(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Taylor Swift Lyrics hit me hard: "I'm pissed off you let me give you all that youth for free" [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2024-06-17 I have never felt a song lyric more than this one...let me tell you a story. I grew up in Florida with Southern Baptist parents, in a Bill Clinton economy. They were far right Republicans, but never talked politics. I just knew. The first election I voted in was 2000. In Florida. Specifically, I was at the University of Florida, where Ralph Nader came in October 2000 for a rally there (Ralph Nader got his highest percentage support in Florida in Gainesville). My boyfriend at the time and I both voted for Gore, because of his environmental record (he convinced me by showing me a spreadsheet he’d made), but we knew at least a dozen people who voted for Nader (because of that rally). Didn’t do much, but vote. Bush wasn’t great, the celebration when Obama won in 2008 was really fun. By 2016, I had a family, and was happy and tired, everything was good. I was positive Hillary Clinton would win. She had to. Everyone had learned their lesson in 2000, so no one would vote for a third party when a literal Supreme Court seat was wide open. But I was wrong. People didn’t like her voice, didn’t think her policies were good enough, and they found Trump entertaining. I knew how bad it could be…my stomach was twisted in knots as my wonderful parents changed into unquestioning Trump cheerleaders. But then the women’s march happened, pink hats and big plans...and we had a March for Science as well, and I justified in my mind that this would never happen again, even as he nominated three Supreme Court justices. But during that time, I was a different person, because I couldn’t believe what had happened, it was always in the back of my mind. I tried not to get burned out and exhausted. There were so many lies, so much gaslighting, so much Covid death. And yet, it also could have been so much worse. In 2020, once again, I was delusionally confident, we’d win by 8 points, it wouldn’t be close. Everyone had certainly learned their lesson, especially with what had happened. I wrote postcards, had my kids write postcards. Volunteered to talk to voters. It was all consuming. And, that night of the election, that’s when I realized Trump wasn’t a fluke. That people had seen Trump for four years, and were still voting for him in massive numbers. Yes, Biden won, but with everything Trump had done, how could people want more of that? Even then, I couldn’t imagine how bad it would get when January 6th happened (thanks only to the bravery of the Capital police and Nancy Pelosi, we were able to keep our democracy). So once again, I was all consumed with what was happening in my country. In 2022, abortion rights were taken away, but that’s not the only thing. Voting rights that so many had worked so for. Protections from unfettered gun access. I’m feeling sick to my stomach just thinking about it. But, 2022, the election wasn’t the bloodbath everyone was predicting. A reprieve from the sickening feeling for a brief amount of time. I went into this election season feeling hopeful again, in the before times, I was such a positive person. Biden had done an amazing job with what he had. The economy was great. Supreme Court was on the ballot, and certainly people had learned their lesson this time. There’s no way people could vote for Trump a third time, his whole campaign is grievances about 2020. But then people started believing the lies. The news media, who I desparately thought had learned their lesson, capitulated even more. Even Anthony Fauci was stalked and threatened. How could this be real? But then October 7th happened. And the TikTok memes started. And Biden was supposed to solve mid-east peace between two parties who both wanted the opposite, and Biden was being blamed for all of it. Could he do better, speak out more. I don’t know. But I’d seen how his administration worked behind the scenes with many issues instead of bragging in public enough to be satisfied he was doing the best possible with the situation. And, everyone would have to know that trump would be so much worse. But the TikTok memes continued, the anger and hatred spread. I started talking to friends who had always been democratic. The apathy is overwhelming, because everyone is so tired, they want to just focus on family and ignore everything else. Because trump riles up his base with one outrage after another, and for the sake of everyone’s mental health they tune out and look away. But I can’t. I’m hyper aware as they just shrug, and for almost 10 years of my life, good years of my youth with a lovely family, I have this sick feeling in the back of my head, all the time, because how could they possibly want this man as president again and again. And its getting stronger by the day because I know he’s winning, and I’m no longer that positive person from 2016 who believes in the best in people. I’m so angry that 2016 happened, and that people continued to support him. I’m so angry that I’ve spent so much time thinking about him, and having to worry about what will happen because of him. I’m so angry that I can’t feel apathy because I know how bad it could be. I’m just so angry that I can’t compartmentalize, and shut down my brain to just enjoy my life (please don’t tell me that I need to, I try really hard every day and it’s exhausting), and I know it’s going to get so much worse for the next few months...and I’m just really scared too because with the media on his side now, for the first time ever, I’m not feeling hopeful that democracy will win... [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/6/17/2247047/-Taylor-Swift-Lyrics-hit-me-hard-I-m-pissed-off-you-let-me-give-you-all-that-youth-for-free?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=trending&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/