Post-Election Fears & Anxieties

[GHScorpiosRule]

I caved. I'm watching Rachel Maddow right now interviewing Senator Elizabeth Warren.

Warren is giving me some...hope and has brought me to tears. She sounds like she's fighting tears herself. The anger is still there because she did not call him President Elect.

[ruby24]

Good. No one should bow down to this asshole. He's a monster and should be treated like one.

I don't want to see any Hollywood celebrities at this White House- I have a feeling most of them will stay away.

[aradia22]

Quote

Please, when has he ever had to follow the rules? 

First, he will replace all the white with pink marble, then will affix giant gold letter in the front that that spell TRUMP.  He will then replace the Lincoln Bedroom Suite with a giant rotating 360 degree water bed.  I also imagine a "yuge" hot tub in the rose garden, where he will invite all the leaders of the world to unwind.  All female white house staff will wear Hooter waitress outfits that he will personally inspect to make sure their looks are "up to par".

"In March 1964, to continue the efforts of Jacqueline Kennedy, President Lyndon Johnson issued Executive Order 11145, establishing the advisory Committee for the Preservation of the White House to guide the maintenance of the museum character of the State Rooms, and a permanent position for a White House curator."

"The White House as a building was designated a historic site in 1960. As a National Heritage Site/National Historic Landmark in the care of the National Park Service, extensive regulations would govern attempts to institute any significant changes."

I think he can bring in all the curtains and furniture and wallpaper he wants. But he probably can't do anything irreversible and he won't be able to touch the protected areas/things. 

https://www.whitehousehistory.org/press-room/press-collection/decorating-the-white-house

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/20/opinion/sunday/how-will-trump-redecorate-the-white-house.html?_r=0 (Skip to the end)

[random chance]

13 minutes ago, Lantern7 said:

I'm thinking there won't be any pardoning of the turkey on Thanksgiving if those two wind up in power.

They'll probably bring in Ted Nugent to shoot it with a musket.

[Willowy]

Can Barack declare a state of emergency and refuse to relinquish? Will the EC do their one powerful move and switch their votes to Clinton on December 19? COME ON PLEASE SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING! We cannot let this vicious narcissistic psychopath take the reins!

[aradia22]

Quote

I would not be surprised if he does all of a sudden start thinking he'd much rather be in with the popular President Obama than these idiots like Mike Pence (who he obviously hates), and all it takes is meeting with him more over the next two months for him to listen to anything he'll have to say. In my fantasy, Obama figures out super fast how to manipulate and influence him, pulls out Trump's inner Democrat, which he always was before anyway, and becomes a secret advisor behind the scenes to keep him from going off the rails, lol.

I think he has a lot of gross and in particular misogynistic impulses and always has but I have to wonder if he's secretly disgusted at the racism and homophobia of his supporters. Also, I can't imagine that even with their shared love of subservient women, he's that thrilled with the various religious groups who like their women covered up and not overly made up. 

[callmebetty]

13 minutes ago, ruby24 said:

Good. No one should bow down to this asshole. He's a monster and should be treated like one.

I don't want to see any Hollywood celebrities at this White House- I have a feeling most of them will stay away.

I forsee a lot of championship sports teams having many members abstaining from the White House visit.

I forsee the correspondent dinner being very sparse .  

I forsee me never watching Jimmy Fallon again, because if he thinks he can have that thing on slow jamming the news in the future .

And these are all just superficial things. 

But if all the thing cares about is the superficial then he's going be really surprised.

He'll probably want to enact a law that would force the cool celebrities to show up and hang with him . 

[aradia22]

Quote

With Hillary's many faults, at least she won't go down as the person who unleashed Sarah Palin on an unsuspecting world.

Does this mean Tim Kaine will stick around in the public eye at least as long as Palin has? Yes, please.

[Bastet]

Oops; thought I was in the Trump thread -- moved my reply there.

Edited November 11, 2016 by Bastet

[formerlyfreedom]

Folks - this is not the Donald Trump topic. Please take discussion of what he's doing over there.

[Kemper]

I am worried that I am just not able to get past my extreme anger and disappointment.  I hope the street protests continue and become a force; although fat chance of that happening because the media will mostly ignore what is happening or just say it is young hipsters.  Or in the case of the now-tweeting President Elect "paid protestors." I am approaching 70; I hope with all my heart that there is a massive protest planned in DC on inauguration day.  I will bring my signs and (still) strong voice; I will link arms with anyone who wants their voices heard.  

