Capella's 24-hour, VERY bigly OH MY GOD HOW DID WE GET HERE thread (4 Viewers)

[hagmania]

So she preferred the man who openly cheated on his wives and essentially abandoned the child he had with one of them while sexually assaulting women on the reg, to the woman who lost her dignity by staying with her cheating husband? To each their own, of course. But I don't get it

Anyway, I've spent hours here responding to election posts and making the piece.  Time to get a little actual work done for a couple hours, go home, hug my awesome, blissfully unaware kids, and take fistfuls of painkillers to deal with post-election depression plus the cherry on top of that #### sundae ... sitting through a Washington Wizards basketball game.

Like I said yesterday, much love and gratitude to all of you. You made yesterday fun instead of stressful, and now you've provided a great outlet for my misery this morning.  You guys are the best.  See you tomorrow for more of the same.

Remember when you tried to tell us about black voters and Bernie? Seems like the other side of the coin for you.

 

[Todem]

This exactly.  I stay away from politics as much as possible. I don't follow it, I don't discuss it, and generally just don't care about it.

But this morning I woke up truly depressed about the outcome last night. Depressed that so many people supported a candidate with the character flaws that Trump has. Depressed that the subgroup of voters that should have hated him the most (educated women) supported him to the tune of 40%. Depressed that there's the potential for this country to take a HUGE step backwards in terms of social issues involving tolerance of minority groups (racial, LGBT, religion, etc).  Depressed that so many people latched onto one issue and let it decide their vote (i.e. abortion). Depressed that this was the best our country could do.

Politics just sickens me. I hate it. I will now ignore it even more than before. I wish there was a way to divide this country into two and let the red have their own nation to govern while the blue do the same. Then maybe things could get done that makes everyone happy instead of having it all mixed together so that everyone is forced to deal with solutions they don't agree with and little gets done because of the differences. 

I truly hope I'm wrong about what's to come but my expectations are low. I just hope any damage that is done can be fixed in a short time if it does come to pass.

The South tried that back between April 12th 1861 - May 9th 1865

It really did not work out and ended quite badly.

Part of being in America is accepting the vote. In 4 years we get to do it again. It's going to be OK. Really.....it's going to be OK.

The media is so vindictive and IMO a huge part of the problem we face in our country today. I am not saying I like Trump as a person. But he is going to be our Commander and Chief starting next year. Both sides need to work together. Something that for the last 8 years.....did not happen.

The country has mandated they do and change was badly needed in Washington. So much so we elected a reality TV and Real Estate Mogul because he did strike some nerves and said some things all of us think about.

Jobs, National Security and the Prosperity of America. 

He delivered the stronger message and it resonated with the country more than Clinton's lack of a clear message did.

 

[Zow]

Yeah I do.  Two parts really.  The first was economic.  The ACA especially and what is has to done to small business owners and self employed people.  Because it is killing us.  I spend more on health insurance now by almost double than before it was passed and now spend more annually than I made at my first job after my masters program.  That increase cost for people that have a small business or who are self employed has crushed the family budget because at the same time general wages for everyone else aren't really going up so there are less clients to hire that small business.  Or if they do, they want the service for lower prices.  So the small business gets hit on both ends.  It causes the small business owner to work harder for less or the same money.  That means he is home less.  Focused less on his family.  And on his kids.  It stops family fun times, or at least lessens them.  Vacations become pie in the sky dreams that you can see on facebook and pinterest but your husband can't afford to do it. 

It's an admirable law.  It really is.  But it hit us right after we thought we were finally going to get some relief from the collapse of '08 and instead it knocked us right back down again.  Wives see what the business struggling does to their husbands and in turn their families.  And unlike men who can't always connect dot A to dot B, women can.  And they know.  In our social circle which is rather large the overwhelming majority of the families have a small business husband.  Most have stay at home wives.  Those wives see the family budget getting mutilated and can directly see the ACA doing it.  Or their husbands talk about it.  I know I do.  I have to make enough in a year to pay two secretaries an annual salary just to make sure my kids have health insurance and we are also forced to get them dental insurance that we don't need.

