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2 hours ago, AntiBeeSpray said:

So am I. Fuck Snyder and his cronies for getting away with it. 

And I understand that there is a recall campaign against  the Mayor of Flint.  Yeah, her, the one crying out about this.

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50 minutes ago, fastiller said:

And I understand that there is a recall campaign against  the Mayor of Flint.  Yeah, her, the one crying out about this.

And that's nothing new. My friend told me about how there's a lot of corruption within it. If things don't go the way that they want it, they cry recall, etc.

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For all of you folks getting your knickers in a knot about Obama being too soft or too nice and not aggressive enough against the Russians, as a few others have noted, the retaliations will be such that they will mostly go unnoticed by the general public unless he and the intelligence agencies decide to make some kind of announcement. They're working with other countries (which is why it's so important to remain friends and allies with them and not go pissing them off like the orange buffoon is already doing).

A couple of days ago I heard a couple of ex-spy guys on one of the cable shows musing about 'hmmm, that Ukrainian hack of the Russian military a few weeks ago might be interesting to check into'. Then today this info came out:

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...Obama could retaliate asymmetrically by exposing Russian funding to prominent think tanks and universities....Financial Times reports that former M16 head Richard Dearlove and other top former spies have resigned from the Cambridge Intelligence Seminar because of suspected Russian funding.

Exposure of the Russian intel ties at Cambridge is "rocking Cambridge academics"...Recent attendees at the highly regarded weekly seminar have included Mike Flynn according to the FT.

Let's have a little more faith in our current president. He has proven to be pretty effective at dealing with enemies. Bin Laden anyone? And remember those pirates off the coast of Africa that he ordered shot through the head only a few months into his presidency? The guy doesn't have to talk loudly but he carries a pretty big stick.

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Again from overseas.  Again, very sobering.  I know, I know: but that can't happen here!!!

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In merely a year, critics say, the nationalists have transformed Poland into a surreal and insular place — one where state-sponsored conspiracy theories and de facto propaganda distract the public as democracy erodes.

 

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In the land of Law and Justice, anti-intellectualism is king. Polish scientists are aghast at proposed curriculum changes in a new education bill that would downplay evolution theory and climate change and add hours for “patriotic” history lessons.

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This took some guts:

I Trust You  -- end quote

 Response :  I'm across the country from this man, but if I could say one thing to him it would be, "And I will protect you with everything in my power, you have my word."   

And I fucking mean it.   Although, I clearly need to quit using HTML/BB  codes because my GAWD does it fuck with the board in a way that can't be unfucked.  

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5 hours ago, shok said:

Let's have a little more faith in our current president. He has proven to be pretty effective at dealing with enemies. Bin Laden anyone? And remember those pirates off the coast of Africa that he ordered shot through the head only a few months into his presidency? The guy doesn't have to talk loudly but he carries a pretty big stick.

Thanks for the reminder!  President Obama doesn't need to shoot off his mouth whenever he accomplishes something (unlike He Whose Name Will Not Be Uttered Today Cause It's Almost Christmas).  And just looking at what Poland's going through makes me shudder.  In the new year I intend to contact my local Democratic party HQ and ask what I can do (we have a gubernatorial + legislative campaign next year). 

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28 minutes ago, Duke Silver said:

Again from overseas.  Again, very sobering.  I know, I know: but that can't happen here!!!

 

I am assuming you're being sarcastic, because this very much is going to happen here.

