I know there is 5 million posts about the election going on right now, I hate to add another one, but I thought this was a good read, written with a lot of reason and sense...

 

PRESIDENT TRUMP … – Regie's Blog

 

PRESIDENT TRUMP

 

In 2008, Oprah and Will Smith yelled and screamed and high-fived each other over how amazing the Obama presidency was going to be.

 

 

But then, we had a “beer summit” (that was odd). Then, a trillion dollar stimulus package …that turned into a deficit. Then a Tea Party. Then Occupy Wall Street. Then Ferguson, Baltimore, Sandy Hook, San Bernardino, Orlando, Chattanooga, Benghazi and Dallas. Then came Obamacare. And ISIS rose up in the middle east.

Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Prince, David Bowie, Glenn Frey, Merle Haggard and Steve Jobs ALL died during the Obama presidency. Peyton Manning retired. American Idol got cancelled. Tornadoes still ravaged trailer parks in the mid west and hurricanes still chewed up beaches. Several people got eaten by sharks. Brad and Angelina broke up. Kanye West and Kim Kardashian procreated. Smart phones blew up in people’s pockets. We had, like, six hundred Country Music award shows …and Bruce Jenner is now a woman.

 

Some of that you can blame on President Obama and some of it …you can’t. It shows that presidents can affect a lot. But life is going to suck sometimes, no matter who the guy is in charge.

 

Speaking of the country …it elected a new president last night. Some people are too happy …and some are too sad. The anger and vitriol we all thought (and prayed) would end, once the ballots were cast, seems to only be ratcheting up. I suppose it’s easy to call for everyone to accept the will of the people when you think your candidate is going to win.

 

Nevertheless, the thing about presidents elect is you can never really know what you’re about to get. I always chuckle at those press questions in a campaign, “what qualifies you to be president?” The truth is NOTHING qualifies ANYONE for that job. Maybe being a governor of a big state …maybe not. Until they take you in that back room and brief you on how bad it really is, you can’t know how you’re going to govern.

 

I have no idea what kind of President Mr Trump will be. We can never know these things. But I always give first timers the benefit of the doubt. I would’ve done the same thing for Mrs Clinton. I definitely did for Mr Obama …and it’s in print somewhere.

 

What I DON’T believe is that we’re about to turn into Nazi Germany (and I’ve read some posts from people who actually believe that). I don’t think we’re going to roll back to the 1950s in our social order. If Donald Trump is anything, he’s as immersed in current pop culture as Miley Cyrus. A man who was a regular guest on Howard Stern isn’t going to be interested in a puritanical revival of any kind. He’s not coming after “the gays” or the “transgender.” To the contrary, when Caitlyn Jenner (formally the aforementioned Bruce) asked him where she could use the restroom in his hotel, his answer was “use which ever one you feel comfortable in.”

 

The point is, we might be projecting some of our own irrational fears onto a man who is definitely flawed …but probably not evil incarnate.

The “educated” among us are reminding us how utterly stupid the country is for voting for this man, while simultaneously wringing their hands, melting down emotionally and predicting Armageddon (like …for real). They may be right about it all …but they may be wrong.

 

I am not moving to Canada. I am not going underground. I refuse to sling insults at people who voted one way or another and become a caricature of a petty, ignorant American. In this country if you run and get the votes …you get to be president. That’s still a good thing …even if you don’t like the result.

For the Hillary supporters …pull yourselves together. Please. Some of you are embarrassing yourselves. For the Trump supporters …some of you are too. A little grace and humility might be in order. You just elected Donald J Trump as your nation’s president …and he was once a part of Wrestle Mania.

 

Still, I believe in the ability of people to surprise you. And I, for one, am going to give this man some room to prove that.

 

There are not a lot of choices left.

He isn't allowed a chance, he is white which apparently = racist.

I think he hit the nail on the head.

There was vast overreaction when Obama was elected and then reelected. Obama supporters were eager to explain as much to those who didn't support him.

 

Now, the shoe is on the other foot. Those who lectured about overreacting are themselves overreacting to Trump's election. It's happening in the media, on social media, around the water cooler, on BGP, etc.

 

We place too much importance on politics, in my opinion.

There was vast overreaction when Obama was elected and then reelected. Obama supporters were eager to explain as much to those who didn't support him.

 

Now, the shoe is on the other foot. Those who lectured about overreacting are themselves overreacting to Trump's election. It's happening in the media, on social media, around the water cooler, on BGP, etc.

 

We place too much importance on politics, in my opinion.

 

Could not agree more with what you said. I am guilty of placing too much importance on politics.

There was vast overreaction when Obama was elected and then reelected. Obama supporters were eager to explain as much to those who didn't support him.

 

Now, the shoe is on the other foot. Those who lectured about overreacting are themselves overreacting to Trump's election. It's happening in the media, on social media, around the water cooler, on BGP, etc.

 

We place too much importance on politics, in my opinion.

 

Here's my dirty little secret. I really want to spend the next 4 years doing nothing bUT chasing Trump supporters around on BGP and harassing them, goading them and stereotyping them. I am itching to start eleventy billion threads about random Trumpness, real and made up. I'm ready to start a thread every time my electric bill goes up, or my taxes, or whatever. I'm dying to make "Thanks, Trump" my mantra every time the price of eggs goes up.

