Trump

[Jeff Wexler]

I'm in shock, still cannot fully understand how this happens.

[KC Kelly]

On Monday (11-04-24) night, I finished a 2200 mile trip across six states.  Motorists supported Trump 2:1 over Harris.  That was based on a total of only three bumper stickers!  You can conjure up many different meanings of this, but perhaps the economy is so poor people cannot afford bumper stickers. 😏

 

[PMC]

How this happens.

 

James Carvil says, "It's the economy st***d." I'm not calling anyone stupid. I celebrate choice. I am actually thrilled that so many people of all walks of life voted and made their voice heard. I was prepared to accept either candidate. As everyone should. It makes it even better when the winning candidate takes the electoral college AND the popular vote.

 

Thinner wallets. More competition for entry level/low level jobs. Widespread crime and lenient DAs. The media and politicians lying to us about Biden's health. The fact that I didn't get a chance to vote for a new Democrat Presidential candidate after Biden was, if reporting is accurate, implicitly threatened with Article 25 by Nancy Pelosi. Men competing in women's sports and injuring them.

 

Versus a very controversial narcissistic candidate who may be of questionable character and a felon but a good negotiator on the world stage with a proven record of creating a prosperous business climate and growing our economy (yeah, he added to the deficit with three episodes of quantitative easing (one was good, the second was questionable, the third was really dumb)). And still, amazingly, made big gains among minorities. 

 

The Log Line here is, '[insert name here] didn't leave the Democratic party. The Democratic party left me.

 

Listen, I help make the sausage. I have been "in the bubble" with national candidates, including presidents, many times over my 35 year career. I see both political sides mislead the public. I see the activism in the media on both sides. I could say more but I still want to get hired. 

 

I hope we can all  get along in our nation and I hope certain politicians tone down the divisive rhetoric and don't become vindictive so America can prosper again.

 

My 2 cents.

[Moesound]

Honestly, I’m less shocked by this than I was in 2016, when it seemed like an aberration and everyone cast out sources of blame. After years of telling ourselves that “this isn’t who we are”, we must confront the troubling reality that this is indeed who we are, in spades.

Moe

[Constantin]

What mostly boggles my mind is that the one demographic that Trump probably threatened the most, Latinos, quite possibly are responsible for voting their biggest threat into power. 

[codyman]

44 minutes ago, Constantin said:

What mostly boggles my mind is that the one demographic that Trump probably threatened the most, Latinos, quite possibly are responsible for voting their biggest threat into power. 

Never underestimate the American people's desire to vote against their own self interests.

 

5 hours ago, Moesound said:

Honestly, I’m less shocked by this than I was in 2016, when it seemed like an aberration and everyone cast out sources of blame. After years of telling ourselves that “this isn’t who we are”, we must confront the troubling reality that this is indeed who we are, in spades.

Moe

For some reason I'm more shocked this time around given we all know Trump's crazy baggage (the guy has a wrap sheet etc) vs just being a gross "outsider" like he was in 2016.

 

I was working in Switzerland in January 2017 when he was inaugurated the last round and I joked that I should just stay there and not return to the USA.  Maybe I shouldn't have been joking...

[PMC]

4 hours ago, codyman said:

Never underestimate the American people's desire to vote against their own self interests.

 

Exit pols suggest the Latinos who immigrated here legally are upset that fellow Latinos who cross the boarder illegally are undercutting wages, fueling an underground workforce and increasing the crime rate. The legal immigrants seem to have voted for their own safety and economic futures. After all, we don't want no-go zones for police enforcement (sorry Portland, Oakland, Paris, etc.

 

I'm not saying Orange Man has it right, here. I'm saying data shows voters saw that the Giggle Lady's administration had it wrong. And she said publicly that she wouldn't change a thing. She sunk her own boat.

 

I have voted third party several times, knowing it was a throw away vote but if we don't withhold our votes from the two-party machine nothing will change.

 

Ohm....Ohm....Farad....

[inspire]

We discussed this with ChatGPT:

https://chatgpt.com/share/672c5616-d8f8-800b-8b6f-85bec284077d

[Constantin]

9 hours ago, PMC said:

Exit pols suggest the Latinos who immigrated here legally are upset

I have very strong doubts that all the Latinos who voted for Trump came to the US legally. 
 

9 hours ago, PMC said:

that the Giggle Lady's administration had it wrong.

Just as a reminder: there was a bi-partisan deal on the table that was acceptable to all sides. Trump urged Republicans to vote against it, because it would help with his re-election campaign. Seems like he was right 

[PMC]

5 hours ago, Constantin said:

I have very strong doubts that all the Latinos who voted for Trump came to the US legally

 

I get that. I have to laugh when I hear cable news shout, "There is no evidence of wide-spread voter fraud" during the past several election cycles. They are putting blinders on. Of course it isn't wide-spead but there is certainly evidence that it exists and it is nothing new. I grew up in Illinois were the motto in Cook County was "vote early and vote often" and "Chicago, where even the dead can vote." Remember the 1960 presidential election? Yeah, that was Mayor Daily. Plus, remember the delay of getting our hostages back from Iran until after Reagan was elected in 1980? Yeah... There is so little oversight of these politicians.

