Election Results 2016, Part 2

[thedeathllama]

I just...I'm just heartbroken.  I don't know what to say.  We elected a white supremacist to the white house.  The part that scares me the most though...how will this affect our relationship with Russia?  We now have a Russian puppet in office.

[Toothfairy]

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/steelmagnificat/2016/11/donald-trump-removes-pro-life-from-his-policies-12-hours-after-election/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=FBCP-PATH&utm_content=steelmagnificat

 

 

Interesting 

27 minutes ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

I had to get to work - but there are a couple of things from the last thread to which I wanted to respond before I get to my stuff:

To the first bolded:  Bullshit.  If it was about the sanctity of life then please link me to sources where they are advocating as hard to make sure every child has access to good health care and decent schools.  I live in a state where schools get money based on property taxes.  I've seen many a protest in front of Planned Parenthood, yet I've never seen anyone carrying signs in front of our schools demanding some of our per student spending go to schools in less affluent areas because those kids deserve a great education, too.  

I'm sure it's just a coincidence that in an area with 90k+ average household income has awesome schools and low crime and one with sub par schools with issues even keeping the buildings in repair,  where teachers have to go out of pocket to buy textbooks lest the kids go without,  has a 24k+ average household and crime rate one of the highest in the nation.  It's not like anyone has shown a correlation between a good education and opportunity or anything.  

What about the sanctity of the lives of the kids in the latter neighborhood.  They seem hell bent on keeping their mom's from accessing an abortion, but once here I guess a childhood of poverty surrounded by violence won't hurt them.  Someone explain this to me?

And FWIW there is no doubt whatsoever in my mind that limiting abortion means limiting it to certain income levels - people with money will always have access.  

To the second bolded above:  I didn't either until last night.  I knew there was systemic and institutionalized racism woven in our society and in my pathetically small way I've tried to counter it when I saw it.  But I truly thought that most of it stemmed from ignorance and not willful disregard or hate.  

This may make some of you hate me, but when I first read about white privilege several years ago and the invisible knapsack I thought it was a load of crap.  My mom's family was poor, I knew plenty of white people who struggled, etc.  The typical arguments which at the time made sense to me.

Then I started to get it.  It's not about having stuff handed to you, it's about not having extra obstacles put in your way.  When I read of the study which showed white men with a felony record get more call backs for jobs than black men with a clean record - all other things being equal I was ashamed that I'd been so ignorant.  After all I was so enlightened - knowing that people have a inherent bias towards the familiar and others like them I had always made a conscious effort to be aware of that and confront that in hiring and other work decisions.  Not pretend I was color blind, but to make sure that I wasn't seeing someone in a more positive light just because they were more like me in superficial ways.  And I had been known for hammering that to everyone involved in any hiring process with me.  

I wasn't overcoming my own hatred for people of other races, etc, as I didn't hate anyone (actually I hate plenty of people, but not based on race or ethnicity etc.  If I hate you it's personal and you earned it.  I'm an equal opportunity bitch.)  - I was addressing the often unconscious bias we all have.  

But as a middle class white women from an upper middle class socioeconomic background, I occasionally found myself on the receiving end of dog whistles about "those people" from the overtly racist who wouldn't think of using racial slurs publicly but somehow think other white Christians all secretly "know the truth about "those people.""  "Except for so and so - they're one of the good ones."  See, they don't hate others because they acknowledge there are "good ones" not realizing that by saying that they are admitting that their default view is to see them as less than until proven otherwise by whatever jackass criteria in their head.  

But that was far more rare than those who just don't get that it's a problem.  They don't secretly hate, they don't care what race/religion the new employee is, or the family next door...they just think the laws have changed, we're all equal, and so why can't people just let it go.  

Damaging and ignorant for sure - but not based on hate.  These are people who, if they heard someone use a racial slur or admit to being a storm front member,  they'd shun them in a second and regard them with loathing.  So I truly honestly thought that those people couldn't possibly vote for Trump because he didn't hide his bigotry.  I knew Trump would get the people who wish they could put their term as Grand Wizard of their chapter of the KKK on their resume - but surely just the outliers.   The vast majority of people would be horrified by his statements and would dismiss him as a ranting clown.  

