Honestly don’t know what to say to my Trumper parents; brother likely losing job

[Anonymous]

Tell them to call their representatives. Because republican congress members should be doing something to stop the madness and they aren’t.

Trump said he would do this, and he is doing this. They voted for him, so now if they have republican congress representatives they need to call them and express their anger. They own part of the responsibility for putting him in power, they need to own part of the responsibility of stopping the madness.

[Anonymous]

I would say something. And tell them to call their congressmen.

[Anonymous]

You say, "This is YOUR fault because you voted for Trump." That's what you say. Don't scream. But say that, over and over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tell them to call their representatives. Because republican congress members should be doing something to stop the madness and they aren’t.

Trump said he would do this, and he is doing this. They voted for him, so now if they have republican congress representatives they need to call them and express their anger. They own part of the responsibility for putting him in power, they need to own part of the responsibility of stopping the madness.

Correct.
Only the Republicans can stop this. Get on it

[Anonymous]

“But I didn’t think the leopards would eat MY face,” wail the people who voted for the Leopard Face Eating Party.

Zero sympathy for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would say something. And tell them to call their congressmen.

Yes, this. They don’t even have to fully own the problem to actively help with the solution. Republicans in Congress need to hear from their constituents that at least some of the things that are happening now are not what they want. This should be conveyed incessantly, especially to Representatives with shorter terms, but to Senators as well. The Representatives need to have reasons to worry about their chances of being re-elected. Your parents can be 2 of those reasons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tell them to call their representatives. Because republican congress members should be doing something to stop the madness and they aren’t.

Trump said he would do this, and he is doing this. They voted for him, so now if they have republican congress representatives they need to call them and express their anger. They own part of the responsibility for putting him in power, they need to own part of the responsibility of stopping the madness.

+1 WHat is happening is bad. But what is happening is happening because Republicans control all three branches of government and aren't putting the normal checks and balances on Trump. Tell your parents to call their congressperson and complain. If enough people do that, maybe Republicans might lift a finger to do something to help the tens of thousands of fired federal workers.

[Anonymous]

Great suggestions here. My guess is your dad is looking for some sort of absolution from you for what he has done to your brother, something to soothe his guilt so he can go back to enjoying Trump’s antics with a clean conscience.

While I commend the fact that he has guilt, don’t give him that absolution. Ask what he is going to do to earn your brother’s forgiveness, what he is going to do to help make it right. And until he does it, you’re not interested in hearing about how “worried” he is because it’s not doing anything for anyone least of all your brother.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Daddy, you chose the wrong person. These people don't care about Billy or you or us. He will lose his job. And that's who you voted for. Bye now.

+1. And I’d add that essential government services like disaster response, food safety inspection, and tracking/prosecuting international criminal syndicates will also suffer. I have many long standing R friends in fed service who are so depressed about the destruction of services for the American people.

[Anonymous]

"It's a little late to worry about it now, Dad. Start making phone calls and maybe you can save someone else's job."

[Anonymous]

Why can’t you tell your father directly that he knowingly voted for a candidate who said he would do what he is now doing? It’s not a surprise. And tell your father you don’t have emotional bandwidth to make HIM feel better about it because you need that bandwidth to emotionally support your brother.

In future conversations you can use a shorthand: “this is what you voted for” and then get off the phone immediately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Great suggestions here. My guess is your dad is looking for some sort of absolution from you for what he has done to your brother, something to soothe his guilt so he can go back to enjoying Trump’s antics with a clean conscience.

While I commend the fact that he has guilt, don’t give him that absolution. Ask what he is going to do to earn your brother’s forgiveness, what he is going to do to help make it right. And until he does it, you’re not interested in hearing about how “worried” he is because it’s not doing anything for anyone least of all your brother.

Good insight about the father wanting absolution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My dad is going on and on about how worried he is; my brother is a fed and will likely be fired soon. Mom and Dad call and Dad especially goes on and on about how worried he is and how unfair it is and how HE is on pins and needles over this. I want to scream at them to keep their “worries” to themselves since they brought this on themselves. They voted for this! They went into a booth and chose this. And the only reason why they care at all is because it’s their son; they don’t care about the thousands upon thousands of other people who have been or will be unjustly fired. I honestly want nothing to do with them right now. I don’t know where to go from here. I don’t think I can get through one more phone call. I certainly am not inviting them to visit.

I came to an observation recently that I think explains MAGA thinking.

They don’t have make cause-effect connections. So when things happen in their life they don’t connect the dots to their prior actions or choices.

I think it’s supposed to be taught in school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My dad is going on and on about how worried he is; my brother is a fed and will likely be fired soon. Mom and Dad call and Dad especially goes on and on about how worried he is and how unfair it is and how HE is on pins and needles over this. I want to scream at them to keep their “worries” to themselves since they brought this on themselves. They voted for this! They went into a booth and chose this. And the only reason why they care at all is because it’s their son; they don’t care about the thousands upon thousands of other people who have been or will be unjustly fired. I honestly want nothing to do with them right now. I don’t know where to go from here. I don’t think I can get through one more phone call. I certainly am not inviting them to visit.

At least he’s expressing some concern for his own son. Mine are so far gone into MAGA land and deep in the cult they can’t bring themselves to say “this is terrible for you guys and your friends with families to care for who have honorable jobs protecting US citizens and federal resources.”

Nothing. Nada. Just regurgitated lines from FOX. Listening to them leaves me feeling vacant inside.

[Anonymous]

I would not accept these phone calls at all. Why are you entertaining them?