U.S. Presidential Election Day Megathread [Official]

[Stonecloak]

Trump might have won the election, but the fact remains that there is virtually no chance of him being a capable or competent president. His leadership will be erratic and unsteady, and that's going to hurt the country, whether or not you supported him in the election or not.

It remains to be seen. One man isn't making all the decisions in congress, and there's plenty of rebulicans that don't like him either, so there's really no use throwing tantrums right now.

[Captain N]

You have all the right in the world to think whatever you want. Doesn't mean any of that is going to happen. The fearmongering is strong in this one.

Which would only be fearmongering if we didn't have people saying they want to overturn Roe V Wade or that they're in support of "Traditional Marriage" or have a Vice President who thinks homosexuality needs to be treated with conversation therapy.

[May90]

Well we will see by the midterms if all of their dreams come true. They might be in for a rude awakening. "Hey maybe someone with zero political experience and knowledge of government ISN'T the best person to lead."

In such cases people usually either go into denial mode (like with Bush - refusing to admit they've voted for him), or try to rationalize/justify what has happened ("Democrats didn't let him work", "It is not his fault, it is his staff's", etc.), so I wouldn't count on that.

In any case, I look at this from perspective. History always has its ups and downs. America is entering one of its downs, but that will pass, sooner or later.

[starlord]

Funny thing about math it has no way to predict the future, and if people needed a reason to become more political active during the mid-terms I think this just might do it.

i think the dems will have an uphill battle to reclaim enthusiasm. they did a good job of alienating their youngest voters as well.

[NED funded]

Interesting paper that explores the actual effects of NAFTA over the rust belt. It seems that NAFTA is being used as an scapegoat this time.

Summary of the paper: the rust belt died because it failed to innovate, which is required to sustain growth. Companies didn't innovate due to unions and lack of competition. On the labor side, companies must spend money to innovate up front, but the powerful union would capture enough of the gains to make it unprofitable. On the output side, lack of competition meant the companies didn't have to innovate to maintain its market share. With reasonable parameter values, the model captures about 2/3 of the decline in manufacturing along with the feature of the slow decline.

So I hope we can stop bitching about NAFTA for a while.

[Zyster]

Which would only be fearmongering if we didn't have people saying they want to overturn Roe V Wade or that they're in support of "Traditional Marriage" or have a Vice President who thinks homosexuality needs to be treated with conversation therapy.

I support traditional marriage. Yet I don't give a shit about if you want to marry the same sex. See what I did there? Apparently that is hard.

[Captain N]

I support traditional marriage. Yet I don't give a shit about if you want to marry the same sex. See what I did there? Apparently that is hard.

Are you in a political role that has made those claims and could change policy? See the difference?

[May90]

You have all the right in the world to think whatever you want. Doesn't mean any of that is going to happen. The fearmongering is strong in this one.

That's literally what's going to happen. Or are you saying you've supported Trump without being aware of his policies?

[starlord]

You have all the right in the world to think whatever you want. Doesn't mean any of that is going to happen. The fearmongering is strong in this one.

why is it fearmongering when its all literally a part of the republican platform? you know, the issues they run on and what they hope to accomplish. am i just supposed to hope they randomly decide, "maybe we shouldnt go forward with this goalset that we won control of the presidency, house, and senate on"?

[Matchles]

Slavery wasn't abolished across the US till 1865. Keep coming at me though.

Yeah BECAUSE of the decision.

[Wells]

That's literally what's going to happen. Or are you saying you've supported Trump without being aware of his policies?

Its amazing that a man can win the Presidency without any experience, displaying any knowledge, and without detailing anything like a platform. He ran entirely on vague promises and personality.

[Zyster]

That's literally what's going to happen. Or are you saying you've supported Trump without being aware of his policies?

No, this literally will not happen. A simple understanding, again, of US history and the process that this would go through suggests otherwise.

[Lenonis]

I swear to god people who are saying that LGBT folks have nothing to be afraid of:
1) Haven't read the GOP platform
2) Know nothing about the soon-to-be VP
3) Haven't heard what Trump has promised to do
4) Have remained ignorant about his possible SCOTUS picks
5) Aren't aware that the GOP will control all three branches of government

The GOP has put forward a formal statement of what they intend to do and they, theoretically, have the power to do it.

Telling LGBT people not to be concerned is really strange.

[Bullettime]

I support traditional marriage. Yet I don't give a shit about if you want to marry the same sex. See what I did there? Apparently that is hard.

I'd argue there's a bit of a difference between just personal opinion and people like Pence having an actual track record of trying to push for tax payer dollars to fund conversion therapy (which is sadistic,) make the usage of contraception illegal, and the Bible to become a political document.

That's not to say he'll get away with his agenda. It's more that it's hard to not be concerned when that is one of your top elected officials that's supposed to represent you.

[Wells]

I swear to god people who are saying that LGBT folks have nothing to be afraid of:
1) Haven't read the GOP platform
2) Know nothing about the soon-to-be VP
3) Haven't heard what Trump has promised to do
4) Have remained ignorant about his possible SCOTUS picks
5) Aren't aware that the GOP will control all three branches of government

The GOP has put forward a formal statement of what they intend to do and they, theoretically, have the power to do it.

Telling LGBT people not to be concerned is really strange.

Makes more sense when you just read it as telling LGBT people to be quiet.

[Lenonis]

Makes more sense when you just read it as telling LGBT people to be quiet.

If there was ever an argument for straight privilege this whole discussion pretty much is it.

[RickJamesLich]

My facebook news feed makes me sad. I can't believe so many people actually believe that Trump will place them in death camps.

At first the liberal tears were amusing to me. Now I'm astounded by the level of fear the media has given these poor souls.

The paranoia that these people are experiencing is from years of fear mongering from left wing media outlets lol. At this point, I sort of feel sorry for them too.

[Captain N]

Makes more sense when you just read it as telling LGBT people to be quiet.

Well to be honest the guy Lenonis is quoting did say he was a Traditional Marriage supporter....It must be because all them gay people need to be quiet because they're icky.

[Espe]

Makes more sense when you just read it as telling LGBT people to be quiet.

Bingo.

The usual amount of empathy you get from right-wingers.

[Zyster]

why is it fearmongering when its all literally a part of the republican platform? you know, the issues they run on and what they hope to accomplish. am i just supposed to hope they randomly decide, "maybe we shouldnt go forward with this goalset that we won control of the presidency, house, and senate on"?

The republican platform IS NOT about taking away. Because republicans view marriage between a man and a woman does not = what you said.