2016 Postmortem

Last edited Sun Dec 11, 2016, 10:35 AM - Edit history (1)

I really don't get it, people. I really do not.

The interference everyone is inferring is irrelevant.
This was dissemination of information for general consumption. We already know that we have a triple problem.
Bad information, rumor-mongering, outright lies being passed unchecked as real. This has been going on since Fox News went on the air. Long before the 'fake news' on the internets.
A public uneducated and unwilling to investigate claims has been a growing problem for decades. Conservatives in the 70's identified an informed public as their enemy and have been attempting to dismantle the education system in the US ever since, and quite successfully. They started by taking over school boards, the textbook approval process and on and on.
The media failing to do its job began with the acceptance of the myth of a 'liberal media' in repsonse to Nixon's resignation. So, conservatives dismantle it, corrupt it, and corporatize it. Been there done that, back in the 80's. Look at the coverage of Bill Clinton's "horrible offences". The media has been a conservative lap-dog for a long time.

Adding in the information the Russians "hacked" and it does not really make any difference. If the elephant is sitting on your head, having a mouse climb on top does not effect anything.


Now as to the issue with the EC. Yes, the original intent for the EC (other than the preservation of slavery, gad how that still infects our entire nation) was to have "wiser heads" in charge of electing the President to prevent a person popular with the public but unfit for office assuming the powers of the position.
It is true that they seem a toothless lot now, totally uninvolved in the process simply rubber-stamping the results. It is also true that various states have attempted to pass state laws to override the constitution and force electors to vote for the winner of their state.
Let's assume, though, that the electors actually did their job. The candidate who won the popular vote, that "person popular with the public" was Clinton. As a large portion of the population, including many on the left, believe that HRC is unfit for office, the EC is doing what the founders intended, preventing an unfit person from assuming the powers even though they won the popular vote.
Reading the origins and constitutional constraints of the EC, it would seem to me that there is nothing in Trump's past to indicate that he would not be able to be President.
I despise the man. I disagree with virtually every word he has spoken. I expect the future to be disasterous and bleak. I believe his followers will turn on him.
But his actions, in particular putting the foxes in charge of the hen-house, are exactly what the Republicans have been doing for 30 years. This is nothing new.
Dismanteling social programs has been the Repubs bread and butter for ages. Nothing new.
Lying to his followers in order to win their vote is so common in elections as to be laughable.
Having no previous policial experience is not either. That phrase is usually 'previous political or military experience' as if having been in the military indicates one is more qualified than is a businessman.

Another thing, and this has bothered me for years. There are many on the left who actually put in physical and mental effort into politics. They write letters, they go to protests, they hold town meetings to educate the public. But the vast majority do not. Oh, they may show up for a "don't invade Iraq" protest, they may donate to a party or candidate, but they are not involved in the brick and mortar, boots on the pavement, type of politics.
Many, not all, but many keep thinking that someone out there is going to save us. If only Bernie won, if only the EC would do their job, if only... As if we are thinking some one person could make that big a difference. They are looking for a savior, a messiah, some mythical populist who can rally the troops and get the job done. Gee, sort of like the Trump voters who think he can bring back jobs.

We should not be looking to the EC to save us, or a mythical 'do-over'.
If you look at polls over the last 50 years that ask people about specific issues, you will see time and again most Americans are liberal in the policies. They don't want war. They want to feed the hungry. They would love free education. They would applaud shutting down the health insurance industry. They would cheer seeing millionaire wall street types being put in prison. They want to preserve the national parks. They want higher wages.
They honestly mostly don't give a crap about abortion, gay marriage, legal pot... They really don't.
We could go on and on. I have believed for a long time that individual Americans are liberal, 80% to 20% is the split.

Look at the gerrymandered-to-death congress talking about privatizing Social Security and Medicare. Those who voted for Trump thinking he would improve their economic situation don't want that. They would oppose this if they understood it. Where is the gigantic movement to organize educational seminars throughout the country to talk to people about these dangerous acts congress is about to do? Where is the call for a massive letter-writing campaign? Where is the organizing of a general strike should congress attempt to harm so many people by these reckless acts? Where is the effort to unite the HRC and DT supporters against these congressional policies? Remember, Trump railed against congress almost as much as he did against HRC.
So where is this?
Oh, right, we are busy criticizing the mental capabilities of Trump's supports, trying to keep him from being elected, looking for a guardian angel to save us, wondering about "identity politics".

The question is how is it that we find ourselves in a situation where all three branches of government are controlled by far FAR right Republicans? How is it that most governers are Republican. Enough state legislatures are totally republican that they could almost (1 short) call for a constitutional convention and rewrite the US Constitution.
From your local dog-catcher right up to the White House. Bill Clinton and Barack Obama aside (neither of whom is an FDR democrat), Republicans control the entire political apparatus of the US.

What the fuck is wrong with us on the left? Yes HRC "won the popular vote". So what? Her presidency would have been less effective that Obama's. She could pick David Duke for the Supreme Court and the Republicans would reject him. Congressional Republicans would do everything in their power to impeach her and that is ALL they would do.

We have the issues. We have the answers. We have no power. And we, and the country, are going to pay a price for that.

Do not talk about the Russian hack, bad as it is, its irrelevant to the situation.
Do not talk about how Trump is unfit, so was Reagan, Bush, Bush so what?
Do not talk the EC saving us from ourselves.

Talk about how we are correct, we have the issues, the US is a liberal country, and the far right is in control of everything - absolutely everything.

Talk about that.