It’s so hard, I live in a non-swing state that is very heavily republican. I have conversations with these people daily. They all want the same things as me, have families, great values, and are genuinely great people. But as soon as politics comes up they shut down. It’s only republican or nothing else. I don’t know if what a candidate in states like mine believe matters anymore. It’s just what they have always voted and always will vote. Politics just lives almost in a different universe for these people. It’s so far removed sometimes it feels like a fantasy that doesn’t really change your daily life. There is just no way to have a productive conversation anymore. Terrible and makes me sad because I think if they really understood, they would switch their vote because they often are hurting themselves.
Hopefully I didn’t come across as advocating for not voting. I was just expressing my disappointment in how good people are unwilling to have hard conversations where opinions flow and change. 100% we need to vote and be the change we want to see. I just fear the changes will be slower than we want. The first step is keep tyrants away from the office then move forward.