I have been weeping. As a mother, as a woman, as an ally, and as the spouse of a veteran who gave 22 years of his life to this country, I am bereft. Our family sacrificed so much and gave so much to this country…and for what?
I'm being completely sincere - "we" appreciate and honor mothers, women, allies, and military families like yours from afar and across the fence. Sometimes my wife and I struggle with how much sacrifice we've made as two physicians when we take stock of the toll this profession exacts upon personal life and physical health, as most of us are burned out by numerous realities. The way you feel is so common and shared by so many, but please don't let this freakish election discolor your service to so many. Thank you.
I actually wish it were election interference or that people are really that uneducated about the economy and uncaring about their neighbors. Sadly, I fear it was the Nazi rally that put him over the top.
That rally was disgusting. No other word for that as watched by decent people on both sides. That it was not disqualifying is the latest horrific historical notch on his long list of shameful acts and words. We all know them, as will history.
My vet and I hugged each other yesterday. Today, my cleaning lady and I hugged each other. It really, truly helps.
Everything you just wrote resonated deeply with me, Dr. Ryan. I'm still feeling horrible, thinking about the bad times that are coming starting in January, but my connections to like-minded people in GOTV groups throughout the election season will sustain me and them as we move forward, even though we surely did not get out enough votes, which is a stunning defeat. I expect to wallow in the shock and disappointment for a little while, and always turn to music, poetry and art as balms, but I am determined not to succumb to despair. I have been an activist most of my 81 years, and though an armchair one now, I'm not stopping in my efforts to foster freedom, personal rights and all the values that make us good, compassionate people. We Shall Overcome.
Your long view here is supremely appreciated Mim, and I'll take one of those hugs. I almost offered a hug to a fellow Philadelphian stranger as she was tearfully taking down her Harris sign today. Our local Democratic Ward leader, a 78 year old neighbor who has poured herself into this stuff, was walking down our block with a limp (arthritic hip probably), a stooped posture, and a very discouraged affect. I thanked her for all she's done, and apologized that there were not enough votes in Philly to make up for the votes coming from elsewhere. She's like you, and mumbled that she'll get back to work after taking some time to process what happened. Please never stop in your "efforts to foster freedom, personal rights and all the values that make us good, compassionate people. We Shall Overcome."
What a beautiful, heartfelt post, filled with compassion and constructive suggestions. I hereby send you a big, virtual hug!
Margaret Sullivan, yesterday, wrote a post of “post-election words of wisdom” from which I’ll add to your excellent list her selection from David Rothkopf:
“This is not a moment for instant analysis. The stakes are too high. The issues are too complex. Those doing the analysis have records that are too dubious and need to do some introspection. At least, I know I do. I was so wrong, so far off, my decades of experience were so useless to me that I need to spend some real alone time and talking to people smarter than me to realize where I went wrong.”
One of the things I am thinking about as part of the introspection Rothkopf is encouraging, is why so many women voted for Trump. I do have something of a window into this, both from family members and people I know at least virtually, and I can attest already that to see all of them as “right wing bigots” and the like is neither helpful nor accurate. In this regard, I think your suggestions relating to how to have respectful conversations with those of differing views wherever possible are right on the mark. We very much need, right now, to listen first, without judging, and then look for points of common ground and build on that to the full extent possible.
I'm afraid I share no common ground with racists and misogynists, Susan. But we can certainly engage the Democrats who did not choose to vote and ask them what the heck they were thinking, because it was they who helped cause Harris to lose.
Yes, I agree, some folks are out of bounds. I definitely had that experience in the days when my knee still allowed me to canvass! That said, this time around, I have run across several women—mostly Ds, some D leaning, whose quite reasonable concerns went unheard and who were called really rotten names into the bargain. Among these, there are many who did not vote this time around, resigned their D party membership to become non-aligned, or even, in some cases, voted for Trump. These are the folks I am talking about, and I think the effort to build a bridge with at least some of them is worth pursuing.
