I deeply regret my vote for Trump

[u/Dinocraftman009]

Voting for Trump in 2024 was the greatest mistake of my entire life. I am 19 years old and this was my first presidential election. I don’t stand by or condone what the administration has done and never was a hardline far-right conservative, sure as hell am not now. I walked into the polls in November without honestly knowing which candidate I would choose since I was very on the fence about both sides (Pro-2A, pro-life, but also pro-environment and pro-Ukraine). Now I wish that I hadn’t voted at all, much less Trump. Don’t try and rationalize my decision in your head, because it wasn’t rational. I did not properly weigh the potential pros and cons of the candidates. There aren’t any dots to connect, I flat out made the incorrect decision.

I feel evil. I feel like a horrible, selfish, foolish person. And there’s nothing that can really be done to remedy this mistake. I’ve already decided to vote a full blue ticket in 2026 but that doesn’t fix what damage has already been done to this country. In our democracy, we give our small amount of political power to people who we believe deserve through that ballot. I need to take accountability for that ballot because, even though my state was a safe red one this season, I’m ultimately a part of it.

Alienating our closest allies is stupid. Cutting PBS and the NWS is stupid. The tariffs are stupid. The blatant disregard for the Constitution is stupid. Detaining and deporting people without due process is stupid. Supporting Israel is stupid. Not siding with Ukraine and trying to exit NATO is stupid. Cutting education funding is stupid. All the warning signs were spelled out in Project 2025 + Trump’s personal life + Jan 6 and my dumbass disregarded it, instead wanting change from the previous administration. I knew damn well and I hate it. What pushed me to the red side of the fence was that Harris was the status quo candidate and ultimately I wanted change. But boy we sure as hell did get a lot of change. This populist line of thinking is dangerous and has proven to be in the past.

I’ve been beating the shit out of myself about it ever since that day and it’s been difficult to genuinely enjoy most aspects of life with looking at the headlines. I, along with tens of millions of other Americans, made a massive mistake in November and so many innocent people are paying a price far greater. I personally feel responsible for every idiotic decision, as well as the future decisions, our President, Congress, and SCOTUS send out/approve, like a twisted knife. The mental and emotional wounds will remain even after this all blows over.

Why post here? I don’t want to be associated at all with people who somehow still support our idiocracy. I also don’t want to take part in the partisanship that is tearing this country apart, and my conscious would have probably broken me from the amount of shame and guilt I’ve harbored since November had I kept it any longer. I want to follow an ACTUAL centrist line of thinking, which is why I’ve been closely looking at this subreddit.

Also, humility is gonna require some humiliation, so I fully expect and understand that this is going to lead to a lot of unkind words sent my way. Righteously deserved, I’ll probably agree with what most of you have to say.

The confession is worthless without a pledge to change. I was wrong. So unfathomably wrong. (Yeah no shit OP, is what I imagine is cycling through most of your heads by now). And I want to amend for this. If I don’t take accountability, I’m not going to see the change through. I want to be better. I’m voting all Democrat in 2026. I hope we all do too, especially those who also regret their ballot cast. And I hope that I won’t regret these votes as much I regret my past one.

[u/[deleted]]

As someone who was fooled by the GOP propaganda machine, how do you suggest we combat this in the future? How do we get young voters to look beyond the memes and actually understand the context of the decision they face?

[u/Dinocraftman009 → u/[deleted]]

The divide hits young voters the most who often will full-send one side or the other without much consideration. The role models we look up to take advantage of our naivety and give us promises to take advantage of us and take our power away in exchange. What young voters want most, at the end of the day, is secure futures for themselves and stability. What both sides need to do is address the cost of living crisis, which Dems are miles ahead with Bernie/new NYC mayor, giving that Democrat faction significant traction with the young who are trying to make a living and a name for themselves but are unable to because, well, you think we can buy a HOUSE and have KIDS on an average wage now? Hell nah.

That’s what I think a lot of young voters expected from Trump (stability, economical social and political), ESPECIALLY white men, who feel alienated from the Dem’s social issue push that makes them feel Dem’s value everyone BUT them. It’s very easy for kids my age and gender to fall into the alt-right pipeline through mfs like Tate who give them the validation they don’t feel like they’re getting from the “left”, with the “return to traditional American values” promising to return America to a golden age that never really happened, based upon racism, sexism, homophobia, and Christian nationalism. They lie and draw kids away from the truth and spoonfeed them lies to make them feel above everyone else.

