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Election leaves
a family in fear
I was raised by a single mother, and I am surrounded by my six younger sisters. As the only man in their lives, I cast my vote for them.
Two of my sisters were first-time voters and believed that the election came at the right time because they thought Kamala Harris would win. However, they were also frightened that their rights as women would be taken away from them. I had to explain to them that we live in one of the safest states. Then, they began to consider how many women in their state are not safe and how to care for them.
Election Day also happened to be my birthday, and I had to watch not only my sisters look terrified but also my immigrant grandparents who are citizens, caring for people who aren’t.
J. Perez
Sunnyvale
Rich, powerful will
benefit for MAGA win
The “Great American Experiment” is over — the 200-plus years of our experiment in democracy has finally failed, falling to a combination of factors. Big money, a gullible and clueless electorate, and a party (the Democrats) out of touch with reality are the major culprits. The result: MAGA Republicans will soon control the three branches of government — president, Congress and the Supreme Court.
Not to worry — the misnamed “United States” will not disappear. We are too wealthy and abundant in resources for China to allow it. Instead, big money will continue to dominate the political arena while the rich get richer and Trump supporters tell the poor how lucky they are to live here. MAGA indeed.
Kirch DeMartini
Saratoga
Immigration, inflation
drove Trump victory
Finger-pointing about why Democrats lost the election has missed two points. As a Republican who voted for Kamala Harris, I believe Democrats lost the election shortly after Joe Biden took office.
Biden’s massive stimulus packages — $1 trillion for infrastructure and $4 trillion for direct economic aid passed just after he took office. Some stimulus was reasonable, but the influx of cash fueled inflation caused by COVID.
Second, Biden waited too long to prioritize the immigration mess. The Bipartisan Immigration Bill introduced in 2024 was too little, too late. It would have taken years for the legislation to have a meaningful impact. Yes, Donald Trump urged congressional Republicans to reject the bill, but three years of inaction were a bigger issue for voters.
The combined effect of inflation and immigration in the minds of swing voters superseded abortion rights and Trump’s despicable character that the Democrats counted on.
Dave Riggs
Aptos
Misinformed electorate
sent Trump to a win
I doubt that it mattered at all who the Democratic candidate was.
The elephant in the room was the huge amount of disinformation that Donald Trump and his allies spread throughout the country. Many people believed without question what they heard from him.
Thomas Jefferson said for a democracy to survive, it needs an educated public. That means having a public educated about what is, what’s real, what’s true.
Kathleen Roller
Sunnyvale