I am shocked today at what this has revealed about this country.  I am kind of scared that I could have been so wrong and wondering what other horrible shit is a fact that I just don't know.  And I'm ashamed that I ever doubted exactly how incredibly uneven the playing field is.  

TLDR:  If American's weren't prejudiced to an astonishing degree then someone speaking openly about wanting Muslims on a registration list, calling Mexican immigrants rapists and drug dealers, wanting to deny people entry to this country on the basis of religion, or any of the many other statements WOULD HAVE BEEN DEALBREAKERS!  It would have taken him out of the running the same as if he'd pulled down his pants pooped on the Fox News desk during an interview.  They'd have turned on him the way they would have if he'd been grabbing men by the package.  

I'm am very self-absorbed and money (making more, keeping more of what I make) is absolutely my most motivating factor in day to day life.  And if Trump had a plan to put me in a zero tax bracket and Hillary wanted to put me in 70% bracket where they'd light half of what they took from me on fire I'D STILL HAVE VOTED FOR HER!!  The same way I'd have turned down a job that seemed perfect and paid way more if I had to obey dog whistles.  

Ask the people who know me - some of them here - I'm a fucking mercenary.   I have been ashamed many times reading FJ that I'm not nearly as altruistic as most of you.   If I can't even think of putting my own interests over the harm this does to others then how fucked up are "those people?"  (Yeah - Trump supporters are "those people" - I'll other the shit out of them.)

I'm not a democrat.  I'm a moderate libertarian because being a moderate republican was no longer possible...I want government to provide roads and schools, offer a reasonable safety net for those who need it, find some kind of effective answer to the health care system, stay out of everyone's bedrooms and belief systems, make sure we have an adequate defense, spend tax dollars responsibly and give a transparent accounting, and work to solve problems instead of dabbling in policy while their real careers are running for office and feeding their egos.  In return I'm willing to pay my fair share in taxes without too much bitching as long as they agree to stop using my money to wipe their collective narcissistic asses.  

Sorry my TLDR ended up needing a TLDR of it's own.  I'm very angry.  

To the third bolded:  I'm actually hoping this is true.  not because of any integrity on their part, but pragmatism.  He's going to break his promises to his supporters.  They ALL do, but his supporters will be more angry because he was supposed to be different.  If they can save their own asses by opposing him they will...and that's the best we can hope for.  Or he will keep someone of them and the smarter ones will realize they should be careful what they wish for and will swing back to the middle.  Still forcing their representatives to go more moderate to keep their voting blocks.  

 

I'm really scared about the foster care system. Cuts are always made to this first.

[JoyfulSel]

7 minutes ago, RoseWilder said:

Did you ever see that interview with the Octomom (can't remember her name) when she was being asked about whether she was on welfare. She kept saying, "no, I'm just on food stamps." And the person interviewing her said "that's welfare," and she kept insisting it wasn't. 

It was mind blowing to me. But there are a lot of people who think they're not on assistance. 

Or other people who were on it once, but want to pretend they never were. My Aunt and Uncle lived in government housing towards the beginning of their marriage. Now she puts up a meme at least once a month railing against people who are on government assistant. She's always bitching about how "there are the contributors and the takers in society," and she keeps insisting she's not one of the takers. Seriously. She just flat out pretends she never got any government help and doesn't think anyone else should be allowed the very same help she took advantage of. It's so hypocritical. 

Oh my goodness good thinking on that Octomom interview, I do remember that. I was young but still wondered what the hell she was even talking about. It's horrible the way people so quickly forget when THEY use assistance and think that somehow they're allowed to do so but no one else is. In the core of those sentiments is nothing but a pure hatred of foreigners and racism against people who they believe use the "real" welfare. They think that non-white people/immigrants are lazy who come here to drain the system and won't get a job. There is so much wrong with the way so many people here think.

[louisa05]

A friend has a daughter born in China and adopted . A law passed shortly after her adoption gave automatic citizenship to foreign born children adopted by American parents. So her daughter has no documented proof of citizenship and a birth certificate with a foreign birthplace. It will cost them $600 to acquire proof of citizenship. 

