USA Election Day 2016

[code monkey]

Apparently it was a compromise put in the constitution. One group wanted Congress to elect the president and the other wanted it to be by popular vote. The good news is that the current process of selecting electors is heavily weighted towards selecting the candidate who won the popular vote.

Another theory I have heard is that the electors are a check on the possibility of a dictator, demagogue, or a particularly unqualified candidate (cough cough Trump) winning the popular vote. In theory they could elect the candidate who came in second.

yes, we see how well that's been working.

[Thumper]

Would that it be that simple for me, in my heart, or in my mind.
Looks like I picked the wrong year to stop drinking.

I picked the wrong year to quit amphetamines.

I wasn't really kidding, but I'll play along:
"Looks like I picked the wrong year to stop sniffing glue."

[Thumper]

I'm trying to figure out how to explain this/apologize to my daughter.

you voted, didn't you? so nothing to apologize for.

explain? single-issue voters(right to lifers esp), misogyny, the disaffected lower-middle class and fear/hatred of the other. sad and frightening.

I would like to write something prolific, something informative, something healing. Right now it just won't come out right and it won't help or heal me or anyone. The Kid was the only one who stayed up to watch the results. She was genuinely disappointed, disturbed, and depressed by the results. Then the next day at school was awful. She was under the impression that most of her classmates were for Clinton, or at the very least, against Trump. When she found out different, she was devastated. She was personally offended and questioned rather she can be friends with them anymore.

And I've got nothing for her.

[SciFi Chick]

Would that it be that simple for me, in my heart, or in my mind.
Looks like I picked the wrong year to stop drinking.

I picked the wrong year to quit amphetamines.

I wasn't really kidding, but I'll play along:
"Looks like I picked the wrong year to stop sniffing glue."

Looks like I picked the right year to get on a boat.

[pumpkinpi]

I'm trying to figure out how to explain this/apologize to my daughter.

you voted, didn't you? so nothing to apologize for.

explain? single-issue voters(right to lifers esp), misogyny, the disaffected lower-middle class and fear/hatred of the other. sad and frightening.

I would like to write something prolific, something informative, something healing. Right now it just won't come out right and it won't help or heal me or anyone. The Kid was the only one who stayed up to watch the results. She was genuinely disappointed, disturbed, and depressed by the results. Then the next day at school was awful. She was under the impression that most of her classmates were for Clinton, or at the very least, against Trump. When she found out different, she was devastated. She was personally offended and questioned rather she can be friends with them anymore.

And I've got nothing for her.

Maybe something like this. I came up with it this morning, in response to the awful reports of violence and slurs in the name of Trump yesterday*.
"To my friends and family who voted for Trump: I know you are *good* people and would never do something like this. This is one of too many incidents being reported. We all need to stand together, regardless of who we voted for, and proclaim that this is NOT why we elected this man, to give the racists a platform to act this way. If you are disgusted as much as I am, let it be known. And I hope our president-elect does too."

*For example, this is a letter from a principal in a school near me of an incident from yesterday. These are not just unconfirmed twitter reports. This is REALLY happening.

http://schools.district279.org/mgsh/ima ... 110916.pdf

[Parrothead]

Why Trump got elected, probably much like why Rob Ford was elected Mayor here. People wanted change from, perceived or not, elitist attitudes from politicians. In our case, it was a downtown/suburbs split, where it was felt the burbs were being ignored and the downtown councillors kept instituting policies which they felt were best for everyone. Trump was able to tap into that feeling. Clinton, as was pointed out election night, took some regions for granted, choosing not to campaign at all, in areas assumed to be safe. Turns out they weren't.

Prior to Ford's being elected Mayor, polls were showing he would not win. The polls were wrong, as the current case in the U.S. People may not have been honest in answering pollsters, turn out was lower than expected likely a combination.

Depending on who Trump surrounds himself with, coupled with willingness to listen to advice (the tough part) will set the table on how things go. Early on in Ford's administration, some good things got moved through council, due to those he appointed to key positions. Like Ford, Trump will come under intense scrutiny, more so than usual. Trump will not be able to keep taking things on a personal note, hopefully handlers will be able to keep him in check.

That said, there will be a major policy shift. The climate change agreement signed on to by Obama, will likely not pass, though it was doubtful if it would ever get ratified by Congress and Senate. We will see how things turn out.

[squ1d]

Would that it be that simple for me, in my heart, or in my mind.
Looks like I picked the wrong year to stop drinking.

I picked the wrong year to quit amphetamines.

I wasn't really kidding, but I'll play along:
"Looks like I picked the wrong year to stop sniffing glue."

At least we still have Airplane.

