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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAmericans who voted against Trump are feeling unprecedented dread and despair
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/topoftheticket/la-na-tt-american-dread-20161220-story.htmlAmericans who voted against Trump are feeling unprecedented dread and despair
Dread of the Trump presidency is weighing on many American families.
Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times)
David Horsey
I have never seen anything quite like the grief being felt by the majority of American voters who did not vote for Donald Trump.
Back in 1980, there was disappointment among Democrats when Ronald Reagan won. In 2000, after the long Florida recount and the intrusion of the Supreme Court into the decision, there were plenty of upset people who thought Al Gore, not George W. Bush, deserved to be president. But the losing voters in those elections were not despondent. They were not breaking out in tears weeks later. They were not waking up each morning with feelings of dread about what was to come.
This time it is different and, in my experience, unique. This is not simply a case of Hillary Clinton supporters being bad losers. For most of those who feel traumatized by what happened on Nov. 8, this is not about the candidate who won the popular vote, yet lost the election. It is about the candidate who was picked as president by the electoral college on Monday. People are mourning because the fate of their country will now be in the hands of an intellectually disinterested, reckless, mendacious narcissist.
It is not just Democrats. There are plenty of conservatives and Republicans among those feeling depressed. Their party has been captured by a man who has no bedrock belief in any principle; a man whose only allegiance appears to be to himself.
snip//
Those who are troubled by Trumps ascendancy are almost equally distressed by the mindset of their fellow citizens who voted for him. It is understood that most Trump supporters are decent folks, many of whom have been left behind by changes in the global economy. But how can they believe some of the things they believe? In a post-election survey, the Public Policy Polling organization found that 67% of Trump voters think unemployment increased during Barack Obamas presidency while only 20% know the opposite is actually true. Though the stock market skyrocketed to record heights during the Obama years, 60% of those who voted for Trump either do not know it or do not believe it. Forty percent of Trump voters also say their candidate won the popular vote, even though Clinton now leads in the count by nearly 3 million ballots. Perhaps that is why friendly crowds at his victory rallies continue to cheer when Trump makes the obviously false claim that he won the election in a landslide. They do not know better.
snip//
In the presidential campaign, the fears of one group of citizens morphed into a powerful anger that Trump harnessed to propel himself to the White House. Now, another set of Americans a significantly larger group is feeling profoundly distressed. If their fears are borne out, their anger, too, will become a political force that could upend an election yet to come.
rzemanfl
(29,565 posts)While in the interim Trump has the nuclear codes and the Repukes have the legislative branch.
We are so f**ked.
msongs
(67,413 posts)rzemanfl
(29,565 posts)madinmaryland
(64,933 posts)and there may only be a few thousand humans left.
Thanks, *Rump.
Eliot Rosewater
(31,112 posts)economic disaster at a minimum or nuclear winter at a maximum.
RKP5637
(67,109 posts)minimal, most have no governmental experience for starters. I don't see that as a badge of honor, but rather one of incompetence.
brianvanwa
(5 posts)Don't Mourn, Organize.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%27t_mourn,_organize!
Yes, we lost.
Yes, the political machine that elected him, and many of Trump's supporters lack a moral compass.
Yes, their lack of a moral compass gives them a big advantage in electoral politics.
Yes, their lack of a moral compass gives them a big advantage in controlling their message.
Yes, the results of this election are awful for our country, the greatest majority of our fellow citizens, including many who voted for Trump, and the world at large.
Whenever I read a thread like this, I feel despair for a moment, but only for a moment, because I reflect that readers of Breitbart.com, 4chan, etc. smile when they read such a thread.
Even if all is truly lost, do you want to make the alt-right happy?
Even if all is truly lost, saying so in public forum does not help us in any way!!
Can we agree to express our despair only to our spouses, significant others, family, close friends and anyone who helps us with our times of emotional difficulty?
Can we agree to limit our posts to how we are limiting the devastation in the next few weeks and the next four years?
