The Drumpf

[14joa31]

As you may have heard, I have a new boss - The Drumpf. When Obama heard about The Drumpf, he signed into a law a 2.8% pay increase for federal employees because he knew we wouldn't be getting SQUAT for the next four years. And likely, we will get pay cuts. I appreciate the 2.8% - it eases the pain.

So I work for US Customs HQ in DC, and we pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement. This is bad for so many reasons. The US has now lost a ton of credibility in trade negotiations. Why would anyone negotiate an agreement with us now? And they are talking about taxing Mexican imports. Hellooo... NAFTA, anyone??!?!? The TPP was supposed to level the playing field a bit between China and the rest of the world. So pulling out of TPP is a huge benefit to China.

The travel ban doesn't impact me because I work on the importation of goods - I'm not doing stuff with people moving across borders.

The worst will be when I travel to Brussels to represent the US at the World Customs Organization and vote on matters. People from other countries are going to ask me what the hell is going on - it's embarrassing. I plan to hide under the table whenever possible.

I am trying to avoid the news because it just makes me upset. I am a devout Catholic, so I'm actually really getting into the Jesuit magazine America. My views align with theirs perfectly - I love the Jesuits.

My Mom voted for Drumpf and I want to send her a gift subscription. I am also not getting what I need out of Church right now and I'm thinking about switching to a Jesuit parish in downtown Baltimore.

Check this out:

www.americamagazine.org/faith/2017/01/28/i-was-stranger-and-you-did-not-welcome-me

[nikiswimr]

I am with you on so many levels. I will compose my thoughts and return. Every am looking at the news is watching which new terrible thing has ensued. I don't know how people can call themselves Christians and support the refugee ban.

[14joa31]

kelltothekell - I'm also struggling with what to do. I want to do good things and read good things. so far...
- I have returned to my first love - novels. It's nice and escapist.
- I have found a news source that aligns with my views (above).
- I am doing self-care - getting healthier and losing the baby weight.
- I am engaging in philanthropy - I joined the local Women's Giving Circle and I have been mentoring a young woman for the past 5.5 years. But I would like to do more. I'm not sure what yet.

We could turn this into a good brainstorming project for what we can do. I think we need to simultaneously lean in and lean out, if that makes any sense.

Also, the markets are doing amazing right now so I moved all of my 401(k) investments that were in bonds out of bonds and into mutual funds that mirror the S&P, because Wall Street loves Trump.

[silverspoon]

Lately I get most of my news from the Daily Show and the political thread on Parenting. ---- It's not NPR, but Trevor delivers it with a smile.

I think I'm going to concentrate my donations all to the ACLU. It kind of hurts my heart to stop Planned Parenthood, but I think the ACLU can make the most impact in the short term with the money.

Volunteering is something I have fallen very short on even starting. It's just time and right now I feel like I already have precious little of that.

[nikiswimr]

I really like the lean in and lean out 14joa31. kelltothekell I also listen to NPR on the way into work. When I do more than that I spiral about how bad it all is.

I love the ideas for how we can make a difference. I think I need to start financially donating to a charity/charities. This actually has given me something positive to look into.

I also have fallen short on volunteering. I work at the academic center and see a large undocumented population and I've been thinking about how I can help to counteract the message that the Drumpf is sending to them.

[NellieOleson]

NPR listener here, too. I have it on in the kitchen every morning. I also have a digital subscription to the NYT that I subscribed to after Trump went on twitter tirade against them.

Some days I still can't even wrap my head around the fact this is real life.

I'm happy that I live in a very liberal area because there is a certain comfort in knowing the majority of people you see are also outraged and depressed, but there is also a little bit of helplessness involved because if I was in a red or swing state I could channel some energy into calling my Representatives and Senators - which I encourage all of you to do! Emails are not as effective. Get on the phone and call their offices!

My entire family is politically very liberal, so that hasn't been an issue for me, but my husband's family voted for Trump and he's really struggling with it. He can't believe that his dad, who always taught him to be a gentleman and to think of other people, could vote for this guy.

Ugh. The whole situation is so shitty. I hate that my girls will grow up with this as their first memories of our country.

[14joa31]

The only reason that I'm able to volunteer is because DH is so awesome and supportive. I take out the little girl that I mentor for a few hours once or twice a month, and he watches the kids solo. He knows it's important. I couldn't do it without him. Plus, I signed up for this way back when we were just engaged (almost six years ago now). I don't know that I would sign up for something like this again today having two kids. When my Little ages out of the program, I won't be signing up for a new one. She is 14 years old right now

[kcrkcs]

I am often left without words regarding the current administration. I just don't talk about it ever. I am in a fairly conservative area, in fact I am likely surrounded by the stereotypical people that voted this guy in. I used to try to talk about issues and things, but I just lose the thread when people come back with the same kind of outlandish "alternative facts" that he does, and they are ready to call them their hill to die on.
My husband while not a fan of trump voted for him because he was convinced HRC was the devil. He started defending a few things so I don't talk with him about any of this anymore either. So I bottle it all in. I will need to find a positive outlet. Or I am going to be one upset person for the next 4 yrs. at that won't help anyone. I am starting with always being kind and talking about kindness. I have thought about dropping everything and putting my photo background to use and going to make pictures of refugees/ or DAPL or something like that. But somehow that doesn't feel totally right either. It always feels a bit exploitative to me even if a good image is worth 10k words. I think a happy medium might be advocating for a show at our local art center that focuses on our current issues. I don't know the. The Devos family and their ilk are a big deal around here. So I don't know if anyone would be brace enough.... ok really sorry this was such a word spew.

