One more red voter with regrets

[frogstar0]

Just one data point.
Lab tech at work, late 20s,early 30s, in national guard, spent time in Iraq.
We have talked a bit of politics over the last 1/2 year. I'm openly very anti TACO.
His reasons for voting for TACO make me cringe but whatever.
Yesterday we got talking.
He feels that he was conned, betrayed, is not proud of his vote.
Hegseth's signal chat, illegal orders touch him personally.
I listen, commiserate, and do not blame even thought he knows i think he was nuts voting for TACO.
He is not hard core maga. He is learning.
This is how we can turn the tide and save our country.
One conversation at a time, one person at a time, one vote switched means two vote difference.

[Walleye]

1. Compare these egregious Hegseth scandals with the way they screamed about Hillary's emails

[gab13by13]

2. I have been saying for months,

We are going to get unwashed Magats to join us to throw the billionaires out of power.

We are even getting a few cracks with Congressional Magats.

[popsdenver]

20. I fear if they turn against Trump

The Republican House and Republican Senate, as well as the Republican Justices on the USSC, as well as all the Corporations and all the Main Stream Media will merely install a replacement who in many ways could be worse.

It is not just "Trump" per se, he wouldn't have lasted one minute in Jan2016 if all the above Republicans hadn't put him in place, and all were in lockstep for the past 10 years KEEPING him in place........their consolidated actions including un-fathomable corruption, and even TREASONOUS actions, many times over and over......

[quakerboy]

25. Nah

Problem is that they are more likely to be replaced than Trump. He owns them.

[KS Toronado]

24. Still believe a poor vs rich message would work best for us

FOLLOW THE MONEY

[frogstar0]

32. Yes, that is gaining traction i think.

[KS Toronado]

38. I certainly hope so, it worked well for FDR

FOLLOW THE MONEY

[usonian]

52. They couldn't see the FREAKING OBVIOUS for a decade or more.

[travelingthrulife]

43. Agreed. But with graphics that make the disparity clear. Most Americans are not

good with numbers or math.

[KS Toronado]

53. Need some really good advertising agencies to help us.

[summer_in_TX]

51. That's one of many reasons I think James Talarico could win the US Senate race in Texas. If he gets

the chance. He's got the poor vs rich message and speaks real Christianity and refutes the Christian Nationalists (voicing the kind of public theology the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther Kink and Rev. William Barber do so well).

But that depends on his winning the primary. Jasmine Crockett is brilliant and hard hitting, which we Dems love. But he's got the winning message that can reach across the aisles and peel off disaffected Republicans as well as attracting the independent voters. Jasmine excites our base. I love her voice too. Talarico's style of fighting doesn't juice us up as much but is I think the most effective for our state. Plus he doesn't attack in a way that makes those who like particular Republicans feel personally attacked. He's kind as well as brilliant, grounded, and principled. I hope Texas Dems really evaluate who is the kind of candidate who won't just attack and make political points against an opponent but can bring those who aren't already on board to join in.

Texas' US Senator John Cornyn said he thought Jasmine Crockett getting in would help Republican chances. I agree.

[Linda ladeewolf]

3. I know many of these people actually like trump,( I don't know why, but they do).

They can go ahead and like him, hate his policies then vote for someone else. Can they not comprehend that?

[not fooled]

12. Yeah, they need to go watch reruns of The Apprentice

if they need a dose of trump to scratch their dumbass itch.

Just stop supporting him while he wrecks the country.

[NotHardly]

4. They are at the FAFO stage

They are finding out what 'hurting the other' actually meant. "First they came for"... level angst dawning on them.

[popsdenver]

23. Hey folks, think about this

It was the Republican Senate, Republican House, and Republican USSC Justices that installed him in power in 2016, along with the Republican Owned Mass Media, Fox, RW Radio, and Corporations across America.

Trump is realistically just their FRONT man, just as Reagan and WBush were before him.
It is the REPUBLICAN Party, and all those above that not only installed him, but were in lockstep keeping him there.

When Trump Inc goes away.......all of those entities will be installing someone new to carry on, and that person, may actually be much worse in many way.........

[Hope22]

27. Well if you are a woman you've had your health and power over your body removed and

You are slated to lose your vote under project 2025….our healthcare system is on the brink of collapse and these people are committing piracy on the open waters. Americans are being illegally deported sorted by color and the National Guard armed at ready are being sent into out cities. Our agricultural system has been brought to its knees. The dollar is sinking and Social Security has been threatened. Medicaid and Medicare are already undergoing strict changes with five states enduring a five year trial for Medicare services by pre approval!!! We are threatening our neighbors and threatening Venezuela with an unprovoked war. Please help me understand how things will get worse. I think Nuclear war is already on the table so I’m struggling to see what there is left to fear.

[frogstar0]

57. Yes, let's help them see the light and 'be better'

[NNadir]

5. We have a director where I work, a foreign born citizen...

...where I work, naturalized from India, who said he wouldn't vote "for that woman."

