Wishful Thinking

OK. I'ma get this off my chest first thing.

What the hell, America? I cannot fathom how we could elect Donald Trump as our president. Cannot. Fathom.

Set aside the obvious for a sec. The horrible things he says on a daily basis, the absolute horrors he's looking at to put in his administration, the blatant nepotism and general disregard for the office he said he wanted. Set that aside. Oh, and set aside the hellacious violence-instigating campaign he just ran. Just...set that all aside.

Here were our choices, and think, for a sec, that you are interviewing candidates for an actual job. Because that's what a campaign is, ya'll. The world's longest and most mind-numbingly expensive job interview.

On the one hand you have a woman who has roughly four decades of experience. During that time she racked up an impressive amount of accomplishments, but she also had some blunders. Because we're talking FORTY YEARS and she's, yanno, human. The only person who's done that much time in community service without any blunders would be Bernie Sanders but we can't have a SOCIALIST NOW, CAN WE?

Ahem.

On the other hand, there's this guy with zero experience. He says he has plans but won't tell you what they are. He says he's a great businessman but won't show us his financial records. So, weighing all this...you chose this guy. Well done, America. You should never ever be in charge of human resources EVER.

But that's why we have the electoral college, right? To make damn sure a blithering idiot never makes it into office, right? How did THAT work out for us?

We need to get rid of the electoral college, and I'm not just saying that because "my side" lost. It's archaic and not necessary. We have the world of information at our fingertips and YES, the states that have the most people absolutely should have more say in who is our POTUS if we are really one person/one vote. The rural states should NOT have untoward advantages in this, because frankly, they have no clue what the urban areas NEED, just like the urban areas shouldn't ignore and ridicule what rural areas need. We already have one branch of government that's skewed to give all states "equal weight" and that's the freaking Senate where Utah gets 2 senators and California gets...2 senators. See? There's your "equal treatment".

So, ditch the electoral college and let the people actually choose who they want for POTUS since
a) unless the electoral college does something unheard of (but this entire election cycle has been rife with that shit), we are stuck with Agent Orange as our POTUS so they aren't going to even do what they are supposed to do this time around
b) a big reason we even have the electoral college was so that the less populous states at the time (insert SLAVE-OWNING states because slaves couldn't vote) were able to toss their weight around and keep their way of life which was wrong then and even more wrong now

And here's how to fix some of our seemingly terminal division in this nation. Used to be that actual moderates from both sides would run for office and say crazy things like, "And if elected, I will do my best to work with the (other side) for the good of all the American people" and people would ELECT them instead of calling them RINO's, DINO's and traitors. WEIRD, HUH?

So we're totally divided now and there may as well be alligator-infested moats in that aisle they used to cross all the time.

We need to tweak our leadership just a smidge.

Both sides still choose a candidate for POTUS and a running mate.

Whoever wins the popular vote gets to be POTUS.

Whoever gets the 2nd most votes gets to be VP.

If something happens and the POTUS or VP can't fulfill their duties, their running mate steps up, keeping the party representation in place.

That's it. Simple.

Because MOST of the time, the election isn't 90% voting for one guy and 10% voting for the other guy. This time it's like 2% difference. It was less than 10% difference when it was Obama/Romney. So you have literally almost half your voters all pissed off after the election and the other half screaming, "HA! IN YOUR FACE! GET TO THE BACK OF THE BUS!" which is not helpful for a harmonious national attitude.

MAKE 'em work together. Right at the top of the heap. THAT'S one "trickle-down" that actually has a chance in hell of working.

Seriously, ya'll. Do I have to think of everything?

Let Me 'Splain Something to You, America

Why are people so upset? So they lost the election- why don't they just get over it. What a bunch of whiny baby losers...

Because that's not it at all. At All. Losing the election is something that happens all the time. What we've just invited into our lives is a completely different animal.

People who have done no fact-checking for three decades over any GOP contrived Hillary-gate and done no fact-checking for eight years of Obama's presidency have just watched a man spew out awful hateful things about AMERICAN citizens for over a year. I watched it. Everyone watched it. We couldn't help it. He was on the damn "liberal bias" media 24/7/365 for fuck's sake.

They've watched and cheered as this lying sack of shit urped up lie after lie so quickly fact-checkers had strokes, but every single one was brought out in the open as a lie in quick order. Every single one. And they didn't care. They voted for him anyway.

No- not all were low-information voters. Not all were racist or misogynistic. But every single one was able to disregard his vile invective and vote either FOR him, or against Hillary. Every single one.

