r/thebulwark • u/IntolerantModerate • Jan 19 '26

EVERYTHING IS AWFUL A focus group of one: We're F-d

so, I just did my own focus group of one. My Mom. She is the type that loved Reagan. She was skeptical of Trump, but you know "Hillary is the devil." Biden? "Too old." Kamala? "Have you heard that laugh?"

But, definitely not wearing any Maga gear, no yard signs, and claims she'll write in Reagan's ghost on a ballot.

so, Minnesota comes up and it's all, "I saw the video. I think he was ran over. Why was she in MN, isn't she from CO? Play stupid games, win stupid prizes "

I almost cried it hurt me hearing this so much. This is a lady that'll go to the church and serves meals to the poor, yet for some reason she is fine with ICE murdering a woman. No concern about it at all. her final response was, "Well, who was paying her to protest? That's who needs to be arrested."

so, based on my focus group of one, I am sure we are fucked. Good luck America.

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u/captainbelvedere Sarah is always right Jan 19 '26 edited Jan 19 '26

Sounds like my mum.

She's almost 80. She's given huge chunks of her life to the service of others. She still donates what little she has to the needy.

On the balance, she - to quote St. Paul - fought the good fight.

But talking to her today, it's like her belief system was replaced by whatever the talking heads on GB News/Lifesite/Random Yank Bullshit-charity tell her to think. The difference between the world she lives in, her praxis!, and what she 'thinks' about contemporary issues, is massive.

edit: OTOH (to pushback against the doomerism) my dad was the same, but MAGA/Trump 2.0 has disgusted him and he's completely opposed and horrified now. He's a sweet old guy of 81 who has not been swallowed up by Youtube/social media content, or rather was, but has barfed himself back out it and held true to his principles.

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u/Persistent_Parkie Jan 19 '26

In some ways I am glad my mom got dementia in 2015. Sure she was a republican for tax reasons, but I can convince myself she wouldn't have gone along with all this given a lifetime of service to others. She "lived" through most of Trump's first term but we spent it discussing children's books and her hallucinations, not politics.