We only get to vote for the dear leader
Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)Ford_Prefect
(7,901 posts)They'll take the whole 9/11 gambit further and further to the point of marshal law or something like it and suspend or delay the vote, or use the scenario to limit who may vote.
Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)RKP5637
(67,109 posts)about the future of the US unless it affects their bottom line.
certainot
(9,090 posts)the alternative reality is talk radio generated and reinforced
"I listened to thousands of hours of talk radio, and he (Trump) was getting reports from me,"
every other medium has a challenging component from the left.. not talk radio.
most of the msm is significant for what they leave out - talk radio is the only medium that can do the unchallenged repetition to create major long lasting lies
lake loon
(99 posts)... they're too busy legitimizing a candidate that LOST by 2,864,974 votes and is still the next president. Our system is a FRAUD. That should be the headline every day.
bdamomma
(63,868 posts)it should be called "corporate" media. They are "normalizing" this BS.
barbtries
(28,798 posts)moniker some time ago. i wince whenever i hear or read "alt-right" used to describe Nazis and white supremacists, and wish the world would start calling anti-abortionists what they are instead of "pro-life" - i am pro-life goddammit and pro choice too.
and liberal is not a dirty word!!!
HAB911
(8,902 posts)They can be expected to do ANYTHING
Ford_Prefect
(7,901 posts)Last edited Thu Dec 22, 2016, 06:35 PM - Edit history (1)
Based on the actions taken in the 2 recent special sessions I'd say we have a much more radical congress coming in than anyone expects. I think the people who voted them in are going to be stunned by how much further they are willing to go in redacting the Constitution and reducing services of every kind, not to mention redefining what is responsible congessional behavior and law.
barbtries
(28,798 posts)i live in it. the republicans are clearly craven and corrupt as hell and no more trustworthy than trump himself.
SpankMe
(2,957 posts)We know that was bunk. But we also know that this is something Trump would consider.
Should any of us claim Trump will declare marshal law at some point when we criticized the cons for saying Obama would declare marshal law?
We should abstain from accusing R-assholes of stuff they accused us of...even if we're right.
Fast Walker 52
(7,723 posts)RKP5637
(67,109 posts)doubt that is going to happen. Also, look at what happen to OWS. Also, consider this: "We've lost the Senate. We've lost the House. We've lost 935 state legislative seats since 2008, leaving 26 states fully under the control of the GOP -- meaning Republicans only need to consolidate power in a few more states to be able to amend the U.S. Constitution without Democratic input."
Cha
(297,275 posts)Last edited Thu Dec 22, 2016, 08:13 AM - Edit history (1)
WE DON'T QUIT!eleny
(46,166 posts)Only for those who I know voted against Dump, though.
If they voted for Dump , under the bus they go.
Lucky Luciano
(11,257 posts)bdamomma
(63,868 posts)let's not give in. NEVER.
RESIST. yep yep yep
plus i got a klonopin prescription to stay functional
phylny
(8,380 posts)I continue to feel despair (I know, "Despair is not an option''). There were several underlying reasons for my sadness in addition to the obvious points stated in the article: First, selfishly, I wanted to have a BREAK from worrying about the direction of my/our country and just enjoy some sanity and progress. I wanted NOT to worry about my kids and their future. Mostly, I don't quite trust us to mobilize and take America "back" from the evil that will lead us in January. I hope there are enough of us disgusted by what's happening right now. I said it in November, and I think it to this day as an older, white woman: Eventually, Millennials and people of color will save us from ourselves.
Silver Gaia
(4,544 posts)not just hope, but actually BELIEVE--that we were almost *there,* almost home to that place where "Millenials and people of color will save us from ourselves." I am shocked at how far we have yet to go. I am already old, and had hoped to be able to enjoy the rest of my life with a little peace and security, but no, there are still many miles yet to walk and battles yet to fight. I know I have to wipe away my tears, shake off my despair, and rise up ready to fight. Again. But I am so weary. I had just wanted some peace and quiet.