I am getting some comfort from Rachel Maddow, Chris Hayes and maybe Lawrence O'Donnell later.  Like Keith Olbermann back in the day, they are voices from the wilderness.  I hate MSNBC (besides the above-mentioned hosts) and CNN at this time...hate the ugly (I don't mean physically) surrogates .... male and female.  I hate the smugness that emanates from most of the hosts and guests.  Entitled asshats, every last one of them.  They are basically enjoying the spike in ratings that Drumph has brought them.  I hope the heads of CNN and MSNBC - or whoever is in charge of programming - gets fired, gets no pension and has to apply for food stamps and Medicare.  I hope they can't afford to send their kids and/or grandkids to college; that something like the Ghost of Bob Marley (in the form of FDR) haunts their dreams and they never, ever sleep again.  I hope they need Obamacare but it has been repealed and replaced with vouchers that only benefit corporations and insurance companies.  I hope the DNC gets new, young blood.  I never want to see Debbie Wasserman-Shultz or Donna Brazille again.  Or Howard Dean.  I respect them but we need new ideas and we need to recognize that the progressive wing of the Democratic Party needs our attention and is not going away.

I will continue to register new voters; I will cook, bake donate, or do whatever is necessary in order to raise funds for Democrats.  I came of age in the 60's...come on, we can DO this.  That is the only way I can sleep and not want to scream at everyone (including my beloved husband, adult children and my two cats)...  Venting is healthy; venting ensures we don't get ulcers.

[hoosier80]

Sorry my post was more about Comrade Orange than my anger.  Now going from shock, to anger, to gearing up into action.

Moving original post to Trump thread.

Edited November 11, 2016 by hoosier80

[Lillybee]

Considering rump's ties to Russia, I am very concerned about Eastern Europe. Putin has many tanks on the Polish border and rump wants to weaken NATO. I am afraid that under rump, the US will become Russia's pawn.

[Constantinople]

1 hour ago, Iris987 said:

My husband and I were just talking about all this and he came up with something that might give you guys heart.
10 years ago Australia had a similar election. The Liberal Party (which is the conservative party) won everything- the Senate, the House of Reps and obviously the Lodge (our White House, though much smaller). And the Prime Minister was able to do something he'd wanted to do since he was a student- change industrial relations laws. He loathed unions. Wanted to grind them into a paste. And he introduced the most radical laws seen in 50 years to do that. He wanted unfair dismssal laws gone. Make it illegal to strike. Make it a fireable offence if you refused to work on a public holiday if your boss wanted you to. Gut the minimum wage. And the opposition couldn't do anything. They had no power to block it.
But then something happened. The Union Movement hit back with a wrecking ball. Rallys, stop work marches, drenched the airwaves and internet with ads. People woke up and paid attention. And the government flailed. They changed the name of it twice, redrafted it several times and by the time of the next election wouldn't even mention it. They lost that election and a large part of it was due to this law. And the unions weren't this all powerful force. People were sick of them and the relentless infighting and whining. But they fought relentlessly and swept people, all types of people along. And we got change. So don't be discouraged with the gerrymandering and Republican control of everything. Fight hard for your beliefs, organise and make the next 4 years for these assholes endless trench warfare.

I'd feel better about that if I hadn't watched The Killing Season

   http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-05/the-killing-season-full-episode-one-1-sarah-ferguson/6532880 

   http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-05/the-killing-season-full-episode-two-2-sarah-ferguson/6550640   

   http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-05/the-killing-season-full-episode-three-3-sarah-ferguson/6568260  

I'd also feel better if House districts in the US were drawn-up by something comparable to the Australian Election Commission rather than partisan legislatures.

[sistermagpie]

10 minutes ago, Kemper said:

I am approaching 70; I hope with all my heart that there is a massive protest planned in DC on inauguration day.  I will bring my signs and (still) strong voice; I will link arms with anyone who wants their voices heard.  

At the protest I definitely saw one sign about a protest on inauguration day, so there's definitely a good chance you'll have that opportunity.

