Cultural Conservatism

Former President Donald Trump has won a second term. (Credit: Wikimedia) A friend texted this morning: "I'm doing better this time around." I'd agree with that. Am I disappointed? Unbelievably so. Am I upset with the ability of American voters, especially those with daughters, to overlook countless flaws, the unchecked sexist and racist rhetoric? Absolutely. Do I worry about our country's standing on the international stage? Of course. But I'm not shocked. Not like 2016, which felt like a horror moving unfolding. I don't want to use the word "horror" this time around, even though that's essentially what I feel. I just don't think it gets us anywhere. Many of us in media have been using words like that – horror, disgust, vileness – and it's starting to just wash over all of us. How ineffective is it? Well, the numbers don't lie. We've been beating this drum for eight years now, and former President Donald Trump not only made gains in nearly every demographic (including Black and Latino voters) but he's on pace to win the popular vote, too. The reasons for Trump's comeback are pretty simple. More voters are culturally conservative than we in New York-based media often realize, especially people in rural communities and yes, people of color. Voters still favor masculinity – they crave it, admire it, protect it. When it comes to top issues, painful economic conditions eclipse everything. Climate change and reproductive health do not drive people to the polls in the same way as living paycheck-to-paycheck does. That's about it. I could go on at length about everything that shocks me – including the fact that decent Americans who don't appear sexist or racist or use foul language and who are committed to raising loving families are somehow willing to overlook the horror, the disgust, the vileness. But that story has already been written, many times over, and it certainly won't change the outcome of the 2024 election. The only thing to do is look ahead to Jan. 20. Trump's supporters, we know, would have been so vicious if Vice President Kamala Harris had been elected. At least we'll be spared those attacks. Perhaps they'll turn on him, especially when his economic policies (if he has any) don't make anything better for them. And let's not forget, he will now be a lame duck president. Perhaps we can take a page out of his own book and enjoy "lame" and Trump being in the sentence. Lame Duck President Trump. That sounds better than 47th President of the United States. So, now it's time to move forward. I wish I had a big finish here, but the future is unscripted. Perhaps there is some solace in that. On this day-after-Election Day in 2016, I didn't know that #MeToo or #BlackLivesMatters would soon be happening – two movements that have certainly been good for the progress of this country. I didn't anticipate that we'd soon have yet another woman running for president – a situation that now seems refreshingly commonplace, even if victory isn't there yet. And for those concerned about the environment, let's remember that a leader in the electric car industry now has the President-Elect's ear, even if they both are morally bankrupt megalomaniacs. Also, these things are cyclical. We had 8 years of Bush, followed by 8 years of Obama. The years are speeding up, the pace of change happening more quickly. We had 4 years of Trump, followed by 4 years of Biden. What goodness will we get 4 years from now? Or maybe even sooner, if another influential movement takes hold or a surprising mid-term victory happens? That's what we – perhaps all 66 million of us disappointed voters today – can hold onto. This day is still dark … but not as dark as it was 8 years ago. I'm doing better this time around. I think. ◼️

Cultural Conservatism

At Least It’s Not 8 Years Ago

The Story Exchange

Cultural Conservatism

At Least It’s Not 8 Years Ago

The Story Exchange

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