Great piece, Jeni. I'm going to share an email exchange I had today with my old therapist, who is a friend now, although that complicates life for him. It arose from me sharing this Nick Kristof column with him. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/08/opinion/fentanyl-addiction-drug-policy.html?unlocked_article_code=1.vk4.KJ2l.4f7XuDZajoPU&smid=url-share He emailed me:

"No question we do everything in extremes in this country. We need one consistent policy that offers treatment where folks who are ill can be hospitalized and yes like mental illness sometimes even against their will by licensed and caring professionals - professionals not idiots.

I have no faith that Donald Trump will do ANYTHING to help the people in a meaningful way. I believe he will treat addicted individuals as the Nazis did like Jews or homosexuals or poor Christians and certainly Muslims.

No doubt though we have had permissive views and for that I blame extreme PROGRESSIVE liberals

I fear that we are in for a rough ride over the next 4 years and addicted individuals will be swept into the garbage pail along with many others.

But addiction is a disease and we need to teach that in schools - we now have Cannabis Use Disorder which will only get worse with legalization even though I have always been for legalization not punishment.

Excellent article but hold tight my old friend we are in for tough times in this country that will make addiction the least of our problems as demented oligarchs like Musk are given free rein!!!"

I replied:

"Elon’s Musk is an eau de cologne skunking con scent of unwashed schmuck

The only way Trump does anything that will help anyone is by accident something that helps him helps another

The whole USAID thing is unconscionable and unfortunately I don't think enough voters care about anyone or anything but themselves and perhaps their immediate family

Question is how long will it take for the middle and working class to realize that they aren't better and are probably worse off under these people and will the Dems get their heads out of their assess and realize that culture wars are counter productive when it comes to getting votes."

The part I bolded here Jeni is the key. It's not Trump and those he serves that are the problem. It's the people who voted for him who view the world differently than you and me, most of which are good people.