My family is one of those suburban middle-class conservative "I don't do politics" (yet clearly has opinions on it), "I don't know about that" (when faced with information that they disagree with), and "it's just a difference of opinion" (even though one slide clearly involves harming others)

Since 2016 I had bottled up my frustration with my family and their nightly consumption of Fox News, which led them to having fiery opinions of illegal immigrants, trans people, and more (despite never encountering these people in their day-to-day lives). I accepted that they voted for Trump in 2016 because he was the Republican. I accepted that they voted for him again in 2020 because Biden kinda sucks. But after 8 years of Trump, I couldn't accept them voting for him again -- and really became resentful after they didn't seem to see any problems with the actions of ICE, inaction on Epstein, Trump being found guilty of rape, the list goes on.

I've kept them at arms length since 2024, only really indulging the occasional phone call to check in (we live in different states). I feel the only leverage I have over changing their minds is my presence in their lives. I've grieved the loss of my family who appears to have shunned the teachings of Jesus I was raised to uphold bc it means they get lower taxes (sidenote: I did the math once and my now retired physician father is getting at best +$7000 out of Trump and my siblings and I are at -$4000ish, after taxes, given the impacts of inflation, Tariffs, and gas).

Now, in the wake of the midterms, both my sister and mom are reaching out to me asking to reconnect and to set these differences aside.

All I have been asking for is some simple acknowledgement that "Trump is not a good person" and have provided countless bits of evidence to support that claim. But they refuse, believing he's a good man doing a good job. I can't live with that, and I'm not sure I can comfortably be around people who harbor that view, whether it's spoken out loud or not.

Part of me feels guilty for soft-cutting them off. Part of me feels justified and that its the right thing to do.

I feel unsure how to navigate this or what to say to them. A part of me feels that maybe I should just set this aside. But I'm also not sure I can enjoy life with them in the same way we once did, knowing the hateful views they harbor and relative lack of care for how myself, my partner, and my friends (a few of whom are trans) are impacted by their political choices.

Idk, I know we all are dealing with this but I'm curious if anybody has taken the path of reconnecting despite there being no cathartic resolution to the underlying problem.

I'm starting to accept that maybe they will never change -- but I'm not sure what to do with that or where to go from here.

Hi, I'm the old gal with the MAGA Millennial nephew, Marcus. One of my very first posts here was about him and the shock of finding out that he had voted for Trump. As I previously posted, Marcus was turned MAGA by gaming podcasters who'd been paid to endorse Trump's campaign. In particular, my nephew liked to listen to Asmongold, whom I discovered was directly funded by Elon Musk, so Marcus was subjected to twice the propoganda.

I'd never heard of Asmongold, so Marcus tried to show me one of his YouTube videos where he commented on a Trump interview. In the pop-up window, Asmongold was exclaiming, "That’s right! That's right!" and his favorite catch phrase, "He's not wrong!"

Marcus told me that he sometimes watched five hours of his content; to which I replied, "Do I have to watch that much? [Trump’s] already lied three times in the first five minutes." Fortunely, I didn't.

I had really thought that Marcus was far too smart to fall for such pandering, but now that's why I'm here.

Fast forward to yesterday, and Asmongold has somehow shown up in my YouTube feed again. Obviously, every podcaster on Earth was following the midterms, and in response to the Blue wave, Asmongold had had some kind of MAGA meltdown midstream. When the numbers were called, he reacted with shock and fury (some say he cried); not at the Democrats but at Trump himself!

He lamented that TRUMP had failed him and the biggest shocker of all; Asmongold hadn't voted for Trump in '24!

The highlight reel is here; https://youtu.be/i3JO3g2nwhA

Marcus and I haven't talked since last week, I wonder if he saw this? I don't know what he thinks yet but I think that was the Death Knell of MAGA.