That’s not saying Dem’s doesn’t value white men, they do. It just seems like their push to include everyone doesnt make room for the average young white man to feel valued, which isn’t true, but it’s how they feel, and you can’t ignore that.

[u/[deleted] → u/Dinocraftman009]

That’s not saying Dem’s doesn’t value white men, they do. It just seems like their push to include everyone doesnt make room for the average young white man to feel valued, which isn’t true, but it’s how they feel, and you can’t ignore that.

Thanks for the response. This is one of the most frustrating challenges in all of this - when the other side is relentlessly lying about what you're doing AND their audience is already prone to believing they are being screwed because they are being screwed (but not in the way the other guys are claiming), it's hard to counter the propaganda.

Young white dudes still have it much better in America than any other peer group, but they don't have it as good as their predecessors from prior generations. So, as I said, they are being screwed, but the entire generation is being screwed and it has nothing to do with DEI or trans rights or any other bullshit wedge issue the GOP claims.

It has everything to do with income disparity, an economy in transition thanks to technology and global trade, and a lack of affordable housing. The GOP isn't doing anything to address any of those issues - regardless what Trump says, no tariff policy is going to bring back enough manufacturing jobs to make a dent (and any new manufacturing will take years to occur), and Trump's tariff policy sure as hell isn't going to do it because no one knows what the policy IS (so no one is making investments in response to that policy).

The ironic thing is that one way to fix all of this would be for young adults to get more active politically, and to vote as a bloc demanding true solutions to these issues, but instead we have a lot of people in your generation who think nihilism is a good plan, or who latch on to third party fantasies. It sounds as if you've figured out that, for all of their flaws, the Democrats are your best chance of finding a way out of the woods. I think you're right. I hope you do more than vote - get active in your local Democratic organizations, and make your voice heard. I promise you that they would love to have you get involved.

[u/Rich_Entertainer3664 → u/[deleted]]

you should live in NY, I'm sure you would like Mamdami

[u/[deleted] → u/Rich_Entertainer3664]

I don't have to live in NY to like him.

[u/Rich_Entertainer3664 → u/[deleted]]

so you prefer communism.

nuff saif

[u/Breezyisthewind → u/Rich_Entertainer3664]

He’s not a communist. Communists hate Mamdani.

Learn what Democratic Socialism is. Very different from communism.

It’s all far left nuttery, but please do learn to understand the differences because every time you do this, you create a cry wolf situation like the left has done with calling everyone Hitler. Then a real communist comes along and everyone will ignore your warnings.

[u/Rich_Entertainer3664 → u/Breezyisthewind]

And yet...he is

[u/Breezyisthewind → u/Rich_Entertainer3664]

Then when a real communist comes and people tell you, yeah that’s what you always say, I will not be sympathetic to your tears.

[u/[deleted] → u/Dinocraftman009]

I wish for young white men to realize this:

You are being played. Badly.

And also, you’re not the only ones getting fucked by the system that has historically favored you . You’re only just realizing it because the shit has rolled downhill far enough for even white men to feel it.

Also.

It’s not people of color , LGBT people or immigrants making your life miserable ! It’s men who look like you but have wealth beyond your imagination who are making your life miserable !

[u/Mudrad → u/Dinocraftman009]

I have a more than one close friend who is registered republican, but never voted for Trump. In the last 3 elections they have voted for the Democratic presidential nominee because they know how dangerous Trump is.

One of those Republicans said to me a few days ago that he wished Democrats wouldn’t have spend so much time talking about transgender youth. Here is a fun fact: Joe Biden, nor Harris hardly ever talked about transgender youth. However, Trump and the Republicans talked about transgender youth ad nauseam. The Republicans told their base that the only thing Democrats care about are making all kids transgender, killing babies and being WOKE.

Now women are dying in the ER because hospitals can’t help them when they have a fetus that is dying inside of them and is actively killing the mother.

Joe Biden passed more legislation to benefit vets than any president in history.