Generator
(7,770 posts)There was a map if only 18-25 were allowed to vote Trump would have got literally like 20 electoral votes. It made me smile.
RKP5637
(67,109 posts)VOX
(22,976 posts)Or, at best, lying his showboating ass off? I've really lost faith in trusting my fellow citizens to do the right thing when the chips are down.
As it stands, there is a major shitstorm coming. Anyone who doesn't grasp that fact is delusional.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)How can so many people be so stupid, so blind to reality, so hateful? That causes me more despair than anything.
RKP5637
(67,109 posts)smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)waiting to pounce when articles like this are written. You don't really see this level of hatred and stupidity in the comment section at the NYT or WAPO. It's still depressing though.
Caliman73
(11,738 posts)Thinks that everyone is worrying and it is overblown. Trump is taking the worst parts out of Reagan and Nixon's playbooks and putting them into action. He is appointing people of Reaganesque proportion to cabinet posts (Secretary of Ed who hates public ed; Secretary of State who is cozy with the Russians; Secretary of Energy who wants to eliminate the Department of Energy). He has a hatred of the media the rivals Nixon, and unlike Nixon (who had Ailes on his staff) Trump has the infrastructure to bypass or bully a lot of the significantly less independent media in order to frame his own narratives.
Plus, the man is so corrupt that he isn't even trying to hide the numerous conflicts of interest that he has, that will allow other powers to manipulate, threaten, or bribe him.
But you know, he didn't mean what he said he was going to do. Nothing to see here folks.
Dulcinea
(6,639 posts)Facts be damned.
Rational, thinking people see that Trump has the attention span of a toddler & possibly has a personality disorder, but that doesn't matter to his fan club. All they see is someone who makes them feel powerful, never backs down, & never admits he's wrong.
The real crapstorm will happen when Trump sells "rural white America" down the river. There will never be a wall. Their jobs are never coming back. All those black & brown people that make them so uncomfortable are here to stay. They'll still have to be polite to people they consider inferior, i. e. people of color, women, and LGBT people. They'll be left with nothing but an old "Make America Great Again" hat. The whole nation will suffer.
Crash2Parties
(6,017 posts)Quite literally.
The contradictions simply do not matter. All that matters is that their egos are stoked and they believe his is strong. They are Pakled.
NRaleighLiberal
(60,014 posts)Reagan and Bush were offensive. This one seems downright destructive and dangerous, on a global scale.
So of course the despondency is deep and widespread!
His victory also signifies something terribly wrong with our culture.
zippythepinhead
(374 posts)It happened to the romans.
NRaleighLiberal
(60,014 posts)Buckeye_Democrat
(14,855 posts)Remember polls, leading up to Dumbya's invasion of Iraq, when most of them believed that Saddam Hussein was responsible for 9/11?
The polls didn't show that level of ignorance in later years... after it was TOO LATE!
Here's an old poll about beliefs in various conspiracy theories:
http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2011/PPP_Release_National_ConspiracyTheories_040213.pdf
There's not much of a difference between Democrats and Republicans on several of them, such as belief in Bigfoot.
If belief in Bigfoot was suddenly a conservative talking point for whatever reason, just watch the polls change!
NRaleighLiberal
(60,014 posts)it just makes us gag. 24/7 non stop flow of trash on hundreds of channels - very few exceptions of true quality. Just a medium to brainwash and sell shit.
Buckeye_Democrat
(14,855 posts)There's some nuggets of truth, but much of it is trash.
USA radio and TV was largely built on it... from advertising/marketing!
bdamomma
(63,868 posts)hatred and division for many years. And those who are brainwashed in this BS will never say they were wrong....... a cowardly bunch they are.
you know the beginning of tRumps assault was declaring Obama as a "birther" then at a later date paid allegiance to Putin..............this is not a stable man/child. An enemy of the state.......is what we got.
Girard442
(6,075 posts)Some people thing that exposure to lead caused a wave in street crimes. If our current Republican Party isn't a crime wave, what isn't?