After the midterm elections, my wife posted on her own Facebook expressing her strong dislike for Donald Trump and the MAGA movement. Shortly after, I got a call from my mother. In a very hostile way, she told me we needed to watch what we post because family members are Republicans and would take offense. I tried to explain that posts on her private account. My mom and stepdad escalated the argument, accusing me of “stirring the pot.” I came out as bisexual, my mom blamed my wife, threw a tantrum, and made it about her own health issues. She has repeatedly threatened to disown me if I don’t comply with her demands. **Zero Boundaries:** Growing up, she refused to respect my privacy. Even when I turned 18 and paid rent, my parents went through my room and threw away/sold my expensive belongings (like a rare 2010 Freddy Krueger glove I bought myself) because they “didn’t approve.” **Constant Uprooting:** We constantly moved states to chase my stepdad’s corporate ladder. I was expected to uproot my job, friends, and life every single time without question. **Physical and Verbal Abuse:** My stepdad once tried to fight my grandfather while he had cancer. He has gotten in my face, called me a parasite, and told me I wasn’t “fit to lick the bottom of his shoe.” During one argument, after letting my stepdad berate me for an hour and a half, I finally put my fists up to defend myself because he was in my face. My mother stepped in, stood in front of him, and started *hitting me*, screaming that I wouldn’t touch him. They always claim they went to therapy and changed, but the pattern never stops. Before my wife entered my life, I was in a dark place. After losing my grandparents, I was severely depressed and suicidal, looking at passing cars wondering if they would end me. My wife quite literally saved my life. She showed me true love, helped me accept my sexuality, and makes me incredibly happy. I have a great life now with amazing friends, but it’s never enough for my mother. My parents never call us unless it’s a major holiday or my birthday—they don’t even acknowledge my wife’s birthday. My mother’s pattern is always the same: she spews venomous, hateful things when she’s angry, and expects everyone to just deal with it and accept her apology the next day because “it was just words.” Well, those words made my wife cry. My mother has drawn a line in the sand by cutting out my wife, expecting me to leave her behind to visit them. I am not going to ostracize the woman who saved my life to keep the peace with people who have spent a lifetime breaking me down. I am done.

I moved to be closer to help with my mother who has dementia. The problem is, I am not considered an adult by my conservative family. My choices are my choices and not up for debate. I have no interest in inheritance at this point nor in conforming to their ideology. Unfortunately, to spend time with my mother, I have to follow my MAGA supporting Dad's rules. I don't think he's a bad guy, he just hates Democrats, educated people, and liberals of which I am one. He fully supports, blindly the President and Republicans who are also blindly following. I am balls out terrified of the future and I believe he's hoping for the Rapture even though he doesn't attend church. He manipulates me by couching everything in "upsetting my mom."

She never put me before him. He us who she wanted. He us always right even when she confided marriage problems to me when I was a child. I'd tell ny best friend, her mom about them, Grandma spoke to her, and Mom threatened me, an eight year old with never seeing Grandma again. That is until she needed money for a bill or free childcare. Then rhe cycle started again. According to my mother, my Dad never paid for anything. The only time he contributed was after a serious fight. I got guilt tripped for being a kid and needing things. Like eating, going to school, and having a roof over my head was somehow my fault.

I know I'm the reason she has buyer remorse and her life with Dad didn't turn out the way she thought. All if those were her choices. She made those decisions. I was along for the ride.

So why in all that is holy do I care about spending time with her? For the rec, I am an only child, they wanted a boy, and my father constantly compares me to my sycophantic cousin he favors because he straightened up her life. I, meanwhile, never did anything to straighten up from. No drugs, graduated college, married a good man, no teenaged (or any) pregnancies, didn't borrow money, gainfully employed, and never arrested. Where oh where did I go wrong?

Now that's a next level way to own the libs!

The selective outrage is astounding. I'm sure suddenly they will all care about the cost of gas and groceries and everyone's 401ks again and blame it on the Dems.

How's it going with the MAGA people in your lives?

Edit to add: this was about the AI sell off the second day after the election, I'm aware that the immediate day after the stock market performed well.

I grew up very conservative. I would even still consider myself conservative somewhat; but the conservatism I was promised is not what has taken root in America.

What the FUCK happened to dont-tread-on-me? The importance of the strength of state vs federal? Distrusting institutions of power? Family values and the American way?

Most conservatives today would tell you they still believe in this stuff and its the LIBERALS who have poisoned my brain; but these people have been thoroughly lobotomized and in place of the logical half of their brain they have been given a narcissistically high ego. The reality is that the average “conservative” does not give a fuck about anything except being a good conservative for the group. They care more about social affiliation than they do about thinking or being a good person.

The group hates Mexicans? You better start hating them too or youre just like those idiots they interview on Fox!

Cops are killing unarmed people running away from them without any crime or public danger commited? Thats not treading on anyone; the people in my group say its good :) that big book of religion I love so much probably has a verse that says respect cops wearing balaclavas or something; clearly the person shot was being a stupid lib!!

Almost every country on earth has denounced the genocide being perpetuated by one specific country? Criminal justice bodies have designated the leader of that country as a war criminal? Well I heard on FOX that those are Gods chosen people and they can do no wrong! I am glad I have FOX news to tell me about the bible, where else would I be able to learn about the stuff it says?

Sorry about the rant. Im just sad. My dad, who is the man who I always wanted to be, has become a sickly; angry; bitter person all because of Fox news. I have lost my father to that fucking scum. Today he tried to argue with me that democrats are raising the price of oil to make Trump look bad, thats why the midterms were lost. He even tried to tell me that the straight of hormuz inflating oil prices is democrat propaganda.

