What did I learn from this election

[midcan5]

In a real sense white educated and uneducated America voted hate*, hate born of many years of right wing media: Limbaugh, Savage, Coulter, Newsmax, and Fox media are only a part of the mostly rural hate machine. It hates progress and diversity, it hates what is often called political correctness, but was once considered manners and tolerance. Much of this hate is even exhibited in Evangelical Christianity's opposition to a changing, more tolerant society. Main Street media lived all this time in a self reflecting bubble in which they presented hate as if it were just spectacle. They failed too. What I actually saw.

The republicans are an unprincipled party.
Republicans elected the first candidate with no connection to truth.
Republicans are not Conservatives in any sense of the term.
Social change and rights for others brought out an enormous backlash.
Republicans blame everyone except themselves.
The republican base excuses their party, its corporate sponsors, and their own part in the economy.
The republican base does not believe in the American values of our founding documents.
Racism, sexism, misogyny, xenophobia, and bigotry define much of the republican base.
Donald Trump is a shining example of American white privilege.
Single issues manage many Republicans, demonstrating why their state and congressional governments are useless.
Republicans investigate investigate investigate, but do nothing for America and its people.
Republicans have the first Twitter brained candidate as their leader.
Make America great was a dog whistle which was heard clearly.
Fifty years of right wing republican radio has created a non reflective know nothing base which blames everyone except itself.
Main stream media refuses to accept the reality of the American electorate.
A sense of alienation mixed with hate remain powerful instigators of action, thirty years of Hillary hatred created a myth.
A myth believed by republicans and others.
What will republicans do now that they cannot investigate the Clintons?

In summary:

There are so many ironies in this election: whites voted this time, rural and evangelical whites voted for Trump unlike both McCain and Romney. McCain had to face the fact that George W. Bush screwed up badly, and Romney didn't seem authentic, and on top of that was a Mormon. Blacks came out for Obama, but he faced a Congress that opposed his very being. Intellect doesn't win in America. And then there is the baloney economic argument, come on folks, it ain't true as Trump voters had all the benefits of white privilege, and the democratic policies they believe came from thin air. One truth that Trump spoke is for Blacks, what have you got to lose, or to rephrase in a more truthful way, you're gonna lose anyway. This is America, wake up and smell the bigotry. As for immigrants and Muslims, you guys, just like twenty five years of Hillary hatred, were the foils that roused the base and supplied the hate factor. Blame must be given even when it is a fiction. Everyone should read Eric Hoffer sometime, nothing brings people together like common enemies. White college educated folk live in a libertarian bubble in which they got theirs, so what if your work is outsourced. That's the free market. Trump outsourced and used Chinese steel, but China is now laughing as democracy elected a misogynist bully. Did white women forgive the grabbing and ratings just because a judge may one day remove another woman's right to privacy - are you kidding. MSM talked to themselves in reflecting mirrors and forgot they too are among the privileged; Trump was their accomplishment too. But now the republicans have control, so when things fail as they do under their rule - read history - they too will be thrown out, once again and the tale will continue. Some time, maybe in our grandchildren lives, humans will wake up and realize it is they who can make things right, and while institutions help, acceptance and support for each other works better. Oh and maybe then religion will remain a private concern and God will applaud the show.

Next related post: where to from here.

*Hate, I pondered other words but they'd dilute the issue. 'Hate the sin, not the sinner' the religious formula works well as 'sin' for some can be anything at all. Synonyms for hate: animosity, resentment, abomination, hostility, abhorrence, if you witnesses the rallies and the words and actions, they all fit. As I watched the Benghazi hearing, republican men and women shows hate as you rarely see it.

"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." Winston Churchill

PS If anyone ever feels I have neglected their profound argument in any thread, please PM me, I'd love to check out your words.

[Celticguy]

Then you seem to have learned nothing

[midcan5]

Then you seem to have learned nothing

We should all have learned a great deal, the power of lies, the power to roll back healthcare for fellow Americans, the power of white supremacy, and the resurrection of racism should give everyone who thinks pause. Hopefully this link works as this is Trump's America. Let's hope the racism Trump has demonstrated so often in the past changes with his position. Belief can change even when it is rooted in blind stupidity.

http://harpers.org/blog/2016/11/weekly-review/

"There is nothing inhuman, evil, or irrational which does not give some comfort, provided it is shared by a group." Erich Fromm

[Celticguy]

Yes we should have.
Let's hope Trump can dial back the racism BO encouraged.

