I am a notoriously glass half-full person. I have a ridiculous amount of optimism and a boundless amount of faith. So, when I say that I’m pessimistic about something, or can’t imagine a good outcome…this is a big deal.
The Election
At this point, we are all aware that Hillary Clinton lost the Presidential election and that Donald Trump is now the President-Elect. I am of the opinion that:
- 50% of DT voters were desperate and willing to ignore his..ahem..bad behavior because anything was better than what they were dealing with. High unemployment, lack of opportunities in their towns, and the general feeling that people had forgotten them. In fact, I’ve written posts about visiting my Grandma in her dying town (posted in November of 2014) that used to have a ton of jobs. Many of these people are NOT living the lifestyle that I do. They do not have an endless amount of fun things to do, they don’t have tons of free fun provided by taxes from their city, and people are succumbing to the despair that wraps itself around your heart and soul when nothing seems to get better. I get it. What about DT’s racism, disgusting behavior, and inexcusable comments? Sometimes when you’re desperate you’ll make a deal with the Devil in the hopes that something, anything will change. I saw an Instagram post that basically said that DT’s racism was NOT a deal breaker (even though they were aware of it). They just needed things to change. In fact, Bernie Sanders appealed to many people despite his socialist leanings because of the same thing. Anything would be better than what they have been dealing with. Who is “they?” Primarily white Americans living in the heartland feeling disrespected and forgotten by the people who talked down about their way of life. And, I’m left wondering for those liberals out there…do you visit your relatives that live in these towns? Do you actually respect the fact that they love their way of life and are frightened by all of the changes that are happening? As a person of color quite frankly I can’t understand what it’s like to have always been in a position of privilege and then know in your heart that it’s gone. Why do you think the phrase “Make America Great Again?” Resonates for so many people. The problem is that many of us we hear the following “Make America Great Again…for White People.”
- The other 50% of DT voters are just racist. I know this because of the endorsements by the KKK, Breitbart (who will be the Senior Advisor to the President), and the Alt-Right. Incidents of racial intimidation have gone up significantly in the past week. For those of you who do not believe that DT is racist. I’m not going to try and convince you. I will say that I personally believe what people show me the first time.
The New Economy
People, we need to have a talk. I’m about to get real with you and tell you a truth that you know to be true…but, no one is being upfront about.
- Your jobs are gone-Manufacturing in the U.S. is gone. The minute Regan opened up the U.S. to free trade for inexpensive goods we began the process of sending millions of jobs outside of the United States to Asia and other countries where they could work on our products for less. BUT, what they didn’t factor in was the following: the mechanization of jobs. You have been replaced by robots. No matter what incentives the President-elect works on for big business, there aren’t enough incentives to hire you. American workers are expensive. I work for MYSELF and I pay 30% tax in order to do it. Big business has no incentive to hire people anymore. I wrote about this in March, I’ve talked to people about this and I shared my experience going to my grandma’s town. The jobs are gone. If you are: a bank teller, a garbage worker, a cashier, work in the United States Post Office, in the front-line at the airlines-you need to be preparing NOW to do something else. Period. If manufacturers relocate back to the U.S. they will not hire at the rates we need to employ people.
- Confidence in the U.S. is gone with the results of this election. I worked in International Education and immigration for 10 years during the Bush and Obama years. Geopolitical situations like the one we are currently in kill these student populations and hearing the incoming President say that he wants to build a wall (there is already a wall along the border) ban people, and grab people by the p*ssy makes people a little nervous. Why on earth would foreign parents (who were already nervous about guns) send their kids here when they could send to safer more welcoming shores? Confidence (or lack of) affects the economy.
- We will begin losing tourism dollars because foreign tourist now perceive the U.S. to be intolerant and unsafe. This is just a fact. There are mothers of future international students who are now working with their children (high school through graduate school) and encouraging them to either: study online, or study in Australia or Canada (not England-they will experience some the same issues we will be dealing with). If you’re in International Education, or tourism and travel…be prepared for a substantial drop in business. By the way, these parents were already nervous because of our guns.
