This will probably be my last political post before I slip back into the cocoon of political apathy and non-involvement. I wish I could say that I’m shocked by the election results but I’m not, though I am appalled, upset and ashamed. I wish things had turned out differently but the voters have spoken. As unhappy as I am, I accept what has happened (I have to) and I honestly hope that something good will come of this presidency. Trump will never be my president, and I can’t in good conscience put president in front of his name, but I don’t want him to fail because that will not be good for any of us or our country.
What I’m most concerned about now is what will happen to women and minorities. I don’t want our country to slip back in time but we’re heading in that direction. I don’t want to see a reversal of the gains made through long, hard battles. I don’t want choices taken away from us and placed in the hands of people (mostly white men) who will never experience the very things they want to legislate. As someone who supports marriage equality, I don’t want to see marriages between anyone become invalid based on who they love, but that may very well happen. I’m worried for couples who are married (and perhaps waited years and years for it to become legal in their state) and worried for those who hope to marry someday. Where does that leave them? What about their children?
And I worry about all the children in this country. If they live with a struggling single parent, that struggle is going to become an even bigger struggle. The violence and bullying in schools will continue, and why not? We now have a president who is a bully, someone who has brought out the racist, bigoted qualities in many of his supporters, someone who has unveiled the brewing violence and hatred. One of my grandnephews (only 10 years old) cried when his mother told him who won the election. He knows the president-elect is a bully. If that’s not sad, I don’t know what is.
We will never know how the situation would have played out if Clinton was elected but I know for a fact I would not be nearly as worried as I am now. Despite how I feel about her I had confidence in her ability to be president. I wouldn’t be feeling scared this morning. Yes, the sun did rise this morning, as *my* president said it would, but I feel like there’s a huge storm cloud looming over us, and it’s going to stay there for a long time. No rainbows in sight.
- Laurie
Well said, thanks for sharing... I have never been happier to be a Canadian, but you know... When the USA sneezes, Canada gets a cold...
ReplyDeletePeter, putting aside Donald's prejudices (I have a hard time calling him Mr. President-Elect.), believe it or not, Canadians will have it financially better in the future when they snowbird south into the USA. But US citizens will have it worse. When standing back and taking a look at his campaign promises, I see him creating an isolationist nation and quitting or resigning from our participation in a global economy. As you probably know, some of the characteristics of an isolationist nation are high tariffs for foreign products' entry into US, falling currency values (good for Canadians) due to foreign citizens not buying US dollars to invest in our bonds and stocks, domestic manufacturing of products for mostly domestic consumption at higher prices because global pricing competition will not be permitted, just to name a few. Therefore, no growth for domestic industries beyond its US borders. As Donald has stated, there will be severe penalties for those American industries which move any of their plants outside of US borders and attempt to export those foreign-made products back into the US. Most of the US environmental protections will go out the window. Coal workers will go back to work, but subsidies for pollution-free new energy sources, like wind and solar, will be cut. Our US military will be pared down because, as Donald said, the US will resign from NATO. We have not been an isolationist country since before World War I. As Canadians, please pray for us.
DeleteDee
Summerville, SC
Perfect summary.
ReplyDeleteWe elected a grandson of a pimp who made his first fortune running brothels in the Yukon,went back to Germany,got kicked out to the US for being a draft dogger for not fulfilling his military service.In the US he had donalds father who discriminated againts blacks and jews who was part of the KKK,taught his son the building business with a 200 million dollar loan and bank quaranties,the guy still goes bankrupt....several times,gee I guess 4-times.hey mr potus,quess that apple didn't fall far from the.......insert whatever you wish!
ReplyDeleteNot going to gloat since I didn't vote for him and don't care for him but it looks like the polls were wrong despite your statement.
ReplyDeleteSo maybe we can commiserate after all.
The polls could not have been more wring, except for that one LA Times one which stood out from the rest but ended up being very close.
DeleteStill headed down this week?
ReplyDeleteWe are heading down but taking the slow route down the Oregon coast.
DeleteI got nothing. I bet on Hillary and now have to buy lunch for a co-worker. There could be worse things. Like I could be living in the US right now. Democracy at it's finest.
ReplyDeleteYou know I am extremely happy living in the US. I was very happy I live here when Obama won, when both Bushs won, when Clinton won, when Reagan won and now when Trump won.
DeleteThe US is the best country in the world no matter who our president may be. The end.
The world is changing that is a definite. I see that money, fame and notoriety seem to take priority these days. Social media has played a huge role in this. We are witnessing the "new world order" it's just that most people have problems seeing history as it is taking place. Imagine an alliance between the U.S. and Russia? Better with India or even China. Healthcare in the U.S. as always been a problem because it is a business, it's not about keeping people healthy it's about waiting until they are sick and the screwing the population and the government.
ReplyDeleteI chose to leave the U.S. many years ago. Now as an outsider I find it "isn't" the greatest place on Earth and my decision was right for me. Globalization is changing the way we live. I expect Trump to find some way to create an alliance with other major world player to become a world leader. You remember the adage, "one world one government". It may just be in our lifetimes.
I think what everyone sad about this election forgets is the meaning of Democracy. I was a Bernie supporter, still am. Trump is far from my choice as president,
ReplyDeleteThat being said, the people of the United States just had a non-violent revolution. Tired of corruption, and the same old people, they exercised their right and showed the world what Democracy is. Maybe some dont agree with the consequences, but Democracy reared its head.
I think what everyone sad about this election forgets is the meaning of Democracy. I was a Bernie supporter, still am. Trump is far from my choice as president,
ReplyDeleteThat being said, the people of the United States just had a non-violent revolution. Tired of corruption, and the same old people, they exercised their right and showed the world what Democracy is. Maybe some dont agree with the consequences, but Democracy reared its head.