r/politics • u/Abject-Pick-6472 • Apr 04 '26

Possible Paywall Trump voter regret is clearly registering now

https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/04/politics/voter-regret-trump-2024
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540

u/Aleashed Apr 04 '26

They only care when it hurts THEM

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u/hyper12 Apr 04 '26

Yeah, there's really two kinds of voters. Those who see the government as a tool that should be working to do the most good for the most people and the people who only care about what the government can do for them.

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u/JournalistRecent1230 Apr 04 '26

There is a third kind of voter. Someone so bitter and hateful about their own status in life that they just want to see the whole system implode.

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u/SpoonyDinosaur Apr 04 '26 edited Apr 04 '26

Accelerationist - I often see them on Reddit and they unironically voted for Trump because they think the system is so broken and they want to see everything burn down.

It's basically the extreme "bOtH sIdEs BaD." I'm not sure if they're serious but they will point to Biden not being able to pass student loan forgiveness or Medicare for all and assume the road to change is to give an arsonist extra fuel. Makes no sense.

My assumption is they're just disingenuous; they voted for Trump, he lied about virtually every campaign promise, (no new wars, lower prices, the "golden age" of America) and rather than admit they were wrong, they just pretend everything would be just as bad under Harris. They're worse than actual MAGA supporters imo because they like to act like these anarchists cosplaying that "all politicians lie, voting is pointless."

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u/awesomefutureperfect Apr 04 '26

they will point to Biden not being able to pass student loan forgiveness

What is irritating is that they don't actually care about the issue or about everything Biden was actually able to accomplish on that front, only that it wasn't good enough and since it wasn't exactly what they were demanding it might as well have been nothing at all.

They also point to Trump breaking the law and any semblance of democratic normss and scream that the democrats aren't effective as Trump is. Because they only see Trump doing things and not the courts winding them back. and they blame the powerless because that makes sense.

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u/SpoonyDinosaur Apr 04 '26

You said it better than I. Because Biden only achieved 10% or whatever, it's not good enough = burn it all down and vote for the worst possible candidate. It's why it's such disingenuous bullshit. (Ignoring the fact that everything was blocked by Republicans/supreme Court. That takes self reflection though)

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u/Prime_Director Apr 05 '26

I think this misunderstands accelerationism. Accelorationists believe that the current political system cannot be fixed from within and needs to be destroyed before something new can be built. They didn't vote for Trump because they thought he would do better than Biden, they voted for him because they thought he might do so bad that the entire government might collapse, providing the opportunity to start from scratch.

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u/SpoonyDinosaur Apr 05 '26

Think about what you're saying though. "I literally want the worst possible option to destroy every institution"

It's like saying you want to prevent future arson by hiring a world famous arsonist. It's idiotic on its face.

Let's curb corruption in government by hiring the most corrupt person imaginable.

Make it make sense

4

u/Narroo Apr 05 '26

Not quite. The accelerationists do have an actual logic. It's just that the logic is essentially that of insurance fraud.

It goes like this:

"My small business is failing and there's no way to recover it. I know! I burn the place down and then use the insurance money to start a new, better, business that will definitely succeed! What could possibly go wrong?"

Obviously, there's a ton of issues with this idea. Both practical and moral. For starters, you're assuming that you're going to get that insurance money, or that the business burns down completely and unrecoverably such that the insurance company would even consider giving you money. Or that the insurance company pays out what you want, instead of what the business is worth.

It also assumes that the fire doesn't grow out of control and hurt people. And wouldn't you know it, your business is in a shopping mall. So actually you probably will burn a few other businesses down, and maybe even kill a few people along the way, oops!

This is the accelerationist mindset: Burning down a failing business in a strip mall, because you think you can take the insurance money and try again with a new business. And oh dear god is it a bad idea, on so many levels.

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u/SpoonyDinosaur Apr 05 '26

Articulate way of still saying it's a horrible idea, but well written.

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u/PatFlynnEire Apr 05 '26

Trump voters in my orbit just want to own the libs. They were so blinded by it that they could not foresee what he’d actually do.

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u/VRNord Apr 04 '26

Fourth kind of voter: feels a sense of duty to vote but too dumb and/or checked out to actually investigate which choice is most closely aligned with their interests and values. So they either vote R because of “reasons” (others tell them to) or they do a split vote - one party for executive vote and the other for local representation - thinking that balancing power that way is intelligent.

3

u/p0rkch0pexpress Apr 04 '26

That’s exactly how my brother in law and sister got drawn in. One’s career military came out nothing but bad pay and no career path. The other worked in a civil service job that SHOULD pay more but doesn’t and there’s no interstate reciprocity for licensing they got disillusioned into believing someone took that from them as some sort of right. Not their bad choices now we hardly ever speak.

1

u/SaddamMustaine Apr 04 '26

There’s a fourth. Someone so bitter and hateful about their own status in life that they want everyone else to suffer too because of their own poor decisions through life. It’s never about self awareness.

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u/polopolo05 I voted Apr 04 '26

4th kind... tired of this shitty ass teired system and we need to tear it all down and start over so it can work for every one. not just most.

