This confessional was posted to Reddit’s r/centrist group. In it, a Tennessee Democrat explains why he voted for Donald Trump in 2024, regardless of voting Democratic downballot. I’m sharing it with commentary as a result of it gives a window into Trump’s enduring—and maddening—enchantment.
I voted for Trump in 2024, it took quite a bit in me to do it however I did it. I reside in Nashville so I voted Trump up prime and really I voted blue all the way in which down, I’m not an enormous fan of Tennessee republicans. I discover them too excessive, I’d take into account myself much like a northeastern republican, or a 90s democrat.
I voted the day of, I may’ve early voted however I selected to not as a result of I simply couldn’t resolve what to do. I didn’t plan to vote for Harris for quite a lot of causes that I’ll clarify, nevertheless it was both Trump or third occasion. The day of, I selected Trump.
To start with, “90s Democrat” is mainly code for “not woke.” I’ve written just lately about how progressive buzzwords have been an electoral catastrophe for the left.
I watched the talk between Trump and Harris, and similar to most individuals thought, Trump completely acquired his ass beat by Harris. She got here off robust, ready, regarded nice up there however I simply didn’t hear something new that she was trying to convey to the desk that had been contemporary concepts and he or she had been the VP for Joe and I wasn’t very proud of Joe Biden’s presidency in all honesty. Didn’t suppose it was terrible, nevertheless it wasn’t nice both.
So Kamala Harris needed to convey “one thing new,” however Trump may recycle his failed first-term speaking factors? Trump’s at all times benefited from the bigotry of low expectations—and right here it’s on full show. Additionally, Biden wasn’t terrible … so convey again the man whose final presidency was?a
After I watched the DNC, I didn’t actually see a lot apart from the occasion turning away from on a regular basis residents who’re on the lookout for a vivid future and as a substitute it appeared like DNC was open to large enterprise and company donors. I’m all in opposition to political events being purchased and paid for therefore it turned me off to the democrats.
This feels like somebody getting their political information from Fox Information or Fb memes. The concept that the DNC is in mattress with company donors—however the Republican conference wasn’t—is fantasy. For the report, the conventions’ fundraising weren’t that far off, with $95 million for Democrats and $85 million for Republicans. And, sure, Republicans took corporate money. In fact they did.
Nutirition is a big factor for me, I felt RFK becoming a member of forces with Trump and speaking about eliminating nitrates, phosphates, corn syrups, seed oils…and so forth, and attempting to cut back the most cancers charges and going after firms who’re poisoning our meals on a regular basis.
Think about considering Trump goes to “go after” firms—except they’re run by a liberal or stated one thing imply about him. And Robert F. Kennedy Jr.? He’s a harmful crank, plain and easy.
I felt Trump would settle down the Ukraine/Russia battle and Trump would use his relationship to Putin to mainly say “cease this shit” and create a calmer world for us. Additionally would work to repair the debt this nation is going through, decrease inflation, transparency on Epstein recordsdata and produce loads of jobs again to the US.
Trump’s biggest energy is that his followers imagine his lies, dismiss his truths, and when there’s neither, they simply make issues up. He’s a tabula rasa for projection. That is exhibit A.
Right here’s the place issues went south:
Epstein recordsdata, man thinks we’re silly. He campaigns on the Epstein recordsdata, realizes he’s on there and now’s telling us to cease worrying about it and questioning why we’re nonetheless speaking about it? Now they’re attempting to deflect by speaking about Obama. That is embarassing.
This man isn’t MAGA, and to his credit score, he says he’s going again to voting Democratic. However he’s proper: the Epstein stuff is a genuine vulnerability for Trump. The extra he tries to bury it, the extra it feeds the narrative that he’s hiding one thing.
Eliminating the Dept of Training, I do know he introduced this up throughout his marketing campaign however I assumed he’d be smart sufficient to work throughout the aisle with democrats on this matter however that is insane. He needed to close down the Dept of Training with no again up plan apart from let the states determine it out. I don’t know if I essentially belief republicans in terms of training nowadays.
Trump has by no means been smart. He’s by no means labored with Democrats. Why would anybody suppose he’d begin now?
This man knew what Trump was promising. He doesn’t even belief Republicans on training. And but he voted for Trump anyway. I can’t even.
“The Large, Lovely, Invoice”, an abhorrently horrible invoice that solely helps folks within the prime tax brackets to save cash on federal taxes that they don’t want. I make between 51k-100k and I’d solely save $800 on taxes however the highest tax brackets will save 1000’s. Why? I may use $5,000 again greater than somebody who owns a house or two. And the underside bracket can pay extra in taxes. This was by far the worst invoice and it advantages the wealthy and never the working class, younger folks like myself who voted for Trump.
Sure, the GOP handed a tax invoice for wealthy folks. This isn’t a twist ending. That is the model.
Tarrifs: wtf is that this man considering different international locations can pay extra, we’re those having to foot the fee. That is making issues costlier for us and folks up prime brag the US has introduced in greater quantities of income nevertheless it’s from our personal folks, not even different international locations.
Trump ran on this. He campaigned on it. Once more, this man wasn’t uninformed. So why the shock?
Immigration: I’m a traveler, I’ve been to many international locations and once you overstay your welcome, immigration will come to your door and ask you to depart so I get that. When you’re on this nation and also you’ve overstayed your visa, or usually are not documented, it’s a must to head again and are available again the best means. My dad is an immigrant, did all the best issues and he’s right here and may vote. It needs to be the identical for everybody. BUT, when immigration is coming and going after residents and never doing their due diligence and checking backgrounds and citizenship they usually’re simply assuming their unlawful than that’s a large purple flag. Trump is mainly telling these guys they’ve free will to do no matter and it’s tousled. Alligator Alcatraz and the dwelling circumstances there’s ridiculous.
Even this man, who’s largely supportive of immigration enforcement, acknowledges how reckless Trump’s method is. However he misses the core problem: The financial system is closely depending on immigrant labor like development, agriculture, and hospitality. Mass deportations are one other inflationary time bomb.
Polling reveals rising help for immigrants, however a lot of that’s simply opposition to Trump’s insurance policies, not a deeper ideological shift. The problem will proceed to be a legal responsibility for Democrats.
I’ll completely be voting all blue come the midterms and might be voting for a smart democrat subsequent election. This man has ruined it for me.
We’re a 49-48 Democratic nation. We don’t have to win over MAGA. But when we are able to peel off simply 5 factors—voters like this man—we’re all of a sudden a 54-43 nation. That flips extra Home and Senate seats, provides us cushion for midterms, and opens up red-leaning states to actual competitors.
Individuals like this man—Democrats who flirted with Trump—are the lowest-hanging fruit. If there’s a silver lining to Trump’s disastrous presidency, it’s that a few of them are actually prepared to come back dwelling.