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OK, perhaps I'm shouting down an empty well but I have to vent somewhere:

 

 We ALL have our own POVs re what we each think of each candidate and I'm adding nothing at this re what I think of any particular candidate. However; I think we all need to step back and stop demonizing every other person to the point of completely dehumanizing for either supporting one's opposing candidate or not emphatically support one's own. Bigotry is like hatred in that it corrodes the vessel it stores far more than the object it's intended to be poured upon. That's NOT to say that there aren't individual supporters (or detractors) who deserve to be called out for their words and actions but to vilify any large segment of the populace and tarring them with broad brushes winds up not only needlessly infuriating those who do NOT deserve to be called out but also cheats oneself from getting to know others' complexities and considering the possibility of mutually beneficial friendships. Citing the excuse that 'the others' are bigots and/or have persecuted one's side is NOT a valid justification to do the same as virtually every bigot believes that they've been persecuted and  that they're doing so for 'the right reasons' to others.  None of us are perfect but why can't we at least consider what each person individually has to offer before condemning them. Isn't being human enough of a reason to treat others as humans and consider in this increasingly troubled world that we could use all positive imput possible from all sides to help each other out?

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2 minutes ago, izabella said:

This isn't about demonizing people who supported a candidate I do not support.  It's about people who voted Trump into office because they support what he is saying and doing.

I freely and unapologetically admit that I have terminated contact with anyone who I personally called a friend who voted for Trump. As a minority, I do take it personally. I am not expecting anyone else to do that. I can't help but think though what these people who call me "friend" think of me.  This is not how I would feel for some other Republican that I would never have voted for had won the election. That is how I feel about this one though.

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25 minutes ago, ari333 said:

When  do we know the EC  vote results?

It's supposed to be Jan 6.  But the headlines just said "Vt electors first to vote. They voted for Clinton" (She got 57% in VT to Trump's 29% on Election Day, so no surprise--except...surprised that we know.)

Is Obama weak? Look at Syria. And that he gave his threat, per his own words, to Putin in October on the phone "Cut it out".   Yet Brazile said the hacking of the DNC continued through Election Day.

Podesta on MTP yesterday said he heard from the FBI once--two days after wikileaks started releasing his email. The agent said, "Your email was hacked." He said, "I know."

That was the last time they contacted him.  And all the other problems with the FBI, whom Obama defended, as he defended the election results despite Russia. He doesn't want to tarnish his legacy.

Well, Aleppo and Guantanamo and drones will do that.  And Trump will dismantle all the good things he accomplished in a year. Maybe he could have prevented it if he'd fought about it--spoken out more about the (successful) Putin intervention for Trump, shown some outrage over something for once.

He's been a good--not great--president and I'll miss him. But I think he could have done more to push it for Hillary (and to prevent what is happening in Syria) and I'll admit some of my bitterness is directed right at him. 

ETA:  As for letting the DNC know about Russia's hacks, the FBI just periodically called the kid at the Help Desk.

A president should be ON THAT.

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I know some people cheer on Orange voters getting exactly what they voted for, and I do think it is unseemly to wish suffering on other human beings. Even the Orange. I dislike hearing anyone being compared to vermin or insects or being attacked due to appearance. 

That is different, of course, from confronting bigotry when it rears its ugly head. Racism, sexism, homophobia... those are uncivil. Saying no to those things is not. I'm all for educating and trying to help people overcome their prejudices, and dog knows I have mine to work on. But honestly, sometimes I think Democrats are going to politely turn the other cheek all the way to political obscurity. It's not uncivil to be honest. If someone wants to light a woman's hijab on fire or spray paint swastikas everywhere, it's not demonizing to call them bigots. It's the truth. Bigotry isn't a quirk or inherent trait; it's something embraced and inflicted on others.

Most of us are related to or work with at least one bigot. I bet most of us get along fine with them by staying away from hot button issues. I won't knowingly choose to spend time with out and proud racists and skinhead sympathizers, and I dare say I'm probably not missing any rich complexities by not chilling with someone who drives a car flying the confederate flag. 

Has anyone tried the civility lecture with pro-Orange peeps? Prepare for a barrage of gendered insults and sneering about political correctness and safe spaces. 

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55 minutes ago, Padma said:

ETA:  As for letting the DNC know about Russia's hacks, the FBI just periodically called the kid at the Help Desk.

A president should be ON THAT.

