Giantaxe

How sad that you dismiss people based on their religion.

Giantaxe

Unlikely. Clinton is 700k ahead in votes and those numbers are cumulative. The states that haven't declared are close to 100% of reporting precincts at this point.

But the popular vote is irrelevant anyway.

mikelincs

So, Donald's Russian backers didn't worry you at all??

Pulaski

How sad that you see "Muslim" and immediately assume a pejorative.

Giantaxe

Odd because I didn't. Rete expressed a view that Clinton having "close advisors" that were Muslim was one reason she voted against her. Why would the religion of such a person be an issue?

Pulaski

Who said it was? She objected to some advisors, they happened to be Muslim. I don't think you'd have batted an eyelid if she had said "Christian", in fact you would probably commended her for her atheist sentiment.

Giantaxe

Why do you think she specifically called attention to close advisors who were "Muslim" as opposed to explaining why she had issues with those advisors? Why is their religion relevant? I would also suggest that starting that sentence with "Her Muslim bedfellows" is a big clue as to her intent.

If she had said a similar statement with the word "Christian" in it, my reaction would have been the same, as it would had her comment been race-based - "Her black bedfellows..." for example.

Benson55

The issue is that the US electoral system is so out of date with this electoral college idea.
Although the democrat got more votes she lost, same as in the first past the post system in the UK and Canada.

Also 49% of the electorate did not vote at all, so the new President Trump only really represents less than 25% of the people who can vote.

The failure here was not getting enough people out to vote and the way the votes are added up, its not fair.
However, you have what you have and I don't think Trump will get away with anything too outrageous as the Senate and Congress will have checks in place to stop him..........the nuclear codes are not only in that one bag which follows the President around but with several others and they all have to agree to launch.
Trump may not be a politician but the rest of his cronies are and they will watch out for themselves first and the party second, the people come last.

holly_1948

It's a risk certainly.
But fulfillment of Hillary Clinton's promise to impose a no-fly zone over Syria would highly probably have led to a worldwide nuclear war. In which we all die.

Those who tipped the balance were voting against Hillary Clinton more than they were voting for Donald Trump.

Downton Gabby

1. That's quite some conclusion you're jumping to!

2. Um. How could you possibly know that? You'd have to interview every person who voted for him. And frankly, you're wrong. If you don't think that most people who voted for him really LOVE what he stands for, you're mistaken.

Wintersong

By the same token, how can you possibly know that? You'd have to interview every person who voted for him.

I share your feelings regarding the outcome of the election, but I also personally know several people who voted for Trump and I know that they don't really love what he stands for. Unfortunately it would be fair to say that their vote has legitimised his platform of bigotry, misogyny, racism and xenophobia so that those who DO love those things feel they can now express them more openly.

In no particular order, these are the main reasons I believe most reasonable people who voted for Trump did so:

1) The Supreme Court. I disagree, but understand the reasoning. The fact that the vacancy should already have been filled is an absolute disgrace and I'd hope that anyone, no matter which side of the aisle they stand on, would be able to agree that there was no legitimate reason to hold this up. Still, given that it was held up, it became a reason to vote Republican in this election.
2) Change. People are sick and tired of establishment politicians. I disagree with the person they chose to represent this change, but I agree with the principle.
3) Healthcare. The ACA needs a massive overhaul - while there are many great aspects of it, too many hard working families have suffered. A personal friend who is middle class and self-employed can only afford catastrophic coverage for her family. Her premiums are over $2K per month. I totally understand where she's coming from - it's completely unacceptable.
4) Lies. For some reason many people seem to be determined to believe that Clinton lies more than Trump, despite all the evidence to the contrary. I neither understand nor agree with this one.
5) Corruption. They were apparently willing to overlook Trump's corruption while simultaneously holding it against Clinton. I don't understand this double standard, personally.
6) Criminal charges. The fact that Clinton was cleared of criminal wrongdoing and that Trump is facing charges of his own is apparently irrelevant. I don't understand this double standard either.
7) Actual policies. This is fairly low down on the list, as I don't think this election has been fought primarily on policies. I understand the reasoning, even though I disagree.

If you're not LGBTQ, or a legal citizen with illegal family members, or a Muslim, or an African American... if his rhetoric and bullying won't impact you or your loved ones, maybe that made it easier to turn a blind eye to it. Now that those (who I still believe are the minority) with the "deplorable" attitudes have been given a platform and a voice, I sincerely hope that those who DID turn a blind eye to it will now stand up against the results wherever and whenever they can. I do feel they owe the rest of the nation at least that courtesy.

UkWinds5353

As an American the outcome of the election left me feeling shame and anger. I'm a proud Republican but more than that I'm a patriot to the United States. But what took place on Nov 8th was the watering down of an office that was once held in high esteem. That is no longer true. We allowed a racist xenophobe to stain the reputation of a nation simply because he convinced a percentage of our fellow citizens that he could deliver to them a few shillings of gold. They sold out their country in hopes of enriching their pockets. Sadly they will soon learn that not only did they fall prey to a convincing conman with nothing positive to show for their obedience but the harm Donald will inflict on our rights, riches and honor might take years to restore. I like many Americans feel soiled.

mikelincs

The non-replacement of a judge on the Supreme court was not down to Obama, but down to the fact that the republican congress and senate vowed to block anyone he put forward, they were waiting for the election and, at that time, hopefully a republican victory, then they would get a supreme court justice who would be on their side.

Editha

At this moment, Russia has 330,000 troops stationed on its western borders, nuclear capable missiles in Kaliningrad and two warships armed with cruise missiles in the Baltic Sea. This compares with NATO's recently stationed 4,000 troops in the Baltic states.

In the course of his election campaign, Trump said that under his presidency the USA may not come to the aid of its NATO allies if attacked. That is the basis of the NATO alliance, that an attack on one is an attack on all. It is why 453 British soldiers, and many from other European countries have died in Afghanistan.

Putin, on the other hand, has made his territorial ambitions clear, and they extend far beyond the parts of Georgia and the Ukraine, that he has already annexed. In particular, he does not recognise Latvia's right to exist as an independent nation. Latvia is a NATO member.

If it is uncertain whether the USA will not come to Latvia's aid, a Russian invasion becomes much more likely, and that makes a nuclear confrontation much more iikely. This is in addition to Trump's lack of experience in state-craft, his apparent ignorance of world affairs, narcissism, lack of concentration and emotional instability.

So Holly, if you didn't vote for Clinton because you thought you were making the world a safer place, you were sadly mistaken.

Wintersong

I'm well aware of that. As I said, it's a disgrace.