Letters: Processing the 2024 election as a Democrat

The election is over, and for many people, myself included, the results are hard to process. At the risk of coming across like a disgruntled, rabid anti-Trump liberal and a sore loser, I’m going to try.
People voted for Donald Trump for various reasons. One compelling reason was a somewhat struggling economy with high inflation, and I sympathize with that — it came down to pocketbooks, not politics. I can also understand people who are fervently pro-life and want abortion restricted or banned. To a lesser degree, I also understand that many Republicans simply voted for their party’s candidate.
To all these people, even if you eventually get what you wanted, I ask you if the price of your soul was worth it. You helped elect a con man, a misogynist, a narcissist, and a convicted felon to the highest office in America. 
If you don’t care that he is possibly any or all of those things, I also ask you if you would want Donald Trump to be your boss, your neighbor, or most importantly, your child’s teacher. If you can’t unequivocally say yes to all those things, then he surely doesn’t deserve to be president.
It’s not that Kamala Harris lost, but that Donald Trump won. And so did boorishness, misogyny, vulgarity and xenophobia.
There’s an old saying: “Anyone can become president.” It was meant to be an inspiration. Now it’s become a cautionary tale.
However, I’m not going to wallow, protest, or storm any buildings — it was a fair election, and the majority spoke, even though I disagree.  What I will do is to keep in mind that a hope for a better America will live on, regardless of one man.
Kesavan Srinivasan, Hudson
There is no woman elected as president because the nominees have been unacceptable. If a qualified candidate ran, one who represents all people, men and women, then they would have a chance to win.
Hillary and Kamala were not the answer. I am a woman who makes educated choices and do not follow one cause. Just because you are a woman, you are not getting my vote.
My choices are based on the good for our country. Both of the previous women candidates did not meet that criteria. It is not about the sex of the candidate, it is about their policies or lack of.
Our country needs to quit pitting women against the world and get back to a country where we all can peacefully exist.
Brenda Prince, Akron
George Carlin once warned, “Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.”But 71,990,797 of them electing the worst criminal in American political history is a destructive force that’s beyond my worst nightmare.
Mark Ira Kaufman, Silver Lake
The Democrats keep pondering who or what was responsible for them losing the presidential election. I have an answer to their question.
The majority of Americans realized the Kamala Harris/Tim Walz ticket would just continue the failed policies of President Joe Biden’s administration. Case in point — when Harris was asked what, if anything, she would change from Biden’s policies, she replied, “Nothing in particular comes to mind.”
Additionally, voters felt strongly both Democratic candidates lacked the merits to serve as leaders of the free world.
Deborah Brubaker, Akron
Isn’t it remarkable that Donald Trump accepted the election results of our terribly corrupt and fraudulent electoral system? Why, just four short years ago, he decried this same system as completely rigged. What has changed to fix the system, especially while the evil, ignorant Democrats were in power the last four years? It must have been a miracle.
Julie Ainslie, Akron
One simple question! 
“Why don’t women come forward when sexually assaulted?” It’s because we live in a world where an abuser can become president. 
Don Parks, Stow
What disappointed me most about the election results was realizing that at least half of Americans no longer believe honesty and decency to be important in our leaders. What has happened to our values? What will we teach our children?
Carol Button, Cuyahoga Falls
I opened the Sunday, Nov. 10 edition of the Beacon Journal and was horrified at the cover story title and graphic. Your choice of words (“STOMPED”) and the violent image of a donkey under the oversized elephant’s foot is reprehensible. 
Coming off a very contentious election season, with many citizens truly concerned about changes coming in 2025, your choice of cover serves only to fuel conflict and denigrate those who got fewer votes — those individuals and issues still reflecting the choice of a very large percentage of the voting public.
In a time when your own headlines are full of local violent crime, media has a responsibility to be mindful of the effect of words and images as fuel for further violence. 
I understand and support failure analysis as a learning tool; however, your choice of cover headline and graphic, and the same title on a subsequent article, are inexcusable. They do not responsibly promote the civil discourse, concern for community and cooler heads now needed to move forward productively. 
FM Terry, Medina
It was nice to see President Trump win. Hopefully the country will turn back to law and order. It will be nice to feel I can go back into Akron and feel safer.
Ken Marko, Green
I’m in mourning for the loss of democracy.
Becky Dymond, Green
I was watching the presidential race the most. I was hoping for some relief for the middle class, but I guess people don’t care about that. I am disgusted that I have to listen to the babbling idiot for four more years with his lies and his hatred. Disgusted that the rich guys will get all the tax cuts as I sit here on the verge of being taxed out of my home. God help us all.
Lorie Jackson, Akron
Gerrymandering taken out of politicians’ hands. It’s so unfair to the party not in control.
Bonnie Millican, Akron
I would like to see the mainstream media cover the races fairly instead of pushing their biased agenda. However, it is entertaining to see how creative they are in twisting the facts to suit their desired narrative.
Ken Marko, Green
Candidates to focus on issues and what they plan to do for us citizens, not bashing each other with lies. I’m 75 — will Social Security and Medicare be here for me for the next 20 years of my life? Who will work in all the “Help Wanted ” signs I see in North Summit County?
Susan Hohs, Northfield Center Township
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the voters of Medina County for re-electing me for an eighth term as their county treasurer. I am grateful for their support and confidence, and I pledge that I will continue to safely invest the public’s money and offer quality service to the residents of Medina County with the same commitment and integrity I have demonstrated over the past 30 years.
John Burke, Medina County treasurer