This, more than anything, makes me think there was some conspiracy afoot.  Seriously, why would the FBI basically sit back and do nothing?

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10 minutes ago, NinjaPenguins said:

Has anyone tried the civility lecture with pro-Orange peeps? Prepare for a barrage of gendered insults and sneering about political correctness and safe spaces. 

Also it's liberals who are racist and sexist. Because equality is just teaching those people to be victims. Calling someone racist isn't bad when a Republican's doing it.

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I wouldn't have put up with Hitler and his gang of brown shirts, and I won't put up with the Tangerine Turd and his gang of racist misogynists.  Evil needs to be called out and by its proper name.  I know not all Turd voters are thinking they themselves are evil.  Many were just dumb and grasping for any lifeline they could.  But they're just like the Germans who lived in the villages next to the death camps and denied knowing anything about the atrocities that went on there, even though they could clearly smell the burnt bodies and see the hundreds of thousands of people entering the camps, but the camps never growing larger, and no one ever leaving.  And really, turning a blind eye to the evil visited on your neighbor just because it's not evil visited on you?  Is evil as well.

So glad I'm a lifelong Californian and know The Fanta Menace is unlikely to ever visit here, as he knows the kind of reception he'd get.  I'd probably end up getting shot by the SS for spitting on Orangina.

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Besides 1930s Germany and Hitler, the other historical parallel to now is 2001.  Chimpy McCokespoon's approval ratings were never very good to start with.  Half the country was still enraged at the stolen election, the economy was a mess, so by the time September 2001 rolled around, Bushie Boy had really cratered.  

I've been thinking it.  Krugman said it...

 

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Drumpf calls Paul Krugman 'demented' for suggesting he has an 'incentive' to benefit from a 9/11-style attack

Tweet Embed:
https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/809851823687368704
Thought: There was (rightly) a cloud of illegitimacy over Bush, dispelled (wrongly) by 9/11. Creates some interesting incentives for Drumpf

 Tweet Embed:
https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/810154533426970624
At some point Drumpf will surely use patriotism card to distract from tainted election and effects of his anti-populist policies 1/

 Tweet Embed:
https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/810154828445995010
No, it won't be a false-flag terrorist attack -- too hard, and no need. It will either exploit a real terrorist attack 2/

 Tweet Embed:
https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/810155128514867201
or involve a US version of Falklands War -- picking a fight with foreign power to rally home base (Iraq had some elements of that) 3/

 Tweet Embed:
https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/810155464440893441
So anyone who thought they were voting against neocon policies was another kind of useful idiot 4/

http://www.sfgate.com/technology/businessinsider/article/Trump-calls-Paul-Krugman-demented-for-10803957.php

 

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2 hours ago, Blergh said:

needlessly infuriating those who do NOT deserve to be called out but also cheats oneself from getting to know others' complexities and considering the possibility of mutually beneficial friendships.

In most circumstances I would agree with this.  However, anyone who supports or excuses Trump enough to have voted for him shares a value system I just can't respect or be comfortable with.   He or she is just someone I would not want as a friend, Trump offended me to that degree.  Luckily, I haven't had to unfriend anyone. 

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Most of us are related to or work with at least one bigot. I bet most of us get along fine with them by staying away from hot button issues. I won't knowingly choose to spend time with out and proud racists and skinhead sympathizers, and I dare say I'm probably not missing any rich complexities by not chilling with someone who drives a car flying the confederate flag. 

Has anyone tried the civility lecture with pro-Orange peeps? Prepare for a barrage of gendered insults and sneering about political correctness and safe spaces. 

I understand where people are coming from when they ask us not to vilify those we disagree with. I am generally a moderate, conciliatory kind of a person. But I've moved from Republican to Moderate to Democrat as the current Republican party has given itself up to extremists and sheer ridiculousness. I'm sure there are lovely people who voted for Trump. People who are only a little racist... in the way everyone's a little racist. Or maybe their internalized misogyny was too strong to overcome in the face of everyone telling them how horrible Hillary Clinton is. Or perhaps they couldn't deal with the nonsense of this election and decided to just believe Trump when he said he'd MAGA. 

