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.
Lord knows I am not gonna dump on a woman with all those “she shoulda done this or that”. Only a bully would pull that c**p! I’ve never seen anyone fight so hard for any one goal! Her ground game was astonishing. I was part of it. The “revealed underbelly of society” is in for one helluva surprise when they are the first and only ones to feel the wages of what they have wrought. And, no, I am not gonna cry for them.
1“It’s the most shocking political development of my lifetime.”
2–Nate Silver who got everything incredibly wrong.
Thanks for all your hard work JJ. Enjoy your recluse at your get away, recharge and turn off the news for a week or more.
Our family is doing the same, although we are headed north to a small drinking town with a big climbing problem, Talkeetna, AK, the beginning of your journey when climbing America’s tallest mountain, Denali.
Everyone, think good thoughts and perform good deeds.
3Thanks, JJ, for all you’ve done. Let’s not consider it over, either, although we certainly will respect your need for rest and time with Bubba. Texas got closer to blue than it’s been in a very long time, and I’ve got my fingers crossed that Trump was more honest in his acceptance speech than he’s been in a very long time.
We love you and appreciate you.
4Our great national nightmare begins.
5A great night for Putin and the KKK. For the rest of us not so much.
6I’ll let Wonkette do my thinking for me!
http://wonkette.com/608425/go-fuck-yourself-america
7The U.K.: “Dude, I just did the stupidest thing e-v-e-r! BREXIT, totally screwed up everything!”
8America: “Hold my beer….”
The words that “Hillary carried Fort Bend County” were the best words I have heard in 24 hours. As you once told me, as Fort Bend County goes, so goes Texas. We will all catch up with you. We just need to work as hard as you do.
9Thank you JJ for all you have done and for keeping the Salon open. I wonder what will happen with all these indictments and charges? I remember when being divorced was a heavy black mark against a candidate, but child rape or sexual assault? Fraud on a grand scale (Trump university) for petes sake? What on earth are we going to do? And who is “we” anyway? I have never felt like such an outcast in my life, and I have always lived on the fringe of things-there is no “we” for me any more, I guess…
10Today is a good day to donate to the ACLU and Planned Parenthood, if you have any money left.
11Is it possible for President Obama to make a recess appointment to the Supreme Court before President F***face and the evil empire take over?
12Please say yes.
Thank you J.J. and everybody who worked and cared so much for progress. Now back to the dark ages.
I hate this too, but I do have 2 bits of good news.
Minnesota elected a 25 year old Hmong man and a 34 year old Somali Muslim woman to the state legislature. They’re both Democrats. She was born in a refugee camp. He has 18 siblings and both his parents are shamans.
Through best of America still exists. Take heart.
13That last is supposed to say, “The” best of America…
14Well, it’s in their hands now: the House, the Senate, the White House.
I am going to do the work that I can do, and wait it out.
We survived. The sun rose on a new day. It’s not our problem until the time comes back around when we can do something constructive about it.
15EJ Dionne in the WashPost:
“Seventy percent of voters were bothered a lot, or at least some, by Trump’s treatment of women. But 29 percent of those voters still supported him.
“Sixty-three percent said that Trump lacked “the temperament to serve effectively as president.” But 20 percent of those voters supported him anyway. And 61 percent said they did not think Trump was qualified to be president. But 18 percent of those voters were ready to elect an unqualified man as president.
“What the polls suggested was that a large number of Americans were prepared to throw a fit, regardless of the consequences.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2016/11/09/how-might-trump-supporters-feel-the-morning-after/
16Congratulations on your vote by mail success. While at the beach sit back and really evaluate what a difference you made.
17Clinton won the popular vote.
I can’t bring myself to read the articles, but the WashPost’s graphic says that Clinton got 47.7% of the popular vote, and Trump got 47.5%.
Could we please get rid of the ****ing electoral college? It was supposed to make candidates pay attention to the smaller states, but now they pay attention only to the swing states anyway. It’s now reversed two elections in 16 years. I see absolutely no justification for that.
18JJ THANK YOU!!!!
We will get through this because we have to.
