Because of the career choices I’ve made in life, the public and private circles I’m in tend to be made up of people who would rather have a piece of wood as president than Donald Trump. Not the kind of curly maple or beautiful spalted oak that is usually made into toothpicks or ground into low-quality Parmesan cheese to prevent it from clumping.
I remember many people around me reacting in very extreme ways when Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in 2016 to win a first term. Some people were surprised and disgusted. Most people were deeply concerned and anxious about the damage President Trump could do to our country.
We have debated many times and tried to argue that the impact of Trump’s presidency on the average American will likely be negligible. I argued that they were too apocalyptic and scary.
As predicted, life went on. Unless we insist on waiting with bated breath to be appalled when Trump says the next outrageous thing on Twitter or on the podium, life for most people won’t change much.
The extent to which what happens in the capital affects us can be greatly inflated by our own expectations and emotional reactions.
Similar to Trump’s recent campaign, he took a tough stance on immigration in 2016. Despite his promises, many illegal aliens I knew all continued to live peaceful illegal lives. Some went to visit family in Mexico, but once again managed to cha-cha-cha-cha with great grace despite the Border Patrol’s best efforts. Sorry for the abuse of anecdotal evidence, there’s nothing I can do about it. Not surprisingly, Obama deported far more people than Trump.
On the other hand, it would be a departure from reality to claim that federal politics does not play a significant role in our lives. If it weren’t for President Trump, we would still have nationwide access to things like abortion. People who live in states with strict abortion restrictions can travel to another state to receive an abortion.
It’s an annoying and unnecessary burden that women shouldn’t have to carry, but it’s temporary. Some court decision or Congressional law will inevitably reestablish universal access to abortion. Meanwhile, even Republican states are slowly restoring abortion rights.
Currently, one of the most prominent sources of anger toward the incoming Trump administration stems from his choices in staffing Cabinet members and other positions.
What havoc will Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wreak as Secretary of Health and Human Services? Will our teeth all fall out at the same time after he removes fluoride from the water? Only time will tell.
Pete Hegseth leading the Pentagon is another bold choice by the future president. He wants to exclude women from combat positions because he is completely unqualified and a chivalrous gentleman. Will his appointment have any impact on our lives?
All of this means that it is not unreasonable to be concerned about our country’s future when we have a president who has attempted to undermine our democratic process. But this constant obsession with what’s happening in government is counterproductive to our health and well-being.
Most of the time, what politicians decide to do has little impact on us, especially when compared to everything else going on in our lives. The situation is further complicated by the fact that many people allow their mental lives to be unduly drained by poor government decisions.
There are countless stories of individuals alienating their loved ones simply by supporting one candidate. Many people are now considering refusing to attend the same holiday gatherings as their brothers and sisters over stupid political disagreements. This is the time to appreciate your loved ones, no matter what faults you believe they have. So stop pitchforking and relax a little.
Rafael Perez is a columnist for the Southern California News Group. He is a doctoral candidate in philosophy at the University of Rochester. Please contact rafaelperezocregister@gmail.com.