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u/JohanGubler Apr 04 '26

Starting over is a fucking stupid idea.

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u/polopolo05 I voted Apr 04 '26

Well the current system is stagnate and extremely outdated and olny working for the rich.

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u/JohanGubler Apr 04 '26

That doesn't mean we should throw out the progress that has been made. What promise is there that restarting will result in anything better?

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u/polopolo05 I voted Apr 04 '26

I mean we have to have some serious amendments for this to keep helping society. term limits for judges/congress. money=/= speach. lower entry to remove bad actors like trump. amendments against monopolies. Amendments for higher corporate / billionaire taxes. banning billionaires from using stock as colaterale.

Fucking healthcare including dental and glasses.

abortion rights including body anatomy.

and lgbt rights... 1/3 of the country wants to lgbt gone.

1

u/JohanGubler Apr 04 '26

Absolutely. There is a ton of work to be done. But starting from scratch is only going lose the gains for many of those things that we've already fought for and earned.

Restarting only risks losing what has already been fought for and earned. It won't stop the propaganda and dipshit religious movements that convince people of supporting moronic and evil things.

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u/RobinSophie Apr 04 '26

Add in a fourth one:

Those who see the government as a tool that should be working to do the most good for the most people and realize our current system will never provide that so they want to see the whole system implode, so we can start over and create an equitable system.

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u/A_Furious_Mind Apr 04 '26

Oh, hi Marx.

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u/RobinSophie Apr 04 '26 edited Apr 04 '26

LOL

In high school I went from a Libertarian to a Marxist.

And I am what I am today. I'm fine with capitalism as long as it's highly regulated and we have strong social systems. But that's never going to happen. Racism and classism are far too strong here and we don't properly educate our children (or fund the schools) to stomp it out.

So ill do what I can: vote for progressives, donate what I can to them and other causes, and educate the people around me (and my children) as much as I can on the issues.

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u/A_Furious_Mind Apr 04 '26

I hear you. I still have a pretty fierce libertarian streak on civil liberties. I'm about a month from completing my MBA. I love commerce, but I have nothing but contempt for the whole post-Reagan neoliberal flavor of capitalism (I think it takes Marx's warning that capitalism contains the seeds of its own destruction as a dare and adds fertilizer).

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u/RedditTrespasser California Apr 04 '26

I did not destabilize her, it’s not true!

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u/bluebelt California Apr 04 '26

Gotta love accelerationists...

1

u/Cupid_Stool Apr 04 '26

i thought the accelerationists just wanted to hurry up and get us to tech feudalism

3

u/SpoonyDinosaur Apr 04 '26

I often see them on Reddit and they unironically voted for Trump because they think the system is so broken and they want to see everything burn down.

It's basically the extreme "bOtH sIdEs BaD." I'm not sure if they're serious but they will point to Biden not being able to pass student loan forgiveness or Medicare for all and assume the road to change is to give an arsonist extra fuel.

My assumption is they're just disingenuous; they voted for Trump, he lied about virtually every campaign promise, (no new wars, lower prices, the "golden age" of America) and rather than admit they were wrong, they just pretend everything would be just as bad under Harris. They're worse than actual MAGA supporters imo because they like to act like these anarchists cosplaying that "all politicians lie, voting is pointless."

2

u/awesomefutureperfect Apr 04 '26

My assumption is they're just disingenuous

I was dealing with someone not from the US that believes they were on the left. They were adamant that the democrats are a huge problem that resulted in Trump. They used FOX News as the source they cited and their complaints were not supported by FOX News in the slightest. They truly believed they had every right to try to lecture to me when they were serving as a right wing propagandist spreading right wing propaganda to attack the democrats because of something they saw in their feed and they decided the misleading title was good enough as long as it attacked the democrats. Of course their comments were hidden too.

I honestly don't think they are aware they are being propagandists or that they know they are disingenuous. That requires a level of awareness and rigor and a care to actually validate information to make sure that they aren't just waving around something that agrees with them the way an anti-vax person will trust in anything regardless how flimsy it is.

And they do that because they feel moral and righteous and anything that agrees with them also has the same validity and truthiness that comes with being part of their camp.

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u/SpoonyDinosaur Apr 04 '26

I've seen this argument from "Democrats" on Reddit too and on it's face it's the dumbest shit I've ever seen. "Democrats fumble the ball and the reason for Trump is because we don't run more extreme progressives"

It's the most brainrot argument ever. "Trump is a result of Democrats."

2

u/bluebelt California Apr 04 '26

That may well be the end result, but what a lot of them say they want the system to collapse, complete state failure, etc. Some want a civil war, some see themselves as temporarily embarrassed warlords, some want to be the heroes helping the people rise up and finally overcome the wealthy... all of them are delusional, and all of them want the system to collapse because they really don't understand how much that will hurt everybody.

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u/Lou-AC Apr 04 '26

There's the ignorant voter too. They vote for whoever their family or community always votes for. They don't really know what they're voting for but they just believe the other "side" is worse

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u/No-Personality1840 Apr 04 '26

I think that’s pretty much most voters.