Thank you Susan, and I'm willing to listen, to figure out what fearful recesses of the amygdala are being gamed such that common decency and community could be so throughly trashed by a misogynistic cult figure on the way to the most powerful position in the world. We have no choice but to listen and continue the dialogue, because otherwise we all lose to this anti-democratic wave. I agree with Mim and you below that there are certain people and beliefs too far out of bounds, or patently abhorrent, to engage. But I have family members that I know from childhood are "good people" whom I assume voted for this, and I think their community groupthink and Fox News/right wing hatchet jobs are just too omnipresent. I wish people would watch low adrenaline, low agenda, comparatively low budget PBS Newshour!
You are not alone in that fear. Anyone with a female child should especially feel this way. Their bodies are increasingly subordinate. Watch the exodus of Ob/Gyns now from states that impose morally injurious restrictions on doctors caring for women having miscarriages, etc...
Being in Florida with 15-yo and 10-yo female children, I am exceptionally scared. I bought Plan B yesterday just in case the worst happens to them. It shouldn't be this way.
Thank you for this post. I'm still numb, trying process disbelief and disappointment. As a nurse, I'm very alarmed with the idea of RFK, Jr., having a health role in this administration. When I'm in a better place mentally, I will find volunteer opportunities to support democratic causes within my community. Meanwhile, I'm frightened for all of us in the U.S. and for the trickle down effect this election could have on other counties. Others may disagree, but I don't believe we are the same country as we were 48 hours ago and dread Inauguration Day 2025. Sending you and everyone who needs it a virtual hug.
Thank you Pamela, and hug received and returned. As you know there is quite a swing towards autocracy around the world. I thought we could hold out, beacon on the hill and all that. Most incumbent politicians around the world are struggling to hold on, regardless of how well they are doing it seems. On paper the Biden presidency was one of the most successful in history, but the conservative media was relentless from day one convincing people the very opposite. I don't know how to reverse that. When Harris went on Fox News it was so thoroughly hostile and manipulative and dishonest.
Also, thank you Dr. M so much for being a kind, caring, compassionate person to your patients and readers and providing us with accurate, honest and reliable health information. I appreciate being apart of this newsletter community because it feels safe and respectful, especially now when things feel so uncertain.
You always rise to the occasion and show your profound compassion and humanity. There was a great article in the Boston Globe today about navigating the emotional fallout— one of the quotes was from a chaplain who said “the point isn’t to feel good, it’s to feel.” I’m keeping an email file of writing that is resonating right now: Tom Nichols from the Atlantic, a recent Steve Schmidt blog that was thoughtful and discussed the constant evolution of America, Heather Cox Richardson, David Rothkompf— I’m trying not to spam loved ones but to curate and learn and find a way forward.
I had a bad feeling after being subjected to Fox News when calling a patient and literally hid on election night. The patient in question voted against their own best interests.
It’s a dark time and we know some of what to expect, but we will move forward— I desperately hope.
First consider why— a bit, for me, grieve, then recalibrate and figure out how to navigate this new landscape while prioritizing what is most important.
My daughter works for a health policy group and told me that most younger people don’t critically assess and analyze the “news” that they get from unreliable sources. We have different truths and silos.
Thank you Jan, and I am right there with you on this approach you have. I read something similar to "the point isn’t to feel good, it’s to feel” recently, outside the context of politics and this whole thing. Something about how we should not be chasing happiness all the time like the podcasts and wellness people push, but rather that we should be trying to "feel the right way at the right time." Or something similar. Wendnesday morning, seeing patients was very tough. Especially the ones reveling in victory with star spangled shoes. I really wish we could converge upon truths and facts. That is our tower of Babel, only worse.
Thank you for the Boston Globe article, it was excellent and worth re-reading.
“It was a terrible night for women, for children, for the hundreds of thousands of hard-working immigrants who make this country go,’’ he said, sounding close to tears. “For health care, for our climate, for scientists, for journalism, for justice, for free speech.
“It was a terrible night for poor people, for the middle class, for seniors who rely on Social Security, for our allies in Ukraine, for NATO, for the truth, and democracy, and decency. It was a terrible night for everyone who voted against him, and guess what? It was a bad night for everyone who voted for him, too, you just don’t realize it yet.’’
