Just kidding. I am not surprised. I think of myself as probably an independent in the mold of bernie sanders. I'm more liberal than the democratic party. This entire year I've said I get why Donald Trump wont he republican nomination and I can honestly say I get why he won the presidency.
I didn't think it would happen. But I think that more moderate democrats voted for him than moderate republicans voted for Hillary. I do believe there is racism and hate and sexism in this country. But that's not what propelled him to victory. She didn't lose because she's a woman. She lost because she's a terrible person. I believe if Bernie had won he'd have won the presidency because a lot of people turned off by Trump's message of hate and divisiveness would have voted for Bernie as a outsider (ie independent caucausing with Democrats).
He won Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, the same states Bernie beat Hillary Clinton. How? Because I think people hate establishment and they feel the elites of both parties have left them behind, and they have. I will admit I LOVE his "drain the swamp" bit. I hate the establishment and feel they've lost touch with the regular people and Hillary represented the swamp. Him promising to drain the swamp was great. I think it won him the election.
The democratic party deserved this loss. They cleared the field for her, they didn't give Bernie a fair shot, they deliberately gave her the opportunity she missed in 2008. So she's done stick a fork in her. I think she deserves to go to jail. I also hope she does to prove that NO ONE is above the law because that's what pisses me off. It's why I wouldn't vote for her. I didn't vote for Trump either and yes I voted. The truth is she acted this entire race that she was above the law. She made the rules and didn't abide by them. So she deserved this loss and everything that went with it.
I disagree with Donald Trump policies and what he stands for. They aren't what I believe. But I'll respect the opinion of others who want to disagree. Some of the people I know best are republicans and I can still respect the opinion. FWIW they were horrified by Donald's views.
What I still stew over is the fact my vote doesn't matter. That only a small percentage of people in the US get to pick the president. That only people living in swing states matter. That if you live on the coasts and south you might as well not even show up to vote. I am appalled that the popular Hillary Clinton won. I don't like her but I question whether it would have been more legitimate if she had won by popular vote? Then wouldn't every vote everywhere be equal?
I understand the tyranny of the majority is the reason for the electoral college. But now it seems like we are under the regime of the minority (which we are since Donald lost the popular vote) rather than the will of the majority.
Where is the parity of one vote one person? I think the electoral college is antiquated and we need to switch. It's completely unfair that large swathes of the electorate is COMPLETELY ignored and only people living in areas considered swing are worthy of picking.
But maybe I'm biased since I've never lived in a swing state. Do swing state people feel it's fair? Do they see a problem with being a swing state and that their votes are more important than other citizens?
Donald won???
November 9th, 2016 at 04:35 pm
November 9th, 2016 at 05:59 pm 1478714355
I'm honestly not that skilled to debate the electoral college, but I'm not sure I would actually want to do away with it. My husband read the original Federalist papers that explained why it was set up that way. These decisions were based on history of other governments. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be reading up on those in the near future. I see a lot of rights being trampled on, and it is highly concerning. I think we need more than two major parties. It's extremely difficult to put our diverse country into two boxes.
November 9th, 2016 at 07:24 pm 1478719477
[One stat to back up my first statement: The American National Election Studies, the long-running, extensive poll of American voters, asked voters in 2012 a basic test of prejudice: to rank black and white people on a scale from hardworking to lazy and from intelligent to unintelligent. The researchers found that 62 percent of white people gave black people a lower score in at least one of the attributes. This was a jump in prejudicial attitudes from 2008, when 45 percent of white people expressed negative stereotypes.]
November 9th, 2016 at 09:30 pm 1478727015
November 9th, 2016 at 10:07 pm 1478729227
November 10th, 2016 at 04:35 pm 1478795737
I think the "leaners" theory explains it. People were embarrassed by trumps racist/bigoted/misogynistic behavior. BUT they wanted change. They wanted to drain the swamp and wanted an outsider/non establishment person MORE. Hillary embodied all these things.
So they decided to hold their noses, turn a blind eye, and vote for Trump in the privacy of the booth or mail. But they wouldn't actually acknowledge voting for him because it'd seem CRAZY. I bet the people who really supported him "are appalled and embarrassed by the hate". But can't wrap their heads around another Clinton.
I certainly couldn't. I right now despise the democratic party. I can't stand Debbie Wasserman and Hillary Clinton. Think it wasn't rigged the primary? Gee she's fired and gets a job immediately. Maybe I'm more critical but it seemed like they cleared the field for her rather than give Bernie Sanders a true shot at winning.
I don't like what Donald's views are but if I were a little more conservative I might have held my nose and voted for him honestly. I might have said his views do align with mine and this is it.
I told you drain the swamp really resonated with me. I know it resonated with more than a few of my extremely liberal friends. More than a few said if Donald Trump had held his tongue about the bigotry and racism he'd have won their and my vote. I might have considered it more solely due to how corrupt and venal I think Hillary Clinton is. I truly believe she thinks she's above the law even more than Donald Trump which is incredible. The most egotistical braggart and yet I think Hillary Clinton is more arrogant than HIM!
November 10th, 2016 at 06:37 pm 1478803048