19You and Bubba go rest up and breathe some salt air for a while, JJ. Y’all did good. Even with a loss that will forever remain inexplicable to me, there were some bright spots, and there’s no point in recriminations. After a collective deep breath and some sleep, there’s 2018 to fight for.
20Followup to my #15: Would I vote for someone I knew to be an unqualified ***hole for president because s/he was a Democrat? I like to think not, but I’ve seen no evidence in 58 years that Democrats would force me to make that choice.
21Putin adviser says Russia may have helped wikileaks a little. Did they get wikileaks a little bit preggers?
22Debbo how did your personal favorite pol do in Minn race? Forgive me if you sent email. I haven’t checked it for awhile. 🙂
23I’m with you Rhea. It doesn’t mean much anymore if one wins the peoples’ votes but is denied the office because the Electoral College makes the final decision in spite of us.
24@EPO I saw that, and I also saw Assange insist that it never happened.
And I ALSO saw someone who used to work with Assange say that it did, in fact, happen.
Ecuador needs to kick him out of their embassy.
25We survived 8 years of Dubya. Too soon to talk about 2018; we know what we need to do. Rest, take a break, enjoy good food, and recharge in the sun.
26Recess appointment to the Supreme Court?
27Nice one, Maryelle,but, the people, the FBI, the Russians, wikileaks and the wingnut congress have all had their say to defeat HRC illegally so Drumpf can appoint Vlad the Impaler to the Scotus.
28I have a small flag sticker (about an inch long) I am putting it on the back window of my car, upside down. I would suggest for the next 4 years everyone else do the same. It is appropriate.
29Why can’t Obama appoint Hillary, Michelle or his current candidate?
30Go find yourself a warm puppy or a caring friend:
Hugs are better than drugs!
Rest up! You’ll feel better!
31I just spent a couple days at the ocean and came back so I could celebrate the election. Well, woop de doo.
I’ll never again underestimate the power of hate but no matter what will not let into my heart. We survived the worst president ever, Nixon, then the next decade survived the worst president ever, Reagan, until we had the worst president ever, George W. All of whom now seem benign compared to what just happened.
The sun will rise again, and some day Democrats will all come out and vote and end this recurring nightmare. I don’t know how bad things have to get before all those Dems who don’t show will stop whining and get out the damn vote.
I still haven’t been able to get to sleep.
Thanks for everything Susan, hope you folks have a good vacation. Keep those Margaritas flowing.
32Stephen Colbert laments and he speaks for me:
http://crooksandliars.com/2016/11/stephen-colberts-beautifully-sad-election
Before leaping into the pool of self pity for whatever reason, there is always that which stops us: knowing that someone else somewhere has bigger burdens. Today my heart goes out to two men and their wives; President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Dr Jill Biden. You deserved better, as does America. My heartfelt gratitude to the two men who gave it their best and the two wonderful women who are the two best among the many great women. “Behind every great man there’s a great woman.” May we all live long enough for the day when all good men stand behind the great women.
33Maryelle- http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/02/18/republicans-have-weapon-to-stop-obama-recess-appointment.html
34Thanks TrulyTexan, that’s a good idea and I’m going to find a sticker. The problem as I see it is this: yeah, we survived the Contract on America (Gingrich) in the 90’s. But as a result, our districts were gerrymandered into R-Oblivion, and our votes were diluted, whereas theirs were strengthened. We survived Dubya in the 2000’s, but the police powers of the state were strengthened (Patriot Act), and the judiciary was very seriously skewed to the extreme right. We have had Mr Obama in the 10’s, and made a progressive step with a healthcare plan that was flawed when it passed (most legislation is) but there has been zero correction or improvement. We made a progressive step with immigration that is tied up in the court of a judicial activist. We have a backlog of backlogs of cases because no one who is not slightly to the right of Attila the Hun can be confirmed. We have a Supreme Court vacancy and two who are approaching retirement. So I ask you: you think we are going to be able to change things in four years? You think the judges and the R-Moronville Congress are going to see the light? You think somehow that the erosion of our civil rights is going to end with a bunch of looney toon religious fascists calling the shots and bringing legislation to the floor that their hand picked “strict constitutionalist” judicial appointees will rubber stamp and a shored up Roberts court will overturn it! My friends, we are unwontedly optimistic! This is an attack that our democracy may not weather! I have never felt so grim in my life; we really are regressing, as fast as we can, in a direction that most of us do not want to go! I am, in fact, terrified!
