# Talk Me Off the Ledge **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 1, 2016, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-me-off-the-ledge/770408 "2016-11-01T23:16:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-me-off-the-ledge/770408/21 "2016-11-02T01:54:18Z")
> [@GulfTiger](#): > > Seriously, the President really can’t make the oceans recede or control the price of oil, etc., etc. It’s a big old world and no one can snap their fingers and change it over night. It may seem that way but it’s easy to underestimate the damage that can be done, especially if the president has an allied Congress. Bush II – among many other things – led the country into a devastating war in Iraq that cost thousands of lives and ultimately trillions of dollars and laid the groundwork for the growth of terrorism along with vastly increasing the national debt both immediately and for many years to come; he presided over the start of an economic collapse unprecedented in modern times; he instituted science funding priorities that ignored, distorted, and censored scientific evidence and held back vital research; and perhaps worst of all for the long term, he changed the balance of the Supreme Court and created the most activist right-leaning Court ever seen. And Bush was practically a statesman of towering intellectual caliber compared to Trump, who is not only a reckless ignoramus but extraordinarily immune to advice, correction, or any kind of learning. ---
**Author:** ![GulfTiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e79b87/32.png) [@GulfTiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GulfTiger)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-me-off-the-ledge/770408/22 "2016-11-02T01:58:58Z")
I really think there will be many forces that keep Trump in a reasonable orbit. The media generally hates him, there is still a substantial number of democrats in congress and on court benches and many of us voting for him distrust government as a general principle. Oddly enough there are many libertarian leaning people (like me) that are voting Trump and don’t care to see run-away statism from the right. A lot of us just felt that we were going down the road of run-away statism from the left. Now, you may be thinking, “no way a libertarian would go for Trump”, but not so fast. Many of us only look at Trump not because we like him (he was my 4th or 5th choice), but as a change agent. Why would people who distrust government break for a demagogue? It’s risky but not necessary crazy. You can check out this essay for some more insight: [In Defense of Demagogues](https://mises.org/library/defense-demagogues) ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-me-off-the-ledge/770408/23 "2016-11-02T02:06:41Z")
> [@GulfTiger](#): > > I really think there will be many forces that keep Trump in a reasonable orbit. Does one of them involve strapping him a Soyuz? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-me-off-the-ledge/770408/24 "2016-11-02T02:28:28Z")
I am a left-leaning centrist that believes that (in the long term) a Trump win could be the best thing for this country (if he doesn’t start WWIII). I want to make it clear at the outset that I think Trump is awful, a liar, a criminal that panders to racists, that wants to make unconstitutional changes to this country, is probably a fascist, is a misogynist, and is horrible. I also want to make it clear that I voted for Hillary and would do so again if it was legal… Why do I think that a Trump win could be best for the country? In short, because I believe that Hillary will be one of the most divisive presidents in history while Trump will be one of the most uniting (people will unite against him and what he represents). Let’s take a look: What are the effects of a Hillary win (obviously this is all just IMHO and I could be way off base; please school me if and why you think I am wrong): Positive effects: [ul][li]NATO and our other alliances remain strong.[/li][li]Supreme Court Appointees (who may not be approved)[/li][li]We get a serious person as Commander in Chief with lots of relevant experience and insight.[/li][li]We get a good foreign policy though I worry about her picking fights with Russia.[/li][li]She will pay attention to Climate Change (but won’t get anything done due to the house).[/li][li]Trump loses and he and his supporters lose face and hope. [/li][li]Breitbart and their ilk are discredited and lose their audience (this is only a possibility, not a certainty).[/ul][/li] Negative Effects: [ul][li]She gets _ **nothing done** _ and spends at least 2 years being investigated by the house (and maybe impeached).[/li][li]40% of the population doesn’t trust her and so Democrats lose power at every level.[/li][li]Hawkish version of Obama (who was too hawkish for my taste).[/li][li]2018 midterms are a Republican sweep (Bye, bye senate).[/li][li]2020 election are a Republican sweep (and it is a census year!). Can you say President Ryan?