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Even not voting is a vote for Trump
By Megan Hatch — Written on Nov 05, 2020
Leaving the polls the other day after voting for the first time ever in a U.S. presidential election, I felt powerful.
The fact that I have a voice and the opportunity to vote out a man who made a mockery of the U.S. presidency for four long, painful years feels amazing.
We have had to deal with way too many lows with President Trump.
Not only did he fail to pass a health care plan that he promised would replace the Affordable Care Act (or Obamacare), we still don’t know what his version of such a plan would have included.
He incited the longest government shutdown in American history.
He was impeached for his shady relations with Russia during the 2016 election.
He quit the Paris Climate Agreement because he apparently doesn’t believe in science, and he intentionally downplayed the coronavirus, perpetuating and likely worsening the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
I still have no idea why anyone in their right mind would want to vote for a man whose slogan went from “Make America Great Again” four years ago to "Keep America Great."
If anything, America is 10 times worse than what it was when Trump was first elected.
For those who voted for Trump, I just have one thing to say: you betrayed me and future generations.
You're holding us back from living a life not constantly worried about climate change, systemic racism, and attacks on women's rights.
A vote for Trump is a vote for racism, xenophobia, homophobia, misogyny, sexual assault, fascism, and hate.
Those are all qualities of our terrible president and you can’t support someone without supporting their ideas and beliefs as well.
Remember, President Donald Trump is the same guy who called Jeffery Epstein “a terrific guy” and Justice Brett Kavanaugh “one of the finest people I know” — both men accused of sexual assault.
He's the same man that said, “grab 'em by the pussy” and has no shortage of sexual assault allegations himself.
Do you see a pattern here?
Not exercising your right to vote was just as bad. It doesn’t matter what you say or do to defend yourself — we needed all hands on deck. If you decided to sit at home and not contribute to voting him out, then you are part of the problem.
It will take time for the United States to come to a place of unity, even after Trump leaves office. But choosing to vote for a president that appears to do everything in his power to divide U.S. citizens even more wasn’t the right choice to make.
Friends of mine have parents who voted for Trump, an act that threatened to totally change and possibly ruin their relationships. When someone cares about you and loves you but votes for everything that you are against, the trust and love are gone.
A vote for Trump is offensive, supportive of toxic beliefs and simply betrays the people you love and care about.
A vote for Trump says you support a president who favors Supreme Court justices more likely to overturn Roe v Wade. You support anti-choice, and anti-LGBTQ legislation.
If you voted for Trump and have children, then you need to ask yourself how much you care about their future. There’s plenty of evidence proving that climate change is real and your kids or grandchildren won’t have a future if climate change ruins the world because of our unsustainable habits.
Whether you see it that way or not, voting for Trump means validating everything he believes. Everything.
Those who voted for Trump strictly because of his business policies should also rethink where they stand. The New York Times released Trump's tax information spanning more than two decades and reveals he’s a conniving businessman “who takes in hundreds of millions of dollars a year yet racks up chronic losses that he aggressively employs to avoid paying taxes.” How can you properly run a country that you've worked so hard to deceive?
I only hope that after four years with Trump, there are enough Americans who are done with him and what little he’s done to make positive change.
However, it is incredibly disappointing just how close the race is.
Whether you voted in person or sent out a mail-in ballot, I hope you used your right to vote for a positive change and a future that will provide healthy and brighter alternatives for years to come.
Megan Hatch is a writer at YourTango who covers pop culture, health and wellness, and entertainment news.