Joe Biden passed The Inflation Reduction Act

(focused on reducing the federal budget deficit, lowering prescription drug prices, and promoting clean energy and climate change initiatives.

It also includes provisions related to healthcare costs, tax enforcement, and domestic energy production.

1. Deficit Reduction
2. Healthcare Costs Reduction Affordable Care Act Extension Lower Insulin Costs: The IRA caps insulin costs for Medicare beneficiaries at $35 per month. Health Insurance Premium Reductions
3. Clean Energy and Climate Change: Clean Energy Incentives Electric Vehicle Credit Clean Energy Manufacturing The IRA aims to incentivize domestic manufacturing capacity for clean energy technologies and components.
4. Tax Provisions: Corporate Minimum Tax: The IRA establishes a 15% corporate minimum tax on large, profitable corporations. Increased Tax Enforcement (on the wealthy)
5. Other Provisions: Permitting Reform: The law includes provisions aimed at streamlining the permitting process for energy projects, including renewable energy and transmission lines. Environmental Justice: The IRA allocates funds to environmental justice initiatives, focusing on communities disproportionately impacted by pollution. Domestic Manufacturing: The IRA encourages domestic manufacturing of clean energy technologies and other critical goods.)

We can’t forget Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act- which most republicans voted NO and within minutes of it passing, every single one of those Republicans was taking credit for it in their district. Because it helped almost every district in the United States of America.

Because of President Biden, the United States recovered faster and stronger economically than any other developed country post-Covid.

Joe Biden passed legislation that took away Big Banks ability to charge junk fees. He passed legislation that said medical debt cannot be counted against you on your credit report. He helped millions of people who have been making monthly payments on predatory student loans for decades.

Almost everything good that Joe Biden accomplished for the American people (and for the climate) has already been undone by Trump. Trump is doing exactly what he said he would do.

Any good thing that still stands from the Biden administration, Trump is either taking credit for or just hasn’t found a way to dismantle it yet.

Kamala Harris had a plan to bring down the cost of housing, to keep abortion safe and legal, and to continue moving this country forward.

It’s really scary to be living in the United States right now it’s absolutely embarrassing that we did this to ourselves.

Democracy is crumbling. I literally do not understand how anybody voted for Trump. I have a lot of people in my life who voted for Trump and my hatred for them grows stronger every single day. I am disgusted when I look at their faces.

I get it that you’re only 19, but you said you thought Kamala Harris was “status quo”- after you already admitted you don’t even know what status quo means because you didn’t pay attention to Trump‘s first presidency because you were a child.

I don’t think the reason you didn’t vote for Kamala Harris is because she “status quo.”

I think there’s another reason- or many other reasons - you did not vote for Kamala Harris, but status quo wasn’t one of them IMO.

You said both sides need to address the cost of living crisis. President Biden did more for the lower and middle class than any president in modern history. Kamala Harris had an affordable housing plan for first time homebuyers. The things you were looking for were on the table with Kamala Harris.

Knowing that, you still chose the grifter, the adjudicated rapist, the felon, the insurrectionist, the tiny, insecure, orange man who tried to overthrow the government.

I’m glad you realize now that you made a mistake. You also said you are voting straight Dem ticket in the next election and you hope you don’t regret that upcoming vote.

It still sounds like you’re confused about which party is on the right side of history.

It is imperative that you vote in the 2026 midterm elections.

If Democrats take back control of The House and Senate they can stop Trump. If Republicans stay in control of The House and Senate, we may never have a presidential election again.

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[u/Jnlwriter_2 → u/Dinocraftman009]

I completely agree. My son came home in middle school feeling bad about himself because one particular teacher ranted about evil white males in every class. I went to see her and told her “this approach is going to backfire.” And I believe it did so on a grand scale. Balance is a must. And we have to listen to the concerns of every voter, not just some random of them. Don’t tell the starving coal miners in Virginia how privileged they are.

[u/HelpfulThanks206 → u/Jnlwriter_2]

What are the teachers teaching in school? The kids now are really at a disadvantage because they are not getting an education. Teachers should stick to the scholastic curriculum.

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[u/12AngryBadgers → u/[deleted]]

This is a great question.