Exactly. I'm hoping that it won't be as bad as he's promised, or as bad as non-partisan analysts and organizations predict.
And autocorrect botched the above quote, was supposed to read:
"feeling the right way AT the right time."
Going to need to lean on the satirists and comedians like Kimmel, Colbert, Stewart if we are going to survive. I hope they do, and if they are silenced it is time to leave I'm afraid.
I hope people won't suffer from Post Traumatic Election Syndrome (PETS). He has only four years to try and gum up the works. Trump and his movement are a last convulsive effort of a disappearing worldview, of an aging, shrinking group pursuing a lost world that never was. His movement will not long outlive him. A mundane reason the Dems lost was simply the perceived economy was worse than the objective reality and people had no patience for the prices to come down. So cheer up all. Trump will learn that uneasy is the head on which tests the crown.
Michael, I will diagnose a few folks tomorrow with PETS, thanks for bring this diagnosis to my attention ;)
I sure hope that you are right. History is not an arc but rather a cyclical phenomenon. I plan to chip in as I can, along with millions of others, to keep us from further backsliding into even darker cycles. We will see what comes, but I hope Americans will shirk the economic misperceptions in time to salvage the democracy Trump plans to undermine further. For anyone reading this who is only briefly popping out of the echo chamber:
I have been completely numb since Tuesday night. That's my coping mechanism. However, my rage is now starting to break through. I spent the last 5 yrs in Europe--I felt the need to get out of America during the first trump administration so I could get a better perspective of what my country is, learn about different cultures, learn more history, etc. Americans tend to be in such a hermetically sealed bubble of entitlement. I did come back with a different perspective. It wasn't altogether flattering, but more realistic. After Tuesday, though, my opinion of Americans has taken a drastic nosedive. If trump had stolen the election, attempted another coup, I wouldn't be so shocked, because that's what we expected. Did any of us expect so many of our "fellow Americans" to intentionally select such a known vile psychopath to be president again?
Both of my parents served in the military during WWII. My dad earned a purple heart fighting in the Battle of the Bulge. My parents were patriots, in the true sense of that word. I'm glad they're not here to see this. The self-centered selfishness of trump voters is breathtaking. Having seen and experienced the generational effects of fascism in Europe, I cannot understand the utter ignorance of trump voters. Is hatred so addicting that one would sell their soul just to get another hit of that drug??
I'm sorry for all of us who dreamed of a kinder, more righteous America. Today I am incapable of forgiving the people who chose hate. Maybe that will change over time, but I feel defiled as an American.
Hi MaryAnne, and many thanks for this comment and perspective. 5 years in Europe sounds amazing to me, with all that rich history, culture, and good food. I worked and studied straight through college and med school, and regret that I did not do the backpacking through Europe thing when I was poor and free. My grandfather was a country doc who volunteered to serve in WW2, was away from his family in the Pacific, and risked everything in the righteous fight. I "pray" we are not compelled to serve in such a struggle here at home. In terms of figuring out what the hell just happened, besides a generic pursuit of "change" and rejection of a thoroughly trashed Biden presidency (which delivered historically good results on paper, but which from day one was sabotaged and denigrated by the media), I think there is this general pattern in the emergence of fascist movements:
Economic instability and inequality often create conditions where people feel desperate for radical solutions. The Great Depression, for instance, contributed to the rise of fascism in Europe.
Social and cultural change or perceived threats to traditional hierarchies can lead some groups to seek authoritarian responses. This often includes scapegoating of minority groups.
Democratic institutions may weaken during periods of crisis, especially if there's declining trust in government and traditional political parties.
Technology and mass media can be used to spread propaganda and create personality cults around leaders claiming to have simple solutions.
The aftermath of national humiliation or defeat sometimes fuels ultranationalist movements seeking to restore perceived past greatness.
However, these factors don't inevitably lead to fascism. Strong democratic institutions, civic education, protection of minority rights, and addressing underlying economic inequities can help societies resist authoritarian movements. History shows patterns but not predetermined cycles. Hold on tight, or take another break from this crap!
