Which is to say Trump won. The sexually harasser, inept businessman, bigot, the man willing to accept support from white supremacist, the borderline fascist, took the White House. None of that mattered as much to his supporters as their promise of a champion who would put the non-white, non-straight, non-male, non-Christian hordes supposedly oppressing them back in their place.
I knew that. I was under no delusion that this was a slam dunk until the votes were counted, but I (and most of the prognosticators) thought it was going Clinton. She had a better-run campaign.Better policies. Government experience. The Latino turnout was high. Perhaps I’d finally see a woman take the top spot.
Nope. Why not? Was it white/straight/male/Christian resentment at steadily losing their privilege year after year? Did Repub voter suppression efforts play a role? Did the FBI talking breathlessly about non-existent scandals make a difference? Or the media going heavy on Crooked Hilary! stories and not covering policy? Were there a lot of people talking Clinton but secretly Trump? I’m sure we’ll see much analysis in the days to come.
So for the next four years, minimum, we have President Trump. Anti-immigrant. Pro-white dominance. Inept and incredibly corrupt. Despises women, the disabled, Latinos. Threatens to throw his political enemies in jail and make it easier to sue the press that criticizes him. With a majority Republican senate that can sign off on his every appointment.
The Supreme Court. The lower federal courts. The executive branch regulatory agencies—with the wrong people in key positions and guidance from the top, their focus or willingness to enforce the law can change radically. The military, whom he’s eager to use, except against Russia, whom we’re too tough on (funny, I remember when talk like that would have made him a suspect Commie).
A very conservative Congress that is probably salivating at stripping away as much of liberalism as possible. Even in the best circumstances, we’ll probably have Trump willing to sign whatever the Congress puts in front of him, if they do it with enough deference. Obamacare goes, I’m sure. And after it, as much of gay rights, women’s rights, trans rights, non-Christian rights as they can get away with. Even if Mike Pence gets to do most of the governing, I don’t think that right-to-life zealot is going to lead us to a shinier tomorrow.
And the possibility right-wing violence will uptick, while the right-wing government focuses on the scary Muslims as the real threat.
I wasn’t pleased when W. Bush one in 2000 but it wasn’t an obvious disaster. Without 9/11, it might not have been. With Trump, it’s pretty obvious going in.
And after four more years of voter suppression, voter fraud stories, judges more sympathetic to the right… I’m not looking forward to 2020. Especially when so many Americans voted Trump this time.
As a white male I’m less of a target for the seething mass of hate Trump’s stirring up. But the Republicans are lousy at running the economy for the benefit of everyone except the rich. That affects me. I have family and friends who are women and minorities. That affects me. And while it’s unclear at press time, it looks like we may get NC Governor McCrory of HB2 infamy back again, and that definitely affects me.
I will admit I’m never happy when Republicans win but the next presidential term looks to be exceptionally odious.
The second Black Dossier post goes up tomorrow
Many small effects added up. There was no huge single cause.
Compare: McCain lost mostly because of a single disaster – the 2006 through 2008 crash, which occurred during GOP presidency and congress.
Also, the 2016 loss was close. There is no Trump Mandate. Unfortunately, GOP runs both Houses and will replace Scalia with worse (thus dominating the third branch)
Good point. But mandates are, unfortunately, irrelevant. Trump has the full powers of the presidency for the next four years–not half the power for half the support. But yes, there’s truth to what you say.
Ironically, the only think that might keep the radical Congress at bay could be Trump himself. He’s always unpredictable, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he took offense to something Congress does and sets himself against them.
That’s certainly possible. Guess we’ll find out in 2017.