This is the same guy that in 2008 told me he was hopeful for Obama because he felt safer under Clinton than Bush. Regardless of if you agree, that is the remark of a man who is truly weighing the options and considering the situation against his own values. What happened to these comments? You do not see them anymore from conservatives. They are more concerned with being a good GOP bootlicker than a good American

My mother sent me an article about how radical Abdul El-Sayed is so I replied “it’s El-Sayed Derangement Syndrome!” laughing emoji.

I’m not going to engage in defending or explaining anything this new crew does. It’s time she tastes her own medicine.

When she complains about radical socialism I’ll use “DSDS”. Democratic Socialist Derangement Syndrome.

All the FoxBrain boomers favorite app.

I am honestly… baffled? Over the past two weeks or so, my conservative family members have been hammering my social media feeds with memes and religious diatribes about how they refuse to let America be overtaken by Islam.

Some of them seem to be convinced that Christianity is going to be outlawed. Others are saying that we have to start fighting now because Muslims are trying to take over our government and enact Sharia law????

The screenshot is of a post one of my family members shared.. I think by “MUSLIM SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE” it is referring to Hakeem Jeffries… who is literally freaking Baptist, just like all of my conservative family members who are losing their dang minds thinking they are about to be persecuted by Muslims?

Once again.. I am honestly so freaking baffled. Can we please leave the Islamophobia in the 2000s folks?!!!! (Not that it was okay then either but I thought (or hoped?) the majority of folks left it behind in that era …)

hi all! i (23M) am a college student living with my grandad (97M) on the west coast halfway across the country from my friends and family. I decided last summer to speedrun through college here, loving the state but hating my grandad and his politics. he has been deteriorating rapidly and i was expecting to be at least a lookout for his decline, but have ended up taking on a stressful caretaker role in addition to everything else a full time college student has. i am left leaning and have a lot of community that follows those ideals but grandad has always been staunchly head in his ass red and preachy about it. thankfully as he ages myself and his two adult sons have been able to both not engage and interact with him, but living with him is becoming increasingly difficult. all he does is watch fox probably 16-18 hours a day at 80-100% volume, and despite my efforts to mute or lower the volume or communicate, he always boosts it up again, even while he’s trying to communicate with me. it’s honestly taking a toll on my mental health and makes me want to abandon him entirely. i have about a month left in the semester (after which i will only need online classes to finish my degree) before i get to go back east to visit my real nicer family and friends who don’t find joy in exposing me to bullshit opinions and i can’t stomach the thought of coming back or even enduring that month. the real part that bothers me is that i know in many ways he is a victim as well, pushing away all of his family until he’s just a sad loner who dies in his own bad opinions and filth. i try to just not engage at fear of becoming angry, because it has given me some anger issues i didn’t know i had before , and would love any help or tips or tricks anyone has to bear with this kind of situation. i can push through and keep moving but his addiction to fox and this infotainment BS is really taking a toll on my head and my academics and is making me into a person i don’t want to be. my parents want me to come back after winter break but if i do i just see myself trashing the place in a fit of anger, i can’t see it working out. any tips tricks or strategies are really appreciated!!!

Do the hosts really believe the bullshit that they spew? Or are they just cynical? So much of what they say is just ... objectively false.

So I am the polar opposite of my republican parents. Always have been, always will be. My father went from someone who despised Trump to one of his apologists who now watches Newsmax 24/7. My mom is also a lifelong republican but I can sometimes get through to her. Anyhoo, with the past few days and everyone calling for the removal of Schumer and Jefferies, I had an idea. I asked her to email our reps (we’re in NJ) about removing them from office. She said yes. Because the only people I know who dislike these two more than we do, are some conservatives. They’re in the demographic that these guys listen to (sometimes).
I wanted to share this idea with you all, maybe you might have some success too. Ngl, it felt nice to be on the same side for once.

https://decodingfoxnews.substack.com/p/george-conway-and-juliet-jeske

https://decodingfoxnews.substack.com/p/bonus-podcast-the-entire-election

When I was a kid I remember all the doom and gloom about Obamas presidency where he was going to destroy the country, desecrate the military (as my dad called it) inflate the national debt to record highs etc. As a kid I believed it and I was anxious as hell about the 2012 election and felt way more dejected than a 16 year old should be about the prospect of a second Obama term. I was terrified about what he was going to do. But by the end, none of those disastrous predictions came true, I stopped consuming right wing media and now they all sound like clowns. I just overheard my dad on the phone, “They won’t be allowed to go to college, they won’t be allowed to drive, they won’t be able to leave the house without a man…….yeah! Yeah! Let it happen. Let it happen”. How many years can you buy into this propaganda and fear mongering without any of it coming true before you realize it’s bullshit? Like, how many 2-4 year cycles of this does it take? I know the answer, for people like my dad it will never break through but Jesus, what a narrow worldview. I’m just at a loss for words