There are of course other things than the ACA doing this.  But that is a clear focal point.  Overall, the economic issues for these families though aren't going away.  And don't just look at the white collar guys in that group - the blue collar guys are worse off.  They don't get paid nearly what they should anymore. 

The second issue beyond economic is social.  Our kids are growing up too fast.  They are being bombarded with social changes that most women aren't ready to talk to their kids about.  This is massively evident in my social circles.  The moms talk  constantly about the social issues of the day and how to deal with them with their kids.  There is no filter anymore from news and society through the parent to the child.  There just isn't.  And the changes in society which ultimately might be necessary, are scary as hell when you feel like you are losing control of your family in the process.  I know my wife suffers that a lot.  My son comes home from school with projects to deal with issues that she can barely wrap her head around.  It's too much too fast, in the middle of the economic issues above.  It's creating a stress that they just don't need or want right now.

Now, that one is a little more selfish than the first, but it also results in the same blowback I wrote about above.  If you keep pushing and pushing and pushing and the person you are pushing isn't willing to go at some point they are going to actively push back.  And I think that is what these women are doing.  At least now.  I still think Trump was the very worst messenger for the message but he was the only one saying it.  These women like my wife see society just rushing head without thinking at all and they are pushing back, hard. 

There are other ones.  But I'd be willing to bet these are in the top set of issues for the general group.  I could be wrong.  All I have to go by is the groups of women I know.  And that makes anything I say society-oriented biased.  But these election results don't lie.  When women won't vote for the first women president there is a reason.  One is clearly she is just hated by a lot of people no matter her gender.  But if you are looking for other potential "real" reasons, I'd bet these are some of the main ones.

But that is also why I don't think this is watershed change in all politics that some are saying.  I think this was a lot of pent up frustration all hitting at the exact same time.  The perfect storm of political backlash.  I doubt it lasts.  But I was clearly wrong about this election so what the hell do I know.

Well-written. Good point on the ACA. 

Just wish you could bill for the time that took you. I've been useless at work today. 

 

[jonessed]

Obama shouldn't get a pass here.  He got historically trounced in 2010 for his policies and largely ignored the fallout that befell his party as a result.  Those demons have been creeping around.  His policies and the way he instituted them did his party a huge disservice.

He survived on charisma and likeability, but that's not transferable.

 

[eoMMan]

Has there been any reports of violence or riots because Trump won?

It burns me to even say it out loud, but is an assination attempt that much greater now?

 

[JIslander]

I think in the sense that a Trump win was backlash for the increased PC movement that our mostly liberal mainstream media has pushed on us I would tend to agree.

Yeah, PC is a poor choice of words. Not being outwardly racist or misogynistic is really just human decency.

 

[ZenMaster]

Has there been any reports of violence or riots because Trump won?

It burns me to even say it out loud, but is an assination attempt that much greater now?

My new President-elect has demonstrated that it's cool to say whatever I want so I will. I sure hope so.

 

[The_Man]

No president has the power to do these kinds of things. How could a president interfere with Muslims' religious freedom short of sending federal agents out to arrest people leaving mosque? What concerns do you have in mind?

Trump has said he would ban all Muslims from entering the U.S.

Trump has said he would force Muslims in America to register in a database.

Gingrich, a leading contender for Secretary of State, has said every Muslim in the U.S. should be required to take a test to see if they believe in Sharia law.

How's that for starters?

