I love my country, therefore I am disappointed in it and afraid for it. I mean, I love my daughter, but I'm not just going to accept it when she does things that are wrong- I'm going to correct her. I love my country, but I'm not going to just accept it when it does things that are wrong- I'm going to correct it.
What will we become, with a racist scam artist as a leader? We made it okay to hate again. Okay to beat up opponents, persecute anyone different. What an example to the world, and our children. The KKK and Russia are thrilled, our allies are nervous.
And I'm nervous, and scared. That's never happened after an election. I've been disappointed and angry, but never scared. It's because of Trump and his followers, not just Republicans in general. If Rubio or Kasich or almost any of the others had won (except Cruz, he's a dick,) I would have differences of opinion, of policy, with them. I don't think they are hateful people, though. If Romney had won his election, or Dole way back, they wouldn't have been hateful. I would have disagreed with them, opposed them, but not feared for my family and friends. Trump and Pence? Their supporters? They are hateful. Now they are feeling victorious, and unrestrained.
I worry about my daughter, my wife, my gay friends, my Muslim friends (and others who ignorant people will assume are Muslim, like my American-born friend of Indian heritage.) I worry about the effects Trump's plans will have on the economy, and on my job specifically: he is against globalization and I work in the auto industry, for a foreign company. I worry about his hotheadedness, particularly when it comes to foreign affairs and to his propensity to lawsuits and revenge.
I was disappointed, and I am still a bit fearful. But we'll get through this, and I grew up with Reagan and both Bushes, so I'm used to being in the opposition. Still... This time is different. There have already been incidents of harassment across the country; his supporters feel emboldened. Maybe he will not do (or be able to do) everything he said he would. Maybe he will learn in office, about restraint and foreign affairs and how the government actually works. Care to place a bet?
I've been told "get over yourself, he's not going to do all those nasty things." So... you are saying he is a liar? That he sold you a bill of goods? I agree with you there. I don't think he'll be able to do all the things he wants, but he will sure try with some of them. And his followers are feeling full of themselves, and think it's okay now to be nasty because, hey, the president is. To be fair, he has already flip-flopped on some things (remember when that disqualified presidential candidates?) I see that more as a sign of his ignorance, of him learning about things he never thought about. Wish that had happened a few years ago.
It will affect our relations to allies, and enemies (and what exactly is Russia, now, since he is such a fan?) I hope our allies don't give up on us. They, and we, need to remember that more people actually voted for Hillary. And because of disenchantment with Hillary, and Republican efforts to suppress the vote, liberal turnout was down. All in all, that still means most people in the country didn't vote for him, don't think like him, and are decent people.
I am comforted by little things: watching my daughter figure out how to stand up, doing yard work though I know I am just using that as a distraction. Comforted by seeing a flag and knowing that America is bigger than Trump, that most people did not vote for him. We just have to oppose him, and the deplorable people who actually support him.
And I will give him a chance. A small one. Not really a chance to prove himself; more a chance to prove who he really is. Any missteps and I will speak up (which means you should expect to hear me often.) I hope he succeeds, in that I hope the country does better. Based on his past statements and performance I don't think it will. Conservatives never gave Obama a chance, and despite their obstruction he made things quite a bit better. I gave Bush a chance, even when he lost our spyplane, even when he invaded Iraq for no good reason. I said "well, maybe they know more than we do." They didn't. They were ignorant liars. I can't say how long I will give Trump a chance; depends on how many vile things he does. I give it six months before he does something so foul that even his "reasonable" supporters say "oh, crap, what have we done?", and a year before he gives up/has a "health issue" and turns power over to Pence. Of course, that is even scarier- Pence is a religious bigot, and more dangerous than Trump because he actually knows how to govern.
Silver linings? Republicans now have a chance to prove themselves. And fail, since they're really not good at governing, just opposing. If Hillary had won, in the same way (if she won the electoral and lost the popular,) imagine the outcry from the deplorables. So, we were saved that. They will feel emboldened, but they would have felt angry and cheated. Comedians have lots to work with. And there are elections in 2 and 4 years. So, if we make it that long, we're good. We're Americans. We're better than Trump. Let's show ourselves and the world.