[Iris987]

2 minutes ago, Constantinople said:

I'd feel better about that if I hadn't watched The Killing Season

   http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-05/the-killing-season-full-episode-one-1-sarah-ferguson/6532880 

   http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-05/the-killing-season-full-episode-two-2-sarah-ferguson/6550640   

   http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-05/the-killing-season-full-episode-three-3-sarah-ferguson/6568260  

I'd also feel better if House districts in the US were drawn-up by something comparable to the Australian Election Commission rather than partisan legislatures.

I hear you, Constantinople. And this isn't the thread to go into the clusterfuckery of those two and what came after. I stand by my point, though-big changes can occur at grassroots levels if you organize and fight.

[ruby24]

Okay, I just saw that the CA Secretary of State is saying there are still over 4 and half million ballots to be counted there, and if true then Hillary is going to win 51-52% of the popular vote.

What the HELL. Guys, to me this is what true illegitimacy looks like. He's got no fucking mandate when the majority went to the other candidate. Dems need to speak up for this. Can you imagine what the reaction would be if this was reversed? They'd be calling her an illegitimate president from Day 1. Not elected by the people.

Well. This asshat really wasn't.

[Menrva]

Just wanted to add: captain1, thank you for the work you do. It's a terribly difficult job and it's good to hear from those who do. I appreciate your service for the public good.

I do not plan on watching the inauguration. I mentioned earlier that we should treat it like a funeral. But perhaps a wake instead? And I don't mean in such a negative way. We should gather our friends and family around us, talk about our good memories and why we love our country. Remember the good people who strive every day. Raise a toast to them, maybe to Hillary too and promise to fight on. Make it a gathering to plan our future and how we're going to fight to take back our country. Say goodbye to the old way of doing things and get ready to take back the house and the senate, strengthen local government and provide support for women's access to healthcare, protection for LGBTQ groups and immigrants. I don't want to be sitting around feeling depressed come January 20.

[WendyCR72]

7 minutes ago, ruby24 said:

Okay, I just saw that the CA Secretary of State is saying there are still over 4 and half million ballots to be counted there, and if true then Hillary is going to win 51-52% of the popular vote.

What the HELL. Guys, to me this is what true illegitimacy looks like. He's got no fucking mandate when the majority went to the other candidate. Dems need to speak up for this. Can you imagine what the reaction would be if this was reversed? They'd be calling her an illegitimate president from Day 1. Not elected by the people.

Well. This asshat really wasn't.

Well, there's this. Although I realize these petitions never, ever work. But hey, I signed if just to make myself feel better: Ask The Electoral College to Vote Hillary Clinton President on December 19th.

Edited November 11, 2016 by WendyCR72
Because Present and President are two different words!

[aradia22]

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/464926361516595153/

Puppy board 

[EyewatchTV211]

This is a small thing, but I want to say that I am very proud of one of my best college friends right now. We were neighbors in the dorm and eventually became roommates in an apartment. We've always had very similar personalities and interests and got along well, but strangely enough when it came to politics and those sorts of beliefs, we very much differed. While not super religious, she held pretty firmly to some of the standard Christian right beliefs. And as I've already said here, I'm Jewish (more culturally than religious) and come from a long line of liberal-leaning family. We had to avoid talk of political-related issues to preserve our friendship and roommate-situation. Towards the end of college, my friend found out that her childhood and current best friend is gay. It seems that the information really had an impact on opening her eyes a whole lot. I just found out that she voted for Hillary and was EXTREMELY upset that she lost, to the extent that she has been crying like many of us. She hates Trump, and she clearly has become informed since she also commented on how horrible Pence is (I know other liberal-minded friends who do not know much about him). It sounds like she has moved away from the Republican party in general, although she feels a reasonable one would be better than what we are going to have. 

Anyway, I know this is only loosely related, but I just felt a little better discovering someone else who is like-minded that I was not expecting.

Edited November 11, 2016 by VMepicgrl

[anyanka323]

6 hours ago, callmebetty said:

Yes, I was thinking the exact thing about Pence a few days. He's too ultra conservative to not have a predeliction for something . 

It's hard not to think of Newt Gingrich, Rudy Guiliani, Larry Craig, Dennis Hastert, Mark Foley, or Henry Hyde as conservatives who projected I'm so much moral than you facade in public but ended up having some very different private personas that ranged from kinky to sexually criminal.  Of them Gingrich, Guiliani, and Hyde's marital histories seems tame compared to Hastert being a child molester.  Anthony Weiner is minor league compared to them. 

