I Can’t
I just can’t.
I am taking a few days off. I am exhausted. Bubba and I are going to the beach and eat breakfast in bed.
I wrote in the comments sections last night about the amazing success of the ballot by mail program in my county. For the first time since Jimmy Carter, Democrats beat Republicans in ballots by mail. That alone caused Hillary Clinton to carry Fort Bend County. You did that with your help and donations. Hazel and I deeply appreciate that. Deeply. Thank you.
I might feel better after I get a sniff of salt air and some fried shrimp. You’ll be the first to know.
Hugs, guys.
I don’t understand how this abortion happened it’s like nothing makes sense anymore. How can so many supposedly intelligent people actually “believe” this nightmare of … a President… sigh… is going to do one single fing thing for them other than getting screwed by him and whatever Good Grief Cabinet…. I don’t have the words I fell numb and confused.
1As I watched NPR live map, all I could think was “What fu**ery is this?” And to see here barely ahead in MN, made no sense to me.
And as mentioned here last night:”Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people.”
2H.L. Mencken (attributed). Perhaps that should be updated to “overestimating.”
Now that Trump is president elect, I would think an FOIA request for his tax forms would succeed. They gave Judicial Watch seven years of tax forms for anyone that even talked to anyone in the Obama adminstration. (happened to my BIL, and he was just a casual friend of a minor functionary. BIL ended up having to come up with a lot of money, because he made an error in a form 3 years old)
3Of course I meant to write “her” barely ahead.
4Fred, since I don’t use the ACA for healthcare, it might be OK for me to pressure Congress to put up or shut up, but I can’t. Too many people I know depend on it for a chance to go to a doctor when they’re sick, and too many of them have serious health problems. I want the ACA fixed and expanded, not destroyed. I will not attempt to deprive others of what I already enjoy, in order to make a point, no matter how good that point is.
5PKM mentioned self-pity. I don’t pity myself. My husband and I are financially secure and white, we’re not gay or disabled, and I’ll never need an abortion. We’ll make it. But the GOP will soon control all three branches of government (as soon as the Senate approves Trump’s first Scalia-clone). It will be hard to stop them from whatever they want to do to this country and our world.
Aldo Leopold said that one of the problems of an environmental education is that you live alone in a world of wounds. You may not have seen the reports, but as of 2014 we had lost half of the wildlife that this world had in 1970. On average, that’s half the elephants, half the tigers, half the wolves, half the songbirds, half the butterflies. HALF. A more recent report said that by 2020, as things stand, we will have lost TWO-THIRDS of the wildlife we had in 1970. In some cases, of course, it’s 90-95% or even 100%. And 2020 is barely more than three years away. Habitat loss, poaching, and climate change are among the biggest reasons. And now the American government, the world’s richest and most influential, will do not one goddamn thing in at least the next four years to slow those numbers down– will, in fact, accelerate them if they get in the way of money or oil. Our planet’s beauty and health is being destroyed. That is the chief reason why I am grieving.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/sep/29/earth-lost-50-wildlife-in-40-years-wwf
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/10/27/two-thirds-of-the-worlds-vertebrate-wildlife-could-be-gone-by-2020-report-warns/
6The Party of Lincoln is now the Party of the Confederacy.
7The Party of Joseph McCarthy is now the party of Putin.
Racism, misogyny, xenophobia, and religious bigotry are the mainstream values of of the land of Liberty and Justice For All.
How did we get to Bizarro World and how do we get out.
Ted Kennedy in 1980:
And may it be said of us, both in dark passages and in bright days, in the words of Tennyson that my brothers quoted and loved, and that have special meaning for me now:
“I am a part of all that I have met.
Though much is taken, much abides.
That which we are, we are —
One equal temper of heroic hearts
Strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.”
For me, a few hours ago, this campaign came to an end.
For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.
8Wingnuts assured America the Scotus could operate with 8 justices just fine. I propose Dems hold them to their word. It takes 60 votes to confirm and wingnuts only have 51. Now would be a good time for Dems to grow a pair and obstruct everything wingnuts try to accomplish.
I was so hoping Notorious RBG would select her oen replacement but lying Drumpf and his FBI co-conspirators threw that by the wayside. Comey had a Drumpf campaign sign in his front yard in Connecticut.
9http://whatdoino-steve.blogspot.com/
This guy lays out an interesting case for how Drumpf might have stolen the election w’o even knowing it. These machines apparently can be hacked and have been by certain right wing nut jobs.
I’m not a techie but it sure intrigued me. The same stuff happened in Alaska a couple of elections.
10I don’t want to talk about the election. What I do want to do is thank you for the timeless work, care, passion and humor you put into trying to do the right things and helping the rest of us by having the most awesome political blog on the planet. You should be very proud of your efforts and all of the people you touch and inspire.
11Your Louisiana pal.