[PostmodernProphet]

We should all have learned a great deal, the power of lies

we learned they didn't work......Hillary lost even though she lied.....maybe BECAUSE she lied......

[midcan5]

we learned they didn't work......Hillary lost even though she lied.....maybe BECAUSE she lied......

This is just another example of America in the post-truth era. Trump is still lying as he is taking credit for something Ford had already planned. When you have a man who says anything at all and you have followers who believe, it does make the history of evil more understandable. And there is no need to list Trump's lies as anyone who was honest could do that on their own. Honesty is not a strong suit among blind followers of any demagogue. The democrats who stayed home lost this election as Trump's win was minuscule.

"But one potential explanation continues to be overlooked: Voter complacency....Or, more specifically, Democratic voter complacency. Contrary to headlines suggesting that a sudden rush of previously checked-out white voters rushed to the polls, Donald Trump’s actual numbers don’t exceed what Mitt Romney got in 2012 by very much. Trump has fewer than 200,000 new voters, which means he got the “Pepe the Frog” morons who had probably never registered to vote before this — and not much else. But Hillary Clinton currently stands at 3.5 million fewer votes than Barack Obama got in 2012." Amanda Marcotte http://www.salon.com/2016/11/18/hist...-back-at-2000/

[Bill]

In a real sense white educated and uneducated America voted hate*, hate born of many years of right wing media: Limbaugh, Savage, Coulter, Newsmax, and Fox media are only a part of the mostly rural hate machine. It hates progress and diversity, it hates what is often called political correctness, but was once considered manners and tolerance. Much of this hate is even exhibited in Evangelical Christianity's opposition to a changing, more tolerant society. Main Street media lived all this time in a self reflecting bubble in which they presented hate as if it were just spectacle. They failed too. What I actually saw.

The republicans are an unprincipled party.
Republicans elected the first candidate with no connection to truth.
Republicans are not Conservatives in any sense of the term.
Social change and rights for others brought out an enormous backlash.
Republicans blame everyone except themselves.
The republican base excuses their party, its corporate sponsors, and their own part in the economy.
The republican base does not believe in the American values of our founding documents.
Racism, sexism, misogyny, xenophobia, and bigotry define much of the republican base.
Donald Trump is a shining example of American white privilege.
Single issues manage many Republicans, demonstrating why their state and congressional governments are useless.
Republicans investigate investigate investigate, but do nothing for America and its people.
Republicans have the first Twitter brained candidate as their leader.
Make America great was a dog whistle which was heard clearly.
Fifty years of right wing republican radio has created a non reflective know nothing base which blames everyone except itself.
Main stream media refuses to accept the reality of the American electorate.
A sense of alienation mixed with hate remain powerful instigators of action, thirty years of Hillary hatred created a myth.
A myth believed by republicans and others.
What will republicans do now that they cannot investigate the Clintons?

In summary:

There are so many ironies in this election: whites voted this time, rural and evangelical whites voted for Trump unlike both McCain and Romney. McCain had to face the fact that George W. Bush screwed up badly, and Romney didn't seem authentic, and on top of that was a Mormon. Blacks came out for Obama, but he faced a Congress that opposed his very being. Intellect doesn't win in America. And then there is the baloney economic argument, come on folks, it ain't true as Trump voters had all the benefits of white privilege, and the democratic policies they believe came from thin air. One truth that Trump spoke is for Blacks, what have you got to lose, or to rephrase in a more truthful way, you're gonna lose anyway. This is America, wake up and smell the bigotry. As for immigrants and Muslims, you guys, just like twenty five years of Hillary hatred, were the foils that roused the base and supplied the hate factor. Blame must be given even when it is a fiction. Everyone should read Eric Hoffer sometime, nothing brings people together like common enemies. White college educated folk live in a libertarian bubble in which they got theirs, so what if your work is outsourced. That's the free market. Trump outsourced and used Chinese steel, but China is now laughing as democracy elected a misogynist bully. Did white women forgive the grabbing and ratings just because a judge may one day remove another woman's right to privacy - are you kidding. MSM talked to themselves in reflecting mirrors and forgot they too are among the privileged; Trump was their accomplishment too. But now the republicans have control, so when things fail as they do under their rule - read history - they too will be thrown out, once again and the tale will continue. Some time, maybe in our grandchildren lives, humans will wake up and realize it is they who can make things right, and while institutions help, acceptance and support for each other works better. Oh and maybe then religion will remain a private concern and God will applaud the show.

