Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Trumpastrophe and the Pundits

We'll never hear about Trump's taxes, you can bet on that. He won't go after Clinton personally--he'll just eviscerate Obamacare, the Environmental Protection Agency, marriage equality, Roe V. Wade, and the last shreds of decency on the Supreme Court. Johnny will get his guns. The United States has taken giant leaps backwards--is there still a United States? There's a United Hates, something we always knew existed. The very poor, very desperate, very trusting, very uneducated part of Trump's power base was easy to organize through hatred and fear, which make the weak feel as though they were strong. Uniting with love, "stronger together" is the truer message, the better message, and one that we can hope to hear ringing decades down the line, after de-Trumpification takes place, as I suppose it will, eventually. My twelve-year-old daughter just called from school, distraught. A friend on the Upper West Side of Manhattan emailed, "Can we move in with you?" Sure, I said.
I do blame, in part, the pundits and so-called moderators of the debates. Things happen incrementally, and at each small bad downward turn, these gatekeepers were not there to put a forceful stop to bad behavior. When Trump interrupted Clinton constantly, when he name-called, not one moderator said, "Mr. Trump, stop that right now: you are not allowed to talk to your opponent in that hostile manner. Apologize." Either they did not dare to do so--shame on you!--or they felt too stunned, and looked to Clinton as the Mommy who would make everything better. I don't feel any happier about the comments I am hearing from CNN this morning. Not one honest protest. "Historic victory"--if you're talking about Hitler marching into Poland, would you use that term? Never forget that all the pundits said "he wouldn't dare." If you're a praying type, start praying now. Some act of God could still prevent Trump and  Putin from stepping over the necks of the peasants on their way to yet more money, yet more power.

8 comments:

  1. Yep. Dark ages once more. You nailed it. Hate is more predominant than people generally realize.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's so easy to stir up hatred. The pundits are wrong to say he just "channeled" anger. He pumped it as high as he could, and he does not give a damn.

      Delete
  2. Brilliant comments but you're wrong about one thing: It's not a United Hates of America. It's a Divided one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well--I hope this is "only" division and not hatred. But when I hear Trump supporters yelling "execute her!" then I feel it's hatred he's used to get power.

      Delete
  3. J is reading the exit results of who voted for whom. Those who voted Trump are not all old white men, or disenfranchised young ones. This has been a horribly divisive election but if don't learn from it -- like, by understanding why so many women and minorities voted FOR Trump -- we are fools indeed. College campuses are inhospitable to any conservative viewpoints, no matter how moderate,and people of different viewpoints seem unable to discuss their feelings without quickly degenerating to name calling. Trump is certainly a bigot and unconcerned with the welfare of anyone not himself, but mistaking him for those who voted for him is foolish indeed. At least now the millennial will have a raisin d'etre. For my part, I'm glad to be in Australia right now!

    ReplyDelete
  4. He's an opportunist, a bully, shameless. I can't believe anything good can come of a man of his character. If changes that look good are made--which remains to be seen--I fear these will come at a terrible cost.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I agree with you, but it's like Brexit: shocking to liberals who have lost touch with the feelings of anyone who isn't them. It's not black and white, and discussions that include opposing viewpoints have not been happening. Even now, liberals are smug. All those people who voted for Trump are racist. Really? Today the Washington Post profiles a Muslim woman and other unlikely Trump supporters. Their reasons are surprising.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I never said all those who voted for Trump were racist. I said Trump stirred up hate. That's why many voted for him. Feeling hatred, having a scapegoat, made them feel strong. Others voted for him on the theory he'd somehow "fix" health care, because he's a businessman. What remains unfortunately certain is the character of the man. Unless he hands the presidency to a committee of less sociopathic persons, we're in for a rough ride indeed.

    ReplyDelete