Dr. McCormick, thank you for this extraordinary and articulate response to the devastating results of the national election. It was helpful to me in our anguish to read your thoughtful words. To think that a felon, known to all as such, will now escape justice and continue with the blessings of much of the electorate to wreak havoc and chaos for his own benefit because "God saved " him for this higher purpose is beyond my understanding. I feel a primal scream coming on so at this point I thank you for this helpful post!
Hi Sheila, thank you for reading and expressing the same shame I feel trying to explain this breakdown of justice, fairness, and rule of law to my daughter. Any kid trying to figure out the world is rightly confused by so many aspects of our Supreme Court rulings, partisan votes during obviously impeachable trials, etc. Would not want to be a civics teacher right now. I expect the DOJ will be actually weaponized. It's going to be quite the struggle. Your primal scream is justified. But we have few other choices than to keep working to swing the pendulum back. Despair does not feel good, so I'm trying not to live there, too :)
Thank you, thank you, and thank you for shining a light on the paths we need to follow in the coming months and years. First step each and every day--think, speak, and act with kindness.
I think you've crystalized a healthy response to this crisis - kindness. A paradox in the face of the coming cruelty, but there is power in the paradox. Thank YOU, Carole.
Very grateful for you. Thank you for focusing on the actionable. I won’t spend any time crying. I believe my skills as a moderator, mediator and facilitator will be needed in a way that won’t allow me to sit in anger and disappointment for too long. We have work to do, and it can’t be just to fight. The majority of Americans chose disruption over status quo this week, in the worst possible way. It’s heartbreaking, yes, but change is clearly necessary. I love your suggestions for conversations that promote common ground. Thank you for your thought leadership, as always.
Lysa, I'm inspired by your comment, and I think we must all use our talents and training to bend this lightning strike back towards the darkness from which it has struck. Moderation, mediation, and facilitation are all powerful, beneficent tools. Godspeed, and grateful for you too.
This was brilliant (I am practicing my English as my spouse has a UK passport and we have the option to move). But truly, thank you. This is devastating and many of are taking a break (I am for the most part). We need to do better at understanding the folks who voted for this convicted felon. As a psychiatrist in Seattle, most of my patients share my views and I consider it valuable that they know I understand them and share their grief. I had to manage my 25 year old daughter's grief (glad I had her update her IUD) as well as my own. We need to sort this out -- I am terrified but to be honest not surprised. We will carry on. THANK YOU!
Thank you Donna! I am deeply rooted as an American, as my Irish, German, and English ancestors have been here for generations apparently, some fought in the civil war (on the right side), and others mined coal for generations. Having some skills as doctors does give us some ability to leave and be accepted somewhere if this really goes badly. I don't think it will get that bad, but we don't know. Project 2025 and the deportation concentration camp stuff is just the beginning. There's 2026 after that. I think our better leaders can hold the line. Thank you for stopping by, and as you know I'm looking forward to returning to Seattle one day for a coffee on a cloudy day, and visit to Powells especially!
Adding my thanks, Dr. Telling the teens when they woke up was the worst part. My 18-year-old daughter is justifiably worried, as the shock fades to disbelief. I think we need to build true communities, safe communities now, and that’s what we’ll focus on. Keep well.
Thanks Donna. It was so hard to see the tears from the eyes of the young women in the audience during Kamala's gracious, inspiring concession speech at Howard. I can only imagine and sympathize with how viscerally devalued and disrespected non-Trump-voting young women feel right now. My daughter feels it. They know what happening. I don't understand how so many white moms voted against their own daughters' privacy, autonomy, safety and dignity, really. ObGyns are leaving the states where they can be jailed for practicing medicine to save pregnant women's lives during miscarriages, etc. For any readers making it this far down in the comments, I'm not making this up:
I have been weeping. As a mother, as a woman, as an ally, and as the spouse of a veteran who gave 22 years of his life to this country, I am bereft. Our family sacrificed so much and gave so much to this country…and for what?
I'm being completely sincere - "we" appreciate and honor mothers, women, allies, and military families like yours from afar and across the fence. Sometimes my wife and I struggle with how much sacrifice we've made as two physicians when we take stock of the toll this profession exacts upon personal life and physical health, as most of us are burned out by numerous realities. The way you feel is so common and shared by so many, but please don't let this freakish election discolor your service to so many. Thank you.