Amen, slipstream.
12THANK YOU! We’re all in this together and we have to support each other.
13And, there was this:
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/article113442673.html
This is not the first time the Bum Won.
14https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Eofej1A6LQ
My daughter has offered a ray of hope. She says that when Bernie’s bid died, a group of young people who were bitterly disappointed got together and founded a group to start electing people to local positions. As daChipster has mentioned, all government is local. They have their sights set on 2018. When I get a link I’ll post it.
It is not self pitying to review the facts and look at history. More than ever we need to be based in fact, because half the country is in some fantasy land! The facts may not help much because the lies are so pervasive.
15I will only have the TV on for Jeopardy. I will not watch the news. I don’t want to see the Crook in Chiefs face nor hear his voice, nor abide a second more of post mortem. And no sappyass bs about cheering up ( tho a really good cat video might work for a minute. I have loaded up on some Dean Koontz novels. Denial? Guess so.
16I live in AZ. 1.7 million votes are uncounted at this point. But the electoral college went ahead and voted for Trump on Tues. I think the electoral college is a scam to control who gets elected and is not accountable to the general voters. I won’t be voting in national elections any more as I no longer believe my vote matters or is even counted.
17Dear Papa, my vote hasn’t counted for years because I live in ultra red Brazos County, Texas. But no one can hang this BS on me, and while I don’t expect to sleep well, I shall sleep with a clear conscience! The name of the determined young people’s site is
18https://brandnewcongress.org/home
You might go give them a look. My daughter’s dear friend Anne is a part of that group and she is a real firebrand! Determined is not quite expressive enough!
A bit of good news:
Sheriff Joe Disgusting Racist Piece of Crap Arpaio LOST to a Democrat. That’s one bit of semi human crud that can be discarded With Prejudice.
19I will not refer to the president elect by name. I will use the title only or Cheetoh-faced Ferret-wearing Shitgibbon *Cocksplat. (Scottish)
*Cocksplat does not refer to rooster poop. It refers to what remains after placing the Cheetoh-faced Ferret-wearing Shitgibbon Cocksplat’s very teeny weeny on a cast iron blacksmith’s anvil then smashing it with a 4 lb hammer. Splat!
20Papa,
21You’re wrong on the Electoral College, it does not ‘elect/vote’ until December, IIRC.
And you’re really wrong on giving up and not voting. Our enemies have depended on numbers of nominal Democrats and ‘should be Dems’ to not vote in every election (of course they gild the lily with voter suppression tactics any chance they get, just to be sure).
Samantha Bee is doing her post – election show and she’s taking no prisoners. I’m sure it will be online soon. Thank to to all the powers that be for people like her and the majority of Americans who are on the side of decency and humanity.
22Sandridge, Please know that I respect your opinion. But the electoral college has never changed it’s mind when they met in December. Their numbers didn’t matter or change the outcome in 2000 and I doubt they will matter in this election either. I think the electoral college needs to go away. The popular vote of each individual should be counted for election.
23Y\all have pretty much covered the bases on what, why, who, and where here. On TV I pretty much only watch PBS news (not perfect but the ‘best’ available).
24On the election coverage they all seemed to be shocked a bit when it started going downhill for Hilz.
The one most surprised was good ‘ol David “Bobo” Brooks, who last week had flat out stated that he could never vote for Trump, and said he cast it for ‘the most qualified woman’ (paraphrased). Pretty serious stuff from somebody who has been shilling for the Repukes forever. And now Brooks was surprised that such an unfit SOB had won all the marbles, knowing what the GOPrvs have degenerated into; with a tremendous assist from almost all ‘media’.
I miss listening to KPFT when in the Houston area, SA has alt KSYM (or KYSM?, mostly non-pol though). NPR everywhere got so bad I stopped listening (and donating) long ago, no longer even recognize most of the personnel, some of whom turn up on PBS.
Papa, You do have a point on the EC in today’s world. It may have problems requiring much thought, it was carefully designed by the ‘Founders’.
But the Repukes now have almost absolute control of our government. Do you think having them revise the electoral process would turn out well, or better?
Probably a moot point anyway:
Willkommen im Vierten Reich… Sieg Heil, Heil Trump…GOP uber alles.
.
PS: I’m still going to become ‘expat’, though still voting. Because I probably can, at least until the R’s screw up my retirement financials (just have to double-down on readying the seawater ‘escape pod’ now).
25Would flat out emigrate, but the number$ don’t work. The few desirable places (even the un ones too) all have very strict immigration policies. Basically you’re either young and highly-skilled-educated in a (their) desired fields, or old-young and rich and buy a residency.
For those of you might be interested, I think a Thank You card to Hillary just might be appropriate. Show your love and respect… if you choose.