It was pure sexism.

He now regrets that bit of ugliness, albeit too late. After the election I gave him and a colleague a little civics/history lecture about how democracies inevitably die and indicated that this one has died.

I'm actually senior to the guy in corporate rank, but he does not report to me, which doesn't matter since, if he did, I would never fire someone for the way they vote. That's unethical. Anyway, the company needs the guy; he's very good at what he does.

I have noted in my long career how often people compartmentalize, how they can be absymal in one area and an exceptional performer in another.

[DFW]

10. After the years of stability under Indira Gandhi

An Indian says he wouldn’t vote for “that woman,” who was, herself, part Indian?

What did want, Shiva to personally announce a run?

[NNadir]

14. I reminded him of that at the time he made the sexist remark...

...which acknowledged but was nonetheless unimpressed.

[Dan]

11. Also illegal to fire based on how they voted.

[NNadir]

15. OK illegal and unethical, but lets be clear that the orange pedophile, not that he...

...cares about the law, given a "Supreme Court" that also doesn't care about the law, routinely fires people based on their vote.

[Dan]

18. Yes I recognize that for the Pedo-in-chief

But for a decent law abiding citizen, I just wanted to share the law.

[NNadir]

21. Understood. However in my case my ethical stance precludes any risk of me...

...violating the law.

I've had a number of Republicans who worked for me over the years, and on multiple occasions I've (uncomfortably) reported to a few myself.

I generally do not allow my political views interfere with my professional life, unless of course, there is a conflict with the law or ethics.

[Maru Kitteh]

6. When the spell breaks and they are ready to step away, we need to be strategic like you were.

Present an open hand and show them a better path, when we can. It won’t always be possible, but looking for small opportunities like what you have shared - matter.

[Wifes husband]

40. Screw that.

If you voted for trump I am done with you

[Skittles]

48. I have a very hard time being civil to them

racist assholes

[frogstar0]

56. Yep! But...

Yes but, remember Senator Robert Bird, and George Wallace. I make no religious clams but I do think people can redeem themselves. Yes it is hard to deal with them but again we are fighting for our country, our, our Democracy and freedom. My father fought in the Pacific in WW2, that was hard. By comparison working to convince MAGAs both hard and soft core is considerably easier.

[Alice Kramden]

45. Totally agree to show them an open hand

These are people whose minds can be changed - for the better

[BaronChocula]

7. I admire your patience

without compromising your stance. I've pretty much just given up on people.

[frogstar0]

29. Yes it is hard not to scream what were you thinking? And much worse.

Yet we must be smart, and work slowly etc. Our country is too important to give in to thing that are unhelpful . And too important to give up. Come here vent, get a dart board, and a pic of TACO whatever but then keep planting seeds of doubt. I have 3 anti TACO bumper stickers on my car….the beater I commute to work in. We have a ‘‘no king, no fascist no nazis’ sign at our driveway.
‘ Because it is important let people know they are not alone. And my town voted 450ish to 150ish for TACO.

[OldBaldy1701E]

62. As much as I hate to say it... Hear Hear! (n/t)

[1WorldHope]

8. I agree. I don't think we should double shame people for being scammed.

It's like blaming people who believed the tobacco companies for smoking. Human being are gullible. Next time it could be us. We have one planet people.

[Iggo]

16. I'll only shame them once, then.

[frogstar0]

33. I understand , but do it with humor, let them know you are open to hearing why, how they feel etc.

This is cult deprogrammed for some, pushing softly or harder for others. Each of us is different and has a different relationship with the ‘red’ voter. We need to build relationships to turn people.

[Iggo]

41. Doesn't really matter that much, unless I live with them or work with them...

…because it’s the last time I’ll ever talk to them, if I can help it.

Life’s too short and life’s too long to let that kinda people into my life.

[frogstar0]

46. Yes, do not make your life harder, and only do what you can do.

I have a maga SIL that we do not talk politics with. I have little interest in being around her, nothing in common. But if it came up….. I would try to do the same. Listen, push back some, engage. Like someone else mentioned now many MAGAs are starting to question the cult. Some are becoming reachable. They do not have that black woman to deionize, so taco’s bat crap stuff stand alone. But Yes leave the hard core aggressive one out of your life. Until they change.

[Skittles]

49. scammed? MAYBE, maybe the FIRST FUCKING TIME

AGAIN AND AGAIN? FUCK THOSE FUCKING RACIST ASSHOLES., FUCK THEM ALL TO HELL AND BACK

[frogstar0]

58. I share your anger, I share your looking at them and ...

Saying what the f were you thinking? I want to scream at them and say how can you be so stupid and live? I share all those same feeling with you and every other non cult and non ‘I wanted to shake thing up’ or whatever the hell they were thinking.person. But I want to win the next election. And the one after that. I want to help make maga so small you could drown it in a bathtub. Again one turned vote is two votes gained.