I actually wish it were election interference or that people are really that uneducated about the economy and uncaring about their neighbors. Sadly, I fear it was the Nazi rally that put him over the top.
That rally was disgusting. No other word for that as watched by decent people on both sides. That it was not disqualifying is the latest horrific historical notch on his long list of shameful acts and words. We all know them, as will history.
My vet and I hugged each other yesterday. Today, my cleaning lady and I hugged each other. It really, truly helps.
Everything you just wrote resonated deeply with me, Dr. Ryan. I'm still feeling horrible, thinking about the bad times that are coming starting in January, but my connections to like-minded people in GOTV groups throughout the election season will sustain me and them as we move forward, even though we surely did not get out enough votes, which is a stunning defeat. I expect to wallow in the shock and disappointment for a little while, and always turn to music, poetry and art as balms, but I am determined not to succumb to despair. I have been an activist most of my 81 years, and though an armchair one now, I'm not stopping in my efforts to foster freedom, personal rights and all the values that make us good, compassionate people. We Shall Overcome.
Beautifully stated. Sending you a hug!
Many thanks, Susan. Back at you!
We will try!
Your long view here is supremely appreciated Mim, and I'll take one of those hugs. I almost offered a hug to a fellow Philadelphian stranger as she was tearfully taking down her Harris sign today. Our local Democratic Ward leader, a 78 year old neighbor who has poured herself into this stuff, was walking down our block with a limp (arthritic hip probably), a stooped posture, and a very discouraged affect. I thanked her for all she's done, and apologized that there were not enough votes in Philly to make up for the votes coming from elsewhere. She's like you, and mumbled that she'll get back to work after taking some time to process what happened. Please never stop in your "efforts to foster freedom, personal rights and all the values that make us good, compassionate people. We Shall Overcome."
What a beautiful, heartfelt post, filled with compassion and constructive suggestions. I hereby send you a big, virtual hug!
Margaret Sullivan, yesterday, wrote a post of “post-election words of wisdom” from which I’ll add to your excellent list her selection from David Rothkopf:
“This is not a moment for instant analysis. The stakes are too high. The issues are too complex. Those doing the analysis have records that are too dubious and need to do some introspection. At least, I know I do. I was so wrong, so far off, my decades of experience were so useless to me that I need to spend some real alone time and talking to people smarter than me to realize where I went wrong.”
One of the things I am thinking about as part of the introspection Rothkopf is encouraging, is why so many women voted for Trump. I do have something of a window into this, both from family members and people I know at least virtually, and I can attest already that to see all of them as “right wing bigots” and the like is neither helpful nor accurate. In this regard, I think your suggestions relating to how to have respectful conversations with those of differing views wherever possible are right on the mark. We very much need, right now, to listen first, without judging, and then look for points of common ground and build on that to the full extent possible.
I'm afraid I share no common ground with racists and misogynists, Susan. But we can certainly engage the Democrats who did not choose to vote and ask them what the heck they were thinking, because it was they who helped cause Harris to lose.
Yes, I agree, some folks are out of bounds. I definitely had that experience in the days when my knee still allowed me to canvass! That said, this time around, I have run across several women—mostly Ds, some D leaning, whose quite reasonable concerns went unheard and who were called really rotten names into the bargain. Among these, there are many who did not vote this time around, resigned their D party membership to become non-aligned, or even, in some cases, voted for Trump. These are the folks I am talking about, and I think the effort to build a bridge with at least some of them is worth pursuing.
Thank you Susan, and I'm willing to listen, to figure out what fearful recesses of the amygdala are being gamed such that common decency and community could be so throughly trashed by a misogynistic cult figure on the way to the most powerful position in the world. We have no choice but to listen and continue the dialogue, because otherwise we all lose to this anti-democratic wave. I agree with Mim and you below that there are certain people and beliefs too far out of bounds, or patently abhorrent, to engage. But I have family members that I know from childhood are "good people" whom I assume voted for this, and I think their community groupthink and Fox News/right wing hatchet jobs are just too omnipresent. I wish people would watch low adrenaline, low agenda, comparatively low budget PBS Newshour!
