This Tuesday is the most important election in United States history. That’s said often lately, but, as a veteran of politics for over 25 years , I can state this is not an exaggeration. The choices are clear and contrast stark. Beyond rights for women, LGBTQ, the economy, and the rule of law, democracy itself is on the line.

The President and his supporters in Congress threaten to send the country even further back to a more regressive time and completely gut the United States government to a non-functioning shell of what it is. We’ve seen that over the past two years. We’ve seen Trump ignore the protections, the checks and balances, that supposedly exist. We’ve seen the Republican party lay down and allow Trump to walk over them. They have show us who they are and what they lay down stand for.

President Donald Trump and the Republican elected officials that support him are a continued threat to the country as well as the comic industry as a whole. They are beyond corrupt, outright enriching themselves as costs increase for the average person.

Here are just a few ways their election would negatively impact the comic and game industry:

1. Increased Tariffs means Increased Costs – President Trump with a complete abdication from the Republican party has wreaked havoc when it comes to the norms of trade. Not everything was perfect as was, but the Republicans have nuked what was driving up costs and with the frequency of changes and unknown as to what will be the hurdles the next day yet alone a month from now. Donald Trump said he’d increase tariffs in his second term and he did exactly that. That’s a tax increase on individuals and reports have that as an increase of $2,500 per household. Comics, graphic novels, and tabletop games are often printed in China, Canada, and Mexico and it’s been a whiplash as to costs and shipping. In 2019, Trump imposed a 15% tariff on most books imported from China which was eventually reduced to 7.5%. Trump’s second term has seen even more and without any further checks expect more instability.
2. Endless War Increases Costs – President Trump promised no new wars but Iran is proof he has lied. That war has increased the price of oil and thus gas making not just driving more expensive but also flights. That means a higher cost to attend conventions. There’s also the increased costs in shipping and even shipping comics and games isn’t safe as a shipment from Fantagraphics was caught up in the war. Again, an unchecked Trump will see further escalation in hostilities.
3. Even if comics could be published… we have seen a “war” on books, graphic novels, and manga in recent years in a reignited culture war perpetuated by the right. Project 2025, has been blueprint for a second Trump administration. That blueprint includes criminalizing pornography and imprisoning those who produce it. Pornography in the eyes of the right seems to include the mere mention of the existence of LGBTQ individuals, let alone stories revolving around them. It would not be a stretch to see an attempt to label comics and graphic novels with LGBTQ characters and themes as pornography and criminalize it. There is little question that there would be a greater “crackdown” on those subjects. We have also seen arrests for the simple act of creating zines to protest the administration. No comic creator is safe and free speech is not a guaranteed protection.
4. Comic Creators Detained by ICE – International comic creators are afraid to travel to the United States. We’ve seen artists and cosplayers detained by the brown boot thugs of the administration. International attendance to comic conventions seems to be lower. But beyond the impact on the comic industry, ICE is out of control murdering American citizens.

Beyond these three issues we’ve seen the dehumanization of groups of people, attacks and threats on anyone who disagrees with them, and more violent acts by Trump and his supporters, with more sure to come. The administration has murdered Americans and stripped the rights from citizens not to mention the human right abuses.

Even if you don’t agree with Democrat candidates on everything, a vote for a Democrat helps get them the majority and returns some checks and balances. Legislation priorities would shift. It would create some sort of firewall against an administration who has run rampant and trampled our civil liberties and pissed on the Constitution.

Due to all the above and more, the choice is clear, vote Democrat this Tuesday.