[Skittles]

65. they can all go fuck themselves

FUCK coddling racist pieces of shit, I'd prefer to GET OUT THE VOTE, get more people voting

[ananda]

9. I've noticed that the more moderate bridge players I know...

have turned against Trump.

I've been getting likes from them on FB.

[DFW]

13. How can you tell?

Do they bid game in no trump more frequently?

[Iggo]

17. Hey-oh!

[frogstar0]

34. That is soooo bad it is good!

[DFW]

42. Sometimes I'm surprised

….at the stuff I get away with

[LuvLoogie]

19. But he's still cool with the racist kidnappings detentions and assaults.

Did he have anything to say about trump's latest racist screed about immigrants from "shithole" countries?

[frogstar0]

31. I do not have a full picture of why he vote red, his description.

We only have so much time to talk as we are both working so I get a little information at a time.

[cyndensco]

22. "His reasons for voting for TACO make me cringe..."

Fortunately I have never been in the presence of someone who admittedly likes the motherfucker. What were the lab tech's reasons? My assumption is racism?

[Blumancru]

28. That may be a good assumption

I am a civil engineer, sandy hair and blue eyes (part Scandinavian descent), and have always got along with Indians very well. I have been invited to lunch or to chat, while most of my co workers were not. An Americanized woman of Indian descent explained to me that colorism is a thing in Indian society, and that someone who looks like me might have a better reception among Indians. She had a darker complexion and had a tougher go.

So, that could be why he would not vote for Harris.

[frogstar0]

30. Strangely enough he liked JFK, at least that is what I got from him so far.

And his make America healthy, he mentioned red dye. as I said I cringed.

[KS Toronado]

26. Been saying basically the same thing for quite awhile

"One conversation at a time, one person at a time, one vote switched means two vote difference."

I really feel sorry for the people who are afraid to talk to the other side because "MAGAts are all xxxxxx"

The tide is turning against tsf.ucker, Rs are now more open to talk about the best way to vote. If every
Democrat would convince one R to vote D, there would be no elected Rs. Had a post today along the
same lines........

https://democraticunderground.com/100220862531

[frogstar0]

36. Yes,yes,yes!!!

[iemanja]

35. Your response was right

Castigating people upset with Trump only hurts our electoral prospects.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

37. A new member of the Leopard Eating My Face Party

Link to tweet

[Aristus]

39. I love how they come to their regret too late to do anything about it.

Fuck 'em. They got the U.S. truly fucked because they wanted to "shake things up", or they didn't want a woman, or a woman of color as President, or they leaned into the racism and misogyny, etc.

If they truly represent a flipped vote, they can prove it by voting Blue at the next election; then they can go to Hell.

[frogstar0]

44. I am working on it!

I am right there with you. Working on creating a convert.

[CaptainTruth]

47. I agree. There's a big part of me that hates MAGAts with a passion...

...that part of me wants nothing to do with them, but there’s a more rational part of me that realizes if we want to save our country, we need to do what we can to break through the right-wing propaganda that has deluded them & lead them to truth & reality, & that will require talking to them, personally, face-to-face.

I did a bit of that myself today.

[calimary]

50. Every one of these anecdotes gives me hope!

Hope for an improved House and Senate by this time next year!

[Freddie]

54. There is an organization Leaving MAGA

https://leavingmaga.org/our-founder/

I know someone who did. He was angry about the economy in 2016 and “wanted to try something different” since Trump the politician was a pretty unknown quality then. This person actually realized and regretted his mistake during Term 1. Not sure if there’s any saving the idiots who voted for him twice.

[frogstar0]

55. Not to mention three times...

Yes sending family and friends caught in the maga cult that link might help. And I have done that and posted the link in several places. Anything that can plant a seed that there are others who have left maga and that their life will be ok and even better if they leave. Serious MAGA is a cult and it is their identity, who they are, but that is not true all ‘red’ voters. Different tactics for different people. The guy in my post is not cult maga, but I have another coworker who is. I have not talked to him in a long time about politics. About time I did to follow my own advice.

[no_hypocrisy]

59. Part of being in a cult is the security of "community".

You're all alike and bolster each other's beliefs. You like being apart from "non-believers" and feel superior to them.

[frogstar0]

60. totally agree

That is one of the biggest, if not the biggest thing we have to overcome to turn someone.

[no_hypocrisy]

61. There are some second and third generation Nazis in Germany.

I met them.

They secretly meet in the woods, drink beer, and sing Hitler "fight songs".

They have secret displays in the cellars of their homes with Hitler and Third Reich memorabilia.

That is indeed a cult.

[frogstar0]

64. I do not doubt that... we of course have...

our confederate heritage boys. I'm in upstate NY (like the definition of Yankee) and a neighbor just up the road has a stars and bars.
And they are not uncommon around here. But you know it is not racism, no how could you ever thing that? It is heritage!

[Joinfortmill]

63. Yup, but it ain't easy.