I suggested a go fund me. Now I wonder how many adoptive families have this concern and what we can do

[Toothfairy]

23 minutes ago, RoseWilder said:

I know two Republicans who are very poor. They're single Moms who are living on public assistance and they both rail against welfare. They talk about how horrible it is. One of them even put up this horrible anti-welfare meme. 

Neither one believes they are on welfare, even though they both are. They insist on calling it EBT and WIC, and they insist that EBT and WIC are not welfare, even though they both are. 

I don't know what they actually think welfare is, but they're convinced they're not on it. 

There's a reason why Trump said he likes his uneducated supporters. 

Just like abortions and Medicaid. They say theirs is okay but others aren't. 

[Mecca]

25 minutes ago, RoseWilder said:

I know two Republicans who are very poor. They're single Moms who are living on public assistance and they both rail against welfare. They talk about how horrible it is. One of them even put up this horrible anti-welfare meme. 

Neither one believes they are on welfare, even though they both are. They insist on calling it EBT and WIC, and they insist that EBT and WIC are not welfare, even though they both are. 

I don't know what they actually think welfare is, but they're convinced they're not on it. 

There's a reason why Trump said he likes his uneducated supporters. 

I ran into this mindset with some friends of mine. Their daughter was a young unwed mother that was getting assistance in several areas with housing, food, and medical. I know she was getting assistance because they asked me to help her navigate it all when I was working in indigent care. Fast forward to this election cycle. Both that girl and her parents would make reference on social media about people using the very programs that were used to help their family with snarky memes. I guess it was fine for the girl to get assistance but others cannot. The disconnect is astounding. 

[Toothfairy]

12 minutes ago, louisa05 said:

A friend has a daughter born in China and adopted . A law passed shortly after her adoption gave automatic citizenship to foreign born children adopted by American parents. So her daughter has no documented proof of citizenship and a birth certificate with a foreign birthplace. It will cost them $600 to acquire proof of citizenship. 

I suggested a go fund me. Now I wonder how many adoptive families have this concern and what we can do

International adoptive parents are really scared. Transracial adoptive families are also scared. I'm a foster parent and adoptive parent and this scares the shit out of me. There are young black adoptees and foster kids scared that Trump will get rid of them. 

Yep. Why require a 4 year or masters degree when you can become President with no experience or common sense. 

[Fascinated]

9/11

11/9

Hopefully only one of these dates will be horribly significant in US history. 

[HerNameIsBuffy]

1 hour ago, prayawaythefundie said:

Yes, I know but all the comparisons I could have made there feel too dark, even for Trump. I very much hope to still feel this way in 4 years.

Edit: Not sure I made myself clear here. I basically meant us Germans aren't quick with comparing anything to Hitler or the Holocaust.

I understand that.  I'm guilty of it but I do try to be sensitive about not going there for trivial things.

I wish this was trivial to the degree I didn't think the comparisons are apt, but in some ways it's not.

Wanting Muslims to register.  Wanting to deny them entry based on religion.  Wanting the law applied differently to people depending on their religion and/or ethnic group.  Threats of jailing political opponents.  Threats of legal action against the press for printing the claims against him of sexual assault.  

Openly and repeatedly making it clear that if he has his way we would no longer have the protection of our constitutional rights.  He will disregard the foundation of our entire legal and political system to keep America safe from specific ethnic groups that are ruining everything.   I can't overstate how terrifying that is.  

My father was born in Germany to parents both also German born.  My grandmother was ethnically German; her family had been in the same general area for many centuries.  

My grandfather was born in Germany to Polish parents.  Ruhrpolen.  Poles recruited to live in the Ruhr valley to work the mines and steel factories.  Some had been there since the early 1800's - my grandfather's parents came over with many extended family members and raised their children there.  They went to German schools and the boys later worked in German mines.  They spoke German...it was where they were born.  But they also spoke Polish - but not in school after it was forbidden even to help the immigrant children learn German.  And they went to Polish mass...until the authorities forbade that also causing huge political upheaval with the Church.  And they formed Polish labor unions to fight for safety and basic human decency - because the German labor unions weren't protecting them.  These labor unions became more political groups when, despite being full citizens of Prussia like their German neighbors, laws were passed limiting their right to own property and other rights of citizenship.  