[/li][li]The Republican party of the last decade remains strong in opposition (think Cruz, Santorum, McConnell, Ryan etc…).[/li][li]Faux news gets new momentum.[/ul][/li] Potential negative effects (following in Obama’s footsteps): [ul][li]The Sanders revolution and their supporters are ignored by the Democratic party.[/li][li]Income inequality remains and grows (after all, what did Obama do on this front?)[/li][li]Poverty remains and grows (ditto).[/li][li]The financial sector continues to be out of control (ditto).[/ul][/li] Note: I want to make it clear that I think Obama may have done more on these fronts but for Republican opposition. Still, how will this opposition change under a Clinton presidency except to solidify? Now how about Trump? Positive effects: [ul][li]2020 election is a Democratic Sweep to break all records. Democratic president in 2020 will have a mandate and unite country. I really believe this.[/li][li]Republican party has desperate soul searching and potentially disintegrates.[/li][li]Democratic party has a desperate soul searching and probably reforms.[/li][li]Faux News has desperate soul searching and maybe even mainstreams.[/li][li]Both Democrats and Republicans start paying attention to the all the disenfranchised voters in this country instead of just paying lip service. (Think Tea Party, Occupy Wall Street, BLM, and the 15% of Americans who are below the poverty line). [/li][li]The Koch brothers, Soros, and all the other billionaires that have been mostly picking our candidates for us lose power.[/ul][/li] Negative effects (yeah, these could be awful, but they are all a crap shoot, not a certainty): [ul][li]Will be an embarrassment (well, this may be a certainty).[/li][li]May ignore Russian invasion of Lithuanian, Estonia, Latvia, or Finland. Will end up destroying NATO.[/li][li]Will ignore Climate Change (but I don’t think Clinton could do much anyway and if she was succeeded by a ® nothing would happen for at least 8 years, possibly 12).[/li][li]Could start a wider war in Middle East.[/li][li]Could damage all our trading relationships and put 25% tariffs on incoming goods (what a moron!).[/li][li]Could star WWIII.[/li][li]Could crash or damage the world economy.[/li][li]Really bad Supreme Court picks![/ul][/li] Potential Negative Effects (I doubt these will happen): [ul][li]Could have disastrous domestic policy (I think house and senate will reign him in).[/li][li]Could actually build the wall (too expensive and Mexico will not pay for it)[/li][li]Could actually stop Muslims from coming to America (unconstitutional).[/li][li]Could get re-elected in 2020 (this is a nightmare!)[/li][li]Could bankrupt the US (have you seen his tax plan and infrastructure plan?)[/ul][/li] Yeah, I know, this all looks insane on its face. But, I look at the slope of the 538 prediction model and I have to find something to feel optimistic about. I really do feel pretty confident that Hillary will be at least as divisive as Obama (not her fault or his), and I really do feel that the majority of Americans would repudiate Trump given other options (too many people distrust Hillary), so let’s write off the next 4 years and focus on doing the best we can in 2020! ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-me-off-the-ledge/770408/25 "2016-11-02T02:31:31Z")
> [@OldOlds](#): > > OK, I admit it. I am starting to freak a little bit. > > I really believe that Trump would be a disaster for this country. Domestically the damage he can do it limited. But internationally, he really could hurt us. Best case scenario is that we have 4 years of looking like buffoons, worst case is much worse than that. Really, this isn’t about policy for me- Trump probably isn’t much worse than a plain vanilla Republican that way (and in some respects, like LGBTQ, better). It’s about us electing a grade A douche. > > But… What I have seen with the eroding lead by Hillary is really worrying me that somehow he’s going to pull it off… > > Tell me it won’t happen- please… Go to Sam Wang’s site at the PEC. He is still absolutely certain Hillary Clinton will win: [http://election.princeton.edu](http://election.princeton.edu) Yesterday he even suggested that giving money to her campaign was a waste of money because she was sure to win already. He suggested giving money to downballot races instead. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-me-off-the-ledge/770408/26 "2016-11-02T02:43:06Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > While I do not doubt that you heard that, it is not true. See [Wikipedia List of federal judges appointed by Obama](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_federal_judges_appointed_by_Barack_Obama). While I cannot vouch for the entire list, I have personally appeared before at least one of the judges on that list. > > As for the ledge thing…Dude…relax. Hillary Clinton will be the next POTUS. Og save us all. Thanks for clearing that up. I stand corrected. > [@MaxTheVool](#): > > … > > I would have been really sad and upset if McCain or Romney had won, or if Kasich or Rubio had won, and I understand why people really hate Clinton. But all of them, and even Ted Cruz, are within the spectrum of normalcy for politicians. Trump isn’t. > > … This. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-me-off-the-ledge/770408/27 "2016-11-02T02:45:49Z")
