Grandparents pretty much declared MAGA comes first

[Anonymous]

My aunt voted for Trump, but if you bring up politics she gets upset and leaves. I have cut her off and see her less (she adopted me so technically my "mother").

I understand she is fiscally conservative but to vote for him especially after 1/6 was just beyond me. When she brought up how awful public schools are and that the DOE should be axed, I asked her about my kids and would she pay for private education for them. She just left the room.

I used to work for USAID years ago (I switched careers when I had kids) and tried talking to her about friends who lost jobs/the work they do. USAID needed major reform, but I didn't believe in tearing it down.

I went to a city and sent a picture of a memorial. Her response, "I can't believe our tax dollars are going to that." I told her it was privately funded, she didn't believe me, so I sent her information proving no tax dollars went to this thing, she didn't believe me!

We talk about surface level things if we do talk, which is very rare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My parents, who are in their 70s, sent me an email the other day ranting about “leftist Marxists” and how Trump is trying to protect our country’s “Judeo-Christian values.” This was in response to a conversation we had regarding the treatment of federal workers (we have a few in our family) and the fact that we could lose half our household income if my husband or I are RIF’ed.

They said that’s too bad and that I shouldn’t be so bitter (exact words— “you’re better than that”), but “we need to protect our country from the leftists.” They signed off their email with “we love you and will always be here for you.” What’s supposed to mean? They’re ok with us losing our income but alas, they still love us 🤦‍♀️

And that’s it. How can I have a relationship with these people? Is it possible knowing they put Trump first. I do feel this is out of my wheelhouse at this point, they’re in a cult, and nothing is going to change. Just be cordial going forward, try to make the holidays work and wait until 2028.

My husband was Riffed and my mother absolutely supports it. His early retirement income is almost nothing. But at least he has that. My mom apparently thinks this is the way to address that evil deficit that they are about to blow wide open with more tax cuts.

[Anonymous]

You can’t have a relationship shop with these people is the answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop talking about politics. Shut down any attempts to start an argument. It takes 2 sides to argue. Don’t give them the second side.

NO. I am so sick of people saying this. Politics = life at this point. What is happening in politics is DIRECTLY and significantly impacting everything that is going on in peoples lives. Stop acting like it's just another "topic". How the hell are they supposed to not talk about losing their jobs, careers, etc and the upheaval it has in their lives and how unfair and arbitrary it feels. STOP catering to the snowflake MAGA crowd and lets them say or do anything they want and just take the "high road", swallow your thoughts and feelings and act like everything is okay.

NO. Politics is politics. Take your point of view to the ballot box but when you disagree, zero reason to bring it to the family table. OP is just as responsible for these discussions as they are if she doesn’t shut them down. Only ideologues put politics above family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My aunt voted for Trump, but if you bring up politics she gets upset and leaves. I have cut her off and see her less (she adopted me so technically my "mother").

I understand she is fiscally conservative but to vote for him especially after 1/6 was just beyond me. When she brought up how awful public schools are and that the DOE should be axed, I asked her about my kids and would she pay for private education for them. She just left the room.

I used to work for USAID years ago (I switched careers when I had kids) and tried talking to her about friends who lost jobs/the work they do. USAID needed major reform, but I didn't believe in tearing it down.

I went to a city and sent a picture of a memorial. Her response, "I can't believe our tax dollars are going to that." I told her it was privately funded, she didn't believe me, so I sent her information proving no tax dollars went to this thing, she didn't believe me!

We talk about surface level things if we do talk, which is very rare.

Shame on you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are ignorant, stupid, and bored, so they sit and let Fox News fill their empty head.

If you want to help them (and help society), you need to fill their head with more pleasant, civilized thoughts, not fight against draw attention to) their bad thoughts.

Yeah. My pro police and pro law and order mother thinks January 6 is blown out of proportion because it "only lasted several hours" but they "convicted so many people."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looks like you're part of the problem. Why are you going on about that you "might" loose your job? Are you also having conversations that you "might" have a car accident? Drown? Get attacked by a pit bull? Once something happens, you deal with it. You seem to have TDS. What do you expect them to say? The government has grown too big and there're too many people on the payroll who are not needed and continue to "work from home". We've run out of money a long time ago. If you do loose your job, you'll have to look for another one just like other people who are not employed by the government and who loose their jobs. You're not special.

it’s LOSE for God’s sake LOSE

+1. Thank you. Amazing how many posters get this wrong.

