Not Getting Over It

I have definitely taken a huge soulful hit from the election results.  Something I knew was a possibility but not a probability.  It's been difficult to focus and accept.  I have found little comfort on the news, in the papers or online, but I finally felt the urge to vent a bit so here it goes....

I am sick and tired of people that are Tr**p supporters and voters telling me to move on, get over it.  That doesn't help and if you don't understand that, keep your words to yourself.  Of all the Republican candidates that I disagreed with, it was based on policy differences.  POLICY.  Our President-Elect is all over the place, but first and foremost, he has lit a fire under the asses of neo-nazis, KKK, misogynists, xenophobes, homophobes, and all the other hate mongers.  That is something far different than a person elected to lead the United States of America and disagree on policies.  I read today that Drumpf has to take a look at the difference between his campaign and other candidates to see why he may have fired up hate.  Seriously?  You have spewed so much hate throughout your campaign and never denounced any hate speech, acts, or violence.  You have encouraged it at every rally with words and dog whistles.  Who are you, Drumpf?  

The supporters that don't understand the fear that many of us feel for the safety of ourselves and our children must be white male Christians.  You are safe.  No one is going to rock your worlds.  What bothers me the most, in this post election fog, is that you don't get it?  I haven't heard one Tr**p supporter denounce the swastikas written on buildings, walls, and playgrounds.  I haven't heard one voter scream out after violent acts on college campuses to Muslims or African-Americans.  Nothing.  Nada. Riente. Rien. Crickets.  

Our future President has only fanned flamed the flames with his choices for cabinet positions.  The choice of Steve Bannon does nothing to comfort any minority group in this Country.  The choice of Mike Flynn does nothing to make people feel heard.  The choices go on and on.  All are extremists.  All are scary to any group that isn't white.  The popular vote went to Hillary Clinton and not to the President Elect by nearly 2 million votes.  He is ignoring that and dividing this country even more.  

The fear is real.  I really don't understand Republican voters don't get the sickness and apprehension so many of us feel. Tr**p isn't the same as Romney or McCain or G.W. Bush or George H.W. Bush or any other Republican President or nominee.  He is a wild card.  His rhetoric has been divisive from the day he came down that damn elevator and insulted Mexicans.  He has thrown the playbook out. He has not been held to the same scrutiny as any other nominee.  The people, the media, the journalists, the RNC let him slide on everything.  He is like none other.  The Democratic leaders have also been too quiet with one exception, Senator Elizabeth Warren.  I hope that she can light a fire under other elected officials, but I think there are a lot of cowards. 

So, Tr**p voters, before you tell a heartsick American to get over it or move on, try to imagine the terror that so many are living with now.  Many of us feel very nervous about our future.  The silence from the "many" is feeding the fear.  Don't tell me to calm down.  Don't tell me that Clinton would've been worse and she's a crook and she should go to jail and so on.  She wouldn't have struck terror in people's hearts.  She wouldn't have been your choice, but you'd be safe.  

We, the many, the majority, are scared.  No one is doing anything to ease the fear. No one, so we have to be vigilant. We have to be alert, loud, and strong.  We march shoulder to shoulder.  We will not be silenced!

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@DianaPodolsky

I Figured It Out

Do you remember that I have often ruminated why the hate for Hillary Clinton is so deep? Well, I think it's far more simple than I ever imagined.  She's a woman.  That's it.  Watching the elevation and blatant misogyny has been extraordinary.  It's always been there, but the choruses have gotten louder and louder. We are a society who likes people in their predictable place.  It's why many white people went crazy that a black man became President.  It threatened their whole world view.  Now, a woman climbing the political ladder is hard to accept.  When Hillary commented that she didn't want to stay home and make cookies years ago, she took so much heat from women.  Wow, such an insult.  When she was first lady of Arkansas and fighting for women and children, a Republican opponent said she should be home with her daughter. I actually agree with Madelyn Allbright that women should vote for Hillary.  We should back the most prepared, intelligent woman or person that has ever run for the Presidency.  All the shit she has taken for years and she still stands.  Look at all the men that Drumpf took down and most of them haven't been heard from since the Republican debates and primary.  They crawled back in their holes.  

Maybe it's difficult to relate to a woman who keeps getting back up with every single punch.  We, and I use we meaning many Americans, can't figure out a woman President.  When Shirley Chisholm ran decades ago, no one took her seriously as a candidate and, on top of it, she was an African American.  When Geraldine Ferraro was chosen to run as Vice President, they dug and dug into her background and when they couldn't find something on her, they went to her husband to dig up dirt.  Doesn't that say everything?  None of these women crawled back. They continued on with their careers and their visions. 

