To my Trump voting friends

To my Trump voting friends,

In my echo-chamber, there has been a lot of talk about the question/premise: Can we still be friends if I voted for Trump?

I’ve been thinking a lot about it because I don’t have a lot of friends. I don’t know for sure how many voted for Trump, but it’s probably about 35% of them. Am I supposed to cut off them off? Or if I was unsure about who they voted for and they admit they voted for Trump, am I to turn around and walk away? No, that’s ridiculous. I can’t. At least not for everyone.

The ones I will cut off, are the proud Trumpers: not only do you like Donald Trump, but you think he is the best America has to offer and want him to represent the United States. If that is you, either you have been hiding it from me, or we weren’t as close as you think.

To those who plugged their noses and voted for him over Kamala Harris, I need to know why.

I still believe, like others do in Christ, that if we were to do up-and-down votes on policies and platform positions that the “Democratic” side would win a majority of the time. Don’t believe me? Missouri enshrined the right to an abortion in its state constitution. Same with Arizona, Montana and four other states. It “failed” in Florida while getting 57% of the vote.

Need more than abortion? Missouri and Alaska DOUBLED the state’s minimum wage. Oregon and Alaska passed pro-union measures. Three states voted down school voucher programs. States also passed expanding sick leave measures for workers. Now remind me, are elected Republicans and Trump for, or against those things?

Also, it wasn’t just on policies, numerous states elected Democrats to statewide offices. North Carolina, Michigan and Wisconsin all went for Dems in statewide offices while also voting for Trump. How much did Josh Stein’s policies differ from Kamala’s? Was Trump campaigning for those Dems, or their opponents?

So, I need to know why you voted for him: a proven liar, cheat and fraud. Someone who cannot operate a business in New York, ran a fake charity, fake university and bragged about walking in on underage girls while they were undressing. That doesn’t even get to his ineptitude and corruption while President the first time.

I need to know why you voted for him, because his administration has some really awful plans. Not only that, he has displayed the characteristics of a fascist - not just to me but to people who served closest to him.

So what was the reason? Be specific. If you aren’t, I will assume you were unaware of the policies/platforms of each candidate and I’ll talk your ear off.

Worried about immigration? Kamala had a border plan and bipartisan bill that she was going to sign. Trump proudly killed that bill, not because he opposed anything in it, it was because Biden would get the credit.

Worried about rising fuel costs? Under Biden we led the world in fossil fuel production while also growing the EV sector.

Yes, inflation drove up prices, but so did corporate greed, something Kamala had a plan to address. Does Trump? I am genuinely asking; I couldn’t find one while researching. … I will admit that was a little tongue in cheek because he openly talks about his plan to reward the corporations and ultra-rich with another tax break. Also, the inflation crisis wasn’t just in the US, but thanks to Biden we had the best recovery.

These are just some quick ones I can list off the top of my head. Again, Trump’s cabinet picks and the executive orders he plans on signing day one sound awful and out of touch with the regular American.

I need to know that you were ignorant to the plans. That you were lied to, mislead or manipulated by your news sources.

Otherwise, I have to assume the worst: that you knew the differences and still preferred him. If that is the case, no, we cannot be friends.