 

[rodg12]

Yeah I do.  Two parts really.  The first was economic.  The ACA especially and what is has to done to small business owners and self employed people.  Because it is killing us.  I spend more on health insurance now by almost double than before it was passed and now spend more annually than I made at my first job after my masters program.  That increase cost for people that have a small business or who are self employed has crushed the family budget because at the same time general wages for everyone else aren't really going up so there are less clients to hire that small business.  Or if they do, they want the service for lower prices.  So the small business gets hit on both ends.  It causes the small business owner to work harder for less or the same money.  That means he is home less.  Focused less on his family.  And on his kids.  It stops family fun times, or at least lessens them.  Vacations become pie in the sky dreams that you can see on facebook and pinterest but your husband can't afford to do it. 

It's an admirable law.  It really is.  But it hit us right after we thought we were finally going to get some relief from the collapse of '08 and instead it knocked us right back down again.  Wives see what the business struggling does to their husbands and in turn their families.  And unlike men who can't always connect dot A to dot B, women can.  And they know.  In our social circle which is rather large the overwhelming majority of the families have a small business husband.  Most have stay at home wives.  Those wives see the family budget getting mutilated and can directly see the ACA doing it.  Or their husbands talk about it.  I know I do.  I have to make enough in a year to pay two secretaries an annual salary just to make sure my kids have health insurance and we are also forced to get them dental insurance that we don't need.

There are of course other things than the ACA doing this.  But that is a clear focal point.  Overall, the economic issues for these families though aren't going away.  And don't just look at the white collar guys in that group - the blue collar guys are worse off.  They don't get paid nearly what they should anymore. 

The second issue beyond economic is social.  Our kids are growing up too fast.  They are being bombarded with social changes that most women aren't ready to talk to their kids about.  This is massively evident in my social circles.  The moms talk  constantly about the social issues of the day and how to deal with them with their kids.  There is no filter anymore from news and society through the parent to the child.  There just isn't.  And the changes in society which ultimately might be necessary, are scary as hell when you feel like you are losing control of your family in the process.  I know my wife suffers that a lot.  My son comes home from school with projects to deal with issues that she can barely wrap her head around.  It's too much too fast, in the middle of the economic issues above.  It's creating a stress that they just don't need or want right now.

Now, that one is a little more selfish than the first, but it also results in the same blowback I wrote about above.  If you keep pushing and pushing and pushing and the person you are pushing isn't willing to go at some point they are going to actively push back.  And I think that is what these women are doing.  At least now.  I still think Trump was the very worst messenger for the message but he was the only one saying it.  These women like my wife see society just rushing head without thinking at all and they are pushing back, hard. 

There are other ones.  But I'd be willing to bet these are in the top set of issues for the general group.  I could be wrong.  All I have to go by is the groups of women I know.  And that makes anything I say society-oriented biased.  But these election results don't lie.  When women won't vote for the first women president there is a reason.  One is clearly she is just hated by a lot of people no matter her gender.  But if you are looking for other potential "real" reasons, I'd bet these are some of the main ones.

But that is also why I don't think this is watershed change in all politics that some are saying.  I think this was a lot of pent up frustration all hitting at the exact same time.  The perfect storm of political backlash.  I doubt it lasts.  But I was clearly wrong about this election so what the hell do I know.

Thanks for taking the time to write this, GB.  I think you're spot on.  Especially about the ACA.  The November 1st rate hikes will probably be looked at as the nail in the coffin on a Hillary Clinton Presidency.

 

[wazoo11]

Protests ongoing at Harvard and Cal Berkeley.

 

[Doug B]

We just elected a president who bragged about assaulting women.  No repercussions?

No repercussions, correct.

IOW -- just because Trump bragged about it doesn't mean it's suddenly allowable for Joe Blow to get away with sexual harassment in the workplace. Society moves the lines, not the president -- and the lines already got into their present position with many 2016 Trump voters not buying in.

 

[BroncoFreak_2K3]

So, does she just go away now that the speech is over? I have no idea.

new hostess on The View

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I'm just amazed that the party of Bill Clinton is lecturing on misogyny.

 

[Brony]

This exactly.  I stay away from politics as much as possible. I don't follow it, I don't discuss it, and generally just don't care about it.

