Posting here, in Conservatives only, cause there are a few things I very much wish to vent about. If you are not a conservative / Republican, I'd urge you to stop reading, or at least realize this is Conservative only section and if you are to respond, it would mean you are also a Conservative.
I first have to vent joy. I am blown away by the victory by Trump. I predicted on RF about 10 days ago that Trump would win popular vote but lose electoral. I thought it might be close, but honestly thought until 7:30 pm (CST) on Tues. Nov. 8th that Hillary would be next POTUS. I am sooooo happy that I was mistaken. This marks the first time in my life I've voted for a winning president. I truly believe I am pro-Republican/pro-Conservative foremost, anti-Hillary a somewhat distant 2nd, and then pro-Trump a not so distant 3rd. Tonight (or this morning), I feel like a proud American and glad to be part of what is a very visible movement / revolution.
I am also greatly surprised. And a bit exhausted on a few levels. Early in the evening, I thought it was swinging the other way. Took me until Pennsylvania fell to really believe the victory (which was last state to fall), but started to realize it around when Florida swung Trump's way, though kinda thought it before that as I think that happened a bit late. I dunno. I just know when it was somewhat stalemated at 254 to 215 on electoral, that Hillary still had a shot, and I wasn't ready to claim Pub victory.
While watching it all unfold, there was 2 threads (or ideas) on RF that kept coming up in my mind. One about pledge to behave. I, in that thread, pledged to remain anti-Hillary (thus not behave necessarily), but at the time I thought Hillary was going to win. My next point relates to this, but I not only thought she'd win, but thought one house of Congress would fall, and Dems would be thinking they had the mandate / the momentum and not seek to heal any rift. Now, I'm less willing to gloat, and is why my first post is in Conservatives only. Haven't even checked the other threads. Part of me doesn't want to behave cause as I see it, given the results, Dems were lucky to even be in the race. And I see them (particularly Clinton machine) playing dirty or usual for that side. I think that will be forgotten and it will be for some Dems (mainly LW media) about resisting Trump and Pub momentum. I hope I'm wrong about this to some degree, but I wouldn't expect die hard Dems to roll over and support Pubs/Trump in what is a clear victory here in 2016. Still would be nice to heal the rift.
Which is the other thread that occurred to me. Can't recall what the thread title was, but pretty sure Laika started the thread, and I had expressed that after Tuesday (the election) whoever the leader was needs to treat top priority as healing the rift. I currently stand by that. I must say it is a tad mitigated by the idea that Pubs won everything in this election, but I'd still rather see Americans unite than stay at odds and pretend like Pubs can do no wrong. Still, I see it as two-way street. And if my Facebook feed is any indication, I see not only a whole bunch of Dems that are bent out of shape, but are already swearing that Trump will never be 'their' president. So, if Pubs / Trump are extending olive branches and/or going extra mile to heal the rift, but Dems want none of that, then not sure how the rift gets healed. I still think Pubs ought to maintain stance of active listening, not resting on laurels, and making it as clear as possible (through MSM) that healing the rift is high priority. Yet, it really has to be two way street.
Would be great to end there, but I do want to say here, and possibly will be repeating this on the forums, that political science of today has gone down a few notches in my book. Prognosticators / pollers show up to me right about now as being way behind in their understandings of the American voter. It did remind me a bit of 2012 when Pubs were so sure Romney had it in the bag and were obviously gravely mistaken.
Also, all that talk for last few years, and last few days about how this election will spell the end of Pub party is nearly nonsense now. There's still points there to be made, but I imagine that part of fallout from this election will be very visible divide within Dem party. Might take awhile for that to play out, but I'm thinking at least some Dems (especially progressive types) are already seeing / blaming Dems as putting forth the wrong candidate and/or being out of tune with politics of 2016. Maybe not (here on RF), but I really do see that coming about, and while there's the rift between the two parties to be healed, there could be a collapse of sorts among Dems occurring at the same time. Some of that will plausibly / likely lead to part of left wing staying in mode of 'never Trump' and digging in, resisting any calls to come together as if we can be one big happy family. Yet, Pubs had to learn a lesson or two in last few election cycles, so we'll see how that plays out. If Dems think it was only about Hillary or only spinning it as negative, when it is at least a little bit about a movement that is seen as positive from Conservative side, then not sure what to say, other than been there done that on the other side.