35http://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/can-america-heal-after-2016-election-231101
Clinton and Obama ask Americans to accept Drumpf. Pure class all the way. No whining, no grumbling you claims the election was rigged.
36I have to acknowledge that Trump is headed to the White House, but accept? NEVER. It is unfathomable that people who want change could consider, even for a moment, a person as morally and ethically bankrupt as Donald Trump. They have sold their souls to the devil. The rest of us need to regroup and fight like hell against the evil that is surely to come.
37BTW folks I did a little bit of math – Had Johnson and Stein not been in the running in Florida, Utah, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania might not have turned red and Hillz would be president. I hope those two sleep well for the next 4 years as they have contributed mightily to the predicament we are in.
38Rest up, Susan. Give Bubba a big hug from us all.
Yesterday, I received an e-mail from The Pride Fund to End Gun Violence. I smile now at the tragi-comic timing. Yeah… like that will happen any time soon…
Gonna be an odd Thanksgiving. I would’ve been truly thankful for something. Now I guess I’ll have to make up some crap like I’ve done too many times before. Or just not go.
39I haven’t accepted Flores or Abbott or Patrick or Ryan etc etc etc; I’m not interested in Hair Drumph and the Eastern European Barbie. Fugettaboudit. I’m close to convinced that this was our last best chance though, and two (at least) or four (much more likely) more years of republican rule will finish our experiment; they will cement their majority and make it unassailable, making this a nice archaic little four year tradition that we put on for show, right up until the climate warmed seas swallow us!!
40McConnell has already told Trump what he cannot do. There will be no term limits for the Senate on their agenda. Lets see how this plays out!
41Thanks for everything, JJ. Rest up, have fun and then let’s get back in the fight.
42go. go to the beach, have breakfast in bed. then, if you’re within walking distance of the beach, grab a rod, some bait and a cooler filled with adult libations and go fishing. you may not catch anything, doesn’t matter. it will take your mind off of everything else for a while, and that does matter.
don’t forget the sunblock!
43“Don’t mourn for me, boys – organize.”
44Joe Hill, under somewhat similar circumstances
sharon, please. Forget the myth that Nader cost Gore the election. Let’s not start a new myth. Plenty of time later to discuss where we went wrong and the things we did right. We owe it to ourselves to be honest. Honesty is one of the many fine qualities that separate us from the snacilbupeR. As NicaBrian commented, we survived Nixon, Reagan and Dubya. While Donnie may seem that “bridge too far” we can do this.
Sleep and distance are good for perspective. So let’s all pause for a well earned rest and raise a toast to The World’s Most Dangerous Beauty Salon, Inc. and its most excellent proprietress, Susan DuQuesnay Bankston!
45Rest up, JJ!
46I’m concentrating on the Trump University fraud and racketeering trial. That poor judge will feel the weight of the world in pressure to let him off the hook, but oh, wouldn’t it be loverly to see him in cuffs. Also, maybe the tax returns may have to be released in discovery.
47Thanks, epo, for the recess appointment article.
At your service, maryelle. Only wish the news was better. 🙁
48Start demanding you Republican Senator or Rep overturn O-Care in the 1st Hundred Days! If the roar is loud enough, the Republican Party will tear itself apart either by actually ending O-Care or by not ending it!
49The Repubs have no reason or excuse not to end O-Care by the 1st of May! Wait till the deplorable’s realize the world of hurt they’ve put themselves and their families in! Then start demand them daily to do everything they promised to do if you elected a Rep President, House and Senate!
So, new President.
I intend to show President Pussygrabber every bit as much respect as he showed President Obama.
When the Republicans have some crook in office — Nixon with his enemies list and squad of burglars, Reagan with his dealings with Iran and the Sandanistas, W with his invasion of Poland — they drag out the old tired line “respect the office of the Presidency.”
Over the last eight years, as President Obama has been in office, we have seen how much respect the Republicans have shown for the office of the Presidency. Is there a number lower than zero?
So I will give President Pussygrabber the salute he deserves.
50