Next related post: where to from here.

*Hate, I pondered other words but they'd dilute the issue. 'Hate the sin, not the sinner' the religious formula works well as 'sin' for some can be anything at all. Synonyms for hate: animosity, resentment, abomination, hostility, abhorrence, if you witnesses the rallies and the words and actions, they all fit. As I watched the Benghazi hearing, republican men and women shows hate as you rarely see it.

"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." Winston Churchill

PS If anyone ever feels I have neglected their profound argument in any thread, please PM me, I'd love to check out your words.

All of that may be true, in whole or part but one can't help but notice what you seem to leave out~perhaps that is part 2??

No blame for hillary??

No blame for the dem leadershit??

You blame everyone but them??

You start out blaming the Evangelicals for supporting him & I would agree they shouldn't have, BUT wtf did she do to reach out to them??

Until Bernie forced her to she was supporting sending more jobs to SouthEast Asia~& labor/working class folks should support her?? Why??


“The cat, having sat upon a hot stove lid, will not sit upon a hot stove lid again. But he won't sit upon a cold stove lid, either.” Sam Clemons

[midcan5]

No blame for hillary?? No blame for the dem leadershit?? You blame everyone but them??

You start out blaming the Evangelicals for supporting him & I would agree they shouldn't have, BUT wtf did she do to reach out to them??

Until Bernie forced her to she was supporting sending more jobs to SouthEast Asia~& labor/working class folks should support her?? Why??

The only apology I can give for not blaming Hillary or the democrats is so much of the show was a demonization of Hillary. What do you do when everything you do is wrong, when it is not called illegal? What do you say when everything you say is read through a filter? Much of the Internet and right wing media is a cesspool of assumptions, accusations and belittlement. Fake news and lies managed this election. But what could she have done? Should she have said coal is good considering the environment today? Could she have criticized trade bills that republicans and democrats both supported under the fantasy a free market is a reality? Could she claim we'll bring back manufacturing when most are driving foreign made cars today? Could she join in the hatred of Muslims? Or immigrants or the totally ridiculous wall? I have to think about this more, but right now I am at a loss on what you do when Trump could say the most un-American rants and the crowd cheered.


http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/20/op...fake-news.html
https://stratechery.com/2016/fake-news/
https://newrepublic.com/article/68113/whatever

[Bill]

The only apology I can give for not blaming Hillary or the democrats is so much of the show was a demonization of Hillary. What do you do when everything you do is wrong, when it is not called illegal? What do you say when everything you say is read through a filter? Much of the Internet and right wing media is a cesspool of assumptions, accusations and belittlement. Fake news and lies managed this election. But what could she have done? Should she have said coal is good considering the environment today? Could she have criticized trade bills that republicans and democrats both supported under the fantasy a free market is a reality? Could she claim we'll bring back manufacturing when most are driving foreign made cars today? Could she join in the hatred of Muslims? Or immigrants or the totally ridiculous wall? I have to think about this more, but right now I am at a loss on what you do when Trump could say the most un-American rants and the crowd cheered.


http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/20/op...fake-news.html
https://stratechery.com/2016/fake-news/
https://newrepublic.com/article/68113/whatever

The only apology I can give for not blaming Hillary or the democrats is so much of the show was a demonization of Hillary

No one needs to apologize to anyone..

Sure she was demonized, as was trump & Bernie & a host of others~while it was muddier than usual, it is part of the game

Let be honest, she started out as heir apparent & bungled quite a bit..