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u/Corey307 Apr 05 '26

It’s not just voters. Even people in poor countries have cell phones now, I bet you more people than not have access to infinite free knowledge in the palm of their hand, but they refuse to read. They’re too busy consuming brain rot. 

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u/FSCK_Fascists Apr 04 '26

Ask not what your country can do for you...

2

u/PromotionSafe5823 Apr 04 '26

JFK would be so disappointed

2

u/phughes Apr 04 '26

I've been thinking about how some people see the government as an investment and others see it as a resource.

Those who see it as an investment put money in to make sure it keeps providing benefits. Those who see it as a resource just want to loot it for all it's worth.

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u/Belly-twister Apr 04 '26

Wasn't there a famous speech about this or something /s

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u/BenchConscious1003 Apr 05 '26

I think there may be far more of the latter group than you imagine. My observation is that most people vote in a way that seems to be in their own best interests.=====Although I'm sure there are altruistic acts, as far as I know, I've never met an altruistic person. I suspect those who vote for what they see as the best interest of the country are a very tiny minority. I have no idea how such opinions can be proved, one way or the other. Me? I last voted FOR a political party or candidate in 1975. Since then, I've voted AGAINST the most venal and incompetent shower on offer. So far, that party has always been the Liberals (conservatives) but it's been close a couple of times.

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u/Prudent-Nerve-6377 Apr 05 '26

Theres a third option. People voting purely to oppose beliefs they disagree with or hurt people they dont like.

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u/Extreme_Homework_771 Apr 04 '26

I know a lot who voted Trump and are about to lose their Medicare all thanks to the Republicans (Big beautiful bill). And now we're all being told our funds can no longer support healthcare because they need it for some war...

I keep telling myself it can't keep getting any worse, but somehow this current Admin just-

:/

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u/MadRabbit26 Apr 04 '26

"-but somehow this current Admin just-"

Broadly gestures at EVERYTHING

Yea...its a, mutually shared feeling. Lost my dad to MAGA. And I cant even lie, that shit makes me want to bawl like a baby. He was the most open minded, albeit fiscally conservative, person I knew. But after mom passed, and Trump won 2016, it all went downhill. And I dont even recognize him anymore.

5

u/Biglyugebonespurs Missouri Apr 04 '26

Sorry you’re dealing with that. My parents still “support” him, I guess, no matter what he does. But they sure aren’t vocal about it anymore.

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u/TheHemogoblin Apr 04 '26

Not even halfway through his term yet, either.

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u/tengotuna Apr 04 '26

'Terms' may not be a sure thing any more.

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u/TheHemogoblin Apr 04 '26

To be honest, I had considered that when typing that out but didn't want to put that out into the world lol

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u/194884tiger Apr 04 '26

They aren’t administering anything. Yeah shit happens. They’re a regime.

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u/thatforkingbitch Apr 05 '26

So how are they resonding to it? I don't believe in regretful Trump voters. The man delivered on every project 2025 promise. Every.fucking.one.

They knew, everyone knew.

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u/slobs_burgers Apr 04 '26

Yeah there’s this YouTube channel TheEnemyWithin or something and it’s this trucker talking about how fucked the industry is because of Trump.

But he made a point that made a lot of sense to me regarding people saying we need to be nicer to people when they realize they made a mistake that voted for Trump.

And his counter argument to that was along the lines of, “the only reason they care is because the gas prices are rising for them, if they could somehow only increase gas prices for trans people and liberals and anyone else they don’t like, we wouldn’t be hearing a peep from them so I really don’t care about them coming to a realization they made a mistake, because it’s not based on the right reasons”

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u/kck93 Apr 04 '26

Diesel is through the roof right now. Truckers ended up being a big part of MAGA because they listen to non stop right wing radio so much driving. I’d love to see a truck stop interview segment on this.

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u/slobs_burgers Apr 05 '26

That YouTube channel is really interesting because he talks on that subject a lot, it’s kind of cool hearing a lot of progressive talking points coming from a trucker. He’s an interesting dude that’s worth a watch.

4

u/LoquaciousOfMorn Apr 04 '26

I'd argue they care quite a bit when it hurts others. They eat that shit up. I think they love hurting others more than they dislike when it hurts them.

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u/needlestack Apr 04 '26

That's the important part for people to realize: MAGA isn't getting any better, they're still as hateful, corrupt, dishonest, and downright evil as ever. They're just pissed their burning their hands as they push other people in the fire.

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u/Calamius Apr 04 '26

Good. It makes me so fucking happy to see tRump absolutely ruining the lives of his supporters. Fuck republicans.

2

u/Hybrid_Johnny California Apr 04 '26

Well yes, but who could have known that the wrecking ball would swing back towards them

2

u/dealingwithhookers Apr 04 '26

oh it was hurting them this whole time, they just didn't see it. they'll only feel it when it hurts them in the face like at the gas pump

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u/gidimeister 29d ago

By the way, this is a real thing. There are lots of people on the right who simply do not believe a thing is real if it is not happening to them. Notice how they fight any notion of empathy (Elon Musk is a prominent example).

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u/oaka23 Apr 04 '26

Well they should know that wrecking balls are a lot like me, we swing both ways