 

6 hours ago, Constantin said:

Just as a reminder: there was a bi-partisan on the table that was acceptable to all sides. Trump urged Republicans to vote against it, because ir would help with his re-election campaign. Seems like he was right

 

Yup and yup. The biggest problem with the bill was that it didn't eliminate illegal immigration. Only tried to limit it. But the biggest problem is that Alejandro Nicolas Mayorkas would have been in charge of enforcing it. Which is completely ridiculous. For the past 3.5 years this guy has been saying our boarder is secure. Even Stevie Wonder can see that is a lie.

[Izen Ears]

22 hours ago, PMC said:

a very controversial narcissistic candidate who may be of questionable character and a felon but a good negotiator on the world stage with a proven record of creating a prosperous business climate and growing our economy

Statements like this mean you can't possibly live on the same planet as I do.

[PMC]

Izen,

I just read the public data and my own financial spreadsheets. Your mileage may differ and I respect your experience/views. I personally profited more during Trump than during Biden but grace needs to be given Biden. He had the bulk of COVID to contend with.

 

I am a strange person in that I subscribe to both Mother Jones and Breitbart. I try very hard not to live in a silo. I'm not talking about you. I'm talking about me. I don't seek affirmation or opinion when I look for news. I seek evidence based facts. Which is so hard to get these days. Everyone has their own facts, lol. 

 

If we all just looked to Hollywood celebraties for all our political opinions... BLAHAHAHAHA.

[JustusWirth]

As a German, watching this election unfold from a distance, it really is beyond me, how anyone could vote for him. And I wish I could just ignore it because it's on the other side of the world, but the implications for everyone on this planet are just too serious. The escalation of the climate crisis doesn't wait four more years (who knows if there even will be elections in four years) until someone sane comes along and to have a climate denier in the most powerful office of the world is gonna be a death sentence for millions of people around the equator where earth is gonna be uninhabitable by 2100. And that is just one consequence of this.

 

This is a comment someone made under a guardian article that I find to be on point and the part about populists outside of the US is also true for Germany. When facts are not important anymore, when all it takes to win an election is fear and baseless lies and hate, I really fear for our democracy.

 

"This awful result beats Brexit and Trump’s first victory in its enormity and implications (none of them good) for that country and for liberal democracy. In fact, it's not too much of an exaggeration to speculate that western democracy is now in its death throes and that a new, ugly and dangerous era of protectionism and authoritarianism from the major powers is dawning.

This time, as far as US voters are concerned, there really is no excuse. It was in plain sight exactly who and what Trump is - a fascist, narcissist, convicted fraudster and sexual abuser. Project 2025 was in plain sight. The threat to women's control over their own bodies was in plain sight. They were warned, repeatedly. It was on their bloody televisions on 6 January 2021, ffs.

But, in their tens of millions, women as well as men, American voters still put him back in. All for the promise of a few trickle-down dollars in their wallets, a few cheaper groceries, and, of course, fewer of those damn foreigners at the gates.

Of course, we're supposed to take the John Harris route and acknowledge and excuse people, often poor, voting myopically and in their own self-interest. But no, personally I really do draw the line on this one, and at the vicious, misdirected desire to be 'owning the libs'. Frankly, I hate Trump supporters and others on the political right in return, and I have no regrets whatsoever in doing so.

The Democrats will engage in a lot of recriminations. However, the reality is that as a candidate Kamela Harris really did very little wrong. At the end of the day, I’m afraid that the US electorate is predominantly wilfully ignorant, amoral, selfish, easily manipulated, myopic, xenophobic, reactionary, sexist - and profoundly, deeply racist. It never really got over the Civil War. Now the Confederacy has won.

Of course, Farage, Badenoch and co amongst populists will be looking at this in poor little Britain and thinking 'way to go!'.

And talking of 'morals' and their absence, how is one supposed to teach children that crime doesn't pay, that it's better to be honest, that good will triumph over evil, etc. etc? How, honestly, does or can one do that in light of what's just happened? I'm very glad not to be a parent.

What an appalling indictment of humanity this monstrous outcome is. I've actually had it this time with the human race. I would say 'God' help Ukraine, Gaza and the climate, but there is zero evidence of his/her presence in any of this. And if there is, then he/she is not someone I’d particularly want to know. Atheism would be a relief.

Good luck, everyone."

[Dejan Ceko]

Тhe cry of the vanquished is greater than the celebration of the victor so , it must be deserved win .

 

[Paul F]

1 hour ago, JustusWirth said:

As a German, watching this election unfold from a distance, it really is beyond me, how anyone could vote for him.

 

But then, for 81 years, the world has wondered the same thing about Germans........

 

I couldn't pass that ripe one up.

 

The map shows the divide for the most part, between rural and metro America. Voting by county:

 

 

 

[PMC]

Justus,

I don't blame the voters. Nor do I resort to inflaming them with name calling. Americans were only presented with two viable candidates. Both VERY flawed. And yes, they voted for their own self-interest. They are allowed to do that. To think otherwise is not democratic.

