Actually, I'm Not At All Surprised

[poliphilo]

The Clintons- oh for God's sake what made the political establishment think the country would put up with another Clinton presidency? Did they not know how the name stinks out there in the sticks?  Do they never look at what is being said on the Net? No, obviously not. They only listen to one another.

By establishment I mean the media, both political parties, the intelligentsia, the corporations, the banks and all who serve them.

Like every other establishment in the history of forever this one had grown complacent, self-pleasing, self-regarding. It thought it was entitled to foist another Clinton on the world.

Entitled. That's the word.

And much as other elites have done it took the great mass of the people for granted, ignored them, allowed their lives to become grimmer and more desperate- even as the elites themselves prospered.

Look, you can't ignore the masses. Yes, they may be coarse and ignorant and unlovely but they won't go away simply because you're holding your nose and averting your eyes.  Again they almost certainly outnumber you.

You don't want the likes of Donald Trump running the show? Then do something about inequality, injustice and corruption while you still have the chance.

You say you fully intend to?

Sorry, but time's up.

Comments

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

I must admit that I didn't think that Hillary Clinton was a good choice right from the start. I'm sure she would have made a perfectly sound president if elected and Trump is either going to be a loose cannon, or he'll turn out to be just as establishment as Clinton, when push comes to shove. But I really don't understand America's love affair with political dynasties. I thought they fought a revolutionary war to be done with royal families. Surely in a country the size of the US they could have found a fresh face to be the new Democratic candidate?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

They had the chance of fielding a fresh- even populist- candidate with Sanders- but he was too wild for them. As it is they put a safe, establishment candidate up against a maverick and the maverick won. Could Sanders have beaten Trump? Some commentators think he would have done.

[davesmusictank.livejournal.com]

I think all we can do is wait and see when he is inaugurated next year, It will be interesting if nothing else.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Interesting times, as the Chinese say.

[clindau.livejournal.com]

It's a harsh assessment, but true.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[howlin-wolf-66.livejournal.com]

I want people to be decent, even if it goes against their own interests... because you'll never beat equality by voting purely for yourself... You do it by taking into account the bigger picture.

It's a shame that so many of the 'masses' seem incapable of that. There's no point in coddling stupidity and claiming that they had an excuse. I don't think they did.

[dorispossum.livejournal.com]

This.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I think it entirely possible that many of the "masses" took account Hillary's links to the banks, her history of war-mongering, her funding by the Saudis, the allegations of corruption against her, and concluded that in the bigger picture Trump was the lesser evil.

[howlin-wolf-66.livejournal.com]

If they take that decision in the face of the fact that he has no experience, AND is a disreputable human being to boot, then there was and is no hope for them.

[matrixmann]

Let's see what kind of freakshow this becomes.
- One can be calmed down, it will be no other than if somebody else had won.
Just systematically a little different.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

The system remains the same. A President is only one cog in a vast, unwieldy machine.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

But it's a far more lubricated machine with both houses of congress being in the same party.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

This is true.

[haikujaguar.livejournal.com]

I think you see very clearly.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[math-mommy.livejournal.com]

Yeh, majority of people are stupid and do not look behind a name. But they choose another Bush.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

The second Bush was a considerable mistake.

[math-mommy.livejournal.com]

But it did happen.

[tagryn]

Well, they did reject Jeb pretty handily, so there's that.

[math-mommy.livejournal.com]

Jeb is annoying.

[kamomil.livejournal.com]

The US needs free university education, at least for some people, or some courses of study. Most people can't afford an education, but education improves you in almost every way - not all, I know; it depends on which degree, and different schools have different approaches (McMaster University has a medical program that you don't need a science degree to enter it. The logic is that they have more compassionate doctors as a result)

They also need free healthcare so that not only can people access healthcare so that they don't live in fear of debt, also so that people can access mental health care.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I'd agree with that.

A little judicious socialism is in order...