Like many, I had high hopes for this year’s presidential election.
When Kamala Harris stepped into the race as the Democratic candidate, I felt a sense of renewed joy, hope and optimism for America.
Led by our first female president, I envisioned a nation turning the page on darkness and division and embracing an era of civility, unity and progress. A future so bright, it could only move in one direction: Forward.
But as election results came in, our nation’s fate became clear – America would be going back.
It’s difficult to express the weight of our new reality – the grief is profound. Alongside others, I’m heartbroken over the potential of what could have been.
History tells us that America is an idea – a radical concept built on the belief that a country could be governed for, and by, the people.
Yet on November 5th, the majority of Americans re-elected a man whose vision for America undermines this very principle – an individual who openly aspires to authoritarian power, who has vowed to shake democracy’s pillars and be a dictator on day one.
The devastating consequences of another Trump presidency will be felt deeply, not just in this country, but worldwide.
Mass deportations. Grave threats to reproductive freedoms. Gutting Social Security and Medicare. Setting back global climate action. Banning diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
These are just a few of the atrocities on Trump’s agenda.
With plans for a radical expansion of executive power and implementation of Project 2025, the ambitions of Trump and his cronies will fundamentally alter the federal government system.
Since 2016, I’ve maintained that the words, behavior and actions of Trump are not normal and should not be normalized.
By failing to hold him accountable, we’ve allowed his conduct to be emboldened further, setting dangerous precedents for our country.
In my essay, The Reckoning: An Election Day Retrospective, I share how Trump has singlehandedly transformed the moral fabric of our nation like no other figure in U.S. history.
Already, there’s an uptick in bullying and harassment.
Black Americans have received racist text messages referencing slavery and picking cotton, while women have reported increased misogyny after far-right political pundit Nick Fuentes made a social media post proclaiming “your body, my choice” (a perverse twist on the abortion rights mantra, “my body, my choice.”)
These abhorrent actions are a direct result of normalizing Trump, giving permission for others to act the same way. We would not tolerate this type of abuse from a colleague or neighbor, and it is unacceptable coming from a President.
Restoring values like honesty, decency and respect will be a monumental challenge when the next leader of our nation doesn’t subscribe to them.
As Trump prepares to return to the highest office – the first convicted felon ever to do so – it will be difficult to escape his pervasive presence and toxic rhetoric.
His first presidency was marked by constant media coverage of his unorthodox behavior. This time, he’s promised to get revenge on all his opponents, likely sustaining a climate of hostility throughout his entire term.
With Trump’s retribution-driven agenda, our country stands at the edge of something deeply unsettling – a shift that threatens not only our already battered democracy, but the very essence of who we are as Americans and as human beings.
In the wake of the election results, there’s been a lot of finger pointing and people looking to place blame. Scrolling through social media, I see widespread criticism of the Democratic Party, sweeping generalizations of what went wrong and strong opinions on the “correct” way to engage in activism.
This is not productive. Right now, we need unity, not more division.
The harsh reality is this: 75 million people willingly reinstated a man who attempted to overthrow a democratic election, leading to the deadly Capitol insurrection; who has been impeached twice, found liable for sexual abuse, guilty of fraud and faces over 85 felony counts.
It’s clear that Trump’s influence defies logic.
More than a political rift, Trumpism has become an unrelenting force enabled by powerful systems. In retrospect, I believe no amount of grassroots organizing, phone banking or door-knocking could change what now seems inevitable – not even a different Democratic opponent.
One of the most dangerous elements fueling this movement is the proliferation of right-wing disinformation, which has steadily eroded public trust in traditional news outlets (a.k.a. mainstream media).
Networks like Fox News, Newsmax and OAN, as well as Elon Musk’s X platform, and prominent voices like Joe Rogan and right-wing influencers have done irreparable damage by spreading false information and conspiracy theories that have not only sustained Trump’s support, but increased bigotry and intolerance across our society.
In a last ditch effort before the election, I tried to reason with my 86-year old aunt, a self-proclaimed “Trump gal” who watches Fox News incessantly and whose adult children both lean liberal.
Even after I explained disinformation and shared articles from reliable, unbiased news organizations like AP News, Reuters and NPR, she insisted that her sources, not mine, were the real truth.
“Rachel, I feel you get the wrong news,” she insisted. “I could write a book about my feelings for President Trump, but it would not change your mind. I really do love President Trump.”
This is not an anomaly. I know many liberal white women who have been doing the work over the years, attempting difficult conversations to persuade diehard Trump supporters to no avail.
Fact-based evidence is no match for right-wing indoctrination – it is impenetrable.
In the weeks leading up to the election, many volunteers, myself included, spent hours trying to persuade US voters to choose Harris not Trump. The challenge in shifting perspectives proved not in the lack of sound reasoning, but in the insidious, systemic influence of right-wing media, which rendered rational arguments meaningless to many.
Today’s media landscape rewards sensationalism, a strategy designed to capture attention, drive ad revenue and ultimately increase profits – often at the expense of truth and accountability.
Last year, Fox News, which is technically an entertainment company, was forced to pay a $787 million lawsuit settlement for its role in spreading disinformation about the 2020 election. Yet it has remained the most-watched news channel for over 20 consecutive years.
