdered in their classrooms. I hate that I feel compelled to write these types of poems. I think Suno captured the mood and tone of what I was trying to convey with my words. Favorite Lyric:We live in a landof pierced hearts and sorrowno shooting today?just wait till tomorrowIn a fog of futilityexplicably numbwe reach for our heartstringsbut there’s nothing to strum
These lyrics are from a poem I wrote after the Charlie Kirk assassination. It’s about how dangerously divided America is and the potential for spiraling political violence that seems increasingly likely in the second Trump term. Favorite Verse:We ought to runfrom martyrdomnot pin it to our chestnot canonizethe hateful guyswho scream that they know best
I wrote a poem called “Ashes to Ashes” ten or more years ago. I fiddled with it and published it on my blog about 5 years ago. With some significant edits and a revamped chorus, here it is with Suno’s light touch. Favorite Verse:We stretch our souls tight on a drumWe beat it bare till it goes numbWe feel the eyes of everyone
Bored one afternoon, I challenged myself to write a poem about Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. With Suno’s assistance, here is the musical version of that poem. Favorite Verse:Tracing the stitch on her pillowshe imagines the blood in her veinsshe chases the witch up a willowtill the beat of her heart starts to wane
I wrote the poem this song is based on about a month or so ago. It takes a familiar place for Portsmouth, RI, residents (The Glen) and builds a song about the realities of relationships around that place. I trimmed the poem quite a bit for the song and changed some wording. In fact, the verse about chasing fireflies does not appear in the poem at all. That verse came to me as I was listening to the rhythm of the music, and it turned out to be my favorite lyric in the song. I chose a country-western style, which I think works nicely. Favorite Verse:The fireflies we used to chasewent dark forever without a traceand we chose to leave love’s warm embrace
I wrote the poem “Get a Load of Elon” after seeing the sickening footage of that smiling dirtbag laughing it up and swinging a chainsaw around like some fake-ass efficiency hero. Fuck that guy and everything he represents. I think Suno captured the tone I was looking for on this one. Favorite Verse:He pulled into WashingtonBlack MAGA cap on his headHe spent a ton of cashput a felon in our bed
Donald Trump is my fat, ugly muse. There, I said it. Shame on everyone who voted for this criminal, and fuck all the cowards in Congress who are failing to stand up to this two-bit thug. And that’s all I have to say about this song. Favorite Lyric:My heart is full of penniesthere’s no light inside my eyesthere’s only room for Donnyand all that I despiseMy mind is fully taintedI can’t connect the dotsI’m more and more acquaintedwith Russian drones and bots
I wrote a poem in May of 2024 titled “Bonjour, Borg”, which was about the headlong way we are embracing AI, without fully understanding the consequences. I reworked that poem, added a chorus, and handed it to Suno. I include two versions (a power pop version and a blues version). Favorite Lyric: We’re messing with knowledgewe don’t understandplaying our cardswithout knowing our handA sprint to the finishBut where are we going?Dimmed and diminishedWe’ve no way of knowing
I wrote a poem in May of 2024 called “Boys in Distress”. I took bits and pieces from that poem and wrote the lyrics “New Boy Paranormal”. It’s about young adult men in America not being able to find their footing socially to the point where they retreat into a digital world of grievance, anger, and misogyny. This is an example of a previously written poem serving as a concept for new lyrics for a song. I wrote this specifically for Suno. The chorus: Fiber-optic geldings alone inside their heads they bathe in Incel chatrooms masturbate beside their bedsthey’re the new-boy paranormal walking ghosts and talking shit the no-screw-boy semi-formal stalking post sand keeping fit is new and does not appear in “Boys in Distress” – I came up with it on the fly and added it after listening to Suno’s first attempt at creating the song from my poem. This song went through several renditions before I settled on a “Surf rock-influenced” beat. I smiled broadly when I heard the finished product for the first time. Favorite Verse:Fiber-optic geldingsalone inside their headsthey bathe in Incel chatroomsmasturbate beside their beds
I wrote this poem about the climate crisis about 4 years ago. I kept the words pretty much the same for the musical version – just adding a second verse to the chorus. I can see Greta Thunberg belting this out on the bow of the Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior, with a hard-rocking band of Norwegian’s backing her. Greta, if you’re interested, text me. 😊 Favorite Verse: The dangers in Pittsburgthe dangers in Norwaywherever we liveit’s outside our doorwayThe science is speakingthe numbers aren’t lyingThe danger is globalWith temperatures rising
I came up with these lyrics based on a poem I wrote in 2017 called “Resist”, which was about pushing back against Donald Trump and his policies, which I saw as an existential threat to America’s democracy. I added several new verses for the song and reworked the verse that would become the chorus. I can see the Dixie Chicks or Dolly Parton belting this out. I’m not a big fan of country or rockabilly music, but I think that musical style works well with the words here. Favorite Verse:He belittles and threatensthose who oppose himHe stomps up and downscreams America chose him!