[aradia22]

I'm a little more tired today. Sorry, guys. But I still believe everything I've been saying since the news was confirmed. I'm just a little too tired to say it right now. I'm going to go take a shower now. Find hope and love wherever you can in your lives. Continuing spreading it out into the world. It is not a finite resource. Don't give into sadness. Don't give into hate. Let yourself grieve but don't let yourself be pulled down. Rise up.

[WendyCR72]

So California and Oregon want to secede. Take New York with you, I beg you!

[Lantern7]

1 hour ago, Franky said:

Can Barack declare a state of emergency and refuse to relinquish? Will the EC do their one powerful move and switch their votes to Clinton on December 19? COME ON PLEASE SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING! We cannot let this vicious narcissistic psychopath take the reins!

I want this, but I figure this would lead to a civil war. I mean, there have never been an effort to round up everybody's guns like some people fear, so I find it unlikely that Obama would tell 45-47 percent of voters that their vote was meaningless, even though the guy they picked consorted with a foreign power and would be dragged out by his hair and beaten up in a more just world.

[potatoradio]

O, Canada? Would you mind expanding your border just a titch so that Minnesota becomes part of your country? We fit in much better there than with our angry red state neighbors. We're surrounded. Please help.

 

your friends to the south

PS- you'd get another hockey team!

[shoregirl]

28 minutes ago, WendyCR72 said:

So California and Oregon want to secede. Take New York with you, I beg you!

Will you take new Jersey if we promise to ban Chris Christie?

For all her grace in her concession  speech I hope Hillary spends inauguration day like this

 

 

Edited November 11, 2016 by shoregirl

[DeLurker]

3 hours ago, aradia22 said:

that it is natural for men to feel that way and polite society has tapped that side down and if you are a man and don't feel that way you are either gay or lying to yourself

If that's true I'lol need some of Pence's Gay Conversion therapy. Makes you gay right?

[magdalene]

Urgh, I have to stop going to twitter, lots of Trump fascists there reaching new heights of ugliness and stupidity.

[Treehugger]

I cancelled my Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, for the sake of sanity.  I just knew the ugliness would not be helpful.

I have some thoughts that have started rattling around in regards to publicity, at least on the social issues.  Pence is against abortion.  Clearly.  Such an obvious statement for me to make.  What if each month a different state was represented by women who congregated in front of the White House asking to receive Pence and Trump's opinion on whether their monthly cycle needed to be coded as an abortion, should there be a cremation, did charges need to be field against the women for the abortion, etc.?  It would obviously require cooperation from media.

The same could be done for children waiting for adoption.  Or children going hungry.  Use cardboard cutouts, each cutout representing one child.  Here is Susie, age 12, waiting since age 4 to be adopted.  Mr. President, can you find a family who will adopt Susie?  Or another cutout, here is Mark, age 8.  Mark's mom works at McDonald's and Dollar General but only has $200 per month available to buy groceries.  It's the end of the month, and Mark and his mom have no food for another 4 days.  Mr. President, can you find a way to feed Mark and his mom?

Publicity is everything.  Gatherings would need to be respectful otherwise everyone would just be labeled as lazy and angry.  Thoughts?

Edited November 11, 2016 by Treehugger
Too upset to type with proper spelling

[ruby24]

39 minutes ago, Lantern7 said:

I want this, but I figure this would lead to a civil war. I mean, there have never been an effort to round up everybody's guns like some people fear, so I find it unlikely that Obama would tell 45-47 percent of voters that their vote was meaningless, even though the guy they picked consorted with a foreign power and would be dragged out by his hair and beaten up in a more just world.

No, but we are going to tell 51-52% of voters that their vote WAS meaningless, and the loser has to be handed the presidency against the will of the majority.

[BW Manilowe]

@MulletorHater: I think/hope this is the right thread to respond to this. Anyway... Trump apparently doesn't plan to do much, if any, redecorating of the WH. He says he "might touch it up a little, but that it's a special place & you don't wanna do too much touching."

http://people.com/home/donald-trumps-plans-for-white-house/

[crowsworks]

3 hours ago, ruby24 said:

Spoiler

 

Good. No one should bow down to this asshole. He's a monster and should be treated like one.

I don't want to see any Hollywood celebrities at this White House- I have a feeling most of them will stay away.