Right-wing pundits across multiple networks draw in audiences by tapping into emotions and creating false narratives that stoke fear and anger. Trump then capitalizes on these feelings, declaring that only he can solve their problems and offer a way out. Details of how he’ll do this don’t matter – just the illusion of security.
For our democracy to remain intact, we must return to a shared reality grounded in truth. The right-wing propaganda machine is relentless and it’s clear disinformation defined the 2024 election. We are witnessing the consequences in real time.
Adding fuel to the fire is Trump’s personal brand, which feeds off the chaos, amplifying the very environment he thrives in.
In our consumer culture, everything from products to politicians can be marketed, packaged and sold. As a creative director working in advertising and branding, emotion is key to subconscious persuasion.
We tend to think we’re immune to branding’s influence, but our lives, especially as Americans, are built around brands that guide our choices and worldviews – often without us realizing it. In fact, branding has long been used to shape belief systems.
In my essay, Canceling the Confederacy, I offer an analysis of how the Confederacy became one of the most powerful brands in U.S. history. Leveraging symbols, ideology and storytelling, the Confederacy brand convinced people of a distorted reality. To this day, people still believe in the Lost Cause false narrative, which remains in some present-day textbooks.
When branding infiltrates our belief system to the degree that we can’t discern fact from fiction, we lose the capacity to think critically, making us vulnerable to indoctrination.
Before the election, former NBC marketing executive John D. Miller revealed how Trump was a TV fantasy invented for the reality show, The Apprentice. Miller and his team crafted the myth of Trump as a self-made billionaire and savvy business mogul despite his numerous bankruptcies and failed ventures in real life.
Describing it as a form of “fake news,” the misleading image of Trump was promoted to nearly every household in the country for years.
“I never imagined that the picture we painted of Trump as a successful businessman would help catapult him to the White House,” Miller stated.
From the “Make America Great Again” slogan to rallies that blur the lines between entertainment and politics, Trump’s brand projects power, entitlement and supposed prosperity.
By supporting him, his followers are led to believe they are claiming a piece of that power for themselves. In reality, Trump manipulates their desire for belonging to advance his own personal agenda.
Trump’s rise from a failed businessman to U.S. President shows just how potent – and perilous – branding can be. When logic is out the window, emotion becomes the weapon of choice. The MAGA movement proves this time and again.
Beyond emotion, the endurance of Trumpism depends on something equally influential: our collective apathy.
Apathy has always served as fertile ground for authoritarianism to take root, creating a divide between those who believe change is possible and those who have lost hope in it.
The forces behind Trumpism – from the aggrieved young white men to the evangelical Christians to the tech billionaires funding his agenda – prosper most when people feel powerless or convinced that nothing they do will matter.
Be assured that when Trump assumes office, he will not be advocating on behalf of women, persons of color, the LGBTQIA+ community, individuals with disabilities or other marginalized groups. To coalitions like White Dudes for Harris and to men in general, know that your allyship and support is needed now more than ever.
So where do we go from here?
No doubt, the road ahead is daunting. The power of these entrenched systems is vast and not something any one person can dismantle alone. Believe me, I’ve tried.
Since 2016, I’ve dedicated much of my time to fighting Trumpism and advocating for basic human rights, particularly for women and minorities. I’ve written essays on the dangers of white supremacy, the GOP’s role in the January 6th insurrection, the ethics of local politicians during election season, the critical importance of getting out the vote and the potential of a future that’s equal.
I’ve volunteered, organized and participated in women’s marches and contributed to efforts that promote the equal rights amendment. I’ve worked to raise awareness of how politics shapes our everyday lives and had countless conversations about the importance of taking action – any action – in pursuit of a better world.
Along the way, I’ve mourned the loss of friends and extended family members misguided by Trumpism, as well as those who’ve become indifferent to politics. It’s only a matter of time before they realize the consequences of their choices – by then, it may well be too late.
During her campaign, Kamala Harris often reminded us, “There is more that unites us than divides us.”
I’ve always believed that America’s unique strength lies in the diversity of its people and our shared ideals of freedom, opportunity and justice for all.
While I know progress is a long road, I can’t help but fear a second Trump presidency will set this country back in profound ways and reshape our democracy into something unrecognizable.
Indeed, America is an idea – a remarkable experiment in self-governance, entrusted to all of us to uphold. In this moment of crisis, we must ask ourselves: What does America mean, and what do we want it to become?
The journey forward will look different for each of us. Some will be joining the cause for the first time. Some will continue the fight because they have no other choice. Some may step back to regroup and some may need significant time to heal.
No matter your path, I encourage you to take it with intention – not apathy.
America deserves so much better than what’s to come. In this dark time, let us be ambassadors of light – leading with kindness and compassion, free of judgment. A challenging, uncertain future awaits. It may take years, even decades, to get our country back on track. I’m learning to accept that it might not happen in my lifetime.
As we navigate our new reality, remember that joy can be a powerful act of resistance against forces seeking to divide us.
The America we dream of isn’t just a vision. It lives in our hearts and minds and becomes real through the actions we take – no matter how big or small. Every day, we have the chance to embody the America we know is possible. The America we know can, and should, exist.
On January 20, 2025, the United States and our nearly 250-year-old democracy will begin its most consequential test. May we persevere.
Forward.