 

I get your passion but to move forward Americans will do well to find common ground and move forward on that.

 

But, as Obama said, "Elections have consequences." Well, the result of this election is a clear mandate for the conservatives by taking the Presidency, the House and the Senate. Americans don't want globalists mandating American policy. This is kind of the reason our 'original insurrection' back in 1776 came about (yeah, I get it was colonization and tacation without representation but you get my meaning).

[JustusWirth]

2 minutes ago, Paul F said:

But then, for 81 years, the world has wondered the same thing about Germans........

 

You are right. And the history of my country should be the biggest warning sign to not go down this road again.

[PMC]

Paul F,

"Don't mention the war. I did, but I think I got away with it."

                                           John Cleese

Jeff,

See what you started? I hope you are sitting on a beach drinking the cocktail I bought you smiling with amusement. 

[Moesound]

20 minutes ago, PMC said:

Paul F,

"Don't mention the war. I did, but I think I got away with it."

                                           John Cleese

Jeff,

See what you started? I hope you are sitting on a beach drinking the cocktail I bought you smiling with amusement. 

 

PMC,

 

Having known Jeff for over 40 years, I doubt very much that he is either sitting on the beach or smiling right now.

 

Moe

[PMC]

Justus,

It seems you are not the only one in Germany upset with Trump's win.

 

German ‘Traffic Light’ Coalition Government Collapses over Green Agenda, Growing Debt, and Concern About Trump’s Return. According to German media.

 

 

...Chancellor Scholz admitted that Wednesday’s election of Donald Trump also spurred the government’s collapse. Trump’s return to the White House added to the urgency of having a clear economic stance for the country so that Berlin can show “we can be relied on,” the chancellor said.

 

My best wishes for your governance. 

 

[osa]

My mind is blown by all of the non-voters in USA. I knew they existed. I just didn’t realize in such high numbers. I thought the high turnout at the polls was a sign of far exceeding voter turnout vs 2020 but it’s just the opposite.

[PMC]

Whilst internetting, I find slightly conflicting results but these seem to be coming up the most.

 

Total votes:

2016 136,787,187

2020 159,738,337

2024 158,549,000 as of 2pm ET Nov 6

2020 66% of eligable voters

2024 64% of eligable voters as of 2pm

 

If you don't vote you don't get to complain.

 

I am waiting to see all the news articles about the far left Hollywood entertainers and music performers leaving the country, like they threatened to do. Oh, wait. They threatened that in 2020 too.

 

There is no way a John F. Kennedy could get nominated in this current Democrat party let alone get elected. He was a democrat who actually cut taxes. It is sad. Yes, he was widely reported to be a serial philanderer and would probably have been given a book of hall passes by the MeTo Movement but he did great things. All of us are flawed.

 

 

Whoops, sorry. They threatened that in 2016. I need to poof read more.

[JustusWirth]

3 hours ago, PMC said:

Justus,

It seems you are not the only one in Germany upset with Trump's win.

 

German ‘Traffic Light’ Coalition Government Collapses over Green Agenda, Growing Debt, and Concern About Trump’s Return. According to German media.

 

 

...Chancellor Scholz admitted that Wednesday’s election of Donald Trump also spurred the government’s collapse. Trump’s return to the White House added to the urgency of having a clear economic stance for the country so that Berlin can show “we can be relied on,” the chancellor said.

 

My best wishes for your governance. 

 

 

The only people in Germany that are happy about the election of Donald Trump are the nazis from AfD and I think in part ultra-capitalist liberals who are happy about the stock market reaction and tax cuts for rich people. And populist politicians who will go on to copy this style of "politics".

 

The coalition in Germany broke over expanding the military help for Ukraine because it's very likely that Trump will abandon them. Germany as second biggest supporter wants to step up so Putin doesn't just get his way. The Liberals refused to take up new debt for that and wanted to cut social security, pensions and other public spending instead. Social Democrats and Greens didn't want to do that, so the coalition broke (after already very exhausting 3 years with a lot of beef).

 

This is the first direct consequence of DT getting elected. As I said, it's impossible to ignore this shitshow and it will have serious consequences not only for marginalised groups in the US but also for many other people all over the world who could just watch in desperation. That's why so many people are pissed.

[PMC]

Justus,

I sincerely hope no one else copies his leadership model. We desperately need rational leaders who support their allies and who will stand up to North Korea, Iran, China and Russia.

 

Sad times.

 

There are far more important issues than putting tampon dispensers in boys bathrooms.

[tourtelot]

And from the peanut gallery, my vote is to use the political boards to discuss the election.  JWSound is about location sound recording?

 

Political squabbling, no matter how civil (and often not) is why I won't open LinkedIn ever again.  No one would miss me in either forum but it just seems like a bad idea.  My $.02.  That and $4.98 will buy you a Starbucks and enrich the life of a union busting oligarch. 

 

D.