Lost Hope for my country (united states)

[DisappointedCitizen]

I’m sorry I recently found out that Kanye West of all people is running for president and I have to rant! I feel like the last few elections have really dampened my love and killed any hope or optimism I have for the united states. Trump (and don’t mistake this complaint as if I am letting democrats of the hook for their crap!) literally used the united states as a stage and platform for his reality show performance and now celebrities and TV personalities are running on a regular basis.

Politics have real world effects that ripple out and hurt real people. But us citizens’ lives are just… what? Collateral damage for their fame and money? Did TV and internet get too boring for them? Now they want to play theatre with our country or something?

I don’t think these celebrities and these politicians care about us. We are just pawns in their game. Am I the only one who feels this way?

I don’t like how it has become common place for celebrities to run for office. I don’t think they take politics or this country seriously.

Women are losing our rights left right and centre and we are just a joke. I highly doubt Trump, Kanye West or the Rock Johnson actually give a s**t about anyone or anything other than their fat bank accounts and the number or twitter followers they have!

Voting feels pointless these days. The party system has become absolute trash and both parties are falling apart at the seams and no one is doing anything about it and I’m sure the people running are just fine with that!

Reagan was an actor……

I agree though.

Probably but I don’t know much about reagan I was not alive during his time. I’m sure there were others. These are just the ones that I’m aware of. I guess it just feels like it’s really picked up here of late… maybe I am wrong? It’s still not a trend I want to continue though.

Where does Kanye stand on the trans debate?

Reagan was actually an actor, in films, before moving into politics. He was always accused of being lightweight and reading someone else's scripts. I suppose the obvious digs that any opponent would look to make.

I agree with you that the party political system in the US and the UK is broken, and that todays politicians have very little integrity and capability.

No it’s not. Reagan was an actor then after him all the presidents - bush, Clinton, bush - were established political families

Obama came next but suffered from inherent racism even though he did 2 terms - and then Clinton tried to follow.

trump was a breath of fresh air to a lot of Americans.

im not American but I did go to college and lived In Kansas for 10 years so I feel I can comment.

I lived in a town where there was a gun store and a church next to the school but god forbid the kids had to walk past a lingerie shop 500yrds from the school.

i don’t agree with all that but I can see why extreme republicanism took hold. Especially when a lot
of the north east heavy industry has died and they have communities who feel left behind the modern agenda.

the democrats then shot themselves in the foot with Biden. I’m think it was supposed to be Biden then Kamala after one term but that ain’t gonna happen. Biden is a space cadet and after Obama they ain’t going to vote for a black person who is also a woman!

I honestly think trump will win again and let’s hope for all our sakes Ukraine war is over

I was a child when Reagan was president. Wasn’t he good in calming down the nuclear threat by conversing with Gorbachev?

He was but a lot of Americans did not like that. Nor did the Russians to be honest. Everyone else was happy

Didn't Kanye date Jeffrey Starr? If so I reckon he is massively into trans issues.

It seems lots of places have political parties that attach trans power to a very popular cause - US - right to abortion, Scotland - independence, U.K. - anti-tory. so it gets momentum by default.

I wouldn’t worry too much OP I am also in the US and the chances of Trump or “Ye” being a nominee in 2 yrs time are really slim. People are heartily sick of the extremism on both ends of the political spectrum right now. DeSantis is also already beating Trump in the polls and he’s not even running yet. A lot happens in politics, even in a week, let alone 2 years. A lot of people originally liked Trump for upending the political process and it was a lot of ignored and left behind Americans giving the political establishment the finger and deliberating choosing an outrageous TV personality/populist.

However, Trump got in because noone in the media and main parties took him seriously and used him for entertainment value during the Primaries, thinking his outrageous behavior would turn off voters. That obviously didn’t happen in 2016 but now Trump has no shock value any more. He is totally predictable, old, just carrying way too much abusive baggage and of course will forever be connected to the attack on the Capitol. He is also connected to a time everyone wants to put behind us: COVID, riots, protests, chaos, and storming the Capitol.