They were seen as a necessary evil to many - much like immigrant labor forces today.  They needed them to keep the labor pipeline filled...but dismissed as less than.   Best kept to their own neighborhoods...and watched to make sure they didn't make waves.  

My grandpa brought his family to America in the 20's ...when much of Germany was in starvation mode after WWI it was truly the promised land for them.  Food on the table and steady income made them feel beyond rich at that time.

At least two of his brothers stayed in Germany - in Bochum - where they were born.  I know this because I found the cards from their interment and subsequent deaths at Auschwitz.

They were registered with the government as ethnic Poles.  Then they were rounded up ...for the crime of daring to be born to Polish parents.  Blond, blue eyed, Catholic German who had never lived outside of Germany -  were murdered because their names were on a registry.  

And the affects were felt here, too.  Back then women didn't need to get citizenship under their own names, because their husband's naturalization covered them.  When WWII started my grandfather insisted she become naturalized anyway, despite no legal need, because of the pervasive fear amongst German immigrants, after the Japanese internment started,  that they would be next.  He hoped it would help as they had no where else to go - America was their home.  

They raised their family here.  Their eldest son, my dad, joined the Marines and was overseas fighting.  My grandfather - who had served in the US Army during WWI - was afraid none of that would matter if they came for them.  

I thought about them a lot this morning as I tried to imagine how much more terrifying this election has to be for those who are Muslim or illegally here, or anyone else on his watch list.  I'm scared enough - I can't even wrap my head around having to deal with fearing being targeted due to my demographics.  

I know I sound melodramatic and I don't mean to - but this is why I don't think people drawing analogies to the fascism of the Nazis is overstating it.  I really wish it was.  

[Anny Nym]

Do you think the elections will be disputed by the Democrats Party and you are going to vote again?

[louisa05]

2 minutes ago, Anny Nym said:

Do you think the elections will be disputed by the Democrats Party and you are going to vote again?

No. The second is not possible in our system. 

[VelociRapture]

2 hours ago, Destiny said:

Small mercies: it appears that he may lose the popular vote. If so, fuck the electoral college.

The problem with this is that if the results were reversed - Clinton won the electoral votes, but not the popular votes - then many liberals would be fine with it and many conservatives would be in a rage. 

I'm not sure what the solution actually is here. I wish I had an answer on how to prevent this in the future. But I don't think simply blaming the current system is going to help much (other than relieving stress; in that case let loose! Better here than having a panic attack at work or something.)

15 minutes ago, Anny Nym said:

Do you think the elections will be disputed by the Democrats Party and you are going to vote again?

I don't think they will. Clinton already conceded and Obama has invited Trunp to the White House to discuss the transition plans. 

And you can bet your ass I'll be voting again. In every goddamn election until the day I die.

1 hour ago, JoyfulSel said:

Paul Ryan just spoke and is already talking about removing Obamacare. I feel sick. The only hope for any of my family to have health insurance is over. With my mom so sick with her back, I don't even know what I'm supposed to do. My God.

I'm not sure if they'll actually be able to get rid of it completely. And if they do, it's going to negatively impact the people who put them into office too. Completely counterproductive if they want to keep that support. 

1 hour ago, RoseWilder said:

I started a thread where I said this, but it seems to have disappeared. So here goes again: 

I'm sorry FJers. I feel like I gave everyone false hope with the thread about talking people off the ledge. I really thought she would win. The polls were showing it. The predictions on a lot of websites were showing it. There was article after article about neverTrumpers and Republican women switching over to vote for Clinton. I really thought she would win. 

I still think she did win. I think they cheated or rigged it somehow. 

But anyway, I'm sorry again. I feel guilty for giving people false hope. I guess I'm just too optimistic about my fellow Americans.

Nope. No apologizing or feeling guilty for you. You didn't conduct those polls and you didn't spend months focusing on one candidate's faults while giving a pass to the other. You did nothing other than try to help and for that you have nothing to feel guilty about.

ETA: I completely misread the second part of the comment from @Anny Nym. Whoops!

No. we won't hold another vote for this election. But I highly encourage everyone to turn out to vote for every single goddamn election from now on, no matter how small.

[Anny Nym]

Just now, louisa05 said:

No. The second is not possible in our system. 