I am serious ... and don't call me Shirley.

[Thumper]

Squid, what can you make out of this?
This? Why, I can make a hat or a brooch or a pterodactyl...

[squ1d]

rofl

Johnny was the best.

I love that movie.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Yeah, "Me John Big Tree"

[Swift]

Nervous about the election?
Yes
First time?
Oh no, I've been nervous lots of times.


Trump wins election!
Protests across the US!
There's a sale at Penny's!

[Sigma_Orionis]

[Rommie]

Just saw a brief clip from the Obama meets Trump thing earlier today.

Honestly? My first reaction is this is a man who's scared right now about the position he has found himself in. Who knows how long that will last though.

[geonuc]

There seemed to be quite a fews signs that Trump didn't believe he'd win. So he may have been just a shocked as the rest of us. The arrogant, 'I'm a winner' persona that he displays in public might not play in private.

[SciFiFisher]

I posted this on FB but wanted to share with those who don't do FB or visit there often.

I know this isn't a popular thought. But, how did Trump win? He won by appealing to people on a very visceral level. He "spoke" to the angry, scared electorate. He energized the people who everyone said couldn't possibly elect a president "all by themselves". The GOP was told they could not elect a president unless they reached out to women and minority voters. Surprise! Did it really surprise everyone that there are that many "angry white voters"?

There were statistics as far back as 2012 showing how the "angry voter" could be swayed. And that there was enough of them to carry an election. They just didn't see Mitt Romney as the savior of the middle class. But, don't fool yourselves by thinking this was a victory of the "angry white man". Some of the exit polls in Florida were showing approx. 35% of the Latino voters were voting for Trump. You can deny it. But, there were women and other minorities who also voted for Trump.

And until we address the real issue the progressives and the DNC are not going to win back the Senate, the House, or the White House. The real issue is that the middle class is shrinking almost as fast as our ice caps. In fact, the U.S. middle class may go extinct before the Polar Bears do. In the last 25 years corporate profits have more than doubled. CEO wages have increased more than 600%. And the average worker is making less money today than he was 15 years ago. The last two recessions have produced "jobless recoveries".

The stock market is booming, corporations are doing better than ever, and the middle class is sliding downwards towards lower income. Fewer people are employed today than there were 25 years ago even though there are more people in the country. The jobless rate is down not because there were millions of jobs created to replace the millions that were lost. The jobless rate is down because people stopped receiving unemployment benefits and stopped looking for work.

Trump won because he promised he could fix that. I think many people voted for him hoping that he would be enough of a disruptor that some things might actually get fixed. I honestly hope no one actually believed that he was really going to bring back manufacturing jobs. That ship has sailed.

I will admit to being encouraged by his acceptance speech. Sadly, I don't think it will last. Donald Trump can't stop being a narcissistic, misogynistic, self aggrandizing, bastard anymore than a leopard can stop being a carnivore. But, one can hope that he will surprise us. Hope after all costs nothing.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Perversely, IMHO usually a "disruptor" doesn't fix anything, it makes things worse. But of course, you already knew that.

Speaking as someone who has lived through out a government elected because it was a "disruptor", and now is paying the consequences in a very bad way. I have to say that the WORST thing the Left in the US can do is do what the opposition here(and the US Right ) did. DO NOT behave like spoiled brats. THAT will only make the right seem more legitimate. And allow them to hollow out institutions like they did here. The left should bide its time, grid its teeth, suck it up and be prepared to take over when (notice I say WHEN, not IF ) the nutjobs that currently are running the US Right fuck up. And when that happens, have at least some plan that hopefully helps turn things around quickly. It's going to be VERY hard. I know that institutions in the US are a lot stronger than they were ever here. But Trump still scares the living crap out of me.

ETA Oh yeah, and the US Left WILL have to be ready to work with whatever Republicans remain that are against Trump, way too many of them are a spineless lot (as their their behavior with respect to the Tea Party has shown) But there will be some of them that won't be like that.

ETA (Again). As some of you might know I tend to favor Jim Wright's blog, you might find this interesting

[Rommie]

This article is pretty awesome at explaining why people who voted for Trump who did so for non-racist reasons are still participating in an act of racism.

I mean, I know you guys all know that, but still thought it was a good read.

[pumpkinpi]

This article is pretty awesome at explaining why people who voted for Trump who did so for non-racist reasons are still participating in an act of racism.

I mean, I know you guys all know that, but still thought it was a good read.

Yes. I posted on facebook that I know my friends/family Trump voters are good people, and they do not condone the racist acts done in his name. I asked them to stand up and say that is not why they elected this man.