Like minded people ... women, minorities, BLM, sane people... Band together and vote in every election. Midterms, local, state. Put together a good voter guide and post it everywhere.  State senates are often decided by a few votes and they do the gerrymandering to keep minority areas from representation. So vote. Some of the the swing states in this mess were decided by a few thousand votes. Make sure any judge (in Florida you vote for judges BUT there is no party affiliation or record so unless they do something really gross that gets reported you just guess) is not a right wing freak.

Don't protest, bide your time and build a real coalition of the sane.

meanwhile - steer clear of cable providers like Frontier, that have numerous right wing channels that make Fox look progressive. A couple have been running a crazy anti-HRC doc 24/7. real tinfoil hat stuff you've seen quoted on the internet. HRC as a navy seal like murderer - Michele is a man...or a gorilla.

Maybe we need to show the right just what a 'mean liberal' looks like. They call us biased while fox lies through it's teeth. I want a liberal Rush. 24/7 docs speculating about the real 'Americans' and the Drumph connections to the Nazis. You know, make stuff up like they do and make the cable channels show it by law.

[aradia22]

Quote

I have some thoughts that have started rattling around in regards to publicity, at least on the social issues.  Pence is against abortion.  Clearly.  Such an obvious statement for me to make.  What if each month a different state was represented by women who congregated in front of the White House asking to receive Pence and Trump's opinion on whether their monthly cycle needed to be coded as an abortion, should there be a cremation, did charges need to be field against the women for the abortion, etc.?  It would obviously require cooperation from media.

I think now is the time for action. I'm in NYC anyway, so I didn't figure they would need volunteers to accompany women to Planned Parenthood clinics. But if the aim is publicity, then I think more women need to come out with their stories. We need to normalize what is already a part of many women's lives. We need to take away the power of mangled bloody fetuses or whatever else extremists put on their signs. We need to take away the shame and stigma. 

1) Women who use birth control are not promiscuous. And having non-procreative sex doesn't make you an immoral person. Women use birth control for many reasons but even if it's for non-procreative sex, that is still a valid reason that shouldn't be shamed.

2) Women have early abortions for many reasons. Everything from Plan B to finding out and deciding to terminate the pregnancy to wanting to have the baby but having a miscarriage or missed abortion and possibly having to take steps to get rid of the nonviable pregnancy. We need to hear more of those stories. They need to feel normal for those who are clinging to their moral superiority and extreme images. We need to put these out there for the life begins at conception people.

3) Late term abortions are always going to be the most controversial part. But there must be stories here too. Stories from doctors. Stories from patients. Real stories. Not horror stories.

4) Other women must advocate for themselves. Declare their rights to make decisions over their own bodies in whatever way they see fit (physical appearance/beauty standards, physical autonomy, consent, etc.).

[dcalley]

"it's a special place & you don't wanna do too much touching."

BARF. I mean, I agree, but I cannot ignore that wording.

[clb1016]

39 minutes ago, dcalley said:

"it's a special place & you don't wanna do too much touching."

BARF. I mean, I agree, but I cannot ignore that wording.

The jokes practically write themselves.

[Fable]

I wish people would stop with the “not my president” crap.  I didn’t like him and didn’t vote for him, but legally and lawfully, he has won the presidency.  Many of us think he is a buffoon, and I can’t disagree, but in refusing to accept the results of the election, that is acting just like he and his devotees did, and many were horrified by it.   He is your freaking President, and while I am saddened and sorrowful, that is a fact.  The Clinton party was graceful in defeat, and we should be the same.  If you have a problem with the way things are, by all means protest, petition, write/call your congress, make your voice heard in every possible (peaceful) way, but behaving like the voices you are protesting against  is not helping things.  We are still Americans, and we all want America to Remain Great Forever. 

[ruby24]

2 minutes ago, Fable said:

I wish people would stop with the “not my president” crap.  I didn’t like him and didn’t vote for him, but legally and lawfully, he has won the presidency.  Many of us think he is a buffoon, and I can’t disagree, but in refusing to accept the results of the election, that is acting just like he and his devotees did, and many were horrified by it.   He is your freaking President, and while I am saddened and sorrowful, that is a fact.  The Clinton party was graceful in defeat, and we should be the same.  If you have a problem with the way things are, by all means protest, petition, write/call your congress, make your voice heard in every possible (peaceful) way, but behaving like the voices you are protesting against  is not helping things.  We are still Americans, and we all want America to Remain Great Forever. 