But this morning I woke up truly depressed about the outcome last night. Depressed that so many people supported a candidate with the character flaws that Trump has. Depressed that the subgroup of voters that should have hated him the most (educated women) supported him to the tune of 40%. Depressed that there's the potential for this country to take a HUGE step backwards in terms of social issues involving tolerance of minority groups (racial, LGBT, religion, etc).  Depressed that so many people latched onto one issue and let it decide their vote (i.e. abortion). Depressed that this was the best our country could do.

Politics just sickens me. I hate it. I will now ignore it even more than before. I wish there was a way to divide this country into two and let the red have their own nation to govern while the blue do the same. Then maybe things could get done that makes everyone happy instead of having it all mixed together so that everyone is forced to deal with solutions they don't agree with and little gets done because of the differences. 

I truly hope I'm wrong about what's to come but my expectations are low. I just hope any damage that is done can be fixed in a short time if it does come to pass.

Yep.  I personally don't think the president has that much influence on steering this huge ship that is lumbering ahead. I think social issue-wise we'll be fine and maybe he can improve business climate here a smidge.  But to me, the election is more of a reflection of what we stand for as a country and we just elected a buffoon.

 

[Chaos Commish]

I'm just amazed that the party of Bill Clinton is lecturing on misogyny.

no you're not

 

[BroncoFreak_2K3]

It burns me to even say it out loud, but is an assination attempt that much greater now?

Only in the FFA

 

[fantasycurse42]

How about that Slate.com/votecastr thing, huge success, amirite?

 

[Dickies]

Has there been any reports of violence or riots because Trump won?

It burns me to even say it out loud, but is an assination attempt that much greater now?

Trump played good defense here by putting someone even more despicable behind him.

 

[money.never.sleeps]

I'm not really questioning stats or anything.  I genuinely just couldn't follow what you were saying in the post I quoted.  

No worries. Doing 3 things at once. Not a great multi tasker.

I just meant HRC thought she had the Obama millennial/black vote in some of the state's she lost and instead rural white America showed up which helped.

I understand people are upset. I'm not comfortable but at the same time wasn't one of Clinton's emails wanting the dumb uneducated vote? Backfired if  true 

 

[Doug B]

Trump has said he would ban all Muslims from entering the U.S.

Trump has said he would force Muslims in America to register in a database.

Gingrich, a leading contender for Secretary of State, has said every Muslim in the U.S. should be required to take a test to see if they believe in Sharia law.

How's that for starters?

Hollow words to get elected (at least for Trump -- Gingrich was just blowing smoke). They cannot effect those changes.

 

[Insein]

Apparently the only strategy needed is to say things suck currently and energize working class people. 

Worked in 08

 

[JIslander]

I'm just amazed that the party of Bill Clinton is lecturing on misogyny.

Bill wasn't running for Pres.

 

[Doug B]

Protests ongoing at Harvard and Cal Berkeley.

See ... I guess demonstration to express solidarity with fellow members of the Harvard/Berkely community is one thing. But they cannot believe that these protests can lead to any kind of change, can they? Not like Trump can be cowed to step down using this tactic.

 

[flapgreen]

This exactly.  I stay away from politics as much as possible. I don't follow it, I don't discuss it, and generally just don't care about it.

But this morning I woke up truly depressed about the outcome last night. Depressed that so many people supported a candidate with the character flaws that Trump has. Depressed that the subgroup of voters that should have hated him the most (educated women) supported him to the tune of 40%. Depressed that there's the potential for this country to take a HUGE step backwards in terms of social issues involving tolerance of minority groups (racial, LGBT, religion, etc).  Depressed that so many people latched onto one issue and let it decide their vote (i.e. abortion). Depressed that this was the best our country could do.

