Trump or Harris?
Mr. Skeptical and I go at it!
Mr. Skeptical leans back in his chair, crossing his arms with a satisfied smirk. “So, you’re going for Harris? That’s bold.”
I sip my coffee and raise an eyebrow. “And you’re going for Trump? That's predictable.”
He chuckles. “I knew you’d say that. Let’s hear your reasons for backing Harris. What’s the appeal?”
I set my coffee down, leaning in. “It’s not so much that I’m going for Harris. It’s that Trump as president scares me.” My eyes narrow in on Mr. Skeptical. “You don’t see it, do you?”
He puts his hands up. “See what? I know Trump isn’t an angel, but he would benefit the country.”
“In my mind, if you Google the word dictator, it should show the face of Trump. And I have a personal reason why I won’t vote for Trump.”
“Really, what’s the personal reason? Did you play golf with him, and he cheated?”
Subconscious Fat at 30,000 Feet
“No, I’ve never met the man, but I was a fan of his as a businessman back when I didn’t know better. But, I’ve heard he does cheat when playing golf, which adds more reason not to vote for him.”
“Did you watch the show The Apprentice?”
“Not only did I watch the show, I tried to get on it. I waited in line in Sunny Isles Beach; back then, the Trump Towers were still under construction. I waited along with hundreds of others and was brought into a room where I was part of a group interview to see if I would be selected to be on the next season of the show.”
“Well, we know you didn’t get picked.”
“Nope. But I even sent in a VHS video explaining why I should be picked for the cast of The Apprentice.”
“VHS. This was a long time ago.”
“Yes, in the 2000s. And what would you have said back then in the video? Weren’t you a chiropractor at the time?”
“I was, but I had made some good real estate investments. So, I spoke about that in the video. I also read the book “The Art of the Deal.”
“You were a fan, alright. So what was it that caused Trump in your mind to fall from grace?”
Subconscious Fat at 10,000 Feet
“That’s simple. It was a moment I’ll never forget. It was a moment where I smelled a fantastic amount of bullshit coming out of Trump’s mouth.”
“Do tell.”
“Trump always claims and advises that you don’t use your own money in business. In fact, it’s stupid to do so. You always use other people’s money. So, in the early parts of the Republican-run to see who would be running against Hillary Clinton, he was asked by a reporter, “How are you going to finance your campaign?” He answered something along the lines of “I’m going to pay for it myself.” I knew right then and there that it was complete bullshit.”
Mr. Skeptical smirks, “But don’t all politicians lie?”
“Yes, many do. But then, I heard he was close to Putin and his ties with Russia. I believe Putin financed Trump’s campaign. And sorry, not so sorry, but Russia is now, in my opinion, a dictatorship, and I don’t want a dictator running the USA.”
Subconscious Fat at Eye-Level
Mr. Skeptical leans in. “But Trump comes across as a powerful person who can get the job done. He comes across as someone who can lead.”
I retort. “He comes across like a dictator. He reminds me of a Mussolini or Hitler.”
“That’s not a fair comparison.”
“Trump would likely start World War 3 to stay in office if he wins now. Like what happened with Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War 2.”
Mr. Skeptical shrugs. “I like that he doesn’t care about being liked. He’s a businessman—he knows how to make deals and negotiate. And under his administration, the economy recovered faster than expected post-COVID. People want strength and someone who puts the U.S. first. That’s why I’m voting Trump.”
“You remind me of a character in the novels I read called The Century Trilogy by Ken Follett. One character in the second book was a total Hitler fan. But then, when Hitler died and half of Berlin went to the Soviet Union, he immediately loved Stalin. You’re like that character, and I guess like a lot of humans. You feel you need someone that comes across as all-powerful, and you miss seeing the red flags indicating that you’re voting for a dictator.”
Mr. Skeptical narrows his eyes at me. “And when did you read these books?”
I scowl back at him. “When I was in federal prison.”
He smiles. “Can you even vote?”
“Nope. I was supposed to be able to because it was voted in, but the Republican governor of Florida added that if any restitution is owed, then a felon can’t vote, so I can’t vote.”
Mr. Skeptical stands up. “So me arguing with you is a waste of my time.”
“Even if Biden were still running, I’d prefer him over Trump. But I’m glad Harris is running. And she does come across as a strong woman; I like how she defends democracy, saying how Trump talks about the enemy within. Trump said handling China, Russia, and North Korea is easy, but the difficult enemy is the enemy within. For me, those are all divisive words and red flags spelling D-I-C-T-A-T-O-R.”
Mr. Skeptical adds, “I’m going to go and waste my breath with somebody who can vote.”
With that, he walks out.
Asshole.
Practical Suggestions and Conclusions
I lean back in my chair, thinking of the argument and bad blood between Mr. Skeptical and me, realizing I, too, wasted my time. People are going to vote for who they are going to vote for. Not too many are going to change their minds. And it’s not worth arguing over, especially with family and friends.
I recall that in 2015, I was already in federal prison. I never remember anybody arguing and convincing someone to vote for Hillary Clinton or Trump. Arguing rarely moves anyone; it often entrenches one further into one’s current position.
Whoever you plan to vote for, go ahead and vote. And be careful about ruining friendships or relationships with family members. It’s not worth it.
Be aware.
PS Links on Facebook and Instagram. Instagram LIVE workout every Tuesday at noon Eastern time. Full disclosure: Chat GPT was used to research and enhance this post.
PSS Virtual Meet-up Meat-Up event called Total Body Revolution (Pt 2) on October 30, at 6 PM. This will be a LIVE event link here.