Hillary won the vote. The system that only exists to protect slaveholding states handed a fascist the presidency.

He deserves to be protested every single day of this false, illegitimate presidency. You don't have a mandate if the majority of the public votes against you. He joins the club of phony presidencies who didn't win the vote that includes Quincy Adams, Hayes, Harrison and Bush in 2000. Disasters, all of them. And he will be the worst of all.

[RinaX]

Wow, I only just discovered that this thread existed. 

I don't think it matters whether or not I acknowledge Donald Trump as "my" president any more than it did when it was said by the other side against President Obama. Legally, he's at the controls, and sadly that's all that matters. What matters is if I do anything more about how long he remains in control than grumble on the internet. I'm seeing a lot of people getting lost in the weeds arguing about who's to blame, what wording we should use, and basically forming a circular firing squad. 

Edited November 11, 2016 by RinaX

[backformore]

10 minutes ago, Fable said:

I wish people would stop with the “not my president” crap.  I didn’t like him and didn’t vote for him, but legally and lawfully, he has won the presidency.  Many of us think he is a buffoon, and I can’t disagree, but in refusing to accept the results of the election, that is acting just like he and his devotees did, and many were horrified by it.   He is your freaking President, and while I am saddened and sorrowful, that is a fact.  The Clinton party was graceful in defeat, and we should be the same.  If you have a problem with the way things are, by all means protest, petition, write/call your congress, make your voice heard in every possible (peaceful) way, but behaving like the voices you are protesting against  is not helping things.  We are still Americans, and we all want America to Remain Great Forever. 

You know, I would agree with you as far as every previous election.  There have been elections where I didn't like the results, but I accepted the winner of the election as "my president".   But this one was different.  This is the first time a president elect ran a campaign where he disrespected and insulted women, Muslims, Blacks, Hispanics, basically anyone who isn't a straight Christian white man.   If you fit into any of the other categories, the man himself has let you know that he's not "YOUR president." 

[Meatball]

He does not represent me. He does not represent my values, morals or anything good that my country has to offer. He is not my leader.

He is not my President.

[ruby24]

With what Ryan is saying they want to do...did Trump voters think they were voting to privatize Medicare and cut taxes for the rich, same old GOP policies? It's kind of hard to imagine that's the stuff they want to see. Also, many of them are not going to like having their healthcare stripped away.

This was a strange election in other ways- Trump loses the popular vote, the Republicans lose two Senate seats and 6 House seats, yet this is somehow a mandate for erasing the Obama presidency, just because they have control of the three branches? I don't think so.

Democrats need to be the loudest protest party of all time.

[RinaX]

One last thing, I was kind of under the impression that Trump would most likely just cut funding for programs that benefited the "wrong" type of people, and that he would leave Medicare, et all, alone because that would be too much blow-back. Well, it looks like I might be wrong, in a sickening way. 

Quote

 

With what Ryan is saying they want to do...did Trump voters think they were voting to privatize Medicare and cut taxes for the rich, same old GOP policies? It's kind of hard to imagine that's the stuff they want to see. Also, many of them are not going to like having their healthcare stripped away.

 

The ones who truly voted for him because they genuinely believed that it would do something to help their immediate situation most likely did not. I only know that whatever attempt I made to point out to those voters what might occur was either not believed, or it was assumed that I was twisting his words into something he didn't say. 

[crayon78]

I really hope that this isn't the road we're headed down, and it certainly did nothing to relieve my anxiety, but I thought this was both interesting and terrifying:

http://www.nybooks.com/daily/2016/11/10/trump-election-autocracy-rules-for-survival/

I don't know if this underlying fear and anxiety will ever go away. The man couldn't even last the day before lashing out against the media and protesters. I really wish someone who is not a straight, white male could explain to me the reasons why they are not afraid and why I should not be afraid for the future (since I would love not to be), but I haven't seen anything yet other than, "Well, obviously, he's not going to do all those bad things." Which is about as vague as the plans for what he will do.

I don't think saying "not my president" is the same as refusing to accept the results. He won, even if he didn't actually win more votes, because he won under the rules that exist currently. I don't like it, but I accept it. I think it's just a way to express that he doesn't speak for me. The people who didn't vote for Obama said that for 8 years, along with referring to him as Mr instead of President on every occasion. Obama won the popular vote both times, and they still didn't respect him or the office. I don't know how they can expect anything different with the situation reversed (even though it'll probably get portrayed as the most unpatriotic thing ever, despite their precedent). It's just hard, in this case, to say someone is my president if they're okay with someone like me not having the rights and freedoms that I do today.