The phrase “love grenade” came into my head when I was noodling around a text file. I created this song entirely around that one phrase. No previous poem for this rocker – it just came to me very quickly, all of it from that one phrase “love grenade” – I like the vibe of the music that Suno generated – it’s got a female punk energy that’s fun to listen to (at least to me it is). Favorite Verse:You’re the drunken saintof unrestraintthe banger at the balla bourbon shotwithout a plota fist inside the brawl
Suno and I, channeling our best Pat Benatar impression. I wrote the poem “Oligarchic Kings” recently and published it on my blog. I changed it quite a bit for the song version. Favorite Verse:Oligarchic Kingsare here to clip your wingsto wrap a rope around your throatto cast dark shadows over hopeto crush your dreams of better daysto dress your colors in shades of greys
When I wrote this poem originally, I wrote it to the cadence of Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious from “Mary Poppins” and included it in my book “Imagine There’s No Donald” (available on Amazon😉 ). I asked Suno to create a power-pop song from the poem. It’s the only poem I used as is (not changing any of the words). It’s a campy/poppy version of a Disney classic. Favorite Verse:Neo-fascist-oligarchic-expialidociousElon-Bezos-Zuckerberg are really quite atrociousWe need to fight them in the streetsand call them on their grossnessNeo-fascist-oligarchic-expialidocious
When I was a youngster (I’m talking elementary school age), I remember “feeling” the news of the times – Watergate and Vietnam were in the news all the time. And though I was just a child and could not comprehend the realities swirling around me, I could sense a tension in the air – parents and other adults in heated conversations, the constant coverage of Watergate and Vietnam seeping into our subconscious among all the wonderful distractions of childhood at that time. That’s what inspired me to write the poem that this song’s about. Favorite Verse:Watergate was all aroundin our sight and in our soundon the news and in the paperthe Viet Cong and foiled caperIt lurked and hovered overheadPages written and words were saidit wormed its way into our headthat innocence was finally dead
I wrote a poem titled “Too Small to See” some 20 years ago after reading Robert Frost’s poem “Fire and Ice,” which is about “the destructive power of human emotions, suggesting the world could end through either fiery desire or icy hate, with both leading to the same annihilation, equating intense passion (fire) with destructive greed/lust and cold indifference (ice)” – I remember taking more literal slant on the subject of human mortality against the backdrop of an e-bola outbreak, which made me think that the way humanity ends is less likely to be from nuclear annihilation or climate-related disaster and more likely to be something “too small to see” – like a virus – When COVID came along it only reinforced my belief that our angel of death will be too small to see, killing us all, infectiously. I used to Suno to create two versions of this song with different styles (I’m not sure which one I like better). Favorite Verse:We’ll end with a whimperviral, tiny, and smallfrom something we caughton our trip to the mall
This song combines verses from two separate poems I wrote a few years back – one about regret and the other about a post-apocalyptic world. The result here is both bleak and sweet. Favorite Verse:Some people start to gathershake their fists and curse the sunwhile others mumble silentlyquoting Nietzsche and Carl Jung
This song is based on a poem I wrote, which was published in Beyond Words Literary Magazine a few years back. I did not change any words in the poem. I just added a chorus, and Suno did the rest. Favorite Verse:With a never-ending stipendof more than you can bearan abundant over-ripenedsoftened fruit of deep despair
Let’s Ask Arty uses existing Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to query LLMs about politics in these troubled times.