Said a lot here, but done venting on the bigger things that came up for me as the night unfolded.
I first have to vent joy. I am blown away by the victory by Trump. I predicted on RF about 10 days ago that Trump would win popular vote but lose electoral. I thought it might be close, but honestly thought until 7:30 pm (CST) on Tues. Nov. 8th that Hillary would be next POTUS. I am sooooo happy that I was mistaken. This marks the first time in my life I've voted for a winning president. I truly believe I am pro-Republican/pro-Conservative foremost, anti-Hillary a somewhat distant 2nd, and then pro-Trump a not so distant 3rd. Tonight (or this morning), I feel like a proud American and glad to be part of what is a very visible movement / revolution.
I am also greatly surprised. And a bit exhausted on a few levels. Early in the evening, I thought it was swinging the other way. Took me until Pennsylvania fell to really believe the victory (which was last state to fall), but started to realize it around when Florida swung Trump's way, though kinda thought it before that as I think that happened a bit late. I dunno. I just know when it was somewhat stalemated at 254 to 215 on electoral, that Hillary still had a shot, and I wasn't ready to claim Pub victory.
While watching it all unfold, there was 2 threads (or ideas) on RF that kept coming up in my mind. One about pledge to behave. I, in that thread, pledged to remain anti-Hillary (thus not behave necessarily), but at the time I thought Hillary was going to win. My next point relates to this, but I not only thought she'd win, but thought one house of Congress would fall, and Dems would be thinking they had the mandate / the momentum and not seek to heal any rift. Now, I'm less willing to gloat, and is why my first post is in Conservatives only. Haven't even checked the other threads. Part of me doesn't want to behave cause as I see it, given the results, Dems were lucky to even be in the race. And I see them (particularly Clinton machine) playing dirty or usual for that side. I think that will be forgotten and it will be for some Dems (mainly LW media) about resisting Trump and Pub momentum. I hope I'm wrong about this to some degree, but I wouldn't expect die hard Dems to roll over and support Pubs/Trump in what is a clear victory here in 2016. Still would be nice to heal the rift.
Which is the other thread that occurred to me. Can't recall what the thread title was, but pretty sure Laika started the thread, and I had expressed that after Tuesday (the election) whoever the leader was needs to treat top priority as healing the rift. I currently stand by that. I must say it is a tad mitigated by the idea that Pubs won everything in this election, but I'd still rather see Americans unite than stay at odds and pretend like Pubs can do no wrong. Still, I see it as two-way street. And if my Facebook feed is any indication, I see not only a whole bunch of Dems that are bent out of shape, but are already swearing that Trump will never be 'their' president. So, if Pubs / Trump are extending olive branches and/or going extra mile to heal the rift, but Dems want none of that, then not sure how the rift gets healed. I still think Pubs ought to maintain stance of active listening, not resting on laurels, and making it as clear as possible (through MSM) that healing the rift is high priority. Yet, it really has to be two way street.
Would be great to end there, but I do want to say here, and possibly will be repeating this on the forums, that political science of today has gone down a few notches in my book. Prognosticators / pollers show up to me right about now as being way behind in their understandings of the American voter. It did remind me a bit of 2012 when Pubs were so sure Romney had it in the bag and were obviously gravely mistaken.
Also, all that talk for last few years, and last few days about how this election will spell the end of Pub party is nearly nonsense now. There's still points there to be made, but I imagine that part of fallout from this election will be very visible divide within Dem party. Might take awhile for that to play out, but I'm thinking at least some Dems (especially progressive types) are already seeing / blaming Dems as putting forth the wrong candidate and/or being out of tune with politics of 2016. Maybe not (here on RF), but I really do see that coming about, and while there's the rift between the two parties to be healed, there could be a collapse of sorts among Dems occurring at the same time. Some of that will plausibly / likely lead to part of left wing staying in mode of 'never Trump' and digging in, resisting any calls to come together as if we can be one big happy family. Yet, Pubs had to learn a lesson or two in last few election cycles, so we'll see how that plays out. If Dems think it was only about Hillary or only spinning it as negative, when it is at least a little bit about a movement that is seen as positive from Conservative side, then not sure what to say, other than been there done that on the other side.
Said a lot here, but done venting on the bigger things that came up for me as the night unfolded.