H2O Man
(73,558 posts)I think that Election Day 2016 will be among those strange times where people will long remember where they were. Someone said that maybe it was like feeling the symptoms of a serious disease -- that it might be better that people faced how sick our society actually is, rather than having a silent, fatal episode. I thought that made a lot of sense.
The response to Trumps electoral college victory in the month since has included both positive and negative features. Im not prone to depression or despair in terms of political events, but Ive seen how upsetting the outcome has been for my children, and other family and friends.
I am convinced that the only alternative now is to engaged in movement politics, and to bring about real changes within a society where a Donald Trump could be seriously considered for any political office.
babylonsister
(171,066 posts)there are some steely spines out there; maybe he will rile people up enough to show theirs. I know the more he talks, the more riled up I get!
And hello, H20 Man, so great to see you!
H2O Man
(73,558 posts)We've been making progress on the Standing Rock struggle, for example. Obviously, it isn't over. And those victories have to be built upon, including at numerous places across the country. But the current victories are very significant.
Always great talking with you, Buddy!
ffr
(22,670 posts)Betrayed. Conned. Manipulated. Cheated.
Yeah, despair. We're facing an early extinction reality and that's stressful. Ya think?!!
UTUSN
(70,700 posts)Silver Gaia
(4,544 posts)there is something else I feel, as a woman, that I didn't see mentioned in the snips posted here. I also despair that an unqualified sexual predator was "selected" over a highly qualified woman. That fucking hurts DEEP. I hear, "Sit down. Shut up. Stay in your place. You are not good enough " The same things I'd heard all my life, but that I *believed* we were finally leaving in the past. I felt, and feel, slapped on the face, laughed at for having dared to hope, and shocked at how wrong I was about our social evolution. So, yeah, I am despondent about all the things mentioned in the article, and then, there's still another deeper layer of despair, of hopelessness and grief.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)*sigh*
LuckyLib
(6,819 posts)ecstatic
(32,705 posts)catbyte
(34,393 posts)the will to live. It sounds melodramatic and I would never harm myself, but if anything should happen, I'm more like "meh" than I should. I hope I snap out of it soon. I feel betrayed down to my core.
Paladin
(28,262 posts)I have quite a few republican acquaintances, and hardly any of them are really happy about having trump in charge.
Charles Bukowski
(1,132 posts)They voted Trump because HRC is literally Satan in their eyes, and they're stupid partisan hacks.
I tell them every chance I get that they commited an act of sabotage on November 8th.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)AtheistCrusader
(33,982 posts)Trump just doesn't even try to hide it.
Granted, given the track record of shrub, we have reason to be afraid.
Mr. Evil
(2,844 posts)they get their (mis)information from Focksnooze.
Trumplethinskin
(18 posts)after any Presidential election.
In 2004, I was angry, but this year I am horrified. Trump is dangerous and reckless.
Buckeye_Democrat
(14,855 posts)Based on his cabinet picks so far, he's doing as I expected too.
I just hope that I'm wrong about the possible results of his proud ignorance and poor temperament in relation to the military & nuclear codes.
Jacob Boehme
(789 posts)mdbl
(4,973 posts)"It is understood that most Trump supporters are decent folks, many of whom have been left behind by changes in the global economy."
Understood by whom? I happen to know they are idiots. Every one of them I talked to are ignorant and stupid about politics and government in general, however they had plenty of warning from all sides of the media about trump and voted for him anyway. They gave up the moniker of "decent folks" when they did that and turned into accomplices of the destruction of our democracy. These decent folks comments make me sick.
Boomerproud
(7,954 posts)You are correct-if they are harmed Trump, I haven't one iota of empathy for them. Let them eat cake!
YOHABLO
(7,358 posts)then you're part of the problem. Trump is a huge reason to be concerned. This was not an election but a coup. If anyone has any doubts on how he will conduct business, just look at the cabal of thugs he's putting into his administration.
BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)bucolic_frolic
(43,173 posts)He is uprooting everything to suit himself and
he's Generaled and Oilmanned up the wazzoo
What do you use Generals and oil for? War.
