Do Something: Research, Promote Facts, And Vote!
- donnaramadishes
- Sep 26, 2024
- 10 min read
With possibly the most important U.S. presidential election coming up, I think it is imperative that people do what they can to help save our democracy. And since one of my credos is, "knowledge is power," I, like Taylor Swift, implore you and those you know to do your research and then vote your conscience (mine happens to align with Taylor's). I also believe we should all do something to support our various cause(s), and that is why I have written this. Not sure what YOU can do? Here's something easy and fun anyone can do to make a difference.
Now, I try very hard to be open-minded and tolerant (with varying degrees of success), and so I have been working to understand what (more than blind devotion to a cult) otherwise/ formerly rational people find appealing or compelling enough to vote for Trump. Through much querying, most of the reasons I have been given or have seen are based on propagandized (mis-)information being disseminated in the US.
[Unlikely (or unwilling) to interact with Trumpists? Feel free to click here to skip to the end as this next part is irrelevant, although possibly of interest].
For those of you who do or may interact with Trumpists, I have sifted through mountains of data (some false, some legit, much biased) to offer you ways to rebut their oft-cited false narratives. Below you will find fact-based responses to common positions held by Trumpists (with links to their sources) which I hope you will share or refer to over these next critical weeks as you try to help some of them see the light (as it were). As far as I'm concerned, any time we can make someone think twice (much less change a mind) based on data, it's a win.
Wondering where/ how to start engaging with a follower/ believer/ likely voter of Trump? I think it is wise to understand where they are coming from, and here is the first question I ask of his supporters (to which I have yet to get any response other than a huff):
With literally HUNDREDS of former US political, legal, security and military leaders and co-workers finding Trump to be one of the greatest risks to American democracy, as well as national and economic security, what do you know that they don't know?
Click here and here for lists of and commentary from National Security Leaders and former/ current GOP experts who are putting country over party respectively... (Want more proof? Click here.)
REASONS FOLKS ARE SUPPORTING TRUMP
(AND FACT-BASED REBUTTALS):
Life is more expensive now than it was 4 years ago, and this high inflation is (Biden/) Harris' fault. And, Trump's tariff plan will keep prices from going up.
I get it. My grocery bill is higher now than it has been in the past. Prices rose with inflation (up to over 9%) when the Covid-19 restrictions were lifted and the economy started opening up. (This was a worldwide phenomenon due to governments pumping money into their economies to avoid recessions -- and it should be noted that the US brought the resulting inflation levels down more quickly and better than most). Even though inflation levels have come back down in the US, prices haven't followed suit because prices are "sticky" and tend not to come down once they go up. Sadly, there is not much to do to combat these high prices. (Click here for a good explanation from Forbes.)
That said, retailers have been profiting from this sticky pricing, so limiting corporate greed/ profits/ price gouging could bring down prices. (Harris has stated she wants to address price gouging for groceries). In fact, Krogers and Walmart have admitted to price gouging, with Walmart already starting to bring down prices. "We've moved away from true capitalism towards an oligarchic structure with less competition and larger players dominating the market. This shift, driven by a focus on shareholder interest, has diminished consumer choice and competitive dynamics," which leads to higher retail prices. (source: Newsweek, 8/28/24) To wit...
And about those tariffs of Trump's, the Cato Institute says that "there is overwhelming evidence that Americans bore the brunt of his tariffs [when he was President] — and would do so again if he is reelected and fulfills his campaign pledge to impose more aggressive protectionism." They simply are not "the greatest thing ever invented" (as Trump professed at a Town Hall in Michigan on September 17, 2024).
My taxes will go up if Harris wins
It is true that if you make more than $400,000 a year or more, your taxes will go up under Harris' tax plan. Most folks talking about increased taxes, though, are not those super-high earners (who, in my opinion, SHOULD pay their fair share). From the Harris website:
"no one earning less than $400,000 a year will pay more in taxes"
the tax rate on long-term capital gains for those earning a million dollars a year or more will be 28 percent
"more than 100 million working and middle-class Americans will get a tax cut, ... [by] restoring ... the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit. [Additionally, they] will expand the Child Tax Credit to provide a $6,000 tax cut to families with newborn children."