I ain’t gonna lie – when the FBI story broke last week I immediately started a freakout. I was on a freaking family vacation FFS, trying to get away from all the madness of news and then the story broke and I thought “Shit, here we go.” I absolutely don’t want Trump to win, but Trump himself isn’t really the disease but rather the symptom. Our collective problem of political paralysis won’t end if Trump loses, and if he wins, then he’s the logical outcome of a social and political culture that is badly corroded. Over the past few days I’ve gone from shock and horror, to acceptance. Not that I’m accepting Trump’s victory as inevitable – far from it. But it’s more like an acceptance that our society has problems that are not going to be resolved in one election and they may not be corrected for years to come. Ultimately, as much of a smug, elitist bastard as I can be at times, as cynical as I have a tendency to be, I have decided that I am just going to have to trust that at some point, the little light bulb will eventually start to flicker on in the minds of my fellow citizens and that we will find the collective wisdom to not only put a stop to the politics of destruction but also find a way to build something close to a consensus on real solutions to our problems. I will do what I can to vote for and support my interests. I’ve actually helped out with Hillary’s campaign this year with phone banking, which is something I’ve never done before. I plan to do more in the future. But beyond that, though, as difficult as it is to accept, we just have to trust the guy standing next to us wearing the “Make America Great Again” hat that at some point, even he will ‘get it’ and be our partner in making our society and system work again. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-me-off-the-ledge/770408/28 "2016-11-02T02:49:18Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I’m with you. > > The terrible thing is, even [del]if[/del] when Hillary wins, it won’t be a victory for her or the country. We’ll have at least four more years of governmental gridlock and obstructionism, including investigating every minute of her life beginning when she got an A in fingerpainting in kindergarten (I hear she bribed the teacher). > > Not to mention, in the likely event that another couple of Supreme Court Justices go to that Big Bench in the Sky, the court may be down to six or fewer members by the end of her (first) term with no chance of filling the seats. I heard on the radio the other day that the Republicans have not confirmed even ONE of Obama’s nominees to the various federal benches around the country. There are something like 98 (or is it 93?) vacancies. That’s just irresponsible. > > Reading over Hillary’s plans for how to fix the ACA, they sound pretty darned sensible. But “being sensible” won’t be on the table. > > There aren’t words for how bad this election sucks. Yup, those are our options. Vote for a dysfunctional, sociopathic, narcissistic, emotionally unstable, childish, ignorant buffoon who could really fuck up the country. Or vote for a reasonable candidate who can’t get anything done. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-me-off-the-ledge/770408/29 "2016-11-02T02:53:01Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > I’m from Indiana, where Trump performed so well in the primary that Ted Cruz dropped out. But I know a number of Hoosier Democrats who crossed party lines to vote in the primary because of a down-ticket election, and then many of them voted for Trump, but are actually Clinton supporters. It’s probably why Sanders took Indiana in the primary. > > Now, I’m not saying a thoroughly red state like Indiana is going Clinton (even though it surprisingly went Obama in 2008), I’m just saying that I think Clinton is going to have more people turn out for her in the general who didn’t turn out for her in the primary, because the primary seemed sewn up. The opposite will probably be true for Trump, because I think a lot of people voted for him in the primary 1) as a joke; 2) as a protest vote of some sort; 3) as the easiest person for Clinton to beat; 4) without realizing how truly awful he was, and are now thinking “My gawd, what did I do?” Yeah but Trump got 13 million votes in the primary, he will probably get 50-55 million votes in the general election. So it is the opposite, he will get 4x more votes in the general. My prediction is Hillary with 60-65 million, Trump with 50-55 million, other candidates with about 5-10 million. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-me-off-the-ledge/770408/30 "2016-11-02T03:05:15Z")
