By Diane Roberts
You’d have thought the Republic could have at least made it to our 250th anniversary before we decided to elect a fascist.
I’m not going to say it’s been a good run, though we’ve had some proud moments: the 14th, 15th, and 19th Amendments, the novels of William Faulkner and Toni Morrison, the poetry of Langston Hughes and Anne Sexton, antibiotics, the moon landing, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Clean Water Act, jazz, the national parks, the election of Barack Obama.
I’m not going to say this election is some kind of freakish, unimaginable event.
It isn’t. This is who too many of us have always been: angry, racist, misogynistic, xenophobic, homophobic, willfully ignorant, and scared.
Oh, well.
So, goodbye to the rule of law.
We’ve already seen what that’s like here in Florida.
Goodbye, checks and balances.
Goodbye to an independent judiciary.
Goodbye to a free Ukraine.
Goodbye to free speech.
Goodbye to a free press.
The incoming regime has promised to wreak vengeance on its perceived enemies, especially in the media.
Goodbye to science-based health care.
If Ron DeSantis’s pet quack, Covid-denier, anti-vaxxer Joseph Ladapo becomes (as is rumored) U.S. Surgeon General, many of us will likely get sick — maybe even die — from preventable diseases.
Polio, anyone? How about measles?
The Florida prototype
Goodbye to fact-based history.
Florida led the way: Soon, many other state education systems will join us in claiming slavery wasn’t that big of a deal.
Goodbye to facts, period. The truth is what the regime says it is.
Goodbye to the old American ideal of social justice — not that we’ve covered ourselves in glory on that one, but we used to claim we believed in it, at least.
Now we don’t have to pretend.
Goodbye to the possibility of peace in the Middle East.
Netanyahu can now carry on his genocidal project unchecked — and probably, like his patron Trump, manage to stay out of jail.
Of course, unless he kills every single Palestinian on the face of the earth (not that I’m trying to give him any ideas), he’s ensuring generations of young Arabs will turn to terrorism.
If you visit horrors on an entire people, they often want to do the same to you.
Goodbye to the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Goodbye to full citizenship for women.
Goodbye to medical abortions, mifepristone, and misoprostol.
Despite several states voting to enshrine reproductive rights in their constitutions, despite a strong majority of Floridians voting to roll back the cruel and dangerous six-week ban (which still failed to reach the nearly impossible threshold of 60%), the Project 2025-ers, headed by their poster-boy J.D. Vance, will try to enforce the Comstock Act.
Goodbye to bodily autonomy — for women, anyway.
The new regime has made it clear we are mere Handmaids — baby incubators — or Aunts or Marthas.
Who do you think does all that work?
Goodbye to marriage equality.
Gay people, like women, aren’t fully human.
Goodbye to the Inflation Reduction Act and its green incentives.
Goodbye to sustainability; hello to rising waters.
Enjoy the flooding, South Florida.
And go on, buy the biggest F-150 and a house on a barrier island.
See what happens in the next big storm.
Goodbye to the Department of Education.
Goodbye to NATO.
It’s full of foreigners, and the regime hates foreigners.
Speaking of foreigners, goodbye to cheap food.
If Trump carries out his tariffs plan, you’ll have to save up to buy a single orange.
And if he carries out his mass deportation plan, more than 1 million people will be removed from Florida.
Goodbye to Florida’s construction industry, its landscaping businesses, and its fruit and vegetable farms.
Who do you think does all that work?
Goodbye to the panther, goodbye to the manatee, goodbye to the key deer.
Emboldened by passage of the godawful Amendment 2, Florida will no longer worry much about protecting them.
We need their habitat for new gated communities — if we can find anyone to build them (see above).
Goodbye to any hope of slowing climate change. You may be OK for a while; your children and grandchildren will not.
Goodbye to Social Security.
Goodbye to programs for the poor.
Goodbye to holding police accountable, even a little.
Goodbye to “love thy neighbor as thyself.”
The regime rejects the Christianity of Christ.
Too weak.
Goodbye to America defining itself as a Beacon of Hope, the Light of Freedom, or any of that other stuff they told you in 3rd grade.