That said, the wealthiest Americans and the largest corporations will see tax increases like ...
enacting a billionaire minimum tax and
quadrupling the tax on stock buybacks
Trump is better for the economy (the economy is currently failing)/ I'll make more money if Trump is President
Not so, says Goldman Sachs (a leading investment bank), who "recently evaluated the potential impact of Harris' and Trump's proposed economic policies "and declared Harris the winner." (Read it here). Specifically, they "estimate that if Trump wins in a sweep or with [divided] government, the hit to growth from tariffs and tighter immigration policy would outweigh the positive fiscal impulse." Harris, they say, would do better on jobs creation and GDP.
And, internationally, the World Bank is upping its forecast of the GLOBAL economy based on the [CURRENT] strength of the US economy (under Biden/Harris' watch). Read about it here. So, our economy is not, in fact, in terrible shape, as Trump says.
As for the stock market, it has been performing exceptionally well, with the "S&P 500 [up] about 18% this year" even before the recent interest rate cut made by the Fed, which led the market even higher. (Click here for one of many sources showing this). Whether this trend will continue I can't say, but to say that the US economy is doing poorly is clearly not the truth.
Further, should this matter to you, many business leaders have endorsed Harris in a letter, saying:
Her election is the best way to support the continued strength, security, and reliability of our democracy and economy. With Kamala Harris in the White House, the business community can be confident that it will have a President who wants American industries to thrive. As a partner to President Biden, Vice President Harris has a strong record of advancing actions to spur business investment in the United States and ensure American businesses can compete and win in the global market. She will continue to advance fair and predictable policies that support the rule of law, stability, and a sound business environment, and she will strive to give every American the opportunity to pursue the American dream.
(See the list of signers, including current or former CEOs of Ford Motor Company, PepsiCo, Merck, Starbucks, Fox Corporation, Paramount, Lyft, PayPal, Yelp, LinkedIn, Lazard, Twilio, Box, Ripple and others, here)
Lastly, personal income has RISEN under Biden/ Harris, so why would you assume you'd have more money/ the economy would be better under Trump? According to the US Census Bureau's official website, “real median household income was $80,610 in 2023, a 4.0% increase from the 2022 estimate of $77,540. This is the first statistically significant annual increase in real median household income since 2019.” (source: Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2023, September 10, 2024, United States Census Bureau official website (www.census.gov))
Crime is up and Trump will keep us safer.
Actually, while crime rates in 2020 spiked to 385.2 per 100,000 people, the same metric for 2023 was 363.8, according to FBI data. In fact, recent preliminary data show violent crime rates dropping since 2020. Both Politifact and BBC (as well as numerous other sources) have debunked Trump's assertion that violent crime is rampant and at very high levels.
Trump will save the country from immigrants
Where do I start with this one? The United States of America is a melting pot which has long embraced and accepted immigrants. (Think: The Statue of Liberty). Not to accept legal immigrants in the USA is simply un-American. If you have a problem with legal immigrants, then you are a xenophobe and not the type of American this country was established to protect and embrace. So, let's be precise and talk about ILLEGAL immigration, shall we?
First, here's the truth: illegal immigration has declined over the last three years of the (Biden/)Harris administration. Additionally, it is imperative to recall that Trump had his minions in congress kill an incredibly strong immigration bill even though it was the bill which included what he and the republicans originally wanted. Why would he do that? So that he can say that the current administration is weak on immigration. This has been covered by many sources, but here is one...
Kamala will "confiscate everybody's guns"
This is simply not true. Harris is a gun owner (as is her Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz) and has said that she is willing to use her gun should anyone break into her home. She does want stricter gun control measures, but she fully supports gun ownership. (Click here for one source although there are many)
Trump has said that he is not associated with Project 2025 (the conservative handbook/ wish list).
The fact that Trump lies is, I hope, something which need not be proven, and I therefore question why anyone would believe what he says -- about his association with Project 2025 or anything else.
But, if you want some proof that he is a liar, the Associated Press said: "America has had prevaricators in the Oval Office before, but never one who has been at war with the truth as regularly, on so many different subjects. As a candidate and as president, Trump demonstrated a keen ability to use broadcast and social media to amplify his distortions, and found remarkable success in convincing large chunks of the American public."