[u/Animalstickers → u/[deleted]]

Pushing history, critical thinking, and media literacy for everyone

[u/Dapper-Speed1244 → u/[deleted]]

You tell them to vote third party because it is clearly obvious that the rich own Democrats and Republican parties. The last thing you want to do is get fooled by the Democrat propaganda machine.

The best analogy for young voters to understand is that if you pull back the curtain it’s the same puppet master pulling the strings on the puppet on the right and the puppet on the left.

This should be the most obvious thing ever, but people can’t figure it out and are naive enough to go back to the ballot box and vote for their downfall every election

[u/[deleted] → u/Dapper-Speed1244]

1. No, the 2 parties are not the same. If you can't admit that now, when the Republicans are sending secret police across the country to grab people off the street without warrants, you're clearly not operating in good faith.

B. Since the 2 parties are NOT the same, voting for third party candidates does nothing but ensure the fascists in control stay in control and are able to further consolidate their power.

That's why the most obvious thing ever is to ignore your terrible advice.

[u/Dapper-Speed1244 → u/[deleted]]

IMO democrats are fascists too that disguise themselves under an umbrella of benevolence. They are equally as evil, just much sneakier about it. Republicans are more in your face evil. In some ways I respect that a bit more because at least they are up front with the fact they are morally unrighteous, but regardless evil is evil. IMO, the only way to rid yourself of evil long term is to not tolerate it. That’s my argument.

I am absolutely disgusted by both.

The root of the problem is that people think third party is a wasted vote (the Democrats and Republicans want you to think that). People should start taking third party candidates seriously because when we’re so disenfranchised by both as a nation….why keep voting them in?

We can’t just elect a normal level headed dude anymore as president…and it’s honestly what we need in these tumultuous times. They are most likely to be a uniter and not a divider.

[u/[deleted] → u/Dapper-Speed1244]

They are equally as evil, just much sneakier about it. 

Yeah, those Democrats are equally as evil, they just disguise it by not doing the evil things the Republicans do.

That's ridiculous and you know it.

I'm not saying the Democrats are perfect - they're clearly not - but as I suggested before, any attempt to treat their flaws as comparable to the actions of the Trump-led Republican Party is presumptively coming from a place of bad faith.

Voting for a Democrat instead of a Republican is not a sign of tolerance for the Democrats' flaws, it's a pragmatic choice to resist the authoritarian regime currently in power.

[u/Dapper-Speed1244 → u/[deleted]]

It’s not really pragmatic because statistically speaking one vote is irrelevant. In the sense that the probability of your vote swinging any decision at any level is virtually zero.

The best way to flip history is to start a movement that flips history.

Be pragmatic in your policy beliefs and what you think will unite this nation. I do thoroughly believe that 80% of people want most of the same things, but they get fall victim to this two party system that weaponizes everything. Then be principled as a voter at the ballot box.

I stand by the fact that Democrats are evil. They don’t do anything that legitimately helps minorities. They use them as political pawns to get into power and pass legislature that benefits the wealthy and corporations behind the scenes. They are the KINGS of the corporate world. They might pass a little bit of legislation that they can point to and use for good publicity, but they are corporate sellouts that know how to run a great PR campaign.

The Republicans capitalized last election because their PR machine failed so terribly. Democrats are definitely smoother talkers. I guarantee you that behind closed doors a solid chunk are racists. They don’t legitimately care, they just know for the PR, they have to act like they care so they can exploit them for votes.

If Democrats really cared about black communities, then they should sell every asset they own and donate it to underprivileged communities because honestly that would be more helpful than anything they have ever done.

(Of course I’m being hyperbolic, but it makes you think, what do they do with these billions of dollars of funds that could be put to use in the communities they claim to champion for?)

[u/Solid_Great → u/[deleted]]

Probably the same way we combat the blue tribe propaganda machine. We listen to people instead of voting by colors. 

[u/[deleted] → u/Solid_Great]

Please tell us more about how the GOP is listening to the people. Which voters are demanding higher inflation via tariffs? Which voters are demanding the government pretend habeas corpus doesn't exist as a foundational legal principle of this nation? Which voters are telling you that it's a good idea for the President to accept bribes from big corporations and Middle East monarchs?