Trump will lose, there’s virtually no doubt about that. But the margin of defeat makes a huge difference. If he loses in a landslide, Trumpism will have been discredited. But if he loses narrowly, Trumpism will have been enhanced - after all, if an ignorant, 70-year old, ugly, nasally-voiced, groper-history buffoon can lose only narrowly, then imagine what a smart, handsome, winsome, strategic, knowledgeable Trumper-type candidate could do in 2020 or 2024, when the Democrats will have had the White House for 12-16 consecutive years and voters typically hand over the reins to the opposing party then? ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-me-off-the-ledge/770408/31 "2016-11-02T03:08:00Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Originally Posted by ThelmaLou View Post > > I heard on the radio the other day that the Republicans have not confirmed even ONE of Obama’s nominees to the various federal benches around the country. There are something like 98 (or is it 93?) vacancies. That’s just irresponsible. > > While I do not doubt that you heard that, it is not true. See [Wikipedia List of federal judges appointed by Obama](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_federal_judges_appointed_by_Barack_Obama). While I cannot vouch for the entire list, I have personally appeared before at least one of the judges on that list. > > As for the ledge thing…Dude…relax. Hillary Clinton will be the next POTUS. Og save us all. Revisiting this after a bit of research. My numbers were wrong, but this is an issue nonetheless. [It’s Not Just Merrick Garland: Republicans Are Blocking So Many Nominees It’s Caused a Judicial Emergency](http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/05/16/it-s-not-just-merrick-garland-republicans-are-blocking-so-many-nominees-it-s-caused-a-judicial-emergency.html) Emphasis added. > [@](#): > > _Jay Michaelson > 05.16.16 12:00 AM ET_ > > It’s not just Merrick Garland—this Senate isn’t confirming anybody. > > That’s the takeaway from a variety of new data that has emerged in the wake of the Garland stalemate, showing that his non-confirmation (and non-hearing) is the rule, rather than the exception, for the Republican-led Senate. > > “It’s absolutely absurd,” Marge Baker, executive vice president of liberal group People for the American Way (PFAW), told The Daily Beast. PFAW has been tracking the issue closely and released new findings this week. “And it’s qualitatively different from anything that has gone before.” > > For example, Mike DeBonis at The Washington Post compared the confirmation rates of the Democrat-led Senate in 2007-08, the last year of George W. Bush’s presidency, with those of the Republican-led Senate in 2015-16. The results are startling, and go far beyond Judge Garland. > > Over the past 16 months, the Senate has confirmed 17 lifetime-appointment judges. In the same period in 2007-08, the Democrat-led Senate confirmed 45; in 1991-92, when Democrats controlled the Senate and George H.W. Bush was president, it confirmed 82. In other words, the GOP Senate is confirming just 38 percent as many judges as the Democratic 2008 Senate, and 21 percent of the Democratic 1992 one. > > And it’s not just judges. **The Congressional Research Service found that President Obama has had the fewest presidential nominees confirmed in decades: 198, compared with 345 for George W. Bush, and 268 for Bill Clinton.** > > For judicial confirmations, Baker lay the blame squarely on Sen. Charles Grassley, the chair of the Judiciary Committee who—in part because of the Garland fiasco—is now locked in a fierce re-election battle. > > “Sen. [Patrick] Leahy [D-VT] worked hard in the last two years of Bush’s presidency to continue processing nominees,” she said. “Grassley is not. He is not just the judiciary chair for the Republican Party—he’s the judiciary chair for the whole country. It’s indefensible.” > > PFAW’s own analysis, released this week, revealed that under Grassley’s leadership, the judicial confirmation rate has been 25 percent. Leahy’s was 58 percent. A recent PFAW press release dubbed Grassley the “Do-Nothing Chairman.” > > While the public’s (wavering) attention is on the unprecedented refusal to consider Judge Garland’s nomination, Baker told The Daily Beast that the truly shocking inaction is on lower court nominations. > > “I’ve been following this issue for 13 years,” she said. “District court vacancies were never in play—they were routine.\*\* But now, the obstructionism has gotten down to the district court level.”\*\* > > A similar point was made in a New York Times op-ed by the recently retired Judge Shira Scheindlin, famous for ending New York’s controversial “Stop & Frisk” program. Scheindlin noted that **since 2014, Republicans have confirmed only 15 of President Obama’s district court nominees** , compared with 57 confirmed in 2007-08—again, when the Democrats controlled the Senate but a Republican was in the White House. > > “The Senate majority’s policy of delaying qualified district-court nominations on purely political grounds undermines public trust in the impartiality and legitimacy of the judiciary,” Scheindlin wrote. > > Baker noted that while the Supreme Court hears around 100 cases per year, district courts across the country hear 350,000—and 90 percent of the time, they have the final word. > > “Not having these courts adequately staffed creates a real impediment for average Americans—business people, everybody —to get justice in the courts,” she said. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-me-off-the-ledge/770408/32 "2016-11-02T03:17:28Z")