I needed this today. Thank you. I am terrified for my children.
You are not alone in that fear. Anyone with a female child should especially feel this way. Their bodies are increasingly subordinate. Watch the exodus of Ob/Gyns now from states that impose morally injurious restrictions on doctors caring for women having miscarriages, etc...
Being in Florida with 15-yo and 10-yo female children, I am exceptionally scared. I bought Plan B yesterday just in case the worst happens to them. It shouldn't be this way.
Outstanding writing containing much wisdom for those suffering post-election.
Thank you for this post. I'm still numb, trying process disbelief and disappointment. As a nurse, I'm very alarmed with the idea of RFK, Jr., having a health role in this administration. When I'm in a better place mentally, I will find volunteer opportunities to support democratic causes within my community. Meanwhile, I'm frightened for all of us in the U.S. and for the trickle down effect this election could have on other counties. Others may disagree, but I don't believe we are the same country as we were 48 hours ago and dread Inauguration Day 2025. Sending you and everyone who needs it a virtual hug.
Thank you Pamela, and hug received and returned. As you know there is quite a swing towards autocracy around the world. I thought we could hold out, beacon on the hill and all that. Most incumbent politicians around the world are struggling to hold on, regardless of how well they are doing it seems. On paper the Biden presidency was one of the most successful in history, but the conservative media was relentless from day one convincing people the very opposite. I don't know how to reverse that. When Harris went on Fox News it was so thoroughly hostile and manipulative and dishonest.
Also, thank you Dr. M so much for being a kind, caring, compassionate person to your patients and readers and providing us with accurate, honest and reliable health information. I appreciate being apart of this newsletter community because it feels safe and respectful, especially now when things feel so uncertain.
You always rise to the occasion and show your profound compassion and humanity. There was a great article in the Boston Globe today about navigating the emotional fallout— one of the quotes was from a chaplain who said “the point isn’t to feel good, it’s to feel.” I’m keeping an email file of writing that is resonating right now: Tom Nichols from the Atlantic, a recent Steve Schmidt blog that was thoughtful and discussed the constant evolution of America, Heather Cox Richardson, David Rothkompf— I’m trying not to spam loved ones but to curate and learn and find a way forward.
I had a bad feeling after being subjected to Fox News when calling a patient and literally hid on election night. The patient in question voted against their own best interests.
It’s a dark time and we know some of what to expect, but we will move forward— I desperately hope.
First consider why— a bit, for me, grieve, then recalibrate and figure out how to navigate this new landscape while prioritizing what is most important.
My daughter works for a health policy group and told me that most younger people don’t critically assess and analyze the “news” that they get from unreliable sources. We have different truths and silos.
Thank you for this.
Thank you Jan, and I am right there with you on this approach you have. I read something similar to "the point isn’t to feel good, it’s to feel” recently, outside the context of politics and this whole thing. Something about how we should not be chasing happiness all the time like the podcasts and wellness people push, but rather that we should be trying to "feel the right way at the right time." Or something similar. Wendnesday morning, seeing patients was very tough. Especially the ones reveling in victory with star spangled shoes. I really wish we could converge upon truths and facts. That is our tower of Babel, only worse.
Thank you for the Boston Globe article, it was excellent and worth re-reading.
I first read about the don’t chase happiness in “The Happiness Trap”— Russ Harris on ACT.
You are doing so much for so many, please remember that you are a finite resource.
I just couldn’t talk to patients on Wednesday, and didn’t have to care for star spangled people.
Thank you for all you do.
Just read what Jimmy Kimmel said:
“It was a terrible night for women, for children, for the hundreds of thousands of hard-working immigrants who make this country go,’’ he said, sounding close to tears. “For health care, for our climate, for scientists, for journalism, for justice, for free speech.
“It was a terrible night for poor people, for the middle class, for seniors who rely on Social Security, for our allies in Ukraine, for NATO, for the truth, and democracy, and decency. It was a terrible night for everyone who voted against him, and guess what? It was a bad night for everyone who voted for him, too, you just don’t realize it yet.’’