But that's not my reality. I had a crazy woman forwarding me 10-50 emails a day. Fox News is on in my house for hours and hours if I want to listen to it. I am in plenty of spaces where Republicans talk freely in front of me because they think I'm one of them or they at least feel like it's a safe space. The levels of racism and misogyny and homophobia and bigotry vary but they are very much there. Maybe you aren't a neo-Nazi. Maybe it's not pure hate in your heart but the resentment you've been taught to feel towards certain marginalized groups for whatever reason. Maybe you wouldn't actually wish terrible things to happen to good people. But with the way things are going, if you voted for Trump, that kind of doesn't matter anymore. Because bad things will be happening, whatever you really intended. 

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WSJ has an interesting perspective on Russian-hacking and Trump.

'Why a Russian Hacking Inquiry Is in Donald Trump’s Best Interests'

'At the same time, four influential senators—including two Republicans, John McCain and Lindsey Graham—sent a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell calling for the formation of a temporary select committee to explore the Russian hacking allegations.

As that suggests, the question now isn’t whether Congress will have a serious look, but how. Mr. McConnell set out last week to launch an investigation that would be contained within the congressional intelligence committees—panels that operate largely in secret. The move to create a different, select panel to handle the inquiry is, among other things, a step to bring any inquiry fuller into public view.'

At this point, I'll take it. Baby steps are better than no steps. imho

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I know...."Whatever."  I'm just looking for hope for the future wherever I can.

 

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But while the backlash helped president-elect Trump win, it may not be enough to help him lead. Not only did he lose the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes, but dig into the data, and you’ll see Trump has inherited a country where the majority of the people increasingly reject his views on everything from the border wall to climate change to gun control.

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Trump’s election may represent the resistance of those who fear this left-leaning future, but it won’t change that future from coming to pass.

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Trump may face more opposition than he expects—including from Republicans—if he attempts to enact a truly far-right agenda. He may have won, but his victory doesn’t mean the whole country has moved radically right.

At the same time, his victory offers a lesson for liberals: sometimes, when you bend so far, you’re bound to break.

 

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That Wired article doesn't bring up many new points that haven't been brought up elsewhere (including here in our politics threads) but my concern is that even though many people are against the policies and agendas that Trump has advocated and that his cabinet and the Republican controlled House and Senate will try to advance, I don't know if I believe that they'll be motivated and empowered to stand up to them. How many millions didn't show up to vote one way or the other on election day? And for those who are motivated to get involved, they likely can't just keep shelling out endless donations. And the powers that be have done a great job of keeping the general populace in ignorance of how they can have an impact beyond making phone calls. Though I am heartened by how much more frequently politicians (and recently electors) are bringing up phone calls when they speak in interviews. Even if they just consider it a nuisance and ignore it, they are forced to be aware of dissenting voices. They must acknowledge that they're acting against the wishes of many of the individuals they purport to represent.

I'm interested to see where this video series goes. https://www.wired.com/2016/12/want-fight-online-bs-weve-got-crash-course/ 

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CrossGen Comics didn't make a huge impact on me, but they did teach me the acronym BOHICA: "Bend Over, Here It Comes Again." Such will be life under Plan T. Not like we'd get a perp walk five minutes after the guy is sworn in.

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I feel like democracy has died ... I'm on SSI, Medicare/Medicaid, and live in HUD housing ... These people are gonna tear my life apart.

Will I be able to pay for my medications ... Dr. visits, future surgeries (I've had eight already), treatment, therapy, and various services under my CADI wavier ... will I have to move back into my parent's house ... what happens when they're no longer living ... I have no assets, no savings, nothing ... 