 

That's what I want to do. But, I'm gonna listen to Michelle O. I'm gonna go high....after one last shot....at the angry white men of BGP.

There was vast overreaction when Obama was elected and then reelected. Obama supporters were eager to explain as much to those who didn't support him.

 

Now, the shoe is on the other foot. Those who lectured about overreacting are themselves overreacting to Trump's election. It's happening in the media, on social media, around the water cooler, on BGP, etc.

 

We place too much importance on politics, in my opinion.

 

I suppose as someone who watched the meltdown on this forum in 2008 in total bewilderment I'm sympathetic to what you're saying. I've tried to be conscious of that before making some of my posts, even though I imagine some of mine will be chalked up as the same, but your observation deserves a response.

 

As concisely as I can state it, what drove me mad about the response to Obama wasn't what was said about him, but the absurd evidence to justify it (e.g. I remember a respected poster on here arguing his 57 state gaffe was because he was a Muslim who'd internalized the 57 countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.) So, I hope my criticisms of Trump are based on actual things he's said or done and that someone who doesn't agree can challenge them on the merits.

 

It so far seems like a lot of the pushback has been along the lines of "well, he said what he had to to win" or "he hasn't actually done anything yet." Considering he's unlike any other candidate we've seen before - and I think his supporters would say precisely the same thing - it's hard to accept that as comforting. I guess what I'm driving at here is I just don't see this as an "equal and opposite" of 2008 and I don't believe that's a thing that exists in politics anyway.

I guess what I'm driving at here is I just don't see this as an "equal and opposite" of 2008 and I don't believe that's a thing that exists in politics anyway.

 

It may not be an equal and opposite thing, but at the same time, many who were upset at Obama's election/reelection felt that way based on things he'd said or done (policies) & not the outlandish things like you cited (He's a Muslim, a friend of terrorists, he wants to destroy America, etc).

 

Still, the reason I posted what I did has to do with how much emphasis we place on politics--too much IMO. People, myself included, tend to lose at least some sense of reason and consistency when discussing or considering politics. For other people, it's even worse because it's like a religion and gets really ugly.

 

We put too much into it, is all I'm saying. And I think the reactions from election to election reveal that much.

It may not be an equal and opposite thing, but at the same time, many who were upset at Obama's election/reelection felt that way based on things he'd said or done (policies) & not the outlandish things like you cited (He's a Muslim, a friend of terrorists, he wants to destroy America, etc).

 

Still, the reason I posted what I did has to do with how much emphasis we place on politics--too much IMO. People, myself included, tend to lose at least some sense of reason and consistency when discussing or considering politics. For other people, it's even worse because it's like a religion and gets really ugly.

 

We put too much into it, is all I'm saying. And I think the reactions from election to election reveal that much.

 

I certainly agree with that. It's disconcerting how few people can civilly disagree over politics and how many friendships or relationships are broken over it. I generally avoid talking about it offline.

I certainly agree with that. It's disconcerting how few people can civilly disagree over politics and how many friendships or relationships are broken over it. I generally avoid talking about it offline.

 

It's probably a little easier for me this year because of my equal disdain for both candidates. When you don't have a dog in the fight, it's a little easier to sit on the sidelines and yap about it. :lol2:

"We thought Internet would give us access to ppl w different points of view. Instead it gives us access to many ppl w the same point of view."

 

Saw this tweet and thought of this thread. I think it's part of the reason I keep coming back here, despite a few hiatuses. Even though some of the debates can feel like I'm pounding my head into the desk, it's good to interact with people with different opinions and beliefs.

It is really easy to get caught up in the just totally off the wall, unreasonable, and hateful things, like Post #2. Which may be that poster's intent. I have no clue if he is honest, pulling strings or cruelly sarcastic. Doesn't matter those posters who do that consistently usually are ignored, I said usually.

 

I hardly ever discuss politics with family, friends, or colleagues. With a few of the 7 grandkids usually around I mostly talk coloring books, what's on Disney Channel and playing hide 'n seek. So this is really the only avenue I discuss them. Facebook is for family and friends news, not views or I go on by, Twitter is mostly for my sports, trivia, and fun stuff.

 

This is for discussions on lots of things. I do get challenged, in a positive way, hearing different perspectives and points of view and believe many will at least read mine. I could give a squat whether anyone agrees, not gonna' ruin or make my day at all. But it is good to discuss issues and actually learn stuff. The difficult part for most of us is we either don't know or don't know well most of the others BGPer's. So we don't really know them and it makes it tough not to judge some things said. I don't know what tragedies you've faced, what personal issues you have going on now, the challenges in your job, what promotion you just received, even what vocation most of you have. Much less religious affiliation, socioeconomic status race, sometimes gender. That's why that I don't really know their circumstance is important that I try to understand from a different lens and get frustrated at times with those that don't seem to be able to do that. Some will think that is being "politically correct" I just think it is treating everyone with the value, dignity and respect they deserve, especially when I really don't know them.

 

So Trump does not scare me or will probably not affect me on a real personal level much at all. I do believe he will be very very unpredictable and leave a lot of us scratching our head as to, well he is right on that and what the hey is he doing, that's idiotic.

 

Really, not much different than any politician, even though he isn't an establishment politician, he is a politician. It's gonna do and say crazy things at times because that is his core. I just hope and pray there literally are not too many dead bodies along the way. That's my real concern. I feared that with Obama, also due to him being the first president of color.