Public Perspectives: "I've never felt more depressed or hopeless."

Ahead of Election Day 2024, the Fulcrum launched We the People, a series elevating the voices and visibility of the persons most affected by the decisions of elected officials.

Now, we continue the series to learn if the Donald Trump administration is meeting the voters' motivations for voting in the 2024 presidential election.

Not everyone was comfortable sharing their picture and full name. We respected their wishes.

From left to right: Gabriel Cardona-Fox, Bud Branch, Joe Concienne

Gabriel Cardona-Fox, 53, educator, New Jersey

I've never felt more depressed or hopeless about the fate of the world and my country since Trump took office. He is rapidly dismantling our democratic institutions, wrecking our economy, and soiling our international reputation in a way I never thought possible. The tariffs are essentially a tax on the rest of us to pay for a tax break for the very wealthy. This chaotic and misguided policy is sinking our entire economy and setting the stage for a system of crony capitalism, something akin to Putin’s Russia.

What I'm least satisfied with is the weak opposition from the Democrats and the failure of some institutions (i.e. Columbia University, law firms, and media companies) to show resistance. The only glimmer of hope I see is the courageous actions of a few isolated individuals and institutions. I think the ACLU, some judges, communities, Harvard, and other universities are beginning to stand up to Trump's dictatorial ambitions, but they don't yet resemble like an organized movement.

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His party and the economic establishment are behaving like a herd of pusillanimous sycophants, and the Democrats seem powerless to stop him. The president is doing just what he promised to do. The framers of Project 2025 could not be happier. I just did not expect it to happen so quickly and with so little organized resistance. The damage Trump has done in the past 100 days will take generations to repair. We may very well be looking at the downfall of the American empire.

Jasmine, 60 years, IT sector, Colorado (No Photo Provided)

It's worse than I expected, even though we all knew what he said he was going to do. Nothing specific to the anti-gay and anti-trans movements. The rhetoric around trans women and trans people in general has been blown out of proportion over the last eight years. I am so happy I'm living in Colorado. It's one of the few states where I feel safe enough not to be freaked out all the time. But yes, in the trans community, we're all worried about what Trump is going to do.

We are worried about going to states like Texas, where there is a legislative proposal that if the gender markers on your driver's license or passport do not match your birth certificate, you can be arrested for fraud. I can't go to Texas. Those are the kinds of laws I'm afraid of. I'm only going to give my business to Colorado and to states where I feel like I'm accepted and welcomed, and that number is getting smaller and smaller, unfortunately. I am also afraid for young trans people now. I fear young kids will have to stay in the closet, and I’m afraid they might commit suicide. You know that the transgender community has the highest suicide rate in the country? My message to them is that there are resources available. Find out which states are good for transgender people, like Illinois, Colorado, and others. There is even a national transgender hotline that you can call for help. Do that.

Bud Branch, 69 years, musician, New Mexico

I am aghast at how well-organized these nefarious activities have unfurled. I didn't believe project 2025 was literally their game plan, but evidently it is. They are so assiduously dismantling truly important institutions in the federal government. We could talk about USAID, about the Justice Department, the Department of Education, the National Institutes of Health, and the nominations for cabinet-level positions. They are a joke. They've populated the cabinet with intentionally inept, unqualified people.

When it comes to tariffs, they are objectively moronic. The GOP has surrendered tariff control to the executive. They are cowardly and unpatriotic. I believe that Trump is a Russian asset, ever since the 80s in New York, and his connections with Russia. I am convinced of his bad character, evil, and selfish intent. He has the morals of an alley cat. It is also an aberration of the Electoral College and a unique set of societal conditions that gave him a razor-thin victory that enabled him to do this kind of destruction.

It is the fault of the propaganda that's been lying to so many people and the failure of our public education in the realm of civics. This is what we've ended up with: folks who can't think for themselves and are inculcated in this culture of right-wing lying and spinning. What we're seeing is a powerful cult, and it's going to take powerful deprogramming to bring some of our countrymen back to their senses.

Joe Concienne, 74 years, retired chemical engineer, Texas

Overall, I am feeling positive and optimistic about Trump’s first weeks in office. He has exceeded my expectations as to both the speed and breadth of change. He has pursued accomplishment of his campaign promises from day one. President Trump’s broad change initiatives are even a little fast for a lifelong Southern conservative like me. But for once, I see energy and real action, not just talk, committee hearings, and spin. Just take the southern border as a single example. As Trump said, “We did not need new laws to secure the southern border, we just needed a president who wanted to secure it.”

The things I am least satisfied with are the things I have always been least satisfied when Trump is involved. From the first day he become a political candidate, I have wished he would think a little more before speaking his “uncensored mind.” After 10+ years, I now accept Trump’s unrestrained speech as an assurance of transparency. What you see is what you get.

I see the new Administration actively working on securing the Southern border, balance the annual federal budget and shrink the size of the federal government, end fighting and money drain in Ukraine, end fighting in Gaza with the return of hostages, return education administration to the states, return critical supply chains to the US, and bring common sense back to our federal government. I want President Trump to be successful in every issue. However, if he can find paydirt on half, I will be happy. President Trump will face severe and persistent opposition as he pursues “Draining the Swamp.” He may have only two years until the country tires of the turmoil this “draining” entails. I wish him well.

Nesy, 64 years, hospitality industry, District of Columbia (No Photo Provided)

*She asked that we use a nickname –does not want to be identified

We went from hell to another version of a different hell. The Democratic Party lost this election. Why? Because the Democrats have become elitist. They have stopped listening to the middle and lower classes. Biden used to refer to the “kitchen table.” He totally forgot about the kitchen table. When you have white, angry, middle, and lower-class American voters, they turn to Trump because he is an actor. He says exactly what everybody wants him to say, but he doesn't give a damn about what Americans want. If he achieves anything, it's in his own interest.

And Elon Musk is there for Elon Musk. We are looking at a coup d'état. Every dictator creates a lot of noise, and so you don’t see what is going on. It's a playbook. And we're all being played. I think what Americans lack is education. The American educational system is created to produce nonthinkers. They want you to be distracted and completely busy. So, you just become a follower. The lack of knowledge on how tariffs will impact all Americans is scary. When the impact hits all sectors of our economy and the working class, I hope there will be a national movement to stop the insanity.

In what democracy can you show up, not show a badge or identify yourself, and pick a young student off the street in Boston? It's called kidnapping. That is authoritarian. This is Putin's style. This is what Trump loves. As an Arab American who is a US citizen, I don’t feel safe here now because it is not just Arab Americans. You must always think, when they come after you, who is going to be next?

SUGGESTION: Public Perspectives: Trump Presidency

The Fulcrum is committed to regularly reaching out to people across the U.S. and capturing their views on President Trump’s second term. We strive to gather opinions that represent a diverse range of voices and life experiences across the United States. If you are interested in sharing your views in the future, please don’t hesitate to drop us an email. We will consider it when the time for our next survey comes around. Send us your comments and photo to Newsroom@fulcrum.us

Beatrice Spadacini is a freelance journalist for the Fulcrum. Spadacini writes about social justice and public health.