Exactly. I'm hoping that it won't be as bad as he's promised, or as bad as non-partisan analysts and organizations predict.
And autocorrect botched the above quote, was supposed to read:
"feeling the right way AT the right time."
Going to need to lean on the satirists and comedians like Kimmel, Colbert, Stewart if we are going to survive. I hope they do, and if they are silenced it is time to leave I'm afraid.
I hope people won't suffer from Post Traumatic Election Syndrome (PETS). He has only four years to try and gum up the works. Trump and his movement are a last convulsive effort of a disappearing worldview, of an aging, shrinking group pursuing a lost world that never was. His movement will not long outlive him. A mundane reason the Dems lost was simply the perceived economy was worse than the objective reality and people had no patience for the prices to come down. So cheer up all. Trump will learn that uneasy is the head on which tests the crown.
Michael, I will diagnose a few folks tomorrow with PETS, thanks for bring this diagnosis to my attention ;)
I sure hope that you are right. History is not an arc but rather a cyclical phenomenon. I plan to chip in as I can, along with millions of others, to keep us from further backsliding into even darker cycles. We will see what comes, but I hope Americans will shirk the economic misperceptions in time to salvage the democracy Trump plans to undermine further. For anyone reading this who is only briefly popping out of the echo chamber:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/10/29/harris-trump-authoritarianism-enemy-within/
I have been completely numb since Tuesday night. That's my coping mechanism. However, my rage is now starting to break through. I spent the last 5 yrs in Europe--I felt the need to get out of America during the first trump administration so I could get a better perspective of what my country is, learn about different cultures, learn more history, etc. Americans tend to be in such a hermetically sealed bubble of entitlement. I did come back with a different perspective. It wasn't altogether flattering, but more realistic. After Tuesday, though, my opinion of Americans has taken a drastic nosedive. If trump had stolen the election, attempted another coup, I wouldn't be so shocked, because that's what we expected. Did any of us expect so many of our "fellow Americans" to intentionally select such a known vile psychopath to be president again?
Both of my parents served in the military during WWII. My dad earned a purple heart fighting in the Battle of the Bulge. My parents were patriots, in the true sense of that word. I'm glad they're not here to see this. The self-centered selfishness of trump voters is breathtaking. Having seen and experienced the generational effects of fascism in Europe, I cannot understand the utter ignorance of trump voters. Is hatred so addicting that one would sell their soul just to get another hit of that drug??
I'm sorry for all of us who dreamed of a kinder, more righteous America. Today I am incapable of forgiving the people who chose hate. Maybe that will change over time, but I feel defiled as an American.
Hi MaryAnne, and many thanks for this comment and perspective. 5 years in Europe sounds amazing to me, with all that rich history, culture, and good food. I worked and studied straight through college and med school, and regret that I did not do the backpacking through Europe thing when I was poor and free. My grandfather was a country doc who volunteered to serve in WW2, was away from his family in the Pacific, and risked everything in the righteous fight. I "pray" we are not compelled to serve in such a struggle here at home. In terms of figuring out what the hell just happened, besides a generic pursuit of "change" and rejection of a thoroughly trashed Biden presidency (which delivered historically good results on paper, but which from day one was sabotaged and denigrated by the media), I think there is this general pattern in the emergence of fascist movements:
Economic instability and inequality often create conditions where people feel desperate for radical solutions. The Great Depression, for instance, contributed to the rise of fascism in Europe.
Social and cultural change or perceived threats to traditional hierarchies can lead some groups to seek authoritarian responses. This often includes scapegoating of minority groups.
Democratic institutions may weaken during periods of crisis, especially if there's declining trust in government and traditional political parties.
Technology and mass media can be used to spread propaganda and create personality cults around leaders claiming to have simple solutions.
The aftermath of national humiliation or defeat sometimes fuels ultranationalist movements seeking to restore perceived past greatness.
However, these factors don't inevitably lead to fascism. Strong democratic institutions, civic education, protection of minority rights, and addressing underlying economic inequities can help societies resist authoritarian movements. History shows patterns but not predetermined cycles. Hold on tight, or take another break from this crap!