Everyone keeps telling me it'll be ok, none of these things are going to happen (getting rid of various services, among so many other terrible things). That there are checks and balances in place ... (Really! There are?! Then why have things gotten to this point). This or that can't happen it'll be fine .... Except none of this is normal, should never be normal, under any circumstances!

I'm so tired of all of this, I feel so powerless, and really scared ...

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I feel like democracy has died ... I'm on SSI, Medicare/Medicaid, and live in HUD housing ... These people are gonna tear my life apart.

 Oh OrigamiNightmare, I'm so sorry.  I'm not going to try and talk you out of your fears, I wouldn't ever deny your reality that way.   I can say this though, there are plenty of us who will do our best to make sure that doesn't happen.  

If you can, get to one of the states that has already vowed to do everything within its power to protect everything in your life.  

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I never put any conscious hope in the Faithless nor Hamilton Electors, but it still feels like another kick in the jewels for the EC vote to be a done deal.  Whatever.  As I've said many times, the focus needs to be on how best to at least slow down the coming of the autocracy.  The sniveling GOP-controlled House & Senate won't act as a check.  Don't waste time counting on them to do the right thing.

I posted this earlier, but this (23 page Google Doc) might have to be our resistance "bible" until someone comes up with something better: Indivisible: A Practical Guide for Resisting the Trump Agenda

Whatever anyone decides to do, I hope individually we'll at least try to do the little things IRL to oppose Trump & his goons.  Personally, I'll continue with fundraising efforts for various causes, and I will be devoting time to education initiatives as well.

Please don't just sit there and take it.  #RESIST

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4 hours ago, aradia22 said:

I understand where people are coming from when they ask us not to vilify those we disagree with. I am generally a moderate, conciliatory kind of a person. But I've moved from Republican to Moderate to Democrat as the current Republican party has given itself up to extremists and sheer ridiculousness. I'm sure there are lovely people who voted for Trump. People who are only a little racist... in the way everyone's a little racist. Or maybe their internalized misogyny was too strong to overcome in the face of everyone telling them how horrible Hillary Clinton is. Or perhaps they couldn't deal with the nonsense of this election and decided to just believe Trump when he said he'd MAGA. 

But that's not my reality. I had a crazy woman forwarding me 10-50 emails a day. Fox News is on in my house for hours and hours if I want to listen to it. I am in plenty of spaces where Republicans talk freely in front of me because they think I'm one of them or they at least feel like it's a safe space. The levels of racism and misogyny and homophobia and bigotry vary but they are very much there. Maybe you aren't a neo-Nazi. Maybe it's not pure hate in your heart but the resentment you've been taught to feel towards certain marginalized groups for whatever reason. Maybe you wouldn't actually wish terrible things to happen to good people. But with the way things are going, if you voted for Trump, that kind of doesn't matter anymore. Because bad things will be happening, whatever you really intended. 

This perfectly illustrates why I abandoned the go-along-to-get-along shtick a while ago.  I can't do it.  I had to step back from some people--some of whom smiled in my face, with whom I socialized, and once worked with.  The "great" thing about FB is that sometimes when people "friend" you, they don't realize sometimes when they post with other folks, you can actually see the discussions that weren't necessarily meant for you to see.  One of the people I stepped back from is an acknowledged Hillary hater, but she is one of the most logical people I've ever met.  However, she and one of her other right-leaning friends were boasting about Drumpf's visit to Northern Virginia, and how they hoped their vote overcame the "felon vote."