The country will be a laughingstock at best, at worst an existential threat.
So, goodbye to what was best about Florida and the rest of America.
Congratulations, Vladimir Putin. You’ve won.
Diane Roberts is an 8th-generation Floridian, born and bred in Tallahassee. Educated at Florida State University and Oxford University in England, she has been writing for newspapers since 1983, when she began producing columns on the legislature for the Florida Flambeau. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, the Times of London, the Guardian, the Washington Post, the Oxford American, and Flamingo. She has been a member of the Editorial Board of the St. Petersburg Times–back when that was the Tampa Bay Times’s name–and a long-time columnist for the paper in both its iterations. She was a commentator on NPR for 22 years and continues to contribute radio essays and opinion pieces to the BBC. Roberts is also the author of four books.
Froggy says
Brilliant but painfully brutal accurate analysis on the fate of our once great constitutional Republic. As a native Floridian and former Republican, it pains me to see the direction this country has taken at the hands of MAGA extremism and greedy self interest politicians and corporations. I fear a dreadful reckoning is coming to our Democracy that it may not recover from. We are fortunate we have individuals like yourself that will speak out against the threats to our Democratic institutions and the disastrous outcomes that may come out of this turn to a Fascist and Plutocratic form of government.
Thomas Hutson says
Diane Roberts,
I agree 100% with your OP-ED , unfortunately very very very few people will take the time to read it.
It is so true the most disgusting reality is the masses are following leadership that could care less about them! 90% of our leadership in Congress, the Senate, in the Courts are all multi-millionaires, they thrive on chaos, lies and unkept promises deluding the idea that they would do anything, anything that would cost them money.
Until the masses “see the light” and understand what is going on, it is only going to get worse. We are living in a blame you society.
FlaPharmTech says
Diane, many of us Dems in Flagler county mourn for our democracy as well.
Thank you for this piece, depressing though it is.
jim says
wa wa wa wa wa time 4 u to stand up for ur beliefs and leave the country!!! don’t let the door hit u in the ass on the way out!!! bye bye!!!!
Sherry says
@jim. . . spoken like a true divisive, fear and hate filled maga cult member. . . your family must be so very proud ! May you reap what you are sowing!
Dennis C Rathsam says
Oh dear, can you tell someones fustrated! Your doom & gloom is on par with the TV newscasters who are still in the ( Icant believe mode) too. I believe this is the worse loss in the history of the jackass party. Americans were fed up with the shananagans of the democrats & voted with gusto. Let me jog your memory, before you tell me the sky is falling too! Inflation was 1.4%, interest rates were 3%, gas was $2.00 a gal. The Abram Accords, peace in the Middle East, no new wars, no country invading another country! Grocery prices 10 15 20 % more? We can agree theyre a lot higher. A closed border, prosperity & peace, tax cuts….Dianne is the girl that cryed wolf, same show, same sorry playbook. You just cant get over your not right 100% of the time, no one is…. But at least stop the lies.
FlaPharmTech says
I’m disgusted that you’re my Palm Coast neighbor, feeble, afraid, old man that you likely are.
And damn, the election was very, very close.
I guess I’m another “girl who cried wolf”, and very proud to be in Diane’s company.
You’re a sheep.
Leila says
Very close election? On what planet? Democrats crossed over to vote Republican because they are so frustrated.
Deborah Coffey says
Amen. Goodbye, Diane. I will miss you and hope you escape prison or at least get to share a cell with Rachel Maddow.
Samuel L. Bronkowitz says
Good luck and bad luck create each other and it is difficult to foresee their change.
A righteous man lived near the border. For no reason, his horse ran off into barbarian territory. Everyone felt sorry for him. His father said:
“Who knows if that won’t bring you good luck?”
Several months later his horse came back with a group of healthy barbarian horses. Everyone congratulated him. His father said:
“Who knows if that won’t bring you bad luck?”
Now his house is rich in horses and the son mounted with joy/loved riding. He fell and broke his leg. Everyone felt sorry for him. His father said:
“Who knows if that won’t bring you good luck?”
