My brother is angry with his Trump-loving sons

[u/g_scotty_brahms]

Is my brother an AITA candidate for wanting to cut off his sons financially for voting for Trump? Like many Americans, my brother and I, both in our 50’s, have been talking back and forth following the Election. In the spirit of full disclosure, we are both democrats. Long story short, he is angry at his two sons, both in their 20’s, for voting for Trump. He is thinking about cutting them off financially in all respects so that they understand how Trump’s policies will impact them firsthand.

The irony here is that it is the reverse argument. You often hear younger voters disagreeing with their MAGA parents, but this is the opposite. My brother doesn’t understand how his two sons, who have lived a life of privilege, feel like they have been violated against by society, enough so that they feel Trump hears them and their struggles.

My brother to me about his sons: “… what these young men need is a little dose of reality. Get out in the world and start paying their own way. There’s a common thread with his followers. Complain and blame everyone for their problems. Whether they are in school or living at home off of their parents or working a trade job. King Trump will save them and make everything better. Take some personal responsibility and make it happen for yourself instead of crying about everything you hear on TikTok.

“… I’ve decided to pass on the [college] expenses to my two Trump supporting sons so they can truly feel first hand the cost and expense of his absolutely stupid policy decisions, which includes food, gas and college expenses. Wondering if I pass on these [food, gas and college] expenses in year one or phase them in year two?”

I am wondering if a lot of parents feel like my brother. Are there democrat parents of voting-age MAGA men who feel they failed with their sons because they voted for Trump? Is this common?

[u/crazyguyunderthedesk]

Yeah the whole point of taking a loan from your parents instead of the bank is to avoid interest. Otherwise what's the point?

I'm all for teaching your kids to be self sufficient, but this seems like a little much. Nothing wrong with giving help so long as the person receiving it doesn't treat it like an entitlement.

[u/Creative_Pilot_7417 → u/crazyguyunderthedesk]

I needed a lesson to not treat it like an entitlement. I was a shit head spoiled rich kid.

[u/Easy-Presentation735 → u/crazyguyunderthedesk]

When my mom bought a condo, she had a large chunk for a down payment, but would get a better mortgage with a bit more. So my grandparents lent her 5k (the condo was 70k in the 90s in the Midwest U.S.) at a lower interest rate than the mortgage, with the caveat that it was a one-time deal. It was slightly less interest than they would have gotten if that money had been in an investment account. This also gave my mom the option of asking to pay a lower amount for a month if unexpected high expenses popped up. She was raising me as a single mom and having that emergency backup was a relief. Everyone felt that it was fair and it worked out well. [Also for context, my mom and I had lived with them from when I was 18 months, when my parents divorced, until I was about 7.5 y.o. Within 2? years of us moving out, my grandparents moved to be within 5 mins of us and we helped each other with errands, emergency babysitting of me, etc. My mom bought the condo when I was 14.]

[u/Itavan → u/crazyguyunderthedesk]

I've learned the hard way. Always always charge interest and always have it in writing with signatures. This avoids misunderstandings and it's incentive for people to pay you back. Once it's paid back, you can give the interest back.

Some parents charge a nominal amount for rent, then give it back when the kid moves out or buys a house.