Wow, that is seriously disturbing. I am continuously worried about my country and the activist right. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-me-off-the-ledge/770408/33 "2016-11-02T03:36:34Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > I’m too depressed and terrified to even pay attention to the news. I’ve mostly disengaged from it over the past few days. I know Clinton is favored, but any non-zero chance of President Trump is fucking frightening. That this guy is anywhere near the presidency is deeply disturbing to me. I’ve been walking around the past few weeks thinking, “what kind of people are we?” I guess I’m not as cynical as I always thought I was. I thought we were better than this. It pains me to have to admit we’re not. Even if Trump loses (please, dear God that I don’t believe in), I still have to live in a country where almost half of us thought voting for him was a good idea. > > I’m way past “the ledge”. This post describes my feelings EXACTLY. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-me-off-the-ledge/770408/34 "2016-11-02T03:41:32Z")
> [@GulfTiger](#): > > Just take a breath and relax. From a Trump voter. > > Yeah, it sounds weird but look, I was on the ledge when Obama got elected and guess what, it wasn’t what I wanted but I survived and a few good things happened too. > > Seriously, the President really can’t make the oceans recede or control the price of oil, etc., etc. It’s a big old world and no one can snap their fingers and change it over night. > > I still think it’s Hillary’s to lose but even if she does, you will be OK. And if Trump wins I want a loyal opposition to be there as a watchdog. I have a general distrust of government and no one person or party should have unlimited power with no checks, and that goes for the ones I vote for as much as any. > > Cheers! Trump could have all the natural parks destroyed in no time just by having an open hunting season on the wildlife and have Palin run the show! Then logs all the trees and build on it ! He doesn’t believe in protecting the environment so the Clean Air Act will be history too ! Trump will destroy USA in no time ! He doesn’t care about anything or anyone but his fucking self! ---
**Author:** ![GulfTiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e79b87/32.png) [@GulfTiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GulfTiger)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-me-off-the-ledge/770408/35 "2016-11-02T03:44:59Z")
I enjoy hunting and fishing so, I want to preserve places for me, my kids and grandkids to enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-me-off-the-ledge/770408/36 "2016-11-02T04:28:23Z")
Can you afford to buy a zoo? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-me-off-the-ledge/770408/37 "2016-11-02T04:29:35Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Talk to **asahi**. He’ll cheer you up! 😃 Could be handy if there’s a potentially fatal spasm of euphoria. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-me-off-the-ledge/770408/38 "2016-11-02T04:53:21Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > All of the polls still put Clinton in the lead … This is demonstrably false. [Clinton, Trump All but Tied as Enthusiasm Dips for Democratic Candidate - ABC News](http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/clinton-trump-tied-democratic-enthusiasm-dips/story?id=43199459). Perhaps you meant something like ‘all the poll aggregators’ or ‘all the poll averages’? ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-me-off-the-ledge/770408/39 "2016-11-02T05:03:02Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > I’m in this place too and I will surely be glad when the interminable run-up is over and the voting is done and then we’ll know. “The waiting is the hardest part.” no, no, no, [this one](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETHdszZQZDE) ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-me-off-the-ledge/770408/40 "2016-11-02T05:19:21Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Yup, those are our options. > > Vote for a dysfunctional, sociopathic, narcissistic, emotionally unstable, childish, ignorant buffoon who could really fuck up the country. > > Or vote for a reasonable candidate who can’t get anything done. You can mitigate the last option by voting out the people who would stymie the candidate, i.e. congressional Republicans. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-me-off-the-ledge/770408.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-me-off-the-ledge/770408.md?page=3)