The "never Hillary" voters held their noses and voted for this overtly and upright in your face racist, blundering, mean, huckster because...shit they heard Hillary did but was never convicted of- over and over and over again. And instead of saying, "Hey- she wasn't convicted. Guess it's not as big a deal as we thought" they instead went with the guy who's been involved in over 3,000 lawsuits and excuse it away by saying, "Well, that's what happens when you're a successful businessman." (Hint- NO. NO IT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENS UNLESS YOU'RE A SLIMY-ASS BASTARD OF A BUSINESSMAN.)

I get it. She wasn't perfect. She's not as flashy, clever or charming as Obama. She's not as pushy, vain and confident as Trump. She had an air of "entitlement" to the presidency that turned a lot of people off.

And now this is what we have. He's already surrounding himself with the most "conservative" people on the planet to help him run our country. Dangerous, punitive, selfish and greedy people. He's already walking back everything he made you cheer about- the wall, repealing Obamacare, overturning gay marriage---every one of his pretty promises that were what made Fundamental America hold their nose and vote for him- he's not going to do. SURPRISE!

We've heard the word "trigger" a lot since he's been running for office. Women who have survived abusive relationships are actually triggered into panic attacks just by the sound of his voice and the tone of his words and how he holds himself.

So here's the 'splainin' part:

You start dating someone. It's great. They have a good job and money and say they are successful.

During the dating process, sure some things you don't agree on. He's a little too quick to lose his temper. A little too pushy. Tells a few racist and off-color jokes and expects everyone around him to laugh.

But he's got that good job and tells you he'll take care of you and you'll never have to worry about money again.

Things turn uglier as you and he intertwine your lives more and more. He's still saying the pretty things (especially in public) but at home he's meaner, shorter-tempered. He may even slap you once or twice...in frustration he says. He's sorry. It won't happen again.

Alarm bells go off in your head and you talk to other women you trust- your mom or a close friend and they say, "But he's so successful and handsome. I'm sure he's just really stressed out at work. Try to be patient."

One day he takes out a big ol' diamond ring and asks you to marry him. Every awful thing he's ever said and done crash around in your head and scream, "DON'T DO IT! RUN!" But the ring...and the lifestyle...and the promises that you just KNOW he'll keep...if only you're patient and a good wife.

It'll be fine and everything will be great.

So you say "yes". You go into that voting booth and vote for Trump.

And now- less than a week from the election and over two months from him even getting sworn in, he's already walked back on the best of what he promised you, and is lining up for his old friends and cronies- to make THEIR lives better. Not yours. His and theirs.

Except it's too late, America. You have chosen the bad boyfriend and you can't divorce him.

The reason we're angry is because in spite of his entire campaign rhetoric, in spite of his dismal record as a businessman (it's not a success if you hock everything to build something else, cheat your sub-contractors out of their pay, and make sure that your finances are set up so that if it all goes tits-up you will escape unscathed), you voted for him. You said "yes".

And now that it's too late to say "no", you're telling us to "give him a chance". "Let's see what he does." "Maybe it'll turn out GREAT!"

No. No it won't.

Because just like the bad boyfriend, he's already shown us what and who he is and now that he's the president that's not going to change.

Just like the bad boyfriend, what we saw during the campaign was DATING BEHAVIOR- he was on his BEST behavior trying to woo your vote.

Now that we're hitched to a Trump presidency, he can let his guard down and be himself. He doesn't have to be NICE anymore.

Get it? The awful things we listened to and that triggered us all for over a year? THAT WAS TRUMP ON HIS BEST BEHAVIOR.

And now if you'll excuse me, I need to breathe into a paper sack and take some benadryl for my hives.

Flabbergasted...

No, that's not exactly right. I'm not flabbergasted and not sad. I'm pissed off but not for the reasons you may think I am.

My family and I watched till the bitter end about 2am. We couldn't help it- it was like watching the world's biggest car wreck in slow motion.

I went from, "She's got this but it won't be by much, and how embarrassing is THAT?" to

"Just wait till NY and CA total up- she'll get the electoral vote" to

"Holy fucking shit. What the hell is WRONG with us?"

But I was strangely calm. While friends and acquaintances recorded crying, being sick to their stomachs, being afraid and mostly of all angry...so very angry, for whatever reason all I could think of was, "Of course. What else did we expect?"

And I told my husband and son and a dear friend that we'd figure out what we needed to in order to keep us all safe and we went to bed.

This morning I shed tears twice- once at a post my daughter (my conservative daughter) made about how women will ALWAYS have to try harder while undergoing more scrutiny than any man and once when my friend told me he loves me.

And the resignation I felt last night has turned into cold, long-lasting anger.

You need to understand that that's my survival mode. When nothing else gets me thru something that needs to be gone thru to get to the other side, anger will always do it. Anger will always be there for me. Anger has always given me the will to be brave and the tenacity to hang on.

It's not hot and volatile. It's cold and steadfast. And it can last as long as I need it to.

Say...four to eight years. Longer if necessary.

But here's the thing. I'm not angry at who and what you think I am.