Now, I tried to convince myself that they didn't mean anything by it, but I know coded language when I hear and see it.  That was the first prong.  The second prong for me was whether my so-called friend would have voiced those sentiments to my face.  Of course not, but she felt quite comfortable saying that shit to one of her other friends.  To put this in context, there was a big to-do when Virginia Governor McAuliffe tried to restore the voting rights of 200,000 ex-offenders.  Although this move inspired praises and hosannas from social justice advocates, there was a swift and fierce backlash from Republicans.  The Supreme Court of Virginia ruled that although the governor had the authority to grant clemency to felons, including restoring their voting rights, he didn't have the power to do so en masse.  Advocates have long charged that felon disenfranchisement was instituted in states like Virginia for the express purpose of stripping African Americans of the right to vote (the new Jim Crow, i.e. James Crow, Esquire in a suit and with a grin).  Given that the criminal justice system disproportionately affects Blacks; regardless of the motivations, the effect is still the same.  

Unconcerned about being seen as "overly sensitive," I considered that one bit of online chatter an eye opener.  I'll also be the first to admit that I was disappointed and a little hurt.  I found myself racking my brain and wondering how I didn't see it before.  But, then I remembered the snide comments about Obamacare, as well as the U.S. Postal Service which she and others want privatized.  I also recall one of my Never Trump conservative friends making a good case against voting for him, only to have this person shrieking about "Obama's aggressions!"   I find it fascinating that she and her husband, as well as some of their friends, act as if the Constitution stops and starts at the 2nd Amendment.  They will fight to the death to be able purchase as many guns as they want, to buy them at gun shows, and proudly show them off.  But, heaven forbid if folks remind them of those other pesky amendments.  Now, if they ultimately come to regret their votes for Drumpf, too bad, so sad.  While I will feel a sense of schadenfreude, I think that will be overshadowed by my fury.

I've decided to channel my hurt and anger into actually donating to, and working for a organization for returning citizens to reduce the risk of recidivism.  That's my way of giving folks like this woman the finger.  And, yes, I will be doing everything I can to resist the Tangerine Turd and his coming horde of autocrats.

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3 minutes ago, MulletorHater said:

Advocates have long charged that felon disenfranchisement was instituted in states like Virginia for the express purpose of stripping African Americans of the right to vote (the new Jim Crow

Bingo.  I assume you, being aware of this issue, have seen Ava DuVernay's documentary 13th, but if you haven't, check it out.  It's extremely well done.  Michelle Alexander's book The New Jim Crow is similarly wonderful.

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as well as the U.S. Postal Service which she and others want privatized.

A bunch of stuff I ordered shipped last Wednesday: something from Illinois via the postal service, something from Illinois via UPS, and something from Florida via FedEx.  Heading to Los Angeles.  All about the same size and weight.  All ordered with free/the cheapest shipping, so all three companies selected the cheapest option from the carrier they chose -- each carrier's version of sending something via pack mule.  The package being handled by the post office arrived Saturday.  The Fed Ex package is estimated to arrive tomorrow.  The UPS package is estimated to arrive Wednesday.  Fuck privatization.

On the way home today, I stopped by the municipal shelter from which I'd adopted my cat this summer with blankets, food, and toys for the animals and gift certificates for the volunteers who saved Riley from euthanasia by working so hard to socialize her over the five months she was there.  I had planned to do it later in the week, but the Electoral College vote depressed me (even though it was inevitable - I had literally no hope of Trump not receiving enough votes - it affected me to have this international nightmare become that one step closer to official) and I decided I needed the pick-me-up today; Riley is one of the few things keeping me sane right now, so it cheered me up to give something back.

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With all the corporate honchos soon to be running our government, I feel like we're heading down the road we saw in Continuum.  Corporations running everything.

 In 100 years, we need to tell Liber8 to go back to Oct 2016 and change things that adversely affected the election: Comey, Wikileaks, Clinton thinking Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina, Florida and Michigan would go her way without more work. Maybe they neutralize Putin too 

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I'd probably go back to 2000, let Al Gore know about the trap in Florida.

I've been channeling the president-elect on Facebook, and I recently had him pardoning Hillary, since "game recognize game." And, once again, she couldn't go to Guantanamo because she'd take it over. In other news: fuck you, Newt, on general principle. May divorce be with you.

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