What is Democratic Socialism?
Democratic socialism is a political and economic philosophy that advocates for a democratic political system alongside a socially owned or regulated economy. It emphasizes both political democracy and economic fairness, aiming to reduce inequality through collective decision-making and public control over key sectors.
How does Democratic Socialism differ from “Traditional” Socialism?
Democratic socialism differs from traditional socialism primarily in its commitment to political democracy and its approach to economic reform. While both advocate for social ownership and reducing inequality, democratic socialism insists on maintaining democratic institutions and civil liberties.
Key Differences Between Democratic Socialism and Socialism
Feature
Democratic Socialism
Traditional Socialism
Political System
Emphasizes democracy, free elections, and civil liberties
May support centralized or authoritarian governance
Economic Ownership
Advocates social ownership of key industries, not all
Seeks complete public ownership of the means of production
Implementation Method
Uses gradual reforms through democratic processes
Often involves revolutionary change or centralized planning
Individual Freedoms
Strong focus on protecting rights and liberties
May subordinate individual rights to collective goals
Examples
Nordic countries (in practice), Bernie Sanders (in rhetoric)
Historical models like USSR, Maoist China
🧠 Philosophical Distinctions
Democratic socialism is a subset of socialism that integrates democratic governance with socialist economics. It aims to balance individual freedom with collective welfare.
Socialism, broadly defined, focuses on economic equality and communal ownership, but doesn’t always specify how political power should be structured.
🔍 Why the Confusion?
In the U.S., the term “socialism” has often been used pejoratively, leading to misunderstandings. Democratic socialism is sometimes conflated with authoritarian socialism or communism, despite its emphasis on democracy and civil rights.
Core Principles of Democratic Socialism
Political democracy: Free elections, civil liberties, and rule of law are essential. Democratic socialists reject authoritarianism in all forms.
Economic democracy: Major industries and services—like healthcare, education, and energy—should be publicly owned or heavily regulated to serve the public good rather than private profit.
Social justice: Policies aim to reduce inequality, protect workers’ rights, and ensure universal access to basic needs like housing, healthcare, and education.
Environmental sustainability: Many democratic socialists advocate for green policies and sustainable development as part of their platform.
🏛️ How It Differs from Other Systems
System
Ownership Model
Political System
Economic Focus
Democratic Socialism
Public/social ownership of key sectors
Democratic (multi-party)
Equity, welfare, and public good
Social Democracy
Capitalist economy with strong welfare state
Democratic
Redistribution through taxation
Communism
Full state ownership of all property
Often authoritarian
Classless, stateless society
Capitalism
Private ownership of most industries
Democratic or authoritarian
Profit-driven, market-based
Sources: Wikipedia, Britannica, Democratic Socialists of America
🧠 Key Takeaways
Democratic socialism is not communism—it supports democracy and civil liberties.
It seeks to balance individual freedoms with collective responsibility.
It’s gaining traction in the U.S. through figures like Bernie Sanders and organizations like the Democratic Socialists of America.
What Countries have implemented Democratic Socialism most effectively? How can one measure the success of Democratic Socialism?
Nordic countries like Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland are widely considered the most effective examples of democratic socialism. Success is typically measured through metrics like economic equality, universal access to services, democratic stability, and overall well-being.
🌍 Countries with Effective Democratic Socialism
These nations blend market economies with strong welfare states and democratic institutions:
Sweden: Known for universal healthcare, tuition-free education, and strong labor protections.