Really?!  But what if something is iffy? ( and something is always iffy if one wants to find iffy).

[HerNameIsBuffy]

2 hours ago, Mela99 said:

I've been sitting here wondering what I would tell my child, if I had one. 

I wish Fred Rogers was still around. "Look for the helpers - you will always see people helping." 

That's one of my favorite quotes- thanks for the reminder.

1 minute ago, Anny Nym said:

Really?!  But what if something is iffy? ( and something is always iffy if one wants to find iffy).

It would be if there was proof of voting irregularities or fraud on a  grand scale.  I have heard nothing like that here.

I don't know - I'm not a conspiracy person but something just feels so weird about this.  Probably just trying to hang on to my denial that so many people could vote for him and I'd rather believe it was rigged.

[Nomorethanfour]

1 hour ago, Mecca said:

Yes. At 9:30am. Here is the truth. She was devasted last night and wanted to get her act together before she addressed her supporters. It was well after 2am and there was still question about the race. She felt it was best to not keep them waiting and allow herself to put together a better speech than what she had if she lost. She conceded after Pondesta closed down the campaign event  

Frankly, I get that. Hillary may be tough, but she is also human. She, her staff and supporters were given faulty information basically this whole campaign. When you get a massive kick in the guts like she did last night, it can take time to get your act together. 

True, I get it too. I just thought it was out of character from everything I have ever seen with regards to losing an election. I'm ot a fan of DT or HC, but my heart was breaking watching her supporters literally crying their eyes out and being told to go home. I honestly felt bad for them. A few words would have been nice b/c like you said, they both had a victory speech and a speech for if they lost (although Trump probably just had a victory speech, seeing as how he is a total egomaniac.)

Anyways, I'll have to check out the speech she gave at 9am. Thanks!

[moodygirl86]

I blame voter apathy. Trump is a prick, an unmitigated pigfuck of a man, and it's obvious to anyone with half a brain. Of course he was voted in by plenty of racists, misogynists and their ilk, but it's not that the majority of Americans wanted him to be president - just the higher percentage of those who actually voted. It was the same in the UK elections last year when Cameron got in again. I'm confident he wouldn't have if everyone in the UK had used their vote. Sadly, so many people have the attitude of "Oh, I don't vote in elections, there's no point, they're all as bad as each other these politicians, and anyway what difference would my vote make?" In fact, at the time of the 2015 General Election, I was temping as a medical records clerk in an NHS hospital, and a colleague said those exact words. I was glad she wasn't actively supporting the Tories, considering she works for one of the very organisations they want to destroy, but I'd have expected somebody in that job to fight tooth and nail to use her vote to keep the Nasty Party out! But yeah, I definitely think it's just as much about who didn't vote as those who have done.

[karen77]

https://www.bustle.com/articles/194296-the-millennial-electoral-maps-might-give-you-hope-but-our-generation-has-a-lot-of-work

 

Interesting article and looking at the millennial vote on twitter, it's all blue pretty much. hope for the future I guess. The article actually goes to blame them for apathy  and not voting though!

[SilverBeach]

Thankfully, there are no Trump supporters in my life. Everyone I know is suffering like me. I would sever ties with Trump voters, because we have nothing in common. Even if it was family.

Sorry, I don't buy the Trump apologetics about being prolife one issue voters. Bullshit. I don't buy Trump apologetics period. I am a Christ follower and could not have looked at myself in the mirror if I had voted for that abomination.

This is day 2 of my media boycott. I will be tuning in to BBC.

 

[JoyfulSel]

18 minutes ago, VelociRapture said:

I'm not sure if they'll actually be able to get rid of it completely. And if they do, it's going to negatively impact the people who put them into office too. Completely counterproductive if they want to keep that support. 

I truly hope so. This is such a huge hot button issue for me and there will be hell to pay.

I actually wanted to follow up on a few of your posts last night. My friend texted me a few minutes ago and said that at her job, a fellow co-worker who is pregnant, also with a baby girl, has been crying all morning absolutely TERRIFIED of the thought of Trump becoming president. She doesn't want to raise a child in this kind of world. I send all of my love to my pregnant sisters in this nation, you don't deserve to ever have to feel this way during such a positive time in your lives. <3

[apple1]

2 hours ago, formergothardite said:

So are there any chances Trump will end up not following through with almost all his promises? There is a tiny thread of hope I'm clinging to that he is going to give the middle finger to all the people who voted him in and then be nothing like he promised he would be. 

