I keep telling myself that eventually I shall wake up and discover that I have had the worst nightmare of my life, but it's settling in that what I made it a point to warn against, over and over again, has really happened. Almost every state was a swing state. In this editorial, I shall endeavor to make some observations on how it happened and an idea or two on how to move forward.
There's lots of blame to go around. Lets begin with our electoral system. Hillary won the election by over 230,000 votes, but Trump won the electoral college. It's totally unjust that the vote of one goose-stepping fascist Wyoming militiaman counts as much as the votes of six California Patriots. It is the second time in 16 years that the electoral college stymied the popular will. Support the plan from National Popular Vote.
The greatest share of blame goes to those who could, but did not vote. If they want to complain, as I'm sure they will, they can take a long flying you-know-what off a short pier.
The second greatest share of the blame goes to the Republican Party. Ever since they embarked on the Southern Solution, they have cultivated so much hatred and fear in Caucasians that more votes are cast as a reaction than as a decision. There is nothing too deplorable for the Republican Party leadership to embrace. The Republican dominated FBI cooperated with Putin's FSB (the KGB today) hackers to leak propaganda to influence the outcome. Perhaps what boggles my mind most is the voting of white Republican women. Their votes could have elected the first Woman President in US History, and instead they opted for a serial pussy grabber.
The next greatest share of blame goes to the media. This should never have been a contest,but their bottom line is advertising revenue, and a runaway campaign season sells no soap. So instead they kept pushing false equivalence on voters. They Made it a race and raked in their filthy lucre. Voters who didn't know better opted for the "change candidate" thinking there was no difference.
Next in line is the Democratic Party. Deborah Wassermann- Schultz did everything she could to steer the primary to Hillary Clinton and away from Bernie Sanders. As a result, we had the weakest candidate the Democrats have nominated in my memory. She was not the totally corrupt monster that Republicans and the Putin propagandist, Jill Stein, made her out to be. Nevertheless, a stronger candidate could have won. We Democrats need to turn the party over to Bernie, Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Jeff Merkley and the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Finally are the supporters of boutique candidates. Many of them spread Russian propaganda against Hillary Clinton that was broadcast on RT and backed by Jill Stein in return coverage on RT to build her party. Her betrayal got her less than 1% of the national popular vote. I'm not saying that the throwaway voters were responsible for the loss, but if they voted to stop Trump in Florida, instead of wasting their votes, Trump would have lost by over 150,000 votes, and that would have tipped the scales.
Where do we go from here? We need to do a lot of what Republicans have been doing for the last eight years. We need oppose, obstruct and delay whatever Republicans try to pass. We must publicize their abuses of power far and wide. However, if Republicans should make a proposal that benefits plain folks, and if that proposal does not contain a poison pill, we must do what's good for America, even if Republicans get credit for it. We must take back state governments before the 2020 census, to put Democrats in control of redistricting.
Most of all, we must survive!
God help us all!
15 Responses to “What the F? Where now?”
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I also concur with Arielle's comment. And yes, survive!
So very, very true!
Thanks, Tom.
BTW, Arielle's comment, for those who aren't on Care2
Denise Oliver Velez on Daily Kos wrote a long column that summarizes to: Trump won with a coalition that hates women, black people, brown people, Muslims, athists, agnostics, the disabled, LGBTQ. You may also remember what they did to the Jews. Bernie MIGHT have been able to surmount that – but if he hadn't – if he had gone through Republican toxic shit slinging hell and then lost – how would you feel today?
Reverse the order. On 9/11 they attacked. On 11/9 thjey won a great victory.
↑↓ Snicker" ↑↓
You actually think this is a laughing matter?
Wow. Just WOW! I am so shocked at the outcome of this election! I NEVER thought I would hear the words "president-elect drumpf"! Rump Dump Drumpf is NOT what the people wanted! He just wrangled the electoral college to get him in office. Just like with Georgie-Pordgie! Ugh! I am sick of politics!
There are not enough words to describe the shock and horror that I feel, knowing that he will be our President for the next four years. We will be in serious trouble when he is through. The Democratic party has failed in its promise, they have not co opted the Republican aims of killing the other party, no matter how. I didn't want them to, but it seems the world we live in now requires cut throat behavior. I have signed several petitions to end the Electoral College, it is obosolete. Look what it got us! Dubya and Trump.
On 24/08/1814, the British in Canada attacked Washington, DC and burned down the White House in retaliation for the sacking of York Toronto) in June 1812. Would you like us to do it again, ensuring that Drumpf is home at the time?
Unless something untoward happens, Drumpf is there for 4 years. It's time to hit the municipal and state levels in preparation for the 2018 mid terms. A lot can be accomplished but the work has to start now. There have protests against Trump all across the US as well as in Toronto and Vancouver. There was quite the protest here at the Trump Tower and they have vowed to continue. Trump is not popular here except with a certain Conservative MP who would like to have his ideas here. She is running to replace Harper.
There is a saying in schoolboy Latin that a friend wrote out for me when life was being unbearably hard –
"Noli illegitimae te carborundum" – don't let the b******s grind you down! I found it did help me, and I hope it might help others.
Is this the point at which ordinary people take control of the Democratic Party away from big business which has been ignoring the voters for so long? I do hope so.
Amen to all you've said above TomCat.
After watching Trump with Obama after a meeting of an hour and a half of what should have been only 15 minutes or so, I think the focus of attention should become the people Trump's going to appoint as his ministers and advisors. Because what I saw was a tired man who was overwhelmed by the information he'd been given, a man not used to dealing with the workload of a president, a real president that is. It looks like he bought into the Republican lies that Obama was always on the golf course and not working and thought he'd do the same.
So Trump will soon rely very heavily on his aides, despite what he kept saying about doing it all on his own for show, and wil leave much to others until his ego flares up now and again and he feels neglected and pushed aside. Then he'll be as unpredictable in his actions as he's been in his debates. But apart from those bouts, the country will be run by his ministers and aides and the GOP behind the screens, because Trump is not the workaholic Jimmy Carter was or Barak Obama still is, nor does he have half of their intelligence. So watch those behind Trump, they'll be the most dangerous and the hardest to fight.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/10/what-donald-trumps-cabinet-might-look-like
Speculation only, but serious speculation – if anything can be said to be serious at this point.
I read this elsewhere a few days ago and it is positively mindboggling! DT Jr as interior secretary because he likes to hunt? That's like putting Christie at the DOJ because he personally knows the law from both sides. And Palin? I won't even go there. All people being considered for these posts should be required to take a psych test!
Excellent point. Will he replace the Cabinet with a Politburo?
Thanks all, but one. Exhausted Hugs.