Click here for this article, and here for a list of lies told during his Presidency.
As for his association with Project 2025, "a line-by-line review by CBS News identified at least 270 proposals in Project 2025's published blueprint for the next Republican president that match Trump's past policies and current campaign promises. ... From shuttering the Department of Education to excising every mention of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion from federal agencies' projects and programs, the Project 2025 agenda often matches Trump's recorded words and his Administration's deeds." Read more on this here.
Who cares about Project 2025 anyway; it won't affect me.
Really? Have you actually read the entire 900+ page document? It will impact taxes, education, medicare, drug prices, women's health, climate, freedom of speech, immigration/ racial profiling and loads of other issues relevant to most Americans.
Want to know HOW you'll be impacted? Here's a website which provides a list of common topics you might want to know about from the document, and it not only summarizes how Project 2025 deals with that topic, but also links to the page(s) so you can read it for yourself. There is also a link to the full 922-page document should you want to peruse it.
What has Kamala done?
You do realize that Kamala has been the VICE President, right? That role inherently does not provide opportunities to make or enact policy. However, as Vice President, and a Senator, and Prosecutor before that, she has done plenty. Here's a Google document (not mine) which lists some of what Harris has done/ accomplished.
Kamala is a Communist/ Marxist
There is zero proof to support Trump's assertions that Harris is a Marxist/ Communist. It is simply propaganda/ mis-information and has been debunked through many sources, including Politifact (on 8/26/24):
"Marxism refers to the school of thought inspired by Karl Marx’s analysis of capitalism. Communism is a political system of government or a party that abolishes private property.
Communism and Marxism experts said Vice President Kamala Harris’ positions do not align with those philosophies. Harris is not against private home or business ownership, for example.
Her campaign pledge to pass a federal ban on price gouging on food drew criticism, but experts said it does not amount to communism."
Trump is better for the Jews
Trump has consistently insulted Jews, aligned himself with anti-semites/ Holocaust deniers and, just in the past week, he stated that if he loses, it's partly because of the Jews (certainly not a pro-Jew statement).
He showed support for Mark Robinson, a self-professed "Black Nazi" as well as for (some of ) the white supremacists/ neo-nazis who marched in Charlottesville in 2017. He has also hosted white supremacists/ Holocaust deniers for dinner at Mar-a-Lago.
In stating that if he loses the election, it is (at least partly) the fault of the Jews, Trump simultaneously:
created a dog whistle to his ardent supporters who could instigate violence toward Jews and contribute to the already record-high levels of antisemitism in the US today;
attempted to sow dissension among US Jews; and
passively perpetuated an old Jewish trope about Jews and their loyalties (to their religion over their country).
It's important to remember that Trump has been an ardent supporter of American Evangelical Christians (and they to him), who need Israel to exist in order to fulfill an end-times prophesy. So his support for Israel is not necessarily a sign of him being a supporter of Jews.
Lastly, Trump has neither said nor done anything especially pro-Jew that I am aware of other than moving the embassy to Jerusalem (which is at least equally supportive of the Evangelicals and not popular among all Jews), telling Jews he's a huge supporter (while hosting Holocaust deniers for dinner), and being a Netanyahu supporter (which is only a pro-Jew thing for some Jews, and which is consistent with his adoration of authoritarian leaders in general).
CHECK YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION here AND THEN VOTE (even if you feel your vote won't make a difference). AND VOTE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. The future of this democracy relies on it. Do not assume that because you voted in your area previously that you are still registered. |
A CHEAP, EASY, AND FUN WAY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE:
Aside from voting, a great and effective way to make a difference is by writing reasons to support (or not support) a candidate on post-it notes and place them all over the place! Carry a stack (pre-written) with you and stick them in the backs of taxis, the insides of bathroom stalls, in library carols, on street posts, in locker rooms, or wherever people may see them.
I, personally, cannot fathom how anyone, in their right (non-xenophobic, misogynistic, racist, hateful) mind could consider voting for Trump with so much data and proven history of his failures (business, economic, Covid), immorality (convicted sexual abuser, mishandling charity finances, and prevarication. But that is just me having synthesized what I have found to be impartial and supportable data through research. You do you.
Peace (and democracy) out.
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