IMHO she didn't do well clarifying her "boarder policy" especially to "working class" Americans very concerned about it, nor was she real clear about tpp & nafta~ which many were/are concerned about...

Did she even attempt to reach out to Evangelicals?? Hell, trump is a pagan, should have been a slam dunk

She won the popular vote but it is sad times when the middle class/working & "lower classes", labor etc have little or no love for the dem party-BECAUSE THAT PARTY ABANDONED THEM!!!

[Truth Detector]

Then you seem to have learned nothing

Liberals cannot learn; in order to learn you must have intelligence and an open mind.

[Truth Detector]

Liberals like the thread author and Obama cannot learn. They still think they are a majority and they still stupidly believe that they are winning.

But while claiming this was the post truth era, the author engages in a false narrative filled with lies in order to make excuses for the losses Democrats have suffered during this most failed of Presidencies.

Obama has succeeded in, and will continue to, divide this nation, lose the White House, Lose the House, Lose the Senate and only cling to FIVE state houses by the barest of threads. This election was a watershed moment that exposed the media lies and distortions, and the repugnant despicable efforts by Democrats to engage in the nastiest name calling ever witnessed in modern times.

[midcan5]

It has to be obvious by now that Trump and team didn't expect to win. How then to proceed, well first Christy and cohorts have to go. Old baggage payback. Next all the K Street gang must disappear for how else can they drain the swamp. Promise me you won't lobby. Sure thing. Wonder what congress will do now? Don't they beg for money on a scheduled basis. What is MSM's position in a post-truth Trump world. They helped get him elected, will they now return to journalism, you know investigative kinda stuff. And then there is the most imaginary left, do they still cling to the fantasy that rationality exists somewhere. Anywhere. Come on folks isn't it clear yet that fake news works better. Kinda like children's bedtime stories, no nightmares about global weather changing or that tax reduction doesn't bring Nirvana. Who needs truth. Who needs regulation. Investigate Hillary, hm, we won, give it up, someone may wake and find it was just another waste. More BS. Ah, but there is a weak spot, an Achilles heel. Can you guess? Ah come on,try. Well this may come as a surprise but it is polls. Favorability stuff, that will be the new presidential management tool. Donald at 30 percent favorability, what to do what to do. Rigged no longer works. I'm gonna enjoy the show.

[Don Quixote]

a large number of whites have developed a fear of minorities. to a certain extent i blame the profit driven media. the media has found out that people (mostly whites) react strongly (with fear) to the continued announcements that minorities out number whites and will continue to gain strength politically as minorities gain numbers vs whites and become aware of their political strength.

oh well

[Truth Detector]

a large number of whites have developed a fear of minorities. to a certain extent i blame the profit driven media. the media has found out that people (mostly whites) react strongly (with fear) to the continued announcements that minorities out number whites and will continue to gain strength politically as minorities gain numbers vs whites and become aware of their political strength.

oh well

Hang on; I am going to need hip waders for the amount of bovine bile drivel this represents. The media has fostered a false narrative that is getting cops killed; not causing fear among whites of minorities. Good lord; what a massive smelly pile of rubbish.

[midcan5]

a large number of whites have developed a fear of minorities. to a certain extent i blame the profit driven media. the media has found out that people (mostly whites) react strongly (with fear) to the continued announcements that minorities out number whites and will continue to gain strength politically as minorities gain numbers vs whites and become aware of their political strength.

oh well

There is no question that whites voted this time, but even there the numbers were not much better than Romney. Trump promised a return to greatness, he could have said whiteness as many heard the words as a dog whistle. But democrats did not vote as they did in 08 and 12, why, is the harder question. Trump is not a republican, not a conservative and not a politician, his record is racist, his words often hateful, his tweeting childish and immature but for so many he is not Hillary who seemed too smart, too prepared and had the weight of twenty five years of right wing questioning and criticizing her every move. Hillary could do nothing to turn around the barrage of BS cast on her. Having managed email and security I still find the email controversy absurd. How was she any different than her predecessors and why was this even an issue. Of course any thought would tell you why. But democrats better not count on minorities as their base because minorities can be as off base as the others.

"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." Winston Churchill

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_a..._the_most.html