Norway: Combines oil wealth with public ownership and generous social programs.
Denmark: Offers robust unemployment benefits, free education, and high civic trust.
Finland: Ranked as the world’s happiest country, with strong public services and low corruption.
Iceland and Netherlands also integrate democratic socialist principles, though with more market liberalism.
These countries maintain multi-party democracies, free markets, and civil liberties, while ensuring universal access to healthcare, education, and housing.
📏 How to Measure Success in Democratic Socialism
Success isn’t judged solely by GDP—it’s about how well a society meets collective needs.
Key metrics include:
🧮 Economic and Social Indicators
Income equality: Measured by the Gini coefficient—Nordic countries consistently rank among the most equal.
Universal access: Availability of healthcare, education, housing, and childcare regardless of income.
Labor rights: Strong unions, collective bargaining, and worker protections.
Social mobility: Opportunities for upward movement across generations.
😊 Quality of Life Metrics
Happiness and well-being: Finland, Denmark, and Sweden top global happiness rankings.
Life expectancy and health outcomes: Universal healthcare contributes to better public health.
Education outcomes: Free and high-quality education systems promote equity and innovation.
🗳️ Democratic Health
Political participation: High voter turnout and trust in institutions.
Freedom of press and speech: Strong protections for civil liberties.
Low corruption: Transparent governance and accountability.
My Take
Language resonates, and misinformation denigrates.
Americans have a Pavlovian response to the word “socialism.” If Socialism is in the name, most Americans want nothing to do with it. When they hear it, they blanch and recoil reflexively, never taking the time to differentiate Socialism from democratic Socialism.
Many citizens view Socialism as anti-American, even if it has the word “democratic” attached to it.
For years, politicians in both parties have successfully leveraged America’s innate fear and disgust of Socialism to denigrate and lie about Democratic Socialism. For example, as Arty stated, it falsely equates it to traditional Socialism or even communism.
But voters in New York City are on the verge of shaking things up in American politics by electing a Democratic Socialist to lead the most strategic, culturally and financially influential city on Earth.
Zohran Mamdani is a young, charismatic, and savvy candidate, but for most Americans (even New Yorkers), youth, charisma, and political chops have never been enough to clear the hurdle of being a Socialist.
So, why is Mamdani on the verge of becoming New York City’s mayor?
What’s changed?
I’d argue that the most significant change driving America’s willingness to look at Democratic Socialism with a more critical and unbiased eye is the policies of Donald J Trump, which are turbo-charging the rise in economic inequality across the country.
Middle- and lower-income New Yorkers are feeling the impact of unfair economic policies and the very real consequences of those policies — and on this election day, New Yorkers are a microcosm of Americans across the country.
And I believe that in America today, the conceptual and philosophically based fear of Democratic Socialism is less than the very real fear of not being able to afford housing, groceries, healthcare, and education.
Americans are looking for a government that balances economic fairness and personal freedom. Most Americans don’t want to abolish capitalism entirely, but rather tame its excesses, which have exploded over the last several decades and worsened further under Donald Trump.
The gap between the wealthiest Americans and the rest of the population has widened, with income and wealth increasingly concentrated at the top. According to Arty, economic inequality has been trending upward for decades:
Post-WWII to 1970s: This era saw broadly shared economic growth. Incomes across all levels rose at similar rates, and the middle class expanded.
Since the 1970s, Income growth has slowed for most Americans, while the top 1% has captured a disproportionate share of income and wealth gains.
By the 2010s and 2020s: The top 5% of households saw their share of total income rise significantly, while the bottom 60% experienced stagnation or modest gains.
And by comparison, income inequality pales to the extreme wealth inequality in America, where the top 1% of households now hold more wealth than the bottom 90% combined.
But it’s what lurks behind the wealth and income numbers that truly matters and should keep average Americans up at night.
Rising inequality affects:
Social mobility: It’s harder for people to move up the economic ladder.
