It's been almost two weeks since our infamous election on November 8, and in those almost two weeks I've had this ever-present sense of bewilderment (and dread) over what has happened. I know I'm not alone in this shock, and yet I feel like I've gone into my head a bit over it, trying to rationalize how this is possible and what will our future look like now. Neither is terribly pleasant.
While I've always felt fairly street smart, self aware, and a good judgement of people, after the election results, it is quite clear I've been living in a freaking bubble. I am stunned that someone so rude and hateful and dishonest and with the vocabulary of a 5th grader has earned the highest office in our land. Regardless of wanting change in this country, I don't understand how someone who has insulted and degraded every societal group (except white men) deserves to be president. And no matter how hard I have tried, I can't rationalize it. If that makes me a whiny liberal, then I guess that is what I am.
I had to take a step back from news, blogs, Facebook, etc, for awhile because I was/am truly disgusted by the election (and what has transpired since). I spent the last two weeks watching reruns of West Wing instead of the news, pretending that Martin Sheen had gotten the job instead. Anyhow, I don't plan on posting about it anymore, but I felt I needed to explain my absence.
I hope you all have been well!
Great minds think alike as I have also been watching The West Wing since the election! I'm up to season 7.
ReplyDeleteSuch a great show! I watched it when it was on television, so this has been rewatching. :). Superb writing!
DeleteLiving on the coast, I'm not surprised. I live here in flyover country and although I didn't think Trump would win, I should have judging from the anger I could hear whenever I went somewhere. Many people in the Midwest feel like ALL politicians from both parties have been ignoring them and Trump was the only real outsider in the race. I find it ironic that they would vote for him since I can't think of any proposed policies that would benefit most of them.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm like you. I'm trying to lay low from politics for awhile and let the wounds scab over.
P.S. I came over from Mid-Life Thoughts From Bob's blog.
Thanks for coming by Ed. That's been the most brain racking part...people think he wants to change the system for us peons when it's clearly working quite well for him. Between that and the hateful rhetoric...well it's been hard to stomach.
DeleteI keep telling myself, it'll be fine, you and yours are fine, but it's not something I can't fully bring myself to believe. In previous elections (that I have been part of, at least) that was the case. This one though...I don't know. Hoping for the best though.
It's been very hard to stay informed with current events without feeling like the world is ending. But that's a whole different post. :)
DD1 in Santa Barbara is still in mourning....I agree with that post you showed, thinking that his mocking the disabled, would have done it. Then the gold star family. I am right in the middle of Trump country and I had a hard time figuring how my neighbors could think he would have any plans for them....so far nothing that I could see. I have been dumb struck by the results.
ReplyDeleteYah, I think it's hard to stomach being from a place like Los Angeles. It's such a diverse place, the disparaging words have been about our neighbors, our friends, our family, our co-workers, my students. And I take such offense to that. Dumbstruck is a fantastic way to put it! :(
DeleteFirst of all... I'm glad to see you again!!
ReplyDeleteIt was a given, no matter who won, that there would be some really unhappy campers post-election. Since I didn't like or vote for either, I didn't have any great expectations. I do think many who voted for him are going to be sorely disappointed when he doesn't follow through on some of his campaign promises (then what politician ever does?!). Still.... It's only four years, there are always those who think it'll be the end of the world, and we always seem to survive. See? I'm trying to think positively! ;)
I have been amazed at how little of the vitriol has gone away now that it's over. Only now, it's more from the populace than the candidates. I've been amazed at things I've seen on Twitter from people I know and thought better of!
Yep, probably a good time to limit media exposure (social or otherwise). I was glad to see you at my blog again. It's a safe, neutral place in general and I even posted some very serene photos last week. :)
Thanks Kelly! Yes, the things I am hearing our citizens do and say has been quite concerning. And while I agree with you on the fact that we will survive, we always do, I can't help but worry about those marginalized groups who have made a lot of progress in the rights' department over the last few years.
DeleteAnyhow, yes, it's been hard to see things that people you know are writing or posting or tweeting that are in opposition to your own views. This election has, I'm sure, ruined more friendships than ever before...we can probably thank social media for that.