- Interest rates are about to go up. The mortgage rates have already begun this process and started going up last week.
What to Do
Unfortunately, we are about to go into a period of deep political unrest. This unrest will affect confidence in the U.S. by our long-standing U.S. allies and more importantly-their citizens who purchase our goods and love our culture.
- PAY OFF YOUR DEBT-I admit that I have stalled on my debt repayment journey. No longer. We have a year to a year and a half be for the proverbial sh$t hits the economic fan. DO NOT Owe anyone money. Side-hustle like a rock-star.
- Save Money-Begin stocking away as much cash as you can. I’m talking 1 to 2 years of savings. If you’re like…Michelle, you’re being crazy. Well, please re-read my post about the New Economy Conversation We Should Be Having. I wrote it in March. I was 100% right about that and I trust my gut on this. If I’m wrong…you’ll have a ton of money saved up and no debt.
- Start a DIGITAL side-hustle that you can do from anywhere. Globalize your income.
- Support Local Business-I don’t understand why this isn’t talked about more. Local businesses keep people working and your dollars circulate longer in your community. There is a reason why Colorado is doing so well, it’s not the pot. It’s because we geek out about local business.
- Learn a new skill for the new economy-Do not wait for your employer to retrain you. Sit down and think about what you’re interested in and then ask yourself how you would like to serve others. Spend time researching how you can learn those skills as inexpensively as possible. Use the free classes online from different universities or Youtube.
Live Your Best Life
I know you’re like Michelle you’ve just dropped some scary stuff in this post. I’m keeping it real. But, the reality is that you still need to live your best life. Those scary people are hoping to scare you to the point where you’re unable to function or have joy in your life.
Schedule coffee dates, continue looking for love, treat people with kindness, go to yoga, pet your dog, and continue to seek out the beauty that exists in this world.
All of us messed up. We stopped being vigilant and dropped the ball. We took it for granted that things couldn’t backslide. We didn’t see the wolf knocking at the door.
Do not yell at people who voted for this man. Instead, listen, truly listen to that 50% who are just trying to get by. Who are afraid and struggling. Invest in causes that you support and will be at risk because of this administration’s policies. Meet with people in your community who are trying to make positive changes.
Also, do not let people discount your fears…or your gut. TRUST YOURSELF. IF someone is triggering a feeling in you that gives you a sense of fear TRUST IT. The moment that you don’t trust yourself you will regret it. No matter what other people say to you.
And finally….go high when they go low.
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Damn good post Michelle. The sooner that people realize those manufacturing jobs aren’t coming back, the sooner that they will be able to focus and start making money in another way. Your post is similar to mine that just published. I guess great minds think alike.
Thanks Jason! I’m working on my Color of Money post…that one will be a lot more..ahem..raw. And, yes! Great minds do think alike. I didn read your post earlier and I was clapping my hands.
Yes people are desperate. This year’s two major candidates are as seedy and crusty as they could ever be. At times during this campaign with the media hype on both conservative media and liberal media, it felt like I was living in some communist or socialist state instead of the United States.
It was like trying to choose between two tyrants. Dude, that’s what it felt like. I think we dropped the ball a long time ago when the Patriot Act came into law. When our national debt kept climbing up and up. When many Americans still haven’t recovered from the Great Recession, when people in big cities became jobless and homeless and previously they had middle-class or upper-middle-class jobs.
We escaped into food and entertainment aka breads and circuses and just ignored the issues. For so long Americans have shrugged their shoulders and went on with life. Many of us were politically apathetic, believing that we couldn’t change the world, so we did nothing.
If the candidates for presidency were bad then we have to look at ourselves because we put them there. I voted for the Donald because in my perception I was deathly scared of Hillary. I even cried at one point on election day before the results because I didn’t want Hillary to be president. Yes I was a baby about it and I cried.
A lot of Trump voters are making fun of young and older Hillary voters that were crying on Clinton’s headquarters but you know what, this election was emotional for all of us. I bet you anything that Trump voters would have been crying on TV if they had lost. They’d have been making angry YouTube videos and the like.