Political power: Wealth concentration can distort democratic processes.
Economic stability: Inequality can lead to reduced consumer spending and greater financial volatility.
Democratic Socialism isn’t just a policy shift—it’s a philosophical challenge to the idea that markets should dominate society. By prioritizing human needs over profit, it exposes the limitations and inequalities of unfettered capitalism. That’s why it’s seen as a threat—not because it seeks chaos, but because it seeks a different kind of order.
We’re about to see just how fed-up New Yorkers are with our current system of government. Today’s mayoral election may be a harbinger of change and political revolution in America.
My Paper, My Words is a collection of essays, stories, and poems that reflect the challenges of a middle-class husband and father trying to navigate a rapidly changing political, religious, and technological landscape of post-911 America.
My Paper, My Words is a collection of essays, stories, and poems that reflect the challenges of a middle-class husband and father trying to navigate a rapidly changing political, religious, and technological landscape of post-9/11 America.
In the town where I was born lived a boy of wealth and greed
and his dad was full of scorn at his mediocrity
The child failed in many ways and wasn’t liked by anyone
Dodged the draft and spent his days trying to shaft the moon and sun
Now . .
We all know he’s a yellow tangerine yellow tangerine, yellow tangerine
We all know he’s a yellow tangerine yellow tangerine yellow tangerine
Russia knew his debt had grown So, they groomed the tangerine and they threw this Don a bone To help him beat ole Hillary
Now . . .
We all live in a Donald Trump regime a Donald Trump regime a Donald Trump regime
We all live in a Donald Trump regime a Donald Trump regime a Donald Trump regime
Bezos, Musk, and Lindsay Graham Zuckerberg and Taylor Green
create the grift inside the scam that’s getting more and more obscene
Now . . .
We all live in a Donald Trump regime a Donald Trump regime a Donald Trump regime
We all live in a Donald Trump regime a Donald Trump regime a Donald Trump regime
Epstein’s list of pedophiles is of course a great concern
that is why the Tangerine wants the congress to adjourn
He’s a crook and fascist thug a narcissist extraordinaire
But to some he is a drug to help them deal with their despair
So . .
We all live in a Donald Trump regime a Donald Trump regime a Donald Trump regime We all live in a Donald Trump regime a Donald Trump regime a Donald Trump regime
For the benefit of Vladimir A sourpuss that’s insincere, a criminal JD and Trump will kiss his ass to lend support for his morass is seminal. Soldier men and forces, bombs and bosses, Jumping through a hog’s head of real fire. with a sneer Vladimir will challenge the world!
Inebriated Vladimir lays down a beat on Saturday, at Ukraine’s gate. A Russian Bear will dance and sing As Rubio bows to a King, a coward’s fate Mess’rs P. and T. assure the public their protection will be lesser than none. and of course, NATO the Horse, dances alone
The bombs begin at ten to six When Vladimir performs his tricks without a sound And Mister T. will demonstrate There’re things he can’t resuscitate from underground Having stuck the knife with devastation A bloody time is guaranteed for all And tonight, Vladimer is having a ball
I have four college friends with whom I meet every few months for dinner and drinks. It’s always a great evening. We relax, catch up, and laugh.
We’ve had two get-togethers since the 2024 presidential election.
Because one of our friends is a staunch Republican, we don’t talk politics at these dinners. It’s strange because if that one friend was not sitting with us, we’d be talking politics – not the entire evening, mind you, but at some point. How could we not? Look at what’s happening to our country – not talking politics in this day and age feels like a dereliction of civic duty – at least to me, it does.
Since Donald Trump won the presidency, we’ve seen firsthand the harm a dictatorial know-nothing president can inflict on Americans and citizens across the globe – every one of our allies hates us (even Canada!) now, and rightfully so – fuck, I hate us – we’ve become the nation-state version of the ugly American – taking on the personality of our intellectually vapid, bloviating, bigoted, bully of a president.
