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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forumsan email I just sent to a MAGA cousin of mine.
Nothing has happened to her yet, but she's panicking and asking for help. She's perpetually underemployed, has a history of making very poor decisions about her own finances, and has some health issues.
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Dear Cousin,
I got your text earlier today asking us to put some money away in case you need it for your medical expenses. Youre concerned that Medicaid is about to be slashed and you might lose your coverage.
Im responding by email because I want to say more than just no.
You voted for Trump. You voted for every Republican on the ballot in your state. You brought this on yourself, and I'm not inclined to intervene.
Most likely, you knew they said they'd do this, but didnt think they meant it. This means you lied yourself into making the biggest mistake any citizen of this country could have made in the modern era. They told you what they would do, but you voted for them anyway.
That, or you didnt know they wanted to do this. Trump kept telling people Medicaid would be safe. In that case, you didnt do enough research before casting a ballot. Thats even worse; it means youre moving through life willingly ignorant of things that matter to you and expecting everyone else to clean up the mess youve helped create. That Trump cannot be trusted to tell the truth is now an objective fact and not a mere opinion, and pretty much every other Republican in Congress expressed a bloodthirst to kill the whole program. That includes the ones who are pretending they oppose it, now that it's in that abomination of a bill and they can read the polls.
I suppose there's a third possibility - that you knew this would happen, but assumed the rest of us would cover your losses because your desire to abduct immigrants, do whatever Netanyahu tells us, and raise tariffs that other countries - and not US consumers - would obviously pay outweighed any actual consequences you would personally face, and that because we're all a bunch of do-gooder libtards, we would be too soft-hearted to say "no." I always tell my grad students to check their assumptions BEFORE doing something that can't be reversed.
Sorry, but I cant help you this time. Im a lot closer to 60 than I care to think. I also have a young daughter, and my wife though in good health has encountered some medical problems. As have I. I have to put my immediate family first as a parent and spouse does, especially as costs rise while our salaries do not.
And even if I could, I wouldn't. Yeah, Im one of those progressives who thinks we should help one another. But you know what? Im also a realist and a pragmatist. I dont have the resources to support you, given where I think the economy is going and what the White House is doing to the federal scientific organizations on which Ive relied for my work. Were saving for our daughters future and our own retirement, along with the unexpected expenses that arise from time to time. There is no hypocrisy in wanting to help people and expecting others to face the consequences of their actions.
You voted for the people who did this. This is what you wanted. I will not take away that which you asked for.
Sorry.
Oh - and did you ever get your kid immunized? Might be a smart thing to do; a vaccine is a whole lot cheaper than being treated for a serious illness, not to mention the work days you'll miss caring for your convalescing kid.

Dan
(4,776 posts)With the exception of older brother and he has money to burn.
sheshe2
(92,650 posts)druidity33
(6,759 posts)
Skittles
(165,501 posts)she didn't just "bring it on herself"
people like her are responsible for the misery of SOOOOOO MANY PEOPLE
soldierant
(8,676 posts)it requires minimal empathy to grasp it. I doubt she has even a dmidgen.
Ilsa
(62,984 posts)overseas when USAID was halted.
there are SOOO many
AllaN01Bear
(25,970 posts)DeeDeeNY
(3,743 posts)Voting to put Republicans in charge in both houses of congress after voting for Trump was inexcusable.
ancianita
(40,792 posts)free will choice one must accept the consequences because justice for others demands it. It's called learning the hard way.
erronis
(20,396 posts)Need to stop the breeding of these types.
In reality, the few RW people I know it's easy. I just stop responding or caring. Less stress on me and they only get pleasure from confrontation.
GladysKravitz
(20 posts)Poor decisions run in the family, eh?
FoxNewsSucks
(11,167 posts)Why would you call it a "poor decision"?
GladysKravitz
(20 posts)War it is.
Skittles
(165,501 posts)GladysKravitz
(20 posts)Skittles
(165,501 posts)they would NEVER vote for a fascist fuck like Donald Fucking Trump
GladysKravitz
(20 posts)Skittles
(165,501 posts)dime a dozen
GladysKravitz
(20 posts)You came in all shitty.
dpibel
(3,606 posts)That's not coming "in all shitty"?
Welcome to DU. I bet you'll have a great time here!
not fooled
(6,346 posts)I'm not trying to speak for Skittles but their point seems to me to be that these people have shown themselves to be incorrigible idiots, willfully voting to wreck the nation despite innumerable warnings, statements by the fascists, history, etc.
slightlv
(5,934 posts)Democrats. I have an idea brother may vote R for some, but he's an Independent. Most of the time hw doesn't vote... at all. I told him once he should register as "Apathetic"... he had no idea what I meant.
Sis and I keep away from him with politics most of the time. When we do talk, she and I come unglued on him... he knows our opinions.
As it is we don't do family affairs especially not since losing mom in Jan. Sis and I are too worried and upset by life here and now and just trying to carry on. Bro just retired a few months ago and has a learning curve hes yet to travel.
But for others out there with maga family members, I don't begrudge them leaving no path to reconciliation. My opinion is there can be no reconciliation... we are too far past that fork in the road. I keep my bro at arms length so if we have to work together we can. Otherwise I have nothing to do with him. I secretly think he voted for Trump. I just don't want to confirm it. I've cut out former friends for it, and I know how I'd feel if I knew for sure. I'd rather just keep distance because I could never forgive him for contributing to this loss of everything, especially since his dad and I both served in the military to safeguard what we had... and he wouldn't even consider following in our footsteps. Dissed the military life. Yeah, for most of us, I think, the time for talk and reconciling is long gone. Now... I want the miscreants and bigots to pay and pay dearly. Someday, I hope to "pwn" a maga. I'm not a bad person I've just had enough of the crime cruelty and stupidity.
