Being honest with our Republican friends and family can be hard..

[Peacetrain]

especially those who are life long Republicans .. they are so confused by what is happening to their party.. they became more and more conservative over the years due to non stop yammering by right wing medias.. etc.. the Republican party fed the monster, and now it has turned on them.. and the people we know are confused.. dazed.. and not knowing which way to turn..

And the hardest thing for some to accept is ....even just voting the down ballot will not help them.. because if the Republicans maintain the congress the situation will just get worse and worse..

They truly have only two options.. vote Democratic and clean completely clean house.. and start over..

Or stay home and not vote at all.. which I think is worse yet..

We should all own our votes and why we vote the way we do..

But for many of us.. we have friends and family looking for a soft place to fall.. and there really isn't one now.. It is going to be hard.. very hard.. and no point in lying to them

They have rebuilt before and they can do it again.. of course..but they need a new foundation..

The Russians have succeeded in destroying the Republican party.. but they can never destroy our Democracy..

[texanwitch]

1. I tried but couldn't tell with certain friends and family members.

I just will not be around anybody that would vote for Thrump.

[Peacetrain]

2. I have friends who are terrified and mean terrified

or what has taken over their party.. they are scared to death of these people.. will they attack them.. do something to hurt them at these rallies.. in fact they do not go.. its sad.. you know we can really go at each other in the Democratic party.. but we not worry for our physical safety.. and they have been so effectively brainwashed by Rush, etc Fox news.. and they are almost catatonic.. its sad..

[texanwitch]

3. I have very few facebook friends now.

The few family members I did talk to are horrible now.

I hope the Republican party splits off.

Maybe you friends can built a new sane party.

[RobinA]

5. I Have No Sympathy

for these terrified and confused people. Trump is the logical extension of what's been brewing for decades. It wasn't guaranteed to turn out this way, but unsurprisingly it has. If someone suddenly finds themselves not getting it, they have only themselves to blame. And I have a winger friend or two. We haven't discussed politics since the WMD days

[Sherman A1]

4. There are more than two options.

Anyone can vote for a third party

Anyone can skip the top of the ticket and vote in their state and local races.

Anyone can write in a name of their choice.

And I don't see the Russians as having destroyed the GOP. It is and will be very much around for a very long time, it will change just sat he Democratic Party will change, but they will both be around.

[procon]

6. Most of my family are life long Republicans.

Most still have some sort of excuse for sticking with Trump. There's a lot of machismo involved, a lot of misplaced rage and irrational anger, and fear. There's some wistful nostalgia to see the 'good old days' restored, but its more like the skewed remembrances from old TV sitcoms from back in the day than any slice of real life we actually grew up with.

The rapidly advance of technology and a fast paced world is passing them by, and they can't adjust or adapt. The things they know, their skills, expertise and abilities are no longer relevant or respected; they're lost and purposeless. They are becoming extinct, and at their core, they know it. They are extremely paranoid and afraid of so many things. They think Democrats are either plotting, or so incompetent, that some sort of doomsday, apocalyptic catastrophe is likely.

My brother, who is disabled and has little more than his Medicare and a pension, owned a couple of inherited rifles, suddenly he went of a binge to buy multiple assault weapons, handguns and ammunition. He stocking up. He wants to be prepared and he's cut himself off to brood. The people on the radio he listens to tell him that there will be a civil war and lawless anarchy will reign if Hillary is elected. He really believes this will happen.

I talk to him on the phone less and less. I haven't seen him in several months, and he lives just a few blocks away. I miss him, the funny, generous, lighthearted man he once was.

[Cakes488]

7. I tried explaining what is happening to my sister who is a life long republican

She was very upset last night...I told her about this alt right movement and that they shouldn't be taking over her party...etc..etc. She really hates Hillary so I said I understand you not voting for Hillary but I don't understand how you could support Trashpot. She was very defeated and said for the first time in my life I guess I'm just not going to vote.

[TCJ70]

8. My mom sent me a text the other night...

...finally saying that she couldn't vote for Trump. It was after the tapes came out. We spoke the day after the "town hall" cage match and she still despises Hillary but can't support Trump. I suspect she'll either vote Hillary or just leave that part blank.

[Cakes488]

11. No vote is better than a vote cast for Trashpot n/t

[Nitram]

9. The Russians didn't destroy the Republikan party. They managed to do was quite well by

themselves, thank you. With help from the right wing media machine.

[lindysalsagal]

10. People who don't get that their government was written to be a compromise will demand

ideological purity or fall apart like a toddler.

It happens on both sides.

The balances and counter-checks were put in there for good reasons: To avoid monarchies.

American society can move our governors and laws ahead with advancements at a controlled rate, and that's as it should be.

It should require a 2/3's majority in the senate to add amendments, so that we aren't swinging wildly to and fro.

The teabaggers will all have to calm down when march rolls around and they still have their guns, hot pockets, online porn and faux snooze.

By the same logic, Berners will have to come around and support their values, which are largely upheld by HRC, and not throw their vote away to a maniac.