Is there little doubt left?
heaven05
(18,124 posts)That is understood by those who want to believe that BS. They are, by and large, racists with no feelings about anyone but the ascendancy of the white race and the subjugation of all who are not white....and racist. Make ameriKKKa great again.....yeah right!!!!!!!!!!! Oh I am troubled deeply by the hate that trumpfuhrer has released with his blessings. His whole campaign was down with the n***** and up with the whites. I am not fooled by this diversionary tactic of making trumpsupporters victims. Jerks need to get out there and get retrained and get their lazy asses off the couch watching foxsnooze lies. THEY ARE NOT DECENT PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. THEY ARE ANIMALS.
elmac
(4,642 posts)and they blame their crappy jobs, their crappy lives on all the "freeloaders" the "illegals" the "takers". These supporters of sniffles are selfish, ignorant, of no use to society other then to its destruction.
Generator
(7,770 posts)I agree. If they are decent they certainly don't give a shit about most people only themselves. Every time every time I see a black person or a Muslim or a Latino I feel bad. I am white and not religious. I don't want to hurt people. It hurts me. They don't care.
eggplant
(3,911 posts)With Reagan, I was genuinely concerned about nuclear weapons and WW3 with the USSR, registering with Selective Service, all of it. He fucked this place up but good.
Paladin
(28,262 posts)I think trump's willfully ignorant approach to governing, coupled with the nation-wide devastation of the Democratic Party, place this country in the most perilous situation in its history. To me, Reagan looks benign and enlightened, by comparison.
eggplant
(3,911 posts)The days ahead will be fraught with untold terribleness. I'm simply saying that at the start of Reagan's tenure, I felt even more stressed about my personal safety than I do now. That having been said, I'm certain there are a LOT of people these days who are just as scared (if not more) of the coming days than I was back then.
Reagan was dogmatic and thus a generally predictable asshole. He created the homeless epidemic when he defunded mental health facilities and the stood by while AIDS devastated untold numbers of our citizenry. (And too many more things to list.)
Trump is just in it for the lols and so who knows WTF will happen. And even if we can toss his ass out, Pence will turn us back to the 50s.
zippythepinhead
(374 posts)Reagan's policies led to the great recession. Agent orange will lead us to another great depression and a world war.
The orange piss worm will destroy himself because of his mega hubris and bad karma.
LiberalLovinLug
(14,174 posts)Much much more than she did. In the debates it would d have been nice. At least TRY to counter all the disinformation. For the life of me I cannot understand this. Modesty? Envy?
Why not shout these stats out every chance any Dem news guest had all through the primaries but especially in the general. If the MSM refused to point these things out for fear of losing their precious horse race, why didn't every Dem in reach of a mic remind people over and over?
yardwork
(61,622 posts)Trump lied incessantly.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)yardwork
(61,622 posts)Liberal_in_LA
(44,397 posts)Adsos Letter
(19,459 posts)Hashing things out on a political message board is all well and good, but we have to translate that into concerted action. Otherwise this thing is just going to run us over.
Apologies to all who are actively involved.
Dawson Leery
(19,348 posts)Sen. Walter Sobchak
(8,692 posts)I think after a very brief honeymoon Trump and the Republicans in Congress will turn on each other and we're really just headed for four years of gridlock. I was in a lot more distress at this time in 2000 than I am now.
Raine
(30,540 posts)made it thru those 8 years. This time I think it will be four years of them going after each other then the moron will be out.
radical noodle
(8,000 posts)Now I'm just mad as hell. I'm not sure I've ever been so angry in my life. I want to do everything possible to be a huge thorn in the side of every Trump voter I know. I'm going to spend every day of the next four years calling him exactly what he is and pointing out what an idiot he is... and that they were for voting for him. I intend to bait them and resist. Not for one moment will I give him any respect. I have said to Trump voters who want us to "all get along" now that I will treat Trump exactly the way they have treated President Obama the last 8 years. I'm tired of being the nice party.
