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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM
This sort of situation is exactly what the "Checks and Balances" system was made for. Trump won't implement any of his policies unless Congress allows it, and even if Congress does allow it the Supreme Court can shut it down for being unconstitutional.
Even so, the Founding Fathers are probably spinning in their graves.
Both the Senate and the House are being controlled by Republicans though. And Trump will most like nominate the most conservative person to the Supreme Court that he can find.
Hell, he'll probably nomimate anywhere from 1-3 Justices over the course of his presidency. Ruth Bader Ginsberg isn't going to be around forever.
edited 9th Nov '16 9:15:48 AM by higherbrainpattern
Mmm-hmm.
... instead of making yourself miserable and spreading fear. Containment, compartmentalization instead of violence and loathing.
I'M MR. MEESEEKS, LOOK AT ME!Yeah. Sure. But to be honest, I don't think that changed much. Trump's supporters were really never going to vote any other way. What we were hoping for was that there wouldn't be so damned many of them.
Say to the others who did not follow through You're still our brothers, and we will fight for youIn all my grousing about the Republicans nominating pretty much the only possible person who could lose against Hillary Clinton, I forgot that the Democrats had nominated possibly the only person who could lose against Donald Trump.
The corollary for that is that the Democrats really had no one better. Sanders was too far left to win, and the party leaders recognized that. There was never really any question that Hillary Clinton would be the candidate and that Democratic fund raisers and influence would be fully behind her. The Democratic bench is thin because other than winning the Presidency, the Democratic election record has been largely one of defeat throughout the past 8 years. They lost congress and they've been loosing governorships and state governments everywhere. The Republicans fielded four or five candidates (and Trump) who all could have potentially won their nomination and been credible candidates. The Democrats really only had one choice. The fact that Obama won the nomination in 2008 because he was a clear alternative to Clinton should have told them something.
The Democrat failure is three-fold:
1. President Obama never really engaged his political opponents, made it clear he thought they were essentially uneducated bigots, and largely forced his agenda by working around them with measures like executive orders. He used the big stick far more often then he spoke softly, and modern America doesn't like bullies. This election was in part a rejection of his governing style and policy failures.
2. Character did matter. Trump doesn't have an exemplary character, by any means, but despite his blowing his mouth off a lot and borderline-shady business practices, he doesn't have the public record of 20+ years of political scandal and thinly-disguised criminal conduct that Hillary Clinton and her husband have. Polls invariably showed that the public thought Clinton was less trustworthy than Trump, despite all the liberal pundits trying desperately to paint the opposite picture. To her supporters this didn't seem to matter. To everyone else it apparently did.
3. And of course, Clinton had no real campaign message that connected with voters other than "I'm not Trump". Trump's slogan was "Make America Great Again". Hilary's was, as far as I can tell, just "Hillary Clinton 2016" with that silly FedEx "H" logo. In an election year where the public wants change, you can't get by as just the safe establishment candidate with name recognition. She seemed to spend all of her time speaking against her opponent (and her e-mails) and not much about what she wanted to do. It was a poor campaign, even aside from the e-mail distraction.
Finally, the election is a failure of the American media. They proved themselves easily manipulated by Trump from the beginning. Trump's whole campaign strategy was "say something outrageous that I have no intention of actually doing but know will dominate the next news cycle," and they fell for it. Every. Single. Time.
I believe the reason the polls were so wrong was because the typical Trump voter believed the media was for Hillary, and the voter had no interest in giving their opinion and watching it be spun as pro-Clinton as possible, or even being insulted for their Trump support. The polling industry obviously needs a new approach.
edited 9th Nov '16 9:36:21 AM by Bense
Bernie's historically had less opposition research than Hillary. She's got decades of smear campaigns against her.
They might not have had time to dig up as much.
And then there's the fact that he wouldn't have been hit as hard by the misogyny thing.
And he and Trump are both better equipped to tackle the issue that most voters are dissatisfied with the political establishment, an establishment that Hillary is very much a part of in the minds of most.
So.
I mean, polls showed Bernie as more favorable against Trump.
There's no way to know for sure to know what could have been, but.
edited 9th Nov '16 9:33:19 AM by unnoun
I am quite disappointed with the results of the presidential election, though I expected this to happen nonetheless. President-elect Donald Trump does not possess the character or personal traits required to be in any public office and it invites corruption to become the norm (in the most ample meaning of the word). However I would suggest not to be angry or hopeless at the state of affairs.
There was a poster who suggested to make use of any tools and mechanisms available to restrain or halt reforms or proposals which may run contrary to what you believe is critical and important. Call your representatives, organize and support your fellow citizens, initiate petitions or calls for referanda on issues that you consider to be important both at a local, state and federal level. There are many things you can do and, if you feel this is truly, truly important, you will make the time for these activities, because being a citizen of the United States of America means dedicating yourself to the perfection of your republic. Do what is in your power to serve the state, your community, and you will prevent men like Donald Trump from ever being tempted to embrace tyranny or despotism (if that is your fear).
"It is true that we are called a democracy, for the administration is in the hands of the many and not of the few."I can really only live by democratic principles when I trust the electorate. I have only just discovered this other side of me because I did trust the electorate before this election. I still respect the process, and I will do my duty as an American citizen. But this year? I'm not proud of it. I'm not happy to do it. All of my principles are shaken, and I'll need time before I've found stability again.
Say to the others who did not follow through You're still our brothers, and we will fight for you

Well someday I'll have D-CA next to my name somewhere. Unless I end of being a scientist or a writer. I'm probably too mentally frail to actually run for an office, but I want to do something, anything.
"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." -Thomas Edison