The election of Donald Trump to the highest office in land (world?) surprised me as much as it did any liberal talking head on election night 2016. I gave him no hope to get the Republican nomination and less than no hope of beating Hillary Clinton in the race to the White House. I was wrong. I have spent the last few weeks digesting both that last statement and the consequences of Trump’s ascendency.
I don’t think I underestimated Donald Trump. He was (is?) a loud mouth boor. He is juvenile at times, crass, and does not think before he speaks. Those qualities alone, given the hostile attitude of the majority of American press towards him, should have killed any chance he had of advancing past a few early primary victories. But here he is less than 60 days from being sworn in. So where did I err?
I underestimated the American people, specifically the working class Democrats and unaffiliated. I don’t know how I did it. Look to the right of the blog and read these words I wrote 2-3 years ago in my blog description
“I think the Democrat Party has been taken over by America haters, career victims, and those who believe that the federal government should be your daddy.”
It has and a lot of people, many, many, more than I gave credit to, came to that same conclusion. Hillary Clinton did not represent them. They get up each morning, go to work (or look for work), and try to be the best American they can. They see Black Lives Matter all but call for the assassination of police, they see Hillary (& Obama) talk about actively shutting down the US Coal industry, they see college students demanding free tuition, safe spaces, and the right to shout down opposition thought, but scream for diversity at the same time.
They see the pre-ordained successor to Obama’s throne tell Congress “What difference does it make?” when Americans die overseas. The news is filled with Pay for Play scandals involving the Clinton Foundation and The Clinton Global Initiative. They see members of the IRS actively harassing Americans just because they have a different political philosophy.
They see all of that, and see the leaders of the Democratic Party nod their head in agreement. They ask themselves, deep down, “Is this what I believe?”
I don’t think I underestimated Donald Trump. He was (is?) a loud mouth boor. He is juvenile at times, crass, and does not think before he speaks. Those qualities alone, given the hostile attitude of the majority of American press towards him, should have killed any chance he had of advancing past a few early primary victories. But here he is less than 60 days from being sworn in. So where did I err?
I underestimated the American people, specifically the working class Democrats and unaffiliated. I don’t know how I did it. Look to the right of the blog and read these words I wrote 2-3 years ago in my blog description
“I think the Democrat Party has been taken over by America haters, career victims, and those who believe that the federal government should be your daddy.”
It has and a lot of people, many, many, more than I gave credit to, came to that same conclusion. Hillary Clinton did not represent them. They get up each morning, go to work (or look for work), and try to be the best American they can. They see Black Lives Matter all but call for the assassination of police, they see Hillary (& Obama) talk about actively shutting down the US Coal industry, they see college students demanding free tuition, safe spaces, and the right to shout down opposition thought, but scream for diversity at the same time.
They see the pre-ordained successor to Obama’s throne tell Congress “What difference does it make?” when Americans die overseas. The news is filled with Pay for Play scandals involving the Clinton Foundation and The Clinton Global Initiative. They see members of the IRS actively harassing Americans just because they have a different political philosophy.
They see all of that, and see the leaders of the Democratic Party nod their head in agreement. They ask themselves, deep down, “Is this what I believe?”
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