[ruby24]

I don't accept it if the person doesn't win the vote. Sorry. But I don't. Bush was an unelected president in his first term. He won the second. Those three losers in the 1800's were also unelected.

And those are the only dudes who've ever come in without the vote behind them. It was wrong then and it's wrong now. Trump is joining the tiny little club of unelected presidents who were handed the job by a system that was designed to placate 19th century slaveholders. That is absurd in a modern democracy. No one's votes should count more than anyone else's. We are telling the majority of the voters that their vote was meaningless.

And let me just say something- I was angry when Bush won re-election. I was mad and upset at how close it was. But he did win, and I could see that. I did NOT feel like this. I didn't feel sick, physically ill, in shock, bursting into tears on and off for day, terrified of lives being in danger, and like someone had literally died. That the country had committed suicide. That we had just witnessed something historically tragic that we would never be able to undo, akin to the South winning the Civil War or Germany electing Hitler in the 1930's.

This is different. I have never felt like this in my life. I know that everyone has to pretend that this is normal for the sake of routine, but I am in genuine fear that our democracy is dead. We've had bad presidents before. Since we've been a superpower with a huge military and nuclear weapons, the worst two were probably Nixon and Bush, and I'm telling you that I would take either of those two guys in a heartbeat over this monster. That's how scared I am and how much of a gamble we're taking by handing this kind of power to a dangerous, narcissistic, unqualified demagogue.

There are precedents for this! History shows that these people do not give up their power! How do we know we're going to have another election in two or four years? He has shown us at every turn who he is. And anyone who's thinking that I am being hysterical? You obviously don't know your history. This is a test of our institutions and our constitution (which this man has never read a word of) like we have never seen. That is worth being nervous about. Depending on the Republicans to stand up to this when they bowed down at every turn, aiding and abetting tyranny this entire year, seems utterly hopeless. They have proven THEY are susceptible to fascism, and if one our two parties has already thrown in the towel, that leaves us with very little protecting us. The minority party in Congress and citizen protest is all I can think of. Hopefully the courts.

[SmithW6079]

4 hours ago, Meatball said:

He does not represent me. He does not represent my values, morals or anything good that my country has to offer. He is not my leader.

He is not my President.

Testify!

[Chaos Theory]

The one thing that worries me more the Trump being President is that with Republicans having control of both the House and the Senate there is no reason to do anything but pick a far far right Supreme Court Judge and basically start everything from the far corner of the right and nudge to the left only when the have to.  

Fof the next for years we are going to strain ourselves nudging.

[Revlonred]

I feel like I'm going crazy, and then I feel like I'm not. I could not sleep last night thinking about Germany.  (I'm Jewish and my family has a strong history with the holocaust.  And you know what, I'm kind of scared that I'm posting this.)  Trump passing me by on the street doesn't scare me, but the people around him, the ones who helped him win this and who are going to be pulling the strings, probably front and center...no hiding anymore...are really terrifying.

So, should I not be posting that?  I'm asking for real.  Because I'm really scared.  As my husband said, we're not on the top of the list, but we're on the list.

[walnutqueen]

The Supreme Court should be abolished ...as should a number of your other archaic American institutions.

[walnutqueen]

6 minutes ago, Revlonred said:

I feel like I'm going crazy, and then I feel like I'm not. I could not sleep last night thinking about Germany.  (I'm Jewish and my family has a strong history with the holocaust.  And you know what, I'm kind of scared that I'm posting this.)  Trump passing me by on the street doesn't scare me, but the people around him, the ones who helped him win this and who are going to be pulling the strings, probably front and center...no hiding anymore...are really terrifying.

So, should I not be posting that?  I'm asking for real.  Because I'm really scared.  As my husband said, we're not on the top of the list, but we're on the list.

I've read an awful lot of fear-mongering, and even invocations of Hitler.  Kinda over it.  My Mum's dying in hospice, having HATED her Mum for all her liiife.  Apparetly my Oma threw her own pubescent daughter to a rapey invading Mongol to save herself - back in Hitler's Germany.  I have stories, many of them would rise your hair much higher than Trumps.