On one level, I think we feel that talking politics might reveal something about our Trump-voting friend that contradicts the deeply held values the rest of us have about truth, honesty, the rule of law, Democracy, and the country we live in. We don’t want to deal with all that on a casual night out, where the primary goal has always been to enjoy each other’s company.
And so, in this unprecedented era of political upheaval, we choose to bite our tongues. We keep our views on Trump to ourselves – sticking to familiar and comfortable topics like family, work, retirement, sports – everything and anything under the sun – except the fall of America’s Democracy at the hands of a deranged and narcissistic demagogue.
We sipped wine and whisky at our most recent get-together and indulged in expensive appetizers, never speaking about America’s seismic political shift and disastrous effects on our friends and allies worldwide. It’s a strange dichotomy—like we sense the orange elephant at the table and simply talk around it.
Sometimes silence (whether for fear of retribution by a government or to avoid feeling uncomfortable with a friend) isn’t the best approach. Fascist movements grow when citizens bow to fear and go silent. Silence can also damage friendships differently. When we hold our tongues to avoid being uncomfortable around a friend, we subconsciously fill the quiet with preconceptions. When that happens, we attribute characteristics and hardened views about that friend, which may or may not be true. Over time, these views can weaken the friendship.
Maybe it’s better to discuss everything openly so we truly know what each other thinks about America’s current situation.
I’ve had conversations with 3 of my friends who, like me, are appalled at the shitshow that is Donald Trump – and none of us can understand how an educated person capable of critical thought would ever consider voting for Donald Trump, especially after what played out before our eyes on January 6th, the stolen documents case, and Trump’s 34 felony convictions. I always thought that even for diehard Republicans, all of Trump’s negative baggage would be enough to say, “I’m done with this guy.” That doesn’t necessarily mean they would vote Democrat — just that they would not / COULD NOT cast a vote that would hand America’s policy keys to a malevolent malcontent who is drunk and hellbent on retribution and indebted to Russian mobsters and oligarchs.
POLITICS FEEL DIFFERENT TODAY BECAUSE IT IS DIFFERENT—In the past if a Republican won the presidency, I was disappointed for a few weeks, and then I moved on. I wasn’t worried about American Democracy crumbling when Reagan or George Bush was president. I understood that even though my politics didn’t align with theirs, we believed in the same core principles that define America.
Recently, I saw a post on social media categorizing Trump voters into nine groups. It’s less complicated than that. In my view, Trump voters fall into three (sometimes overlapping) groups:
The ignorant/uneducated
The misinformed
The selfish
The 2024 election taught us that when combined, these three groups—the ignorant, the misinformed, and the selfish—outnumber voters who think critically, and we’re seeing chaotic and tragic results on the national and international stage.
By the way, I know how I come across when I lump people into three negative categories—I come off as a judgmental elitist / absolutist. But here’s the thing: I had never categorized voters like this before Donald Trump became president.
Before Trump, the difference between Democrat and Republican voters wasn’t perplexing. Elections before Trump didn’t cause me to look for a deeper understanding of “what went wrong” by digging into the cult-like psychology of Republican voters. Before Trump, voters differed on policies and social issues but not on truth, integrity, and what it meant to be an American — that is not the case with Trump Republicans. Honestly, I hesitate to call Trump supporters republicans, because they are askew of traditional Republican values, such as free-market capitalism and a more internationalist approach to foreign policy.
I don’t associate my friend (who I admire on many levels) with any of these groups. I began to think that I was oversimplifying or over-generalizing people who voted for Trump.
The Ignorant/Uneducated
Voters in this group see a candidate holding a bible and humping the American flag while saying over and over Make America Great Again, and that’s enough for them. They either don’t care much for thinking critically or are incapable of doing so. They go with their gut because their gut is all that they got. These voters represent low-hanging fruit for populist demagogues like Donald Trump.