One year later the barbarians invaded across the border. Adult men strung up their bows and went into battle. Nine out of ten border residents were killed, except for the son because of his broken leg. Father and son were protected, both survived.
Hence: Bad luck brings good luck and good luck brings bad luck. This happens without end and nobody can estimate it.
Dave says
GOODBYE TO LEFT WING NUT JOBS
Mike says
Diane, you said a lot of “goodbye’s” in the left leaning piece. Your name calling such as fascist, and the lies and scare tactics that you mention, are the very things that 76,510,127 real Americans chose to reject. This is what the nation is about to follow:
* Seal the border and stop the illegal migrant invasion
* Carry out the largest deportation operation in American history
* End inflation, and make America affordable again
* Make America the dominant energy producer in the world, by far!
* Stop the outsourcing, and turn the United States into a manufacturing superpower
* Large tax cuts for workers, and no tax on tips!
* Defend our constitution, our bill of rights, and our fundamental freedoms, including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to keep and bear arms
* Prevent world war three, restore peace in Europe and in the middle east, and build a great iron dome missile defense shield over our entire country — all made in America
* End the weaponization of government against the American people
* Stop the migrant crime epidemic, demolish the foreign drug cartels, crush gang violence, and lock up violent offenders
* Rebuild our cities, including Washington DC, making them safe, clean, and beautiful again.
* Strengthen and modernize our military, making it, without question, the strongest and most powerful in the world
* Keep the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency
* Fight for and protect social security and Medicare with no cuts, including no changes to the retirement age
* Cancel the electric vehicle mandate and cut costly and burdensome regulations
* Cut federal funding for any school pushing critical race theory, radical gender ideology, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content on our children
* Keep men out of women’s sports
* Deport pro-Hamas radicals and make our college campuses safe and patriotic again
* Secure our elections, including same day voting, voter identification, paper ballots, and proof of citizenship
* Unite our country by bringing it to new and record levels of success
All of the 20 above will mean a long needed “goodbye” to what’s been going on the past 4 years
FlaPharmTech says
And you truly think trump will accomplish your wish list???!!!!
You drank the trumpaid.
feddy says
And you drank the Leftist liquid.
CD says
You REALLY need therapy. As someone who was in Germany when the wall came down and then Cambodia involved in the Pol Pot removal, lets talk about THIS.
Small groups of East Germans coming to Munich in their stylish moth eaten latest 1946 fashion Russian wool great coats.
Nothing but wide eyed and open mouth SHOCK at what they were seeing.
Small groups of Cambodians, many of them young children missing hands and damaged faces from “shiny thing” mines on the way to the Killing Fields.
Having to traverse on narrow “mine cleared” trails.
Killing Fields where humans were treated horrifically and left to rot in a manner worse than we treat trash.
So spew your Maxist lies as that’s your 1st amendment right you are trying to destroy.
Unfortunately for you, Joey happily, with a huge smile, shook the hand of the “fashist” who you are denigrating. Its hard to identify a fascist when you, in reality, are the fascist too.
Marlee says
This almost reads like a horror story….BUT…it IS reality!
Who woulda thought voters could support a person like Rump!
John says
Im a native Floridian, and a retired Army Officer and I did NOT VOTE FOR TRUMP. We learn early on in the military what GREAT LEADERS do and say. TRUMP is not a great leader. He is krass, ignorant, bebasing, unintelligent, he is full of hate and anger. I did 2 tours in Combat. I thought I saw the worst. No. Electing this many to ruin our democracy. Sit back and watch.
FROGGY says
Totally agree with your comments about traitorous Trump. As a US Army specialist 71-73 I took the same oath that you took upon enlisting and becoming a commissioned officer – to support protect and defend the US constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. DJT broke that oath as President and tried to overthrow the results of a free and fairly won election. This egregious, shameful and seditious act makes him unqualified to serve as president and commander in chief. Count me out as one of the 76 myn. delusional fools who are OK with this behavior and voted him back in. I can say as a former Republican and veteran that one of the proudest moments of my life is not having voted for him in 3 elections.
Bob says
We written and sadly very true. Trump campaigned on he was going to get revenge on all those he feels have done him wrong. It is going to be four years of revenge which is putting our country in security dangers.
