So this past Tuesday I worked as an election worker in Seminole county in a precinct with a mix of suburban and rural constituents. It was a good experience helping people express their desire for the direction of our shared government. The vast majority of people were happy to vote with the remainder just going through the motions to fulfill their civic duty. There were many first time voters which is amazing.

But that is where the happiness falls away for the results from the county, the state, and the country brought forth a dread that I am consumed by at the moment. I felt the same after the results eight years ago but with almost a decade of inquiries, investigations, and various scandals the people still chose Donald Trump and many of the representatives that support him which elevates that feeling to a higher degree. Back then people were contrarians or just picking the man with an "R" next to his name. Today, they know precisely who that man is and what he stands for (or what better yet what he states he stands for). The dread I feel is for the majority of my fellow Americans that believe that this man is qualified and good enough to lead the country. I was under the misguided impression that the average American was intelligent and logical and held a modicum of integrity such that Trump  wouldn't be close to winning. My faith in the people of the US is absolutely gone!

Now he will control the executive while his appointees control the Supreme Court, and his sycophants will control the Senate and maybe the House. There will be no real checks and balances. He will impose edicts that will not be hampered as he will only have “yes” men in his staff. He’s going to appoint oligarchs and influencers who have sucked up to him into positions where they can wreak havoc on established institutions.

Much like Idiocracy shouldn't be a documentary neither should "The Handmaid's Tale" be an instruction manual. Free press will be attacked. Freedom of religion or lack of religion will be hampered. Bodily autonomy has already been curtailed.

I can now understand why there are hermits or curmudgeons who shun most people because they don't like the way society is shaping. Well, the way I see things now is that we are moving towards totalitarianism whether it will be in the form of fascism or Christian nationalism or some sort of mix. I will be personally fine as I am a well-off straight middle-aged white guy. In fact, I will probably do better, in the short-term, than most as much of my wealth is in investments that will probably take advantage of the benefits that Trump and his lackeys will foist onto our economy. But the existential changes that will be made in the next four years will cause harm to our society for generations.

I don't know what I'm going to do but I really don't want to be in this society anymore. I really don't want to associate with people that feel like Donald Trump should represent us and lead our country. I also don't want to associate with those that couldn't bother to vote.

Frankly, it's going to be very difficult for me to unplug from caring but if I don't  I'm not certain how I'm going to cope with the reality that surrounds me. I am very distraught.