My friend is well-read, educated, and not a piece of fruit; he does not fall into the Ignorant and Uneducated group.
The Misinformed
The misinformed consist of the conspiratorial deep-state fear mongers who live on an intellectually unhealthy diet of Reddit communities, YouTube channels, and Joe Rogan podcasts and who believe that by consuming copious amounts of content, they somehow become experts in climate, health, immunology, geopolitics, the Kennedy assassination, and fake moon landing or whatever the fuck they happen to be watching while eating Cheetos and drinking beer – they gravitate to content that confirms their conspiratorial beliefs and hunker down in those polluted ecosystems. I include the Fox News audience in this group because Fox News is not a news channel – they are a rightwing opinion and entertainment platform. While trying to defend themselves in an 800-million-dollar lawsuit in which they admitted to lying about a rigged 20/20 election, part of their defense was, “We are not a news channel, so don’t hold us to that standard; we’re an entertainment channel.”
Fox News is largely a Trump propaganda machine that is on its way to becoming the equivalent of RT (Russia Today), the Russian state-controlled international news television network funded by the Russian government.
I don’t know which cable news station my friend has on at his house. But I know if it’s Fox News, he’s not getting a fair and balanced view (despite their tagline) of Donald Trump as a person or as a president.
I don’t think we can underestimate the negative impact Fox News has had on our nation and our family and friends who rely on Fox as their primary source for news.
The Selfish
Here is where things get tricky.
If we’re honest with ourselves, we’d say all humans are selfish to a certain degree. We get behind a presidential candidate or a set of ideas when we believe that candidate or those ideas will help us prosper and take care of our family.
Voters who fall into the “Selfish” group know in their hearts that Donald Trump is an intellectually lazy criminal thug and a liar. If they looked more deeply at Trump’s history, they would probably be open to the likelihood that Trump’s been compromised by Russian mob bosses or Putin himself. Still, even all that is not an impediment to them supporting an administration that they believe benefits them financially.
What matters most is taking care of their family and (if they own a small business) their employees. Never mind the fact that historically, America’s economy does better when Democrats are in charge or that Trump is a horrible person. If you honestly feel that Trump is better for your business and your family, I can see how that might override all the other shit for some people. I am not one of them.
At dinner, my friend broke the unspoken rule and brought up Donald Trump by saying his business had gotten better in the four months of his presidency. He couldn’t say for sure that Trump was a cause, but to him, there was at least a correlation, and he said multiple times that “facts are facts” and that his business was doing better. I’m glad my friend’s business is doing better—truly, I am.
But the country is not doing better; the world is not doing better; our Democracy is not doing better; the markets are not doing better; people’s retirement accounts are not doing better – legal residents are being snatched from the streets by masked agents of the government and whisked away without due process – there’s a measles outbreak in Texas where two kids have died. The leader of our country is demonstrably incompetent and cruel daily. America’s president has been credibly charged and civilly convicted of sexual assault and fraud; he pardoned dangerous and violent criminals who assaulted the capital. Trump is demonstrably a shitty human being – and I don’t think my friend would dispute that (because really, how can you?) and when I kept saying over and over that Trump is a shitty human being, he never disagreed. Things got heated for a bit, but we were able to transition to normal non-political talk seamlessly, which I took as a credit to the strength of our friendship.
On the walk back to our cars, we talked a little bit more — and we agreed that we look at Trump from different perspectives — him on a micro-level where a Trump presidency seems to favor his business and his ability to take care of his employees — where I look at the macro impact of a Trump presidency on Democracy, individual freedoms, social safety nets for the most vulnerable of us and adherence to western democratic principles.
My friend and I are in our sixties—we’ve got 20 years left if we’re lucky—and my question to him the next time we sit down is, what kind of country do you want for your kids or grandkids—a democratic and free country (like the one we grew up in) or an authoritarian oligarchy that cracks down on individual freedoms and forces political, social, and religious beliefs on its citizens?
bendingtheneedle 