Look who he is picking to be on his cabinet, all but a few are very unqualified and he is doing his best to get around them have background checks, that should alarm all of us.
Just wait until he is sworn in, the worst has yet to come but it will then in full force. Our national security is at great risk. Good bye to our freedoms and our democracy.
joe says
Yes, indeed….get ready for massive chaos – these two rich *****s are going to disrupt the lives of tens of millions in the name of “efficiency” – https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/musk-and-ramaswamy-unveil-plan-to-overhaul-government/ar-AA1uuRVy?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531&cvid=0250fac64dfd4149bf2b0c5e1f39a20c&ei=11
joe says
“Goodbye to the Inflation Reduction Act and its green incentives.”
Indeed: “The United States’s blossoming emergence as a clean energy superpower could be stopped in its tracks by Donald Trump, further empowering Chinese leadership and forfeiting tens of billions of dollars of investment to other countries, according to a new report.
Trump’s promise to repeal major climate policies passed during Joe Biden’s presidency threatens to push $80 billion of investment to other countries and cost the US up to $50 billion in lost exports, the analysis found, surrendering ground to China and other emerging powers in the race to build electric cars, batteries, solar and wind energy for the world.” (From The Guardian)
To those who voted for Trump thinking he will improve the economy – sorry, you’ve been had.
Brian says
HAHAHAHAHA The majority of the country has spoken, and said with a resounding shout, GOODBYE Diane Roberts, and GOODBYE to your snide, left-wing lame-ass attempts at comedy. You, ma’am, are the laughingstock.
Pierre Tristam says
Diane Roberts isn’t going anywhere. Clearly, neither are you reading eyes.
joe says
“The majority of the country has spoken”….uhhh, not really. First, as is usual, the total vote percentage for our country is pathetic- I don’t think we’ve ever reached 70% of people voting…also, as the voting figures continue to be reported, Trump has slipped below 50% – not a majority.
His margin of victory is one of the slimmest in history. Yes, he won all the swing states, but the margins of victory in those states was very small – in some cases, less than 1%.
Any claim that Trump has received some massive “mandate” is not shown by the numbers, and claiming that the “majority of the country has spoken” is simply false, despite Trump and his cultists claiming into be so.
Robjr says
As Don King said.
Only in America!
Only in America!
Kennan says
Well done.
The new administration coming in simply points out that Trump is merely a symptom of a much larger problem. Americans are tribalistic, populist, and in lockstep. I wonder if we even know what we want anymore. Yes one party is better than the other. Gazza in particular, simply reminds me that it doesn’t matter what party line you take….. Money, greed, and just basic racism are alive and well in America. Especially in relation to policy, proxy war ism, and let’s not forget about oil.
Listen, I’m just gonna say it. Americans are dumb. Americans are dumb because they wanna be dumb. We don’t live in a country anymore as much as we live in a lobby. Whoever lobby is better wins. The writing is all the wall for me. It’s been on the wall for decades. The two party system simply does not work. We are so far apart and so toxic that being an American no longer matters, because nobody knows what matters anymore. Have six parties. There will be so much more overlap that common ground would at least be much much much more attainable . Besides, people would have to pay more attention to the candidate and the policies instead of the party. This Crips and bloods shit is no longer gonna work. Coke and Pepsi, not enough.
I have a very nuanced understanding of the Middle East. Seeing what’s been happening over the last year and the Nazi sympathizers that We have become, irregardless of party affiliation. The nonstop support for a genocidal Israel with our tax dollars that fund genocide for Israel at all costs. No matter what we see with our Lying eyes, we continue to support a genocide when we know it’s a genocide. The new administration has put evangelical Huckabee in as US Ambassador Israel. This is a guy that believes in the end times and the rapture. Literally!!!!!!