Dr. McCormick, thank you for this extraordinary and articulate response to the devastating results of the national election. It was helpful to me in our anguish to read your thoughtful words. To think that a felon, known to all as such, will now escape justice and continue with the blessings of much of the electorate to wreak havoc and chaos for his own benefit because "God saved " him for this higher purpose is beyond my understanding. I feel a primal scream coming on so at this point I thank you for this helpful post!
Hi Sheila, thank you for reading and expressing the same shame I feel trying to explain this breakdown of justice, fairness, and rule of law to my daughter. Any kid trying to figure out the world is rightly confused by so many aspects of our Supreme Court rulings, partisan votes during obviously impeachable trials, etc. Would not want to be a civics teacher right now. I expect the DOJ will be actually weaponized. It's going to be quite the struggle. Your primal scream is justified. But we have few other choices than to keep working to swing the pendulum back. Despair does not feel good, so I'm trying not to live there, too :)
Thank you, thank you, and thank you for shining a light on the paths we need to follow in the coming months and years. First step each and every day--think, speak, and act with kindness.
I think you've crystalized a healthy response to this crisis - kindness. A paradox in the face of the coming cruelty, but there is power in the paradox. Thank YOU, Carole.
I am so grateful you are my PCP. Thank you, and yes, I do need a hug!
Very grateful for you. Thank you for focusing on the actionable. I won’t spend any time crying. I believe my skills as a moderator, mediator and facilitator will be needed in a way that won’t allow me to sit in anger and disappointment for too long. We have work to do, and it can’t be just to fight. The majority of Americans chose disruption over status quo this week, in the worst possible way. It’s heartbreaking, yes, but change is clearly necessary. I love your suggestions for conversations that promote common ground. Thank you for your thought leadership, as always.
Lysa, I'm inspired by your comment, and I think we must all use our talents and training to bend this lightning strike back towards the darkness from which it has struck. Moderation, mediation, and facilitation are all powerful, beneficent tools. Godspeed, and grateful for you too.
This was brilliant (I am practicing my English as my spouse has a UK passport and we have the option to move). But truly, thank you. This is devastating and many of are taking a break (I am for the most part). We need to do better at understanding the folks who voted for this convicted felon. As a psychiatrist in Seattle, most of my patients share my views and I consider it valuable that they know I understand them and share their grief. I had to manage my 25 year old daughter's grief (glad I had her update her IUD) as well as my own. We need to sort this out -- I am terrified but to be honest not surprised. We will carry on. THANK YOU!
Thank you Donna! I am deeply rooted as an American, as my Irish, German, and English ancestors have been here for generations apparently, some fought in the civil war (on the right side), and others mined coal for generations. Having some skills as doctors does give us some ability to leave and be accepted somewhere if this really goes badly. I don't think it will get that bad, but we don't know. Project 2025 and the deportation concentration camp stuff is just the beginning. There's 2026 after that. I think our better leaders can hold the line. Thank you for stopping by, and as you know I'm looking forward to returning to Seattle one day for a coffee on a cloudy day, and visit to Powells especially!
Let me know if you come (remember, Powells is in PDX but we have Elliott Bay bookstore and it is very nice -- and has coffee!
Adding my thanks, Dr. Telling the teens when they woke up was the worst part. My 18-year-old daughter is justifiably worried, as the shock fades to disbelief. I think we need to build true communities, safe communities now, and that’s what we’ll focus on. Keep well.
Thanks Donna. It was so hard to see the tears from the eyes of the young women in the audience during Kamala's gracious, inspiring concession speech at Howard. I can only imagine and sympathize with how viscerally devalued and disrespected non-Trump-voting young women feel right now. My daughter feels it. They know what happening. I don't understand how so many white moms voted against their own daughters' privacy, autonomy, safety and dignity, really. ObGyns are leaving the states where they can be jailed for practicing medicine to save pregnant women's lives during miscarriages, etc. For any readers making it this far down in the comments, I'm not making this up:
https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/how-project-2025-seeks-obliterate-srhr
Thanks for the reply, and the link. We need to be aware.