FoxNewsSucks
(11,167 posts)What rock have you been hiding under? They don't want "reconciliation". They want OUR DESTRUCTION.
Wake up!!!
GladysKravitz
(20 posts)still-prayin4rain
(306 posts)So, yeah, at least mine openly claims to want my destruction. You see the violence being inflicted on innocent people and cheered by them, right?
Abolishinist
(2,622 posts)Do you have a common mother/father? If so, what do they have to say about this?
Pacifist Patriot
(25,022 posts)I have had Trump cult family flat out tell me I should be in a re-education camp or dead because I am a deluded libtard contributing to the downfall of America.
I wouldn't have bothered with the whole reply myself, but only because I wouldn't waste my time. But no chance in hell I will ever reconcile, I don't care how much DNA we share. FAFO
Response to GladysKravitz (Reply #9)
GladysKravitz This message was self-deleted by its author.
DET
(2,082 posts)It does no good to coddle these people. And it does no good to try to reason with them. The only way they seem to learn is by feeling the pain that their votes are inflicting on the rest of us.
Figarosmom
(6,531 posts)Instead of just getting angry that it's a no.
It's kinder than I would have been I think.
LilElf70
(953 posts)Was worth the wait.
Aussie105
(7,078 posts)Any request for money from relatives who I feel don't deserve it, gets met with stony silence.
Sometimes silence sends a strong message . . .
But it is a bit harsh.
Let's be honest, everyone assumed that:
1. The government exists for the people it is meant to serve.
2. Any benefits you have currently from government activity is sacrosanct, carved in stone, guaranteed forever.
3. There are 'people' out there freeloading off the government, and any crackdown is a 'good thing'.
(And of course you aren't one of them, right?)
Trump and his cabal of Pure Evil has turned all those things on its head, and it is FO part of the FAFO process.
I applaud people smart enough to realize this was going to happen under Trump before it happened, and i feel sorry for those who didn't and are now in shock because it is happening
FoxNewsSucks
(11,167 posts)Exactly what a maga dumbass needs to be told!
Aussie105
(7,078 posts)'Working it out for yourself' tends to stick much better.
Hopefully devoted MAGAts will work out the current situation for themselves and avoid the same thing next time they vote.
Meadowoak
(6,515 posts)Skittles
(165,501 posts)let them see the consequences of their actions
FoxNewsSucks
(11,167 posts)Well, when it comes to MAGAts, you can hope in one hand and shit in the other hand. See which fills up first.
Jesus..............
Skittles
(165,501 posts)but are boo hooing now because it affects THEM
UGH
not fooled
(6,346 posts)Maybe in 2016, but by now they've had ample evidence that red don and his cabal were out to do what they're doing now. These people CHOSE to ignore the overwhelming historical record and documented plans if red don got back in the WH, let alone with both houses of Congress.
purple_haze
(259 posts)ImNotGod
(807 posts)can still pick and choose who I associate with.
FoxNewsSucks
(11,167 posts)Fuck them and their hypocrisy.
Meadowoak
(6,515 posts)For me. I lost two family members over it. And I'm fine with it. Both of them would be also calling me for help down the road, when things get bad. I've deleted them from Facebook and changed my phone number.
Joinfortmill
(18,370 posts)Think Nazi Germany. We're in fascist land.
Emile
(35,522 posts)FuzzyRabbit
(2,166 posts)that to start fixing things, next election don't vote for people who are destroying things, vote for people who will fix things -- vote for democrats.
usonian
(18,679 posts)They all thought he was joking! He's the joker, allright.

Dem4life1970
(924 posts)It's like Trumpers are similar to fentanyl addicts. They want us to support their habit when they know it's bad for them and bad for everyone else. Well, we're not. We're done. Bail yourself out. I hate to be cold but sometimes you have to go cold turkey with certain people.
Abolishinist
(2,622 posts)just so I could send this to them! Fortunately I don't... they're all sane.
Grumpy Old Woman
(29 posts)Imagine if the shoe was on the other foot - suppose you asked your rich uncle for help but he wouldn't help you because you are a Democrat?
I had the experience recently of having someone stop talking to me after they found out I took part in a "No Kings" protest -It is confusing to mw because i'm still the same person I've always been and share a lot of other interests with this person. Their loss, I guess.
You are hating on this person simply because you think she voted for the wrong person. That's silly, but it is also sad, because this kind of behavior is what is tearing our country apart.
Doodley
(11,148 posts)GoneOffShore
(17,825 posts)Skittles
(165,501 posts)what is MEAN is voting for a POS who does REAL DAMAGE to SO MANY PEOPLE
these people were FINE with him hurting THOSE PEOPLE but they're up in arms when the harm comes to THEM
AND THEY disgraced America and tore it apart, NOT US
Joinfortmill
(18,370 posts)This is not about voting for a Democrat vs, a Republican. This is about voting for a fascist, an anti-democratic demigod, who told us what he was going to do. This is very much like Hitler, who built the concentration camps and began rounding up everyone he considered non Aryan. Trump is just persecuting another type of 'other'.
BurnDoubt
(725 posts)"It's all about Choices!"
They can Suck On That!
Doodley
(11,148 posts)Skittles
(165,501 posts)they DISGRACED America
Joinfortmill
(18,370 posts)Paladin
(30,875 posts)trump's goons have declared war on us---they deserve the same in return.
mdbl
(6,789 posts)I have cut ties to any magats in my family without statement to them. Of course, no one has asked me for anything but I'll use your response as an example if they do.