[tinydancer]

I'm also an NPR listener, and I gifted MH a membership to our local public radio station for Christmas. We also have a digital subscription to the New York Times. I've made donations to the ACLU, the International Rescue Committee (in honor of my LO and the prenatal care we received) and the DNC.

NellieOleson, where I used to live (near 14joa31) was also a liberal bubble (though we would see the republican congresspeople and lobbyists) and it's so different living outside of that now. I do feel like my vote matters more now, though. I called one of my senators twice about Betsy DeVos - it's rumored that he's on the fence.

Basically all of my friends and family are liberal (at least socially), but I've recently been making an effort to listen to the viewpoints of people who support Trump because I want to really understand how people could believe in things that I so fundamentally disagree with. I guess I'm not ready to believe that so much of our country (and the majority of those who live around me) truly believe that arab, latino, black, female, etc. people deserve to be treated with such fear and hatred. I hope I'm not wrong about this.

[scorpioscuba]

I know I'm always absent from these conversations because I honestly just have no words. I'm appalled at the things that are happening and as much as I wish I could do something to influence change....I'm so exhausted with life in general I cannot imagine adding in anything else. So I try to focus on being positive. Random acts of kindness. Teaching DS (and DD as she understands more and more) to be kind to others. I talk to DS about the kids in his class and to treat everyone with kindness and respect.

[NellieOleson]

tinydancer - I have spent so much time trying to understand Trump supporters, too. Even that is starting to make me angry, though. I feel like so many people on the left try to understand the point of view of Trump voters, but the reverse isn't true. The Trump voters seem like they are all yelling, "We won, you lost! Go pet your therapy dog, snowflake!"

This probably isn't true, but that what it feels like.

[NellieOleson]

kcrkcs - That sounds awful. I think I would lose my shit in your situation, so kudos to you for keeping it together.

You could get this for your dog?


shop.aclu.org/ACLU-Civil-Liberties-Watch-Dog-Tee

ETA: what do people think of Betsy Devos around there? She sounds like a real dingbat, but I read the "failing New York Times" and their "fake news" so clearly I know nothing.

[Lsquared]

My IL's are republicans and Trump supporters. My SMIL moved to the US from Iran in the 1970's and she is a staunch Trump supporter. She loves the idea of a Muslim ban. I just...

Anyway, I've started listening to the NPR politics podcast recently which I've really been enjoying. MH accused me of reading all the "fake news" sites (Washington post, New York Times) and not getting unbiased info.

[dizzycooks]

Lsquared wha.. Can you explain why? I'm confused.

[nikiswimr]

NellieOleson I don't think that her voucher ideas make any sense and I'm appalled that she's for guns in schools.

[NellieOleson]

Feb 6, 2017 22:26:00 GMT -5 nikiswimr said:

NellieOleson I don't think that her voucher ideas make any sense and I'm appalled that she's for guns in schools.

My theory is that of course he would nominate some out of touch hack to run the Dept of Education. He requires people with little to no critical thinking skills to get elected and maintain popularity. Why would he want to give anyone the education and ability to realize he's a huge fraud? Plus, he clearly doesn't care for science, so there's that, too.

Ugh. I hate him and all his a-hole cronies so much.

[nikiswimr]

Feb 6, 2017 23:09:01 GMT -5 NellieOleson said:

Feb 6, 2017 22:26:00 GMT -5 nikiswimr said:

NellieOleson I don't think that her voucher ideas make any sense and I'm appalled that she's for guns in schools.

My theory is that of course he would nominate some out of touch hack to run the Dept of Education. He requires people with little to no critical thinking skills to get elected and maintain popularity. Why would he want to give anyone the education and ability to realize he's a huge fraud? Plus, he clearly doesn't care for science, so there's that, too.

Ugh. I hate him and all his a-hole cronies so much.

Yes to all of this

[tinydancer]

Plus she's a huge republican donor - classic pay for play. And to be fair, she clearly has worked on issues relating to education, though not so much public education.

[Lsquared]

Feb 6, 2017 21:59:22 GMT -5 dizzycooks said:

Lsquared wha.. Can you explain why? I'm confused.

I can't follow her thought process. I have no idea. She's also a higher up in the EPA.

It's weird right? The whole thing is weird.

I think she's been brainwashed by my FIL.

[14joa31]

Lsquared - she's a Trump supporter ... high up in the EPA? Well, let's see if she still supports him when she gets canned. Trump has already said he plans to gut/eliminate the EPA.

[Lsquared]

Feb 8, 2017 11:11:00 GMT -5 14joa31 said:

Lsquared - she's a Trump supporter ... high up in the EPA? Well, let's see if she still supports him when she gets canned. Trump has already said he plans to gut/eliminate the EPA.

I know. I'm dying to ask her what she thinks but it'll just annoy me when she and my FIL start in on the whole thing

[kcrkcs]

As I was taking a poop today I was thinking of course in a world where alternative facts are a thing we have Betsy Devos defining a path for our education system. Deep thoughts from my bathroom.