There is terror in change and the unknown.  People don't understand what they've never experienced.  If Clinton wins the election, Congress will do what they did to Obama.  They will continue to obstruct and try to take her down, unless we pick up Senate seats.  Members of Congress have already declared their intent not to cooperate to get anything done.  Mitch McConnell had said that immediately upon the election of Obama and they did stop so many bills that could've helped the Country and middle class, because it came from Obama.  

So Ladies, I think that a vote against Clinton is a vote against ourselves.  We need a woman in the White House and we need this woman in the White House.  It takes a very strong and determined woman to survive the rough and tumble of politics and a campaign.  I am not settling.  I have been pro Hillary Clinton for much of her public life. She's a fighter.  To keep getting knocked around and coming back is an incredible character trait.  Not many women would have the stomach for what she's been put through by men her entire life.  Just think about that for a minute.  For all the hearings, investigations, slights, comments, derisions, and misogyny, she is still upright and strong.  I honestly don't know how, but that is even more reason for us to support her.  I have said repeatedly, I am not settling, I am for Hillary Clinton being our next President.  I am honored to be here and alive to witness another historic event.  I am proud that this is my children's first Presidential election. It's extraordinary.  

Sidebar:  Check your polling location, many have changed since your last election.  Mark out time in your day.  There could be long lines.  Take a breath and appreciate the historical moment.  Wanting a resounding, decisive election. Clarity.  One day more and remember, history has its eyes on us.

V-O-T-E

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@DianaPodolsky

Teflon Don 2.0

I remember so distinctly when I moved to New York City in 1981 that organized crime families were still flourishing.  The Dapper Don, John Gotti, became the Teflon Don.  The Government couldn't nail him for crime after crime and he became the Teflon Don.  They finally got him and he went to jail.  The "glory" days of the mob were over and there was an opening.

Lo and behold, many years later, we now have the new Teflon Don 2.0.  I never could've imagined that from the very first descent on the Tr**p Tower escalator and he proposed the "wall" to keep out the Mexican drug dealers and rapists that his popularity would soar.  TR**p has insulted everyone.  He has taken a swipe at African-Americans, Hispanics, Veterans, Gold Star families, women, physically challenged, reporters, everyone.  His base loves him.  His popularity grows.  He has allowed anti-semitic slurs be chanted at his rally.  He has not disavowed racist, homophobic, xenophibic voices or quieted any reprehensible speech from anyone.  He has firmly proven time and again that he could shoot someone in the middle of 5th Avenue and his base wouldn't care, to be true. They don't care. 

But what say you?  The people that have been life long Republicans?  How do you come to terms with all the rhetoric?  I can't believe that the email "scandal" is worse than a man who has defrauded people out of hard earned money for his Drumpf University.  That he has been accused of assaulting at least 12 women who have come forward after his deplorable Access Hollywood tape came to public view and he called it locker room talk.  There is a trial on the horizon that he allegedly raped a 13 year old girl???!!!!!!  That he is the first President in my lifetime not to release his taxes and he just gets away with it.  His questionable relationship with Russia and Putin is troubling and yet doesn't resonate. There could be so many conflicts of interest and we just don't know and won't know. And yet, the email scandal is what's hanging people up and freaking people out? And did I say, he may have raped a 13 year old girl????!!!!!

If we get a President Drumpf because people are so sick of everything and stay home or hate Clinton too much to check the box or pull the lever,...we have changed the Country irreparably.  He wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act with no sign of a plan to cover those of us who need health insurance, but just dump it.  He wants to appoint judges that will overturn Roe V. Wade and take away hard fought women's reproductive rights. I presume he will take away the Equal Marriage Act.  He doesn't believe in Global Climate Change. He thinks it's a hoax started by China. Say goodbye to the EPA.  Many economic scholars think his economic "proposals" will be terrible for America.  

There are so many wrongs with TR**p. I can't even list them all.  I won't even be able to say the name of our President, God forbid he wins. If Clinton, with all her baggage gets elected, it's the status quo. Nothing earth shattering to take us down.  If she turns out to be a great leader, then our Country will continue to move forward and evolve.  For all you people that say, "well, you're a diehard Democrat, of course you back your candidate as we back ours," but it isn't equivalent.  Look, if Romney or McCain would've won, I would've dealt with it. I wouldn't have been happy, but it wouldn't have been terrifying or calamitous.  This feels awful.  I have a pit in my stomach all the time.  You can feel the nervous energy in the air.  Tr**p and his Breