Post-Election Fears & Anxieties

[anyanka323]

6 hours ago, windsprints said:

I wish every governor in the country would be taking the increase in hate crimes seriously.  He has his detractors but I've always really liked him. He immediately spoke about NY not agreeing with Trump after the election. So, when we go I'm formally asking if we can take him, lol

As a Wisconsin resident who is disappointed with our weasel-like governor for many things, it's nice to see someone like Cuomo addressing the issue.  There was an incident at Camp Randall during the Wisconsin-Nebraska football game that made national headlines. http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/17923933/wisconsin-asks-fan-remove-offensive-parts-barack-obama-costume.

The University and Athletic Department were very responsive and took action, including revoking 4 season tickets that were traced to the idiots behind the sick stunt.  They also changed the carry in policy, which went into effect last weekend.  I wouldn't be too surprised if additional changes are implemented next year, including limiting what can be carried in to what fits in a large gallon sized plastic bag, and adding metal detectors to public entrances.  That policy is new this year at the Kohl Center, where basketball and hockey are played and is the norm at more college sports facilities.  Given that Wisconsin allows concealed carry, it's a wise decision considering that guns are banned on any UW System property. 

The incident was conspicuously not addressed by either Scott Walker, our cowardly governor who only does what the Koch Bros or any of his corporate backers including John Menard tell him to do, and Paul Ryan.  It's a very public hate crime on one of the largest publicly accessible buildings owned by the state of Wisconsin.  

Surprisingly, the family members that were most outraged by the incident were actually the ones who admitted to voting for Trump.  I suspect it was partially because it caused embarrassment and humiliated the state and the university on a national stage.  I also think it may have forced them to think a bit about the attitudes of some Wisconsites, and that it doesn't reflect their values. 

[lyric]

[Lantern7]

Cruz on the court? I figured that if he'd get a position in the new administration, it would be licking his taint clean when Chris Christie needed rest. Seriously, have the Supreme Court ever had a complete and total weasel in its ranks? Look up "little shit" in the dictionary, and his photo takes up the whole page.

ETA: I found this to be funny prior to my soul getting wounded last week. Maybe I'll find it hilarious one day, but I see it like Bruce Wayne sees The Mark Of Zorro.

[random chance]

Just given what we know about Trump so far, I figure he got Cruz to humiliate himself by dangling the SC carrot and now he'll hand it to someone else and laugh bigly at Cruz. Isn't that what he did to Christie? Who is the worst possible person he could choose, that's who he'll actually choose. That seems to be the criteria so far! (Does this count as post election anxiety? Although, isn't it now just plain old permanent anxiety? It's not like we're going to have an opportunity to have pre-election anxiety again unless someone invents time travel.)

Edited November 16, 2016 by random chance

[Duke Silver]

Just watched some of the Glenn Beck interview on Anderson Cooper's show...  It was odd listening to Beck w/out having an itchy finger on my remote control, ready to switch channels.  What a fucked up world when Glenn Beck now seems to be such a reasonable person.  Makes me wonder even more how much anyone but the crazies are wed to their political ideologies.

[Lantern7]

For anybody that needs further relief, tonight's episode of @Midnight was an escape by way of cute animals.

I don't watch CNN. How is Anderson doing? Not like Kathy Griffin has to drop by and sedate him, right?

[ruby24]

I wouldn't feel so anxious if it was just a regular Republican. I wonder if enough faithless electors could declare Trump unfit (which he is), send the election to the House and then some sort of compromise candidate emerges like Mitt Romney, who agrees to serve just one term to protect the country from Trump. Could something like that happen? Republicans keep a Republican, but since Hillary did win the popular vote, he could be moderate. If he commits to one term only, he could get Democratic support by agreeing to keep/fix the ACA (it was Mitt's original MA plan anyway, so I don't think he hates it that much) but they give him the Supreme Court, which Republicans stole. I think those two things are pretty equal in terms of long-term impact on the country.

Obviously this is wild speculation and wishful thinking on my part, but I really would feel better if we had a stable presence in the executive branch. This guy is putting the country in serious risk. And he is totally unfit for office.

Edited November 16, 2016 by ruby24

[Coffeecup]

2 hours ago, ruby24 said:

I wouldn't feel so anxious if it was just a regular Republican.

 

Me neither. I wasn't anywhere near this upset when George W. Bush won two terms. I didn't agree with Bush's policies, but I had confidence that he was a normal human being. He had political experience and I knew that he could govern effectively.

Trump is just an amateur, a loose cannon and a narcissist, and he's mainstreamed racism, bigotry and misogyny. Something is very broken in America. I am deeply shaken.

All I can do is tough it out until the 2018 Congressional elections.

[ClareWalks]

1 hour ago, Coffeecup said:

Me neither. I wasn't anywhere near this upset when George W. Bush won two terms.

Yes. Guys, I don't broadcast this generally, but I *voted for* Bush TWICE and I am terrified of Trump. Bush is within the spectrum of "normal politician evil." Trump is a legit sociopath. Bush would have at least considered how picking a white supremacist for a prominent WH position would have affected his reputation. Trump gives zero fucks, so we all have to give ALL THE FUCKS :(

[Cupid Stunt]

"So here’s my first thought. In The Bridge of Spies, Mark Rylance plays Rudolf Abel—appropriately enough, a Russian spy. When asked, in various sticky situations, “Are you worried?” or “Are you scared?”, his invariable, quizzical response is “Would it help?”"

To An Anxious Friend…

[callmebetty]

9 hours ago, saoirse said:

Do not post the same thing in multiple topics. This topic is for people who are anxious over the election results. Cute bunnies, Joe Biden memes, conversation about the election results in general, suggestions for organizations to support, those are all good here.

 

Is that a sloth ? If so, I think I'm dying it's so cute. I needed this.

[Cupid Stunt]

Deficit? We don't care about no stinking deficit ...

[random chance]

5 hours ago, ruby24 said:

I wonder if enough faithless electors could declare Trump unfit (which he is), send the election to the House and then some sort of compromise candidate emerges like Mitt Romney,

That seems like a good compromise to me. No way could they elect Hillary without there being riots the next day, and not the kind where people just hold up signs. Radicalized Trumpers would be literally shooting people in the streets.

[honeydo7]

Not a good sign that Trump is thinking about instituting his Muslim Registry, as soon as he's sworn in.........if he's allowed to get away with this, what's to stop him from creating registries for other minorities, gays or Jews?  And how much damage will this man be allowed to get away with before moderate Republicans like Kasich, McCain, Romney, or the Bushes speak out against him?

[callmebetty]

17 minutes ago, random chance said:

That seems like a good compromise to me. No way could they elect Hillary without there being riots the next day, and not the kind where people just hold up signs. Radicalized Trumpers would be literally shooting people in the streets.

And in no way would Hillary be able to look at a camera and just say "Stop it" Her and Obama would be vilified for letting it happen and even be blamed for causing it.

Edited November 16, 2016 by callmebetty

[Shannon L.]

5 hours ago, ruby24 said:

I wouldn't feel so anxious if it was just a regular Republican.

I've said to a few people over the past week that there were about a half a dozen people on that stage of 16 that I'd have been ok with (not thrilled, but ok).

[windsprints]

5 minutes ago, callmebetty said:

And in no way would Hillary be able to look at a camera and just say "Stop it" Her and Obama would be vilified for letting it happen and even be blamed for causing it.

Of course. His supporters are blaming her and Obama now. There's been many comments that Obama and Hillary should be speaking out to get "their people" to stop protesting Rump.

[callmebetty]

1 minute ago, windsprints said:

Of course. His supporters are blaming her and Obama now. There's been many comments that Obama and Hillary should be speaking out to get "their people" to stop protesting Rump.

That's what's so frustrating on top of all the other frustrations .  They would be blamed for any protesters, "their" protesters , Things protesters .  The protesters in Greece.

Ok back to looking at that sloth cause I'm going to bust a gasket . 

[Ms.Moon]

I live in New York (not upstate) so I am not so worried about the klan coming round to burn my house down with me in it.   NC can miss me forever because there is no way in any way shape or form I will ever set foot in that state please NC save your advertising dollars and do not run ads in this market for vacations come summer because I will not be spending my money there in fact I am looking forward to spending more of my time here in New York I will head for the Long Island wine country.  Or not because I am also looking for jobs in my prior country.  I have a transferrable degree and can work in my former country.  I do not know if Trump and the Republicans have their way if my citizenship might be taken away and myself and my family deported I put nothing past these people.

[NinjaPenguins]

When Dubya was "elected" the first time, I was disgusted. I'm not going to romanticize him in hindsight; thousands of dead American soldiers and Iraqis and the knowledge that torture was committed rather brazenly prevents that. I think he should be at the Hague with many of his venal compatriots. Dick Cheney was a Bond villain come to life. Heckuva job, Brownie and the bodies face down in the muck after Katrina will always haunt me. 

And yet... and yet I was not so terrified and sickened that I alternated between not eating and binge eating after he "won." And maybe normalizing Bush's bullshit led us to where we are today. If this country can mostly shrug off war crimes and letting people drown in a hurricane, why wouldn't we eventually accept the tackiest family in America appointing white nationalists and other assorted clowns to the highest offices in the land. 

And yet... I could at least understand why someone would vote for Bush the Lesser. It wasn't like he held rallies straight out of Triumph of the Will or was known for proudly grabbing women's genitalia. He was slickly marketed as a compassionate conservative and could mostly control his worst impulses while in the public eye. After reading about his life, I feel great sympathy for the child Dubya used to be. The Obamas and Clintons seem to like him well enough. Orange seems to have no friends, just sycophants and his odious family. 

At least America isn't acting like Orange is normal. I hope we never get to a place where we're tempted to look back at Orange as not so bad. 

[MulletorHater]

41 minutes ago, honeydo7 said:

Not a good sign that Trump is thinking about instituting his Muslim Registry, as soon as he's sworn in.........if he's allowed to get away with this, what's to stop him from creating registries for other minorities, gays or Jews?  And how much damage will this man be allowed to get away with before moderate Republicans like Kasich, McCain, Romney, or the Bushes speak out against him?

I was doing so well until a couple of nights ago.  Now, I'm waking up again in a state of exhaustion because I've been tossing and turning during the night again.

I heard this morning that a GOP congressman wants to pass a law cracking down on the protesters, and basically telling them to get over it.  That's when I sat straight up and started yelling, "Fuck you!" repeatedly.  I heard nary a peep about anyone cracking down on the tea party and their "We want our country back!" protests.  Not one.  This, despite those same idiots running around with posters with a Hitler mustache superimposed over President Obama's face.  Oh, but because people aren't willing to stand by and allow their fellow citizens to be demonized and attacked and aren't wiling to allow their places of worship to be defaced, something is wrong.  In fact, Obama made it clear throughout his presidency that those protesting his election and policies had a right to do so.  Meanwhile, we have a thin-skinned nectarine nightmare who can't accept the fact that many in this country did not vote him, don't want him, can't stand him and will not accept the tyranny of him and his supporters and sycophants.

Our First Amendment rights are being eroded.  Meanwhile, our troops are sent overseas to fight for democracy when it's being brazenly snatched from us at home.

This cannot stand.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, MulletorHater said:

I heard this morning that a GOP congressman wants to pass a law cracking down on the protesters, and basically telling them to get over it.

It's only a legit protest when they send their own operatives in:

 

[Cupid Stunt]

1 hour ago, honeydo7 said:

Not a good sign that Trump is thinking about instituting his Muslim Registry, as soon as he's sworn in.........if he's allowed to get away with this, what's to stop him from creating registries for other minorities, gays or Jews?  And how much damage will this man be allowed to get away with before moderate Republicans like Kasich, McCain, Romney, or the Bushes speak out against him?

This isn't anything new from Trump; 60,000,000+ people voted for the open discrimination, surveillance and registering of racial and religious minority US citizens. What is being "proposed" reads as all-encompassing police state boilerplate -"We hate all the people you hate."

The "moderate" Republicans you mention are not that moderate. Kasich and McCain have their own offices to protect from Trump.

The Bush's and Mitt Romney have no skin in the game. And have turned their backs on minorities many times, with no recriminations.

It's up to you and other's like you to organize against Nationalist racism, anti-religious minority discrimination and misogyny.

If you don't, your name will end up on a registry list.

[onthebrink03]

10 hours ago, Duke Silver said:

Just watched some of the Glenn Beck interview on Anderson Cooper's show...  It was odd listening to Beck w/out having an itchy finger on my remote control, ready to switch channels.  What a fucked up world when Glenn Beck now seems to be such a reasonable person.  Makes me wonder even more how much anyone but the crazies are wed to their political ideologies.

I'm pretty cynical about Glenn Beck.  I don't believe he ever held deep ideologies that aligned with the right.   I think he saw a large portion of the American public that were angered and fearful and he found a way to benefit financially from that fear.  His star is dimming now with his faithful followers and maybe he's not willing to take that extra step to embrace the alt right and their agenda.  Ah but wait, now we have a different group that is fearful and anxious for their futures and in rides Glenn Beck to speak to their fears.

I've seen him on CNN several times now and I admit he makes a lot of sense and puts forth a common sense and reasonable persona.  And although I'm happy that he is adding a positive voice in these uncertain times, I'm not convinced he's had a come to Jesus moment and seen the light.  No, rather he's seen another group and situation he can exploit to his benefit.  He's very much an opportunist just like the orange asshole he's railing against today.

[potatoradio]

1 hour ago, NinjaPenguins said:

At least America isn't acting like Orange is normal. I hope we never get to a place where we're tempted to look back at Orange as not so bad

And we need to keep that up by any means necessary. This is not normal. This is not a "gamble for change" for a push on conservative issues. This is, I think, plenty of people beyond the base who thought they could look the other way on his behavior and "promises" and chalk those up to campaign bluster or assume he'd mellow out or be constrained once in office by the "real" GOPs or elite.

I don't know how they'll justify or explain away the loss of more jobs, more war, and loss of civil liberties as well as the the government not being shaken up but completely dismantled. Oops, I guess some bets you just kinda lose, right? There are more cards, right? Another chance, right? 

[Shannon L.]

10 minutes ago, Cupid Stunt said:

The "moderate" Republicans you mention are not that moderate.

Yeah, I always felt like Kasich was a wolf in sheep's clothing. He was not one of the half a dozen I'd have been ok with, but I did appreciate his demeanor. That's something.

7 minutes ago, onthebrink03 said:

I've seen him on CNN several times now and I admit he makes a lot of sense and puts forth a common sense and reasonable persona.  And although I'm happy that he is adding a positive voice in these uncertain times, I'm not convinced he's had a come to Jesus moment and seen the light.  No, rather he's seen another group and situation he can exploit to his benefit.  He's very much an opportunist just like the orange asshole he's railing against today.

And, he's partly to blame for the hatred spewed at Obama these past 8 years, imo.

2 hours ago, honeydo7 said:

Not a good sign that Trump is thinking about instituting his Muslim Registry, as soon as he's sworn in.........

I heard on Rachel last night that the republicans are already writing up a proposal for the wall and are hoping to have it passed through and ready to sign as soon as he's sworn in. 

[SoSueMe]

The cluster that is Trump's cabinet choices selection process and the inappropriate security clearance requests and the restaurant visits without a press pool, all of this clownish crap, is starting to make me wonder if Trump isn't looking for some sort of disqualifier to get him out of this. 

Sorry for the run-on :o.

[editorgrrl]

19 hours ago, Bookish Jen said:

I'd love to donate money to causes I believe in, but I'm not awash in cash. I am a mad crafter and I'm swimming in beads. I would love to make jewelry, sell them and donate the proceeds to various causes like Planned Parenthood or my local food bank. Does anyone have ideas how to do this in a way that doesn't look like a scam? You can always PM me.

You could donate jewelry to charities for their fundraising auctions.

And/or volunteer to teach jewelry-making in your community. For example, our local cancer hospital has a Bracelets of Hope Monthly Beading Bee:

Quote

Kim leads the beading workshops, creating stretch bracelets in an array of colors carrying messages of hope. All bracelets made in these workshops are packaged and will be gifted to patients by members of our medical team.

I Googled bead volunteer, and found:

https://www.beadforlife.org/take-action/volunteer-0/volunteer-north-america

http://www.beadsofcourage.org/contact.htm

http://www.sabeads.org/volunteer

[aradia22]

He's got a new album coming out too.

[crayon78]

4 hours ago, MulletorHater said:

I heard this morning that a GOP congressman wants to pass a law cracking down on the protesters, and basically telling them to get over it.  That's when I sat straight up and started yelling, "Fuck you!" repeatedly.  I heard nary a peep about anyone cracking down on the tea party and their "We want our country back!" protests.  Not one.  This, despite those same idiots running around with posters with a Hitler mustache superimposed over President Obama's face.  Oh, but because people aren't willing to stand by and allow their fellow citizens to be demonized and attacked and aren't wiling to allow their places of worship to be defaced, something is wrong.  In fact, Obama made it clear throughout his presidency that those protesting his election and policies had a right to do so.  Meanwhile, we have a thin-skinned nectarine nightmare who can't accept the fact that many in this country did not vote him, don't want him, can't stand him and will not accept the tyranny of him and his supporters and sycophants.

Our First Amendment rights are being eroded.  Meanwhile, our troops are sent overseas to fight for democracy when it's being brazenly snatched from us at home.

This cannot stand.

Seriously, do they just skip right over the 1st and go straight to the 2nd Amendment every time?

How hard is it to understand:

Quote

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

No law abridging the right of the people peaceably to assemble. Period.

Do you know which GOP congressman it was?

I'm not saying every president or politician has to be a constitutional law professor like Obama was to get it, but I can't stand this selective reading of the Bill of Rights and the Constitution.

[Lantern7]

I don't think you can really put that mustache on him, because I feel he is incapable of growing facial hair. Maybe he's naturally hairless.

And yes, while the Founding Fathers were full of shit on lots of things in retrospect, they put freedom of speech first. The second amendment was placed second in case England decided to start another hassle.

[honeydo7]

Just read about Trump's transition team working on plans for that promised "Muslim Registry" So UNCONSTITUTIONAL, but that won't stop these blood thirsty Nazi's from next demanding......everyone who is Jewish, Black, Gay, Hispanic, Hindu, Native American, Asian, #Nasty Women, the Elderly, Disabled Handicapped Children & Journalists be forced to register as well, allowing Trump's Immigration Storm Troopers to protect the security of "Our Christian Country."  At the founding of the state of Israel there was a ceremony honoring the six million victims of the Holocaust & at that time, that new nation's rallying cry became "Never Again!"  Those words should now be heard 24/7 all over this country......every time these haters try dismantling our Bill of Rights & Constitution and taking rights away from citizens they consider to be inferior & who they believe don't have the right to call themselves Americans.

[MulletorHater]

36 minutes ago, crayon78 said:

Seriously, do they just skip right over the 1st and go straight to the 2nd Amendment every time?

How hard is it to understand:

No law abridging the right of the people peaceably to assemble. Period.

Do you know which GOP congressman it was?

I'm not saying every president or politician has to be a constitutional law professor like Obama was to get it, but I can't stand this selective reading of the Bill of Rights and the Constitution.

This mofo here:  Iowa Congressman Proposes Suck It Buttercup Legislation

"Kaufmann plans to introduce a piece of legislation he’s calling the “suck it up, buttercup bill” when the Legislature resumes in January.

It would target state universities that use taxpayer dollars to fund election-related sit-ins and grief counseling above and beyond what is normally available to students. Those that do would be subject to a budget cut for double the amount they spend on such activities, Kaufmann said. It also would establish new criminal penalties for protesters who shut down highways, like those who briefly closed Interstate Highway 80 in Iowa City during a protest against President-elect Donald Trump last week."

[AntiBeeSpray]

7 hours ago, ClareWalks said:

Yes. Guys, I don't broadcast this generally, but I *voted for* Bush TWICE and I am terrified of Trump. Bush is within the spectrum of "normal politician evil." Trump is a legit sociopath. Bush would have at least considered how picking a white supremacist for a prominent WH position would have affected his reputation. Trump gives zero fucks, so we all have to give ALL THE FUCKS :(

^This. Only I voted Democratic during those elections (and in general). Bush was bad enough with the wars and such, along with Cheney. But what Trump and co. are bringing forward is far worse.

[AntiBeeSpray]

14 hours ago, Duke Silver said:

Just watched some of the Glenn Beck interview on Anderson Cooper's show...  It was odd listening to Beck w/out having an itchy finger on my remote control, ready to switch channels.  What a fucked up world when Glenn Beck now seems to be such a reasonable person.  Makes me wonder even more how much anyone but the crazies are wed to their political ideologies.

Exactly. It's strange reading and hearing him say what he's been saying lately. Not that I trust him in any regard. But still, if he said something's bad... then I figure he's got a point. Sadly enough a lot of them still are. They've been indoctrinated/brainwashed by a lot that the right has done over the years. Even Glenn mentioned that Trump reminded himself of how he was. So that says a lot right there. But the thing is, Glenn has a lot to get blamed for in my opinion. He is to blame for a lot of what's happened on the Republican side, along with Breitbart, Fox news and others.

[Lantern7]

Bush believed in a higher power, even as he resembled a chimpanzee aided by a real-life Legion of Doom. The other guy inspires much less confidence. We're probably going to have an incident near the level of 9/11 within the first year.

Bright side: Sam Bee's show has been renewed. I'm still thinking she and husband Jason Jones would be bound, gagged, and catapulted back to Canada.

[EyewatchTV211]

I think Khizr Khan needs to offer a class to the Republicans on the contents of the Constitution. Clearly, they do not know and/or do not care what it says. I will now call them the Unconstitutional Party. Their love of the 2nd Amendment does not count since historians are pretty clear that it was not intended as followed today, thanks to some of our late-ish 20th century supreme court decisions and the backing of the NRA. Speaking of the NRA, I occasionally have to drive by their building in northern Virginia and it sickens/angers me every time.

ETA: This is in response to the Iowa congressman's proposed legislation.

Edited November 16, 2016 by VMepicgrl

[AntiBeeSpray]

5 minutes ago, VMepicgrl said:

I think Khizr Khan needs to offer a class to the Republicans on the contents of the Constitution. Clearly, they do not know and/or do not care what it says. I will now call them the Unconstitutional Party. Their love of the 2nd Amendment does not count since historians are pretty clear that it was not intended as followed today, thanks to some of our late-ish 20th century supreme court decisions and the backing of the NRA. Speaking of the NRA, I occasionally have to drive by their building in northern Virginia and it sickens/angers me every time.

ETA: This is in response to the Iowa congressman's proposed legislation.

Along with the Bill of Rights. Which mentions about the Freedom of Speech.

[Duke Silver]

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/no-voter-turnout-wasnt-way-down-from-2012/

[windsprints]

I was just on Facebook (mistake) and stupidly replied to a post that was complaining that the Trump name was being removed from Trump Towers. I explained that it wasn't Trump Towers but instead building that were developed by Trump with Chinese investors years back and that Trump does not own them. I also commented that there's news articles from every major outlet online if they wanted to go read more about it.  The replies I got? "Hillary got campaign money from foreigners!", "the name was good enough when they moved in. All liberals are as dumb as you", "you're (sic) candidate lost so your (sic) mad and saying Chinese people worked there", "who cares, its probably all welfare people living in the building".  Proves that reading comprehension is not a strong suit of these Trump supporters. They couldn't even read enough to know which building it even was then only looked to be nasty. Their candidate won and yet they're still so incredibly awful; hate and anger comes through on just about every comment they post.

[fastiller]

Speaking of the Constitution, as a member of the ACLU, I receive from time-to-time their pocket Constitution (like Mr. Khan showed us during his DNC speech) which I sometimes carry with me.  However, I also carry it with my on my phone as an app.  I forget which one I downloaded, it was free and I have an android phone.  I recommend it.  The version I have also has other documents important to our history, among them: the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation, the Gettysburg Address, MLK's I Have A Dream speech, the wording to the Miranda Warning.

Edited November 16, 2016 by fastiller

[ari333]

52 minutes ago, AntiBeeSpray said:

^This. Only I voted Democratic during those elections (and in general). Bush was bad enough with the wars and such, along with Cheney. But what Trump and co. are bringing forward is far worse.

Holy crap on a cracker. Dubya looks like a choir boy compared to this Orange Satan.

Pass the Pepto

[bref]

My 94-year-old dad, who is an American historian and lifelong progressive, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, has traveled the world, served in the military, taught, wrote books, marched in Selma, was a tax-withholding war protester, and is one of the greatest and best people I have ever known, wrote me an email today in which he said he is having a hard time getting out of bed in the mornings because he is so depressed.

I have to go cry my eyes out now.

[zxy556575]

20 hours ago, windsprints said:

I was just on Facebook (mistake) and stupidly replied to a post that was complaining that the Trump name was being removed from Trump Towers.

#quitfacebook

It doesn't have a lot of traffic but it is a thing.

Edited November 17, 2016 by lordonia

[ari333]

2 hours ago, SoSueMe said:

The cluster that is Trump's cabinet choices selection process and the inappropriate security clearance requests and the restaurant visits without a press pool, all of this clownish crap, is starting to make me wonder if Trump isn't looking for some sort of disqualifier to get him out of this. 

Sorry for the run-on :o.

I wondered the same thing.. like he wants an out so he can cry martyr and still be out and make speeches to cheering crowds of turds.

[stillshimpy]

The weird thing about Bush, who I did not vote for at any point, is that I never actually questioned why he wanted to be president.  I'm not going to rehash all the old Bush stuff (<--- understatement).  As cracked as his approach was (being kind, being kind) I never doubted that he deeply cared about the actual country.  Oh sure, he fucked it up beyond recognition (thanks, sub-prime) but it didn't feel as if it was for lack of actual caring.

The reason I've been so terrified is that Donald Trump doesn't care about anyone other than his children and some of them he seems sort of iffy on.  Hell, he only really seems to care about Ivanka and it's such a foreign emotion to him that he expresses it in ways that make almost everyone deeply uncomfortable.  That said, yes, I'm willing to grant him the one grain of humanity I think is in the barren wasteland of the beach that is his soul: seems to care about his kids.  

The rest of us?  He doesn't care.  We're not real to him.  To him, we're just some grubby mass of people he probably has a very colorful descriptor for in  private.  That is why I'm terrified.  He's not troubled by qualms, scruples, or compassion.  That's why I'm terrified.  He's not the first terrifying Republican to take to the world stage, even in my lifetime but I am truly fearful that he will be the last.  He has no respect for democracy.  He has no respect for human beings. He clearly wasn't even planning on winning, seeing as how startled he seems to be by the fact that there's a lot to the fucking job.  

He's surrounded himself by the most corrupt, power-hungry, grubbing assholes that D.C. and elsewhere could provide and none of them care about anything but their own personal gain.  I don't even think they firmly believe in anything -- as Bush at least did -- they are craven opportunists and always have been. 

However, for whatever reason, the night before last, I slept through the night for the first time in over a month and then last night, when I did my standard "wake up at 3 a.m. , realize "holy zarking, crapping, flipping, flying cats, Donald Trump is the president-elect" and a millisecond later, "Oh....smoke 'em if you got 'em, we're all going down!" I wasn't as panicked.  

Not, mind you, that the situation has in anyway materially improved it is just that at first it was a case of "this cannot be happening!!!" and then it was "Oh no, what will become of all the people who he will fuck over, claiming that he's not.  He never said that. Never promised the other thing" and now we're into a new stage of grief: the realization that unless this is somehow stopped, there's a good chance that the United States as I have known it, has gone the way of the dodo.    

That he'll do absolutely nothing for the people who elected him is pretty much their just desserts, if it weren't for the fact that everyone else will suffer too.  

The reason I think I was calm in the middle of the night is simply that: Okay, we have the lay of the terrifying land:  Registries are being mulled.  The appointments to his cabinet are all people who are -- understatement alert -- not desirable.   

I'm probably not helping anyone's anxiety -- quick, think of a kitten....or a duckling...or wearing the skins of your enemies, whatever helps you find your calm, cool center -- but there is a weird sense of calm that kind of settles over me when it becomes obvious that something is going to be difficult, possibly terrible because once I start to understand the scope of something, I can figure out what I'm going to do about it. 

Just the thing that settled over me in the night was the realization that the only way to make things actually worse than they are right now is to give up.  So that's off the table as an option.   

It probably seems really late in the process for me to have all these realizations but until a week ago, I did not believe that we could do something this stupid as a nation.   My lack of belief didn't stop it from happening so it's now time to batten down the hatches, take up positions and dig in like ticks on them. 

[PatsyandEddie]

20 minutes ago, bref said:

My 94-year-old dad, who is an American historian and lifelong progressive, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, has traveled the world, served in the military, taught, wrote books, marched in Selma, was a tax-withholding war protester, and is one of the greatest and best people I have ever known, wrote me an email today in which he said he is having a hard time getting out of bed in the mornings because he is so depressed.

I have to go cry my eyes out now.

That makes me really sad. :( 

Sounds like you have an awesome father!!

[theredhead77]

Today I continued my phone calls with calls to both of my Senators, the Governors office and I attempted the White House comment line, was on hold for over 5 minutes and hung up. I'll try again tomorrow.

No one I spoke with had even a skip in their narrative when I declined to provide contact information out of fear of retribution from the Trump campaign. I don't feel comfortable providing my contact information; I'm terrified the Trump administration is going to obtain it and retaliate.

[NinjaPenguins]

A "Suck it Up, Buttercup" bill? Yeah, I'm not unifying with people who operate on this level of maturity and compassion.

A Muslim registry is terrifying. Seriously. This cannot happen here.. 

[moonb]

11 minutes ago, stillshimpy said:

 

The weird thing about Bush, who I did not vote for at any point, is that I never actually questioned why he wanted to be president.  I'm not going to rehash all the old Bush stuff (<--- understatement).  As cracked as his approach was (being kind, being kind) I never doubted that he deeply cared about the actual country.  Oh sure, he fucked it up beyond recognition (thanks, sub-prime) but it didn't feel as if it was for lack of actual caring.

The reason I've been so terrified is that Donald Trump doesn't care about anyone other than his children and some of them he seems sort of iffy on.  Hell, he only really seems to care about Ivanka and it's such a foreign emotion to him that he expresses it in ways that make almost everyone deeply uncomfortable.  That said, yes, I'm willing to grant him the one grain of humanity I think is in the barren wasteland of the beach that is his soul: seems to care about his kids.  

Oddly, Trump used to remind me of Illinois' infamous former governor Rod Blagojevich, in the sense that they both come off as narcissists with an expert capacity for self-delusion (I'm doing/I did nothing wrong! Don't be afraid). And I had no problem with Blagojevich's social policy initiatives, especially in the expansion of women's and children's health care access. The difference is, I think, is that even if Blagojevich did all that for himself, out of a desire for a legacy, whatever, just like GWB did for the entire country, there was still something predictable about both of them. You could think of them as clowns or criminals depending on your opinion.....but Trump seems like such an empty vessel that he comes across as trying to imitate compassion or any other human feelings, rather than actually feeling them.