I suspect a lot of what happens in the next few years will depend on how much money lobbyists transfer to Trump and other Republican bank accounts. If the insurance profession likes the ACA and is will to pay enough, they may get to keep it. Industries who need foreign goods will need to pay to get their exceptions to tariffs in to law, etc. It's really going to be about who has the best lobbyists and deepest pockets.

I think the ACA is toast if Dems don't get the House. I don't think they need something to replace it.

Erika: Yeah, definitely. It's what I called the "I work 3 jobs and am exhausted" factor.

meara: Aw, that's a shame. Double shame, even.

I know I'm mostly a lurker these days, but I'm in shock and despair right along with everyone else.

On the abortion issue, I think there's some people who thought it they could protect abortion access Trump won't be that bad (even though that is just one of many, many terrible plans on Trump's docket) and don't realize the GOP only believe in states rights when it benefits them and will happily pass a national ban.

I'm truly hoping we can find some way through this with our democracy in tact, but a good part of me suspects that the history books will list Mitch McConnell as the architect of the downfall of our Republic and Trump as it's executioner.

I'm also super pissed at Merrick Garland for dragging his feet for 3 years before finally trying to do something about Trump's many crimes. He should have made it priority one to prevent there from ever being a possibility that Trump could get remotely near the White House again.

Also, Biden and the Dems in the Senate need to spend the next two months filling every single open position in the judiciary to make are Trump doesn't get to fill them.

My intrusive thoughts aren’t about Trump but the people I love who voted for him. Fortunately they are in Michigan and I won’t see them until Christmas and, fwiw, are in laws. I need to come up with a strategy for dealing with them. I want them to know the ways they have hurt me and have no interest in their reasons for doing what they did.

My intrusive thoughts aren’t about Trump but the people I love who voted for him.

I feel this so much. I have to go see my brother soon. My plan for now is to go to my sister's house and let him come to us. I can't see his huge banner on the front of My Mother's House and be civil. I hope she is haunting him.

The hopes and dreams of never seeing that disgusting smug face again are gone, although I have yet to turn on the news. That will be a while. And yes, AG Garland gets a lot of blame.

The last two days I watched Dead Boy Detectives in entirety. And just started The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which is quite fun so far. Distraction R Us.

My intrusive thoughts aren’t about Trump but the people I love who voted for him.

I'm in Michigan visiting family right now, and I didn't have time to come up with a strategy. I probably won't see a lot of them until I'm back for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but I'd love it if folks shared their plans here. Right now I'm screaming like a fainting goat when anyone mentions the election, or very pointedly putting on my noise cancelling headphones.

My friend, Dave, said to our other friend, Maria, who was dealing with some family stuff, "Just say, 'Im taking a break from talking about politics for the next month.'' that's what I plan to use at Thanksgiving, but it's just my nephew and his family out of the whole group, and they are not at all pushy and rarely talk politics, so it shouldn't be an issue, and for all I know, they didn't support him this time.

But, I think that's great deflecting phrase , and I plan to use it. Could also throw an "*I'm exhausted* and I'm taking a break .." just to emphasize the NOPE of it all. I may use it for the next four years. Every month. Or maybe forever.

I'm in Michigan visiting family right now, and I didn't have time to come up with a strategy. I probably won't see a lot of them until I'm back for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but I'd love it if folks shared their plans here.

Captain Awkward just published a letter about this: [link] It has some useful stuff.

My friend, Dave, said to our other friend, Maria, who was dealing with some family stuff, "Just say, 'Im taking a break from talking about politics for the next month.''

My mom already threatened death to anyone who brings up politics at Thanksgiving. She is effective because she is scary, even at 78. So if you can pull off my mom's Klingon-like death threats, give that a shot.

Tim's family is always unfailingly polite and defaults to topics of conversation other than politics, so Christmas should be fine.

My dad is a bigoted asshole who doesn't think women are people, so I'll fucking punch him in the throat if he says one word about politics. Our relationship is hanging on by one fraying thread as it is.