Probably because Republicans kept the Senate and now control everything, my attitude has gone from dread to optimism. Although more optimistic that Pence and Ryan can control the agenda than that Donald Trump will find a clue. But we’ve definitely got an opportunity as a party to do things the right way this time and early signs look encouraging. Like backing off a tax plan because it’s too expensive, being cautious about how we go about repealing ACA, Paul Ryan winning the full support of the party to be Speaker, something which was in doubt… Trump’s more mixed, he’s being a little more mature but his appointments are worrying.
And whether it’s a good idea to “accept it and move on” depends on what that phrase means. Does it mean that we behave like the patient who, on being told her cancer has spread, accepts it and starts rooting for the tumor? Or do we accept it like the patient who says, “okay, I better ramp up my treatment plan”?
My opinion of the average American voter has definitely shifted. Where I thought resided an extremist minority, I find an actual majority. And even in the face of a Trump presidency, half the country did not vote! (Sorry, but that is truly astounding to me!)
And now raging protests from the losers, lasting for days? What? Had the outcome been reversed, it could not be more self evident, that the Left would be screaming, “Suck it up! That’s democracy. You lost. Time to let it go!”
This election has revealed many things to the world about the actual state of your democracy and what really concerns US voters, I think. My personal opinion is that electing Trump may well destroy any lingering ‘leadership’ abilities the US still possessed. I mean, who’s going to listen now, to concerns about human rights, female equality, environmental protection, etc, from a nation that elects Trump? It’s hard to imagine anyone will take y’all seriously now.
I don’t disagree with anything you wrote in you last paragraph, but I mainly wanted to comment on how cool it is that we’ve managed to export “y’all” to alla y’all. It’s prolly one of my favorite words and I love hearing people who are not from the Southeastern US (where I was mostly raised) use it.
I agree that the most amazing thing is that even with the stark choices we were faced with, half the country didn’t vote. It’s one thing to think there are two bad choices; it’s another thing to pass the choice to someone else. If all the people who thought both were bad choices had voted libertarian, for example, we’d have a lot different prospect for the future if not a different result this time.
As for changing my mind: I’m not likely to decide donald was the right choice, but so far he has been a little less stupid than I had expected (except in the appointments thing) so I guess I’m no longer as upset as I was. Maybe it will just be four years of stupid instead of four years of disaster. We can handle that. We’ve already had many many years of stupid.
Today’s joke: What’s the difference between a politician and a flying pig?
An F.
The protests are overplayed in the media–they are almost wholly peaceful. You’ll find some clips representing exceptions, but of course, that’s all that gets real media play.
As to hypocrisy, you’re issuing a broad counterfactual generalization. I am sure many would do as you say, and many others would do as I would, which is to tell the anti-Clinton protesters “more power to you, exercise your rights, keep it peaceful.”
I completely agree, though, that we’ve lost all legitimacy on the world stage.
Shouldn’t be used to address or refer to an individual. Y’all refers to a group (precisely in the way that elbows used it), which doesn’t necessarily have to be present (you can be talking to a single person when you use it, but you’re not calling that one person “y’all”, you’re probably talking about his mamanym) (“how’s ya mamanym; when y’all comin’ over?”).
If any of y’all are talking to Bob, and just Bob, and call him “Y’all” that ain’t right.
I agree, I think we lost a lot of our claims to leadership with Trump as president. We lost a lot of goodwill with Bush that we reversed with Obama, but putting Trump in totally demolished what was left of it. It isn’t that we voted for a Republican, it is that we voted for Trump that makes us look dangerous, dumb and gullible.
Ah well. China and Europe can solve the major global problems. The US will still be involved, but I think this will change how the world views us for the long term.