He did shake up a lot of politicians from their complacency and many people who were disconnected from politics got interested again on both sides. There is also a clear need to ditch the BabyBoomers. Pelosi has stepped down from leadership but the country wants McConnel, Trumo and Biden gone too who are all over 75.

if you are really worried get active in your local politics.

He also served as Governor of California for 8 years (a huge political role) and was a unionist when he was an actor.

Obama had far less political experience than Reagan when he ran for President. That's why he needed Biden on the ticket, to give him some clout and an impression of political longevity.

No it’s not. Reagan was an actor then after him all the presidents - bush, Clinton, bush - were established political families

No, Clinton wasn’t.

Reagan set the stage for our current loss of abortion rights by promoting a narrative of "pro-life" to pull in evangelical Christian voters. Previously, this demographic voted Democrat. He also minimized the ERA ratification which would have made sex a protected category. Just a few years prior, there was bipartisan support for the ERA.

I'm no fan of that man. He's responsible for setting the stage for where we are now, and as this is a feminist board, I am equally fearful for women's rights if no one but male celebrities with mental health issues are on the ballot.

Clinton was a lower middle class kid from the Midwest who was smart and charismatic and white.

Let's hope for another Obama - a surprise candidate with a lot of talent.

I wish Katie Porter was our next president.

I wasn't advocating in Reagan's favour, @Delphinium20 , just setting the record straight that he is comparable with Kanye West. He was already a serious politician when he ran for president.

Has everyone forgotten the Kennedy clan and their multiple runs for president? Clinton may not have been from a political dynasty, but the anointment of Hilary by the Democrats as Obama's successor (and her previous run against Obama) was an attempt to create one. Coupled with people in the US trying to urge Michelle Obama to run, and at one point, Ivanka Trump having such ambitions, it just gives the impression that the USA may have thrown off the shackles of British royal rule 250 years ago, but there's still a predilection in the culture to have a "ruling class".

Kanye doesn't know what PLANET he's standing on.

I agree that Reagan was competent and experienced. I didn't like his policy nor how he changed politics. Unlike Trump or Kanye, Reagan wasn't a loose canon.

Thank you. This comment did calm me down a bit. You are right. A lot can happen in the next coming years. I am not in the united states at the moment but I can vote. I’m just not sure how voting internationally works. Last election I tried to vote and had a man at the embassy lie to me and told me I couldn’t. I’m still a bit bitter about that.

Anyways sorry if I am replying slowly. My little one has a fever and we think it might be the flu. But I am reading all of your replies. Please keep them coming! I’m interested in what you all have to say!

We always need hope. It's not over. Democracy IS messy and it hasn't died. I see it in my own local politics - messy, frustrating but at times sensible.

One measure of hope is that ALL measures on the midterm ballost about abortion went in the pro-choice direction. Even in conservative states like Montana and Kentucky.

*ballots.

I’m constantly amazed at America’s awful politicians. There were loads of American professors at my university in the U.K., and they were great (even though I’m English, I much preferred them to the British professors). Even as a student, I used to think “why is the US elected people like Reagan and Dubya Bush when they produce brilliant people like this?!” I’m no fan of British politicians either, (actually, I’m not a fan of politicians, period!!) but I am eternally grateful that all our Prime Ministers, with a couple of exceptions, have been to Oxford. Right now, the leader, and the man in charge of our economy, both have firsts from Oxford. Thank god. And if that makes me a snob and an elitist, then fine.

I am not a Republican, but Reagan had a long history in politics before running for President. He was orginally on the Left but moved Right and was governor of California (a state as big as the UK) from 1967-1975 before running in the Republican Presidental primaries in 1968 and 1976.
He was a big Goldwater Republican in 1964 and gained nationwide attention.

He went on to win the Election in 1980 in a landslide winning 44 states and the popular vote.

Trump is extremely unusual in that his first run for political office EVER was the Presidency and he won.

Disappointed, I am in the US too. I am too busy for a full reply at the moment, but want to emphasize that if you are a U.S. citizen living ove