Politics just sickens me. I hate it. I will now ignore it even more than before. I wish there was a way to divide this country into two and let the red have their own nation to govern while the blue do the same. Then maybe things could get done that makes everyone happy instead of having it all mixed together so that everyone is forced to deal with solutions they don't agree with and little gets done because of the differences. 

I truly hope I'm wrong about what's to come but my expectations are low. I just hope any damage that is done can be fixed in a short time if it does come to pass.

I see it much differently but I understand how some could view it this way

 

[Andy Dufresne]

no you're not

Yeah, you're right. I'm not surprised at all.

 

[Gr00vus]

 the election is more of a reflection of what we stand for as a country and we just elected a buffoon.

This is where I'm at with it. I've found this guy loathsome from the outset back in the 80's. Now he's President. Really depressing. He's the embodiment of all that's worst of the U.S. - a living, breathing caricature of the ugly American.

 

[Hov34]

Anyone check on Katy Perry and her big breasts yet? 

I'm on it.

 

[JIslander]

Hollow words to get elected (at least for Trump -- Gingrich was just blowing smoke). They cannot effect those changes.

shoot.  That's his mandate.  Right after the wall gets built.

 

[fatguyinalittlecoat]

How about that Slate.com/votecastr thing, huge success, amirite?

 

[money.never.sleeps]

Protests ongoing at Harvard and Cal Berkeley.

Must be the really rich smart kids who don't have to study 

 

[BassNBrew]

 

[Buzzbait]

The South tried that back between April 12th 1861 - May 9th 1865

It really did not work out and ended quite badly.

Part of being in America is accepting the vote. In 4 years we get to do it again. It's going to be OK. Really.....it's going to be OK.

The media is so vindictive and IMO a huge part of the problem we face in our country today. I am not saying I like Trump as a person. But he is going to be our Commander and Chief starting next year. Both sides need to work together. Something that for the last 8 years.....did not happen.

The country has mandated they do and change was badly needed in Washington. So much so we elected a reality TV and Real Estate Mogul because he did strike some nerves and said some things all of us think about.

Jobs, National Security and the Prosperity of America. 

He delivered the stronger message and it resonated with the country more than Clinton's lack of a clear message did.

 

Agree with the entire post but want to specifically point out the bolded. The media is so incendiary on both sides I'm hoping that maybe, just maybe it will cause at least some of the outlets to simply report the facts without an editorial or biased slant.

You know what I want from the news? THE FREAKING STRAIGHT, PLAIN, NO B.S. NEWS!!!

 

[Gr00vus]

How about that Slate.com/votecastr thing, huge success, amirite?

Gonna find it hard to take any political polling/analysis seriously again. They all whiffed in a big way.

 

[Gr00vus]

 

Agree with the entire post but want to specifically point out the bolded. The media is so incendiary on both sides I'm hoping that maybe, just maybe it will cause at least some of the outlets to simply report the facts without an editorial or biased slant.

You know what I want from the news? THE FREAKING STRAIGHT, PLAIN, NO B.S. NEWS!!!

No money in that. It'd have to be a loss leader for a successful network, and we just don't have the kind of environment that supports such a thing anymore.

 

[Todem]

No money in that. It'd have to be a loss leader for a successful network, and we just don't have the kind of environment that supports such a thing anymore.

I think the AP is the true last plain vanilla reporter of actual news.

 

[BroncoFreak_2K3]

How about that Slate.com/votecastr thing, huge success, amirite?

 

[msommer]

In fairness...most people ARE economic illiterates.

Including, sadly, your next president

 

[rodg12]

 

Agree with the entire post but want to specifically point out the bolded. The media is so incendiary on both sides I'm hoping that maybe, just maybe it will cause at least some of the outlets to simply report the facts without an editorial or biased slant.

You know what I want from the news? THE FREAKING STRAIGHT, PLAIN, NO B.S. NEWS!!!

Good luck with that.  We can barely get that even with sports nowadays.

 

[Doug B]

shoot.  That's his mandate.  Right after the wall gets built.