The thing we can learn from this is that if given the opportunity, the country will go backwards very, very fast. A couple of years ago no one would have thought a guy being opening supported by the KKK would stand a chance at running, yet here we are. Appealing to Christian decency won't work since it seems most of the evangelical Christians gave no shits about what Trump stand for. Appealing to common decency didn't work. So what will help? How do we make true progress? We have four years to figure this out because a Trump can't happen again. 

I think there is significant possibility that many of the Trump campaign crap will fall by the wayside. Hopefully.

[EmmieJ]

I was absolutely devastated last night.  I have never felt so strongly about an election.  I fear for our country.  I fear for my son, who is adamant about joining the Marines (he's already enlisted but has not left for boot camp, so he could get out without a huge amount of trouble --- but I'm afraid he will not).

I am almost 100% certain I will lose my health coverage under this new administration.  I have coverage under the ACA -- because it no longer allowed insurance companies to deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions.  The Republicans are going to repeal the ACA, and millions will once again be unable to afford health care.  Thank you Republican voters.

But that's the least of my worries.  Trump, with his little fingers hovering above the nuclear button?  I may not get a good night's sleep for the next four years.  I'm past child bearing age -- I truly feel for the young women of this country.  Be prepared to have abortion very nearly outlawed; and be prepared to have an incredibly difficult time getting birth control.  Be prepared to be "punished" for having an abortion.  Be prepared for lesser protections against sexual harassment in the workplace.

And for immigrants, or any people who look like "other" to the white supremacists who have come out of the woodwork?  I fear for their safety. 

Finally, I mourn for the loss of my innocence, which I thought was long gone.  But I was forced to acknowledge that 50% of the voting population of this country chose a racist, sexist, childish, hateful rich white guy over a smart, accomplished woman.  The hate for women, immigrants, Jews, people of color has apparently only been under cover for the past few years -- ready to spring forth when the right candidate came along.  Our country is filled with hateful people, and here I was trotting along believing most people are inherently good.  I was wrong.

[PreciousPantsofDoom]

1 hour ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

 I knew there was systemic and institutionalized racism woven in our society and in my pathetically small way I've tried to counter it when I saw it.  But I truly thought that most of it stemmed from ignorance and not willful disregard or hate.  

This may make some of you hate me, but when I first read about white privilege several years ago and the invisible knapsack I thought it was a load of crap.  My mom's family was poor, I knew plenty of white people who struggled, etc.  The typical arguments which at the time made sense to me.

Then I started to get it.  It's not about having stuff handed to you, it's about not having extra obstacles put in your way.  When I read of the study which showed white men with a felony record get more call backs for jobs than black men with a clean record - all other things being equal I was ashamed that I'd been so ignorant.  After all I was so enlightened - knowing that people have a inherent bias towards the familiar and others like them I had always made a conscious effort to be aware of that and confront that in hiring and other work decisions.  Not pretend I was color blind, but to make sure that I wasn't seeing someone in a more positive light just because they were more like me in superficial ways.  And I had been known for hammering that to everyone involved in any hiring process with me.  

I wasn't overcoming my own hatred for people of other races, etc, as I didn't hate anyone (actually I hate plenty of people, but not based on race or ethnicity etc.  If I hate you it's personal and you earned it.  I'm an equal opportunity bitch.)  - I was addressing the often unconscious bias we all have.  

But as a middle class white women from an upper middle class socioeconomic background, I occasionally found myself on the receiving end of dog whistles about "those people" from the overtly racist who wouldn't think of using racial slurs publicly but somehow think other white Christians all secretly "know the truth about "those people.""  "Except for so and so - they're one of the good ones."  See, they don't hate others because they acknowledge there are "good ones" not realizing that by saying that they are admitting that their default view is to see them as less than until proven otherwise by whatever jackass criteria in their head.  