Diane, you’re right. We’re fucked.! I think we’ve been heading towards fucked for decades though.
protonbeam says
Time will tell but trump’s comments today were –
“I am not looking for retribution, grandstanding or to destroy people who treated me very unfairly,’ President-elect Donald Trump”..”In order to Make America Great Again, it is very important, if not vital, to have a free, fair and open media or press,” Trump said.
to wit he accepted the invitation and met with two of his biggest media critics this weekend -MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski – at Mar a Lago –
History tells us there has never been a monument raised, nor a great song written, nor a page reserved in history for the hateful cynic or the angry skeptic. But that may be giving her too much credit. Dianne is the worst of both. She is skeptical and cynical of everyone and everything, but herself- and that leaves her a total intellectual fraud.
I think it best said in the ‘Critique of Cynical Reason (1983), Peter Sloterdijk” wherein he defined modern cynics as “borderline melancholics, who can barely keep their symptoms of depression under control” & “where people are aware of societal flaws and injustices but still choose to passively participate (albeit angrily and with intentional destruction in mind), effectively undermining any potential for meaningful social change”
joe says
“I am not looking for retribution, grandstanding or to destroy people who treated me very unfairly,’ President-elect Donald Trump”..”In order to Make America Great Again, it is very important, if not vital, to have a free, fair and open media or press,” Trump said.”
You say, “time will tell” – Sadly, time has ALREADY told – Trump’s first term showed much of his dictatorial bent, and ONE quote in a self-serving interview doesn’t outweigh years of fascist talk – have you watched any of his rallies during this campaign?? – If you are really uncertain about Trump. you are truly naive. He’s made clear his intent.
Gop are terrorists says
We are a global joke. Who trusts rapist convicts ?yeah no one but maga tards. People will pay the price for this for decades ands that’s likely all we have left. Get your kicks in before the whole house goes up in flames. If we could sexually assault another nation these gop will do it and tell us how they deserved it.
Local says
Why do you all keep calling him a rapist? More lies to spread?You lefties have no bounds. Attack,attack,attack….that all you do. No wonder we can’t get anywhere as a country.
FlaPharmTech says
Because he IS an adjudicated rapist.
Try switching off FOX Entertainment.
Amazing how base trump’s base is.
Mod says
Good bye to the 1 million souls lost to Covid
How one has a short memory..
Remember …Covid will be gone In days ..it’s only one person
I know Donald is a lying con man
The county will soon realized it
She is correct..it will only get worse…
From the childless cat lady
Thankfully I’m glad I have no one that will reap the next four years and beyond
Good luck to you all
You re now alone just like me…
No one will be coming to save you from the next …next…
John Calvin says
Just one case in point to respond to this lady’s hysteria: There are more than 55 million Americans currently over the age of 65 most of whom collecting Social Security….the largest voting block of the country. When has SS EVER been cut? Never. Let me repeat that…..NEVER. It would be political suicide for any politician who attempted it. How many elections have come and gone where Democrats didn’t promote this absolute lie? Time and space here prohibits dissemination of the rest of her drivel but this is one proven fact she cannot refute. The country spoke and spoke loudly….we know what works…..and what doesn’t.
jake says
Democrat heads still exploding everywhere. It’s a great day in America.
Rip murica says
Yeah merica is not great, in fact it’s being lead by convicts and sexual predators. I will not stand for a flag or sing the anthem till we start heading in the right direction. I realize most Americans can’t read beyond a 5th grade level and republicans capitalized on the stupidity of people. Hense the defunding of education and schools. Now watch national Sabatoge at an epic level. Good luck to all those who will suffer from the horrendous consequences of electing a rapist and felon with a iq of a nickel to help “fix “ anything.
Now turn up the hate and discrimination! Proud boys are standing by.
Leila says
Do we live on the same planet? What exactly is it that you think Trump does illegally? He isn’t telling us what appliances we must buy and what cars we must buy. He is not sending the FBI after parents at school board meetings because they object to the sharing of restrooms and young children being forced to read porn. And he isn’t sending missiles directly into other countries. He is not allowing millions to cross our borders at will, for ing local governments to support them. FYI, they are still coming to the most free nation on earth.
The country has not been this divided since the Civil War. Didn’t we all study the Founding Documents in school? Exactly what actions has Trump committed to send you into a mass panic? Can you list them?
Maybe it’s time to split up this nation to ease the mass panic of those who look like they need professional help. This is the saddest thing I have ever seen.