None of them responded on my thread, which is fine. But one of them I was particularly thinking of got into a fighting match with my mom (looong time friend, his daughter and I were months apart and I met her literally the month I was born) on another thread. He said those bad things happen all the time and liberals are just blaming it on Trump. I am so disappointed in that man.

[Rommie]

That is literally the worst excuse I've ever heard. Well, almost as bad as saying it's ok for Trump to assault women because Bill Clinton did.

[Swift]

I think your analysis is pretty good Fisher. But as Sigma says disruptors rarely fix things.

[SciFi Chick]

That is literally the worst excuse I've ever heard. Well, almost as bad as saying it's ok for Trump to assault women because Bill Clinton did.

I've literally seen that excuse about ten times now.

[SciFi Chick]

This article is pretty awesome at explaining why people who voted for Trump who did so for non-racist reasons are still participating in an act of racism.

I mean, I know you guys all know that, but still thought it was a good read.

I would post this, but, unfortunately, all of the friends I have that are Trump supporters refuse to believe he's racist. They think the media is just portraying him as a racist. When I point out that these are the words Trump is saying and it's on video, they either say he doesn't really mean it, or it's been taken out of context.

We have some Mormon acquaintances - really decent people - former Marine, helped us out a lot the first time we went down the ICW. Could not be more generous. The Marine has a degree in marine biology. Absolutely refuses to believe in Climate Change. Thinks we're delusional for "believing" in it. They enthusiastically voted for Trump. Went to one of his rallies last week, and the wife posted a picture asking if she was hot enough for Trump.

We have stepped through the Looking Glass folks.

[Swift]

We have stepped through the Looking Glass folks.

We've always been on this side of the glass, some people are just realizing it.

Humans have an incredible ability for self-delusion, for believing what they wish to see. In many ways, we are barely rational beings. How else do explain most religious beliefs, or people believing in ghosts or horoscopes, or that vaccines or GMOs are harmful, or that they'll win the lottery?

We make fun of ancient people, that they would think the sun is the wheel of a sky chariot, or a dragon is eating the sun during an eclipse. But people will seriously pray that god will help them find their car keys, and believe god has answered their prayers when they do.

And, in most ways, the Internet and social media and the proliferation of media outlets have made this worse. You think Michelle Obama is really a man and Hillary is a giant Martian lizard person... you can find a Facebook group that will agree with everything you say.

We also have an incredible ability to compartmentalize our beliefs. I've met many people who were rational mechanical engineers on the one hand, and really believe the Earth was created in 6 days and evolution was a hoax.

And maybe I'm as bad as these people. I don't think I'm irrational; I often think I'm so rational I'm a different species (not literally). But maybe it is just my blind spot to whatever stupid things I believe in.

[pumpkinpi]

I would post this, but, unfortunately, all of the friends I have that are Trump supporters refuse to believe he's racist. They think the media is just portraying him as a racist. When I point out that these are the words Trump is saying and it's on video, they either say he doesn't really mean it, or it's been taken out of context.

Here are some examples I just read through.
[MrPi's aunt giving examples of Trump's racism]
Not wanting a Mexican judge to hear his upcoming Trump U trial, saying the wife of the Muslim father who spoke at the DNC wasn't allowed to, that Mexicans are all murderers and rapists, not denouncing the support of the KKK, refusing to rent to blacks, using Nazi soldiers in campaign photos.
Like · Reply · 2 hrs

[Someone who responded, I'm not sure if he's a friend of hers or someone else in MrPi's incredibly large Catholic family]
He did not want a Mexican judge to hear his case because of the unjust bias that the judge held against Trump because of Trump's stances on immigration. Speculating that Khan's wife was not allowed to speak at the DNC is not racist. He never called "ALL" Mexicans rapist. He was pointing out the fact many coming over the border are criminals, which is true. He even said "not all but many of them" right afterwards to clear up any misconceptions. His campaign did denounce the KKK when it posted in article in their newspaper showing their support. The picture of Nazi soldiers was a mistake by an intern and the tweet was deleted immediately."

I'm done trying to understand.

I asked him to tell me how he defends Trump's pussy comments, and to admit whether he thinks Trump is a good man or that he doesn't care that he's afwul. I know I will not be happy with the answer, but I hope I get the sense that he's telling the truth.

[Loresinger]

I don't know how to feel or respond. I had a child, a friend's child, various adults etc. all in tears and reeling with fear.

People said we are over reacting, but Trump created this. His words were angry, hateful, bitter and full of bile. And then we wonder why our young people feel their vote means nothing.

I HATE the electoral college and it has over lived its usefulness

I hate that our country is literally divided in two

and I hate more that I cannot comfort people I love because I cannot comfort myself