If we’re gonna pick on Trump then we gotta pick on Hillary too. Hillary voters were also willing to overlook her scandals, etc. I think that Hillary voters were willing to overlook her failings because they are/were deathly scared of Trump. Donald voters are saying that if they had lost they wouldn’t be rioting on the streets. I am not too sure about that.
Human nature being what it is, I am sure that *some* or a lot of them would be protesting. Probably just as violently as the anti-Trump folks. I have never protested and never will. Protests get out of hand and usually police start arresting people and I’m not about to get a record and be passed over for jobs.
People can call me weak but ideals, police, protesters, arrests, the general public and politicians don’t pay your mortgage, food, insurance, and utilities. So I’ll “protest” with my money and at the ballot box.
I had to stop following Breitbart early this morning because my soul was getting tired of the negativity. Breitbart is just as bad as the far left media they claim to hate. They complain of the left media of being biased, etc. but they (Breitbart) are doing the same thing with the hatred they spew.
I also agree with you that jobs are becoming computerized. I don’t really know how many jobs Trump could bring back from overseas. A lot of unskilled jobs are also being automated. It’s gonna be interesting these next few years.
I agree with you that we gotta take responsibility for our lives and be more active and take action. Anyway, sorry for my novel.
I love it when you visit and share your thoughts! I will say that a large number of Hillary supporters weren’t happy but felt that Trump was an unacceptable option. I was a hold your nose Hillary supporter. I grew up in the West where a man or woman’s words (and actions) were observed closely. For this reason I am more disturbed by Trump than by Hillary. Hillary was stupid for the server but that was a server installed by a Colorado company that was approved to work with the U.S. government. If people are going to split hairs then they should also be upset with: Condolezza Rice and Colin Powell who both had versions of the same server set up. I’m old enough to say that people just don’t “like” Hillary as a person. She’s never been liked. Another thing that people don’t realize is that anti-Trump is not synonymous with anti-Republican. But, that’s changing fast because of the Bannon appointment. I wonder how many people talk to and actually listen and visit their relatives in this hard hit areas? I’m am still a little cash strapped because I work for myself but I live a really rich life compared to a lot of these people. And, ultimately, self-preservation is the name of the game. I just feel sorry for these people because they will get: term-limits (that’s good) but they will also get pushback from our President-Elect on our constitutional rights. The irony is, we are fighting for rights that everyone hold’s dear…like the option to assemble and voice our discontent. I find it ironic that many Trump supporters said that they would fight and riot if he wasn’t elected. Well, just because Hillary supporters didn’t say it didn’t mean that we weren’t thinking it. As a person of color, I am unable by any stretch of the imagination, to wish this administration well. I believe people when they show me who they are the first time. Ultimately, everyone needs to realize that they are responsible for themselves in a society like this one. And, waiting for Trump, Hillary, Bernie, or Trump to save you is a fool’s errand. I think also his inability to self-monitor in terms of behavior, etc. It’s just too much for me and I’m not politically correct. I will tell people what I think but I’m an adult and so I behave like one. America has made me sad before…but, this…broke my heart. And, I judge people by the company that they keep. Wouldn’t you? I don’t have the luxury to see how things will go. It’s already going badly. So, I’m preparing financially for what will happen in 2 years because it will take about 2 years for the sh$t to hit the fan. It’s basically a tragedy.
“Hold your nose Hillary supporter” LOL you cracked me up. I appreciate your thoughtful reply. Thank you.
I think the plan to get back on track making money, getting out of debt, and saving for retirement are the eternal words of wisdom that people need to follow. It’s important to deal with the election in a healthy way that produces results, and Millennials in particular need to embrace the change and deal with it positively.
The good thing about the process of getting your finances back on track is that it’s very action oriented. You have control at least over this “one thing” that you’re working on. I’m focused on getting that message out to everyone. Get ‘er done!
Live your best life. Despite what has just happened in the country, I think we just have to make our best choices everyday that collectively it will have a positive impact on everyone’s life.
Exactly! I thnk that many people get worked up and forget to focus on living their best life. I will also try to be a positive force for good in other people’s lives too.