But that was far more rare than those who just don't get that it's a problem.  They don't secretly hate, they don't care what race/religion the new employee is, or the family next door...they just think the laws have changed, we're all equal, and so why can't people just let it go.  

Damaging and ignorant for sure - but not based on hate.  These are people who, if they heard someone use a racial slur or admit to being a storm front member,  they'd shun them in a second and regard them with loathing.  So I truly honestly thought that those people couldn't possibly vote for Trump because he didn't hide his bigotry.  I knew Trump would get the people who wish they could put their term as Grand Wizard of their chapter of the KKK on their resume - but surely just the outliers.   The vast majority of people would be horrified by his statements and would dismiss him as a ranting clown.  

I am shocked today at what this has revealed about this country.  I am kind of scared that I could have been so wrong and wondering what other horrible shit is a fact that I just don't know.  And I'm ashamed that I ever doubted exactly how incredibly uneven the playing field is.  

TLDR:  If American's weren't prejudiced to an astonishing degree then someone speaking openly about wanting Muslims on a registration list, calling Mexican immigrants rapists and drug dealers, wanting to deny people entry to this country on the basis of religion, or any of the many other statements WOULD HAVE BEEN DEALBREAKERS!  It would have taken him out of the running the same as if he'd pulled down his pants pooped on the Fox News desk during an interview.  They'd have turned on him the way they would have if he'd been grabbing men by the package.

 

Yes, This.  

As a Canadian, I'm very thankfull to not be about to be governed by this sorry excuse for a man, but the fact that he has been elected at all is making me feel very bleak today.  It is an endorsement of prejudice of all kinds. It sends a scary message that it's OK, no, it's fucking awesome, to act like a total fucktard with no regard for anyone but yourself, because you win in the end.  That is, unfortunately, a message that crosses borders.  There are racist, sexist, etc. people everywhere, not just in the US, but I too have been guilty of thinking that this type of thinking was on its way out.  I guess this election  result is a wake up call.

 

 

Need to go think a bit about what can be done about all the ignorance in the world.  

[sophie10130]

1 hour ago, JoyfulSel said:

I don't know. I just don't ever know - the poor are always blamed for being poor and when we try to reform or do things to help us get out that, it gets shut down immediately. WHY would poor people ever ever ever vote for Republicans???? WHY?!?!?!

There are quite a few people who believe that the country is being blinded by race in order to continue the status quo for rich people. My husband included. He believes that the elite and wealthy in this country are trying to get us to look away from the real power imbalance which is rich vs. poor by making us think black vs. white, Mexican vs. white, Muslim vs. christian are all the REAL power imbalances in this country. 

They think the poor people are being blinded by them to say that really the poor white man's plight are Mexicans stealing his jobs or ISIS or whatever. But, if all the poor people came together, they vastly outnumber the rich.

Poor whites in this country are very quick to blame black people, welfare queens, crack heads, Mexicans, and ISIS for their troubles, but they are not the people making laws that oppress and keep them poor. The rich people with power are.

Sometimes it seems a little too out there to me, but in light of recent news, I am starting to believe it. 

[HerNameIsBuffy]

4 minutes ago, apple1 said:

I think there is significant possibility that many of the Trump campaign crap will fall by the wayside. Hopefully.

You guys should check out the link @polecat posted above - top of this page - I'll copy it here:

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/steelmagnificat/2016/11/donald-trump-removes-pro-life-from-his-policies-12-hours-after-election/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=FBCP-PATH&utm_content=steelmagnificat

From article...

Quote

 Less than half a day after Donald J. Trump was elected president of the United States, he removed the words “pro-life” from his list of policies on his official website. Have a look for yourself.

 

[twinmama]

2 minutes ago, apple1 said:

I think there is significant possibility that many of the Trump campaign crap will fall by the wayside. Hopefully.

I agree. I don't have much energy to post, too upset, angry, scared, you name it; but I think he said what he said to get elected. I don't see Trump giving a single shit about abortion. What congress does with it, what the Supreme Court does with it, I have no idea. But I don't think Trump cares about that issue. 

I'm trying to hang on to hope that it won't be as terrible as some say. This article helped a tiny bit: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/cp/opinion/election-night-2016/it-is-possible-for-trump-to-bea-good-president?smid=tw-share