I honestly think Donald Trump had no fucking idea he'd win. That's why he had no actual plans set, no key advisors he could name. In his head this was a reality show that ended yesterday and today he'd be moving onto his next project. He had no clue what he's unleashed in the basest of American character and has shown zero actual desire to learn the job he's been applying for for over a year.

So other than his being a clueless, selfish, entitled asshole, I'm not angry at Trump.

I'm not mad at his voters. I honestly think they (90% or better of them anyway) voted for him as a "protest vote" to shake things up in DC- send 'em a message. They really thought Hillary would win and they could bitch and moan about the election being rigged. Today they are as stunned as anyone else INCLUDING TRUMP HIMSELF.

I'm angry at a system that has produced an electorate who is
-clueless as to how things are supposed to actually work
-so desperate for change that they are willing to burn the whole thing down to get it instead of yanno...just not voting for pricks and getting some real honest moderates in office

I'm angry because obviously as a people, we feel so helpless and angry that we will do anything at all just to prove we are still capable of doing something even if that something will destroy us.

I've been married three times. The first two were bad marriages. The second one specifically because he was an abusive drunken asshole.

Here's a thing about abuse. It's complicated. It's easy to say, "NO IT'S NOT- GET YOUR ASS OUT OF THERE!" but until you are tits deep in it, you don't understand. MOST of the time there's something the abuser plays on- your love, your sympathy, your desire to "fix" them...something, and they may not even realize they are doing it because their childhood was so fucked up and they may realize it but can't care enough to change because their own demons are eating them alive.

Justified or not- this man felt victimized his entire life. Abusive childhood. Drinking and drugs. Lots of in and out of jail and mental hospitals. He could be "normal" and charming but not for long. He was too damaged. But he was normal and charming just long enough to catch my heart and stuff it in his pocket.

After one of his many arrests, the officers tossed him into the holding cell- hands still duct-taped behind his back (he was a struggler). He realized he could reach into his back pocket and grab his cigarette lighter.

He'd been arrested (for, in his head, unfair reasons) and was outwardly helpless to do anything that affected his own life.

Except.

He grabbed his lighter and lit himself on fire.

The officers just watched him for a minute before putting him out because it was clearly a dumbfuck thing to do.

But it was all he was capable of doing to prove his autonomy at the time.

Now, imagine yourself as Trump Voter America. Trump promises you that he and ONLY he can fix everything that's wrong with your life. You KNOW that's bullshit. You KNOW that he can't deliver even a tiny fraction of his promises. You know that.

But you vote for him anyway. Because the ones up in DC aren't listening to you (in your eyes) and you want to do something that will get their attention.

Even if you set yourself on fire.

That'll show 'em.

America has for full and true set itself on fire. And I'm angry that we're so shell-shocked as a people that we can't see beyond our own helplessness. We work harder and longer than people almost anywhere else for less pay and with less of a social safety net, but we run like horses back into a burning barn when someone hollers "SOCIALISM!"

I'm angry that we have reached a point that fully half of the citizens who bothered to vote consciously thought, "Fuck it. Burn it to the ground."

How long can I stay angry? Long enough to make sure none of those I love get caught in the fallout.

Long enough to try to protect anyone within my reach who is going to be hurt by what's coming- even and especially those who sowed what we will all now reap.

Long enough.

Once Upon a Time...

...the super-fundamental conservative Christians (SFCC for short) in America prayed to God for a great leader. "Oh, God. Give us a leader we and our children can look up to. We know you are in charge and trust your Will. Amen."

God said, "Yea, verily my Children. I give you Barack Obama and his family. He and his wife are of humble beginnings but both worked hard and are highly educated- Barack as a Constitutional scholar. They have two adorable girls who don't get into trouble and are a joy to be around. They are eminently the epitome of your 'American Dream' come true. How's THAT for inspiring?"

The collective SFCC- "..................................................NO GOD- NOT LIKE THAT! Don't you SEE? He's a Muslim, Kenyan, trasher of the Constitution who wants to DESTROY America! He's also probably gay and his 'wife' is really a MAN. The kids look like chimps- LOOKIT THIS MEME! We have on good authority that all this is true because those who are telling us are both in the pulpit AND HAVE YOU TUBE CHANNELS. YOU TUBE CHANNELS. Surely you're mistaken. Please send us the correct person at your earliest convenience. Thanks, God. No hard feelings. Amen."

The GOP- "Listen, God. It's not your fault. Hang tight- WE know what they mean." (trots out Trump)

AND THE SFCC GOES WILD WITH JOY AND PROCLAIMS TRUMP 'THE ANNOINTED ONE'

God- "................................................whatever, dudes. I'll just be over here, chillin' with the gorillas and dolphins. You people are why we can't have nice things."

The End. Possibly literally.