Home:
Hillary Rodham Clinton
15 Old House Lane
Chappaqua, NY 10514
Foundation:
The Clinton Foundation
1271 Avenue of the Americas
42nd Floor
New York, NY 10020
Attn: Hillary Rodham Clinton
(This information is available on the web. Ain’t nothin’ dirty goin’ on.)
26The electoral college was supposed to ensure that presidential candidates paid attention to the small and less-populated states too. But now they pay attention only to the swing states, so I see no purpose in the EC. And it needs to be abolished because now twice in 16 years it has given us as president the one who got FEWER votes than the other candidate. That is a perversion of democracy and should not be allowed to happen a third time in this century, as it did in the 1800s.
27This is heartwarming, although I can’t defend its accuracy…
http://coed.com/2016/11/09/how-the-electoral-map-would-have-looked-if-only-voters-aged-18-25-counted-photo/
28Debbo: Thanks for that.
29The trump reaction has started. I had a student I didn’t know (I’m a professor at a major state university) show up in my office and yell that he was going to hurt me because women should not teach men and trump agrees and supports getting rid of us. I talked him down and got him out of my office but could not get his name. I’m still very shaken but refuse to let the turkey win by closing my office door to all the students I advise and teach. I’ve been there for fine students since 1975 when I was an assistant prof and am not going to stop now.
But trump has a lot to answer for and I am worried that it will get worse for those of us who are in male-dominated fields. It was hard decades ago and got better. Today it is getting worse again.
I wish he would man up and announce that women deserve respect, safety, and jobs, just like men. Yes, I know, but I can dream. Hang in there everyone.
30How soon we forget- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_wall_(politics)
Dems have such an electoral advantage that a wingnut……..
31American exceptionalism explained (by me)- America is an exceptional place except if you are non-white, non-straight and non-kristian. The end.
Comrade mangled apricot hellbeast Drumpfski. Get used to it.
32If they (EC) don’t vote til December then we need to double down in every state that was not finished counting – and perhaps in every state, period. Call your local Democratic chair and ask if they can review w the election judges. I know of one possible problem in one precinct in my county. I encouraged the lady who mentioned it to go to our chair and follow up. She will, because she doesn’t like the nagging doubt.
33That’s what I don’t like – the nagging doubt, the conviction that somehow we got swindled, again.
November 9th Margaret & Helen blog:
34https://margaretandhelen.com/
The Houston Chronicle headlines this morning: “Democrats urge nation to unite behind Trump.” Anyone care to speculate the headlines if Clinton had won? I fear that the Democrats in Washington will simply cave to this narcissist and allow the troglodytes to ruin (intended word!) to asylum. I know I am angry now, but just allowing him and his gang of thugs free rein simply does not make sense. The Republicans won this based upon fear mongering and outright obstruction and lies. We are simply going to roll over? Here is a sample of the class Trump brings to the White House: Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty infamy suggest having a hunt at Camp David. This nation is in trouble!
35That’s it. I just got attacked by a newsletter I thought I had unsubscribed from (I’m divorcing the media, all forms) and Former Guv Goodhair is yapping about a cabinet post. I’m done, y’all. Maybe I’ll be back in 4 years, more hopefully I’ll have died and escaped this mess. The long sleep will be better than this waking nightmare. Whoever thought I could miss President Malaprop? At least Laura was a lady and not a plasticked up gold digging tart! I’m done!
36I understand the bitterness I’m reading in some of these posts. I, too, will not watch Trump, nor listen to him speak. He is just so revolting. But this silver-haired Boomer is not going to roll over and play dead while the Republicans ditch Obamacare for something like Ryan’s current healthcare proposal that allows insurance companies to deny people with pre-existing conditions (I can’t imagine that will go over well once it’s implemented and people who currently have insurance to cover their diabetes, etc. start getting denied). Trump has already brought in a rape-and-scraper to gut EPA and ramp up on fossil fuels, pipelines, etc., so say goodbye to clean air and clean water. And hello to fracking and mining in our national parks. Folks, we need to get involved in getting sane Democratic representation in Congress and our local governments, and we need to make sure our younger citizens join us — our future lies in their hands. It’s our only hope in the next 4 years of hell. And we sure need to fight against any possibility of 8 years of hell!
37Aggie land Liz,
38Only 27 percent of registered voters went for ( * )
231,556,622 eligible voters , 46.9% didn’t vote
Almost half didn’t care enough or didn’t think the difference between them mattered.
When the breakdowns are in we can start planning, but I think the key is knowing that people believe that money buys politicians. If we take cash from wall st., banks, monsanto, etc.it is alway’s assumed to have a quid pro quo.
Time to hold our candidates to the highest standards. Comprising principles to win isn’t winning, just like abridging our rights for security is not protecting America, it is destroying the very idea that makes us America. Same with torture and supporting dictators. We can win on our principles if we hold true to them.
Please stay in the salon, Aggieland Liz. We need you.
39