Call me Pollyanna, but I have enough faith in human nature to believe all those horrible things people say will happen (in particular, to minorities) will never come to pass. I think some of the vitriol is waning (or maybe I'm just doing better at tuning it out). Probably one of the most ludicrous things I heard was the "celebrity" who equated "rural" with "stupid". If it hadn't been such a stupid statement on his part, I might have taken offense! I may live on the outskirts of a small town in a flyover state, but I'm well-educated and like to believe I'm fairly intelligent. :)
DeleteI think the most alarming thing I saw from a friend was her belief that states should have one, two, or three Senators, based on their population. Ummm.... didn't I learn in basic Civics that the whole purpose of the setup for the Senate was so that all states would be equally represented, whereas the House would be filled according to population?
Okay. That's all you'll hear from me on the topic. I did get new glasses this week and they really aren't "rose-tinted", so I don't think that's where my optimism is coming from. ;)
(Chuckles).
DeleteI hope you are right on the human nature part. That's the part that's bothering me most right now.
I think that the reaction to Trump is a measure of the fear people have, and little or nothing to do with racism, sexism or pretty much of anything that Trump spoke about to keep himself in the media eye for 2 plus years.
ReplyDeleteHave a read of this http://www.davidmcwilliams.ie/2016/11/10/america-reaps-a-whirlwind-for-undermining-its-middle-classes
I don't know Vince, I don't think I can get on board with that.
DeleteI keep hearing about the need for change and the "anti-establishment" being the reason, but the hate speech that has reared it's ugly head during and since his campaign sheds light on a whole different kind of fear, I believe. As I said, I can't rationalize how the things he has said and done (past and present) hasn't disqualified him to run for school board let alone president.
The "trickle-down" econ that we can assume will be the new policy (since policy details were few and far between during the campaign beyond being "Yuge!") hasn't helped the middle class, like ever. Here in CA we had a terrible 8 years when the Terminator was elected governor and adopted that economic policy. In just 5 years, with our bleeding heart liberal governor and reps, CA has done a 180 and our economy is at its best, with a surplus in the budget. http://www.newsweek.com/robert-reich-california-trumpland-nemesis-524127
I'm not saying it's perfect by any means, but to me, what it shows is that people are voting against their best interest because of social issues. Let's remember that these same people were hit hard under and economy created by a Bush Jr. presidency. And may have suffered under Obama's lack of action only due to the obstructionism he faced at every turn. And then those are the very people who were voted into office two weeks ago.
And to this article. Yes, technology has been a game changer with jobs. But then again, it has opened up all sorts of new possibilities for new and innovative jobs (especially in infrastructure/green/sustainability jobs) but when progress is blocked at every single turn, people get left behind. I truly think this was an election based on fear mongering over progress and change.
But I didn't really want to talk about it like this. It's over...what are ya gonna do!?!
Delete;)
Yah, this will help those most struggling!
Deletehttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/23/trump-tax-plan-cuts-wealthy-low-income-inequality?CMP=fb_gu
Between this and the new ed secretary, I just want to cry!!
My worry is the Dem grandees don't learn a darn thing and continue an agenda that amounts to forgetting their base.
DeleteBernie Sanders is tweeting that it's insufficient to focus as they've been doing since the 80s.
I agree, they've got to do something about the image. The message didn't get through, this time.
DeleteSo many thoughts and feelings in the past two weeks. Like Kelly, I voted for neither of them but had I not been 100 percent confident Trump would carry Tennessee, I would have voted for Hillary as my wife did. I went with my conscience and voted Libertarian, telling myself I was sending a message. That message (that I'm sick to death of our do-nothing two-party system) was heard by no one but myself but I can live with myself. I have read a great deal about how this (supposedly) happened and the consensus seems to be that (a) Trump hit a nerve with a segment of the electorate that feels forgotten and in spite of his offensive rhetoric,
ReplyDeletewhy not give him a shot; (b) many Trump voters voted more AGAINST Hillary than FOR Trump; and (c) Hillary took way too much for granted. Who knows? But we're stuck with this for at least 4 years. Time to move on and think happier thoughts! That's what I have to do anyway.