OP you need to listen to them. You might learn something.

It’s only amazing if you think most people are smart.

What’s amazing is you know it’s “lose” but still appear to dumb as a brick.

[Anonymous]

Yeah and the MAGA ideologues OP referred to do put downsizing and DOGE over their family's wellbeing.

[Anonymous]

I find it best to just look at older people and say "you don't have that many years left on this planet; what a pity to spend them being consumed by anger. Turn the TV off. I am certain you will feel better."

[Anonymous]

If MAGA comes first, you will never measure up. This is a reality for many people now. Life is short. Avoid them and have your own family events. Send a birthday card if you want. Block their emails. Keep your distance. These are not normal times.

[Anonymous]

You cut them off here is why.

1. They can not be "Christians" if they support Trump
2. They can not be "Patriots" if they support Trump
3. By associating themselves with Trump, that means they support criminality and the stealing of their friends' & families hard hard-earned monies.
4. By associating themselves with Trump, they do not decipher facts from fiction.

Who in the world wants their children to be in a room with sub humans like these??

Not talking Politics is absurd. This is not 1960 Republicans vs Dems this is 2025 the party of Treason vs Democracy huge difference.

The reason Repukes have gotten this far is all of you who excuse your dumb family members and. think it is not a big deal that America now has a King like North Korea and that our right to vote and freedoms are gone.

[Anonymous]

They are a symptom of a uniquely American problem -
American culture IS politics.
It is so passionate a topic because it is the only heritage of this country. People don't look at Italians and think Georgia Meloni just as people don't equate Russia with Putin because there is so much more to the history and people of those places. Their current politics don't define what it is to be an Italian or Russian.
Not so for Americans. It is really a turf war over America's identity because there isn't much else defining this country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are a symptom of a uniquely American problem -
American culture IS politics.
It is so passionate a topic because it is the only heritage of this country. People don't look at Italians and think Georgia Meloni just as people don't equate Russia with Putin because there is so much more to the history and people of those places. Their current politics don't define what it is to be an Italian or Russian.
Not so for Americans. It is really a turf war over America's identity because there isn't much else defining this country.

No the problem is the right wing media. Trump is the most left wing socialist president in action and policies every- no free markets, command economy, no respect for the constitution, etc. Yet as OP parents say Trump is fighting the leftist? Sure that is like saying chairman Moa is fighting against the leftists. This is the propaganda of the right wing media. Every day is crisis that disappears in a week to be replaced by the next issue. The leftists who do not exist are destroying this country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My parents, who are in their 70s, sent me an email the other day ranting about “leftist Marxists” and how Trump is trying to protect our country’s “Judeo-Christian values.” This was in response to a conversation we had regarding the treatment of federal workers (we have a few in our family) and the fact that we could lose half our household income if my husband or I are RIF’ed.

They said that’s too bad and that I shouldn’t be so bitter (exact words— “you’re better than that”), but “we need to protect our country from the leftists.” They signed off their email with “we love you and will always be here for you.” What’s supposed to mean? They’re ok with us losing our income but alas, they still love us 🤦‍♀️

And that’s it. How can I have a relationship with these people? Is it possible knowing they put Trump first. I do feel this is out of my wheelhouse at this point, they’re in a cult, and nothing is going to change. Just be cordial going forward, try to make the holidays work and wait until 2028.

Why do you want to visit them during the holidays? I certainly would not. Anyone who voted for this loser is dead to me. For life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would ignore and just keep everything surface level. Focus on talking about good memories in the past.

Because that’s what cult deprogramming experts suggest is most effective. If you fight back, they get more entrenched in the cult’s views (including the belief they are under attack from outsiders). You have to make it easy for them to escape without having to admit they were wrong or duped bc that makes it harder.

This is the answer. If required, reduce the number of interactions.