"The wall" was at no point a serious plank. It'll never get built, never get started, nothing.

 

[bosoxs45]

DC passed a petitionbto become the 51st state. 

Wait, what?

 

[BassNBrew]

This exactly.  I stay away from politics as much as possible. I don't follow it, I don't discuss it, and generally just don't care about it.

But this morning I woke up truly depressed about the outcome last night. Depressed that so many people supported a candidate with the character flaws that Trump has. Depressed that the subgroup of voters that should have hated him the most (educated women) supported him to the tune of 40%. Depressed that there's the potential for this country to take a HUGE step backwards in terms of social issues involving tolerance of minority groups (racial, LGBT, religion, etc).  Depressed that so many people latched onto one issue and let it decide their vote (i.e. abortion). Depressed that this was the best our country could do.

Politics just sickens me. I hate it. I will now ignore it even more than before. I wish there was a way to divide this country into two and let the red have their own nation to govern while the blue do the same. Then maybe things could get done that makes everyone happy instead of having it all mixed together so that everyone is forced to deal with solutions they don't agree with and little gets done because of the differences. 

I truly hope I'm wrong about what's to come but my expectations are low. I just hope any damage that is done can be fixed in a short time if it does come to pass.

Interesting that when the Bernie supporters made a similar statement regarding the African American vote in the south we we're called out for telling that demographic what was best for them.

 

[Doug B]

The media is so incendiary on both sides I'm hoping that maybe, just maybe it will cause at least some of the outlets to simply report the facts without an editorial or biased slant.

The toothpaste is never getting back into the tube, unfortunately. But any human endeavor is necessarily going to have bias, anyway.

 

[FBG26]

Just thought the turnout vs the last several elections is interesting. Here is the number of popular votes for the major parties' Presidential candidates since 2000 (source is the wiki page for each election).

2000: Bush 50.5m, Gore 51.0m

2004: Bush  62m, Kerry 59m

2008: McCain 60m, Obama 69m

2012: Romney 61m, Obama 66m

2016: Trump 59m, Clinton 59.5m

What strikes me is that the number of Republican votes has been fairly constant in the last few elections, but the turnout for Democrats was pretty weak this year. 

 

[msommer]

How about the $20 - $30 an hour jobs like machinists and automation techs that went overseas so that the 8 cents labor cost on a 50 cent electrical connector could be dropped to 7.8 cents (labor cost)?

How are you going to get them back in a significant way in the next four years without wrecking the economy?

 

[JIslander]

"The wall" was at no point a serious plank. It'll never get built, never get started, nothing.

I think it was a tie between the wall promise and the birther movement that got him the nomination. 

Gonna be some unhappy deplorables if he doesn't deliver.

 

[bosoxs45]

I honestly can't believe she blew a 3-1 lead.

 

[rick6668]

Michigan still very close, but looking like it could go to Trump.  With these 16 Electoral Votes, this puts Trump at 305 which means he didn't even need Florida to win 

 

[msommer]

Depressed that there's the potential for this country to take a HUGE step backwards in terms of social issues involving tolerance of minority groups (racial, LGBT, religion, etc).

Just wait until he gets going on "fixing" the economy, then you'll be really depressed.

 

[Buzzbait]

No money in that. It'd have to be a loss leader for a successful network, and we just don't have the kind of environment that supports such a thing anymore.

Fair enough and I understand so let me back off a bit. Does the news have to be given with such vile contempt for the other side? Would it be possible to provide news with an opinion and political bias that isn't so derogatory?

 

[Gr00vus]

Fair enough and I understand so let me back off a bit. Does the news have to be given with such vile contempt for the other side? Would it be possible to provide news with an opinion and political bias that isn't so derogatory?

You'd need something like the BBC. I don't know how feasible that is in the U.S. We have NPR, but it's not really the same. And I think there's some liberal bias with NPR. Not as bad as most, but some.