Abq_Sarah
(2,883 posts)Now i'm fresh out of give-a-damn.
This too shall pass.
Truth321
(93 posts)Elected in next time 100 years? I'm so depressed
BigDemVoter123
(43 posts)Depressed & full of dread and despair.
I'm not far from retirement, and I'm so TIRED of this type of SHIT!
Liberal_in_LA
(44,397 posts)ecstatic
(32,705 posts)Too many emotions to sift through...
First, did he actually win or was there vote tampering? We know there was indirect tampering through voter suppression--throwing millions off the rolls, closing polling locations, faulty equipment, etc. But the media isn't talking about that...
On the other hand, if the win was legit, WHY? ! How could so many people be so fucking stupid? It's mind boggling!
I also feel so much anger towards the media, who failed us miserably and still isn't doing their fucking jobs correctly.
I'm angry that elected dems aren't raising hell right now.
I'm angry with the BoBers who still don't seem to have a clue!
I'm angry about the unfair and unrepresentative electoral college system.
And I feel despair because it appears that there's no bar that trump can't cross. He can do whatever the fuck he wants. There are no checks or balances. An unfit jackass is about to seal all of our fates.
Cha
(297,275 posts)Thank you, David Horsey..
Thank you, babylonsister!
democratisphere
(17,235 posts)Just imagine what the self-professed "smart guy" will do to America. "Ahnold" and the "smart guy" have swapped places. We're so screwed.
HughBeaumont
(24,461 posts)Combined with his cheap labor and sub-par corner-cutting, where did the money GO?
democratisphere
(17,235 posts)"where did it all go?"
Ilsa
(61,695 posts)the first couple of weeks. She's a survivor with her family around her to comfort her. And I'm grateful she has that.
Yeah, I'm still scared about trump and the ndxt four years. I'm pretty sure I need medication for it, too.
tenisfin
(36 posts)believe for one minute that the majority of Trump voters are "decent" people. Just because his supporters don't consider themselves racists or bigots doesn't mean they're not. They voted for an explicit racist so some part of them (even if they don't recognize it) is indeed racist. Believe me, I've struggled with this because I know some of these voters and I will never feel the same toward them again.
BumRushDaShow
(129,062 posts)Only if people stop sitting home during off-year elections and take their states back - and do it all before the 2020 census. Otherwise we are truly fucked.
Paladin
(28,262 posts)Those you who claim Trump won't be any worse than Reagan, better wake the hell up. Trump hasn't even been inaugurated yet, and look what we're faced with.
no_hypocrisy
(46,117 posts)But I'm not going to take it. I'm joining groups and will at least try to slow down degeneration of this country.
SammyWinstonJack
(44,130 posts)hamsterjill
(15,220 posts)We were smart enough to know what would be coming if an idiot, selfish jerk was allowed into the White House.
Some of us are simply more enlightened than others. It really wasn't even a stretch either because Trump showed himself to be exactly what he is during the campaign. His supporters are willfully ignorant and simply ignored what they saw.
I feel sorry for all of the rest of us who will suffer for their incompetence.
okieinpain
(9,397 posts)make a coherent statement. i just think this is all democrats fault and maybe we deserve this in some, maybe even a lot of ways.
Fast Walker 52
(7,723 posts)Doitnow
(1,103 posts)have been lied to for so many years, they couldn't see the Liar in Chief coming and believed him, too. I am wondering how they are feeling now that trump is filling his cabinet with such deplorables. Has there been any poll on them? Or will it only hit them when the results actually come to their doorstep in the form of 1/2 of their Social Security.
mahatmakanejeeves
(57,465 posts)Xipe Totec
(43,890 posts)barbtries
(28,798 posts)but I do have a number of friends, co-workers, and family members who really think I am overreacting in a way that is not good for my health.
but...FUCK! when the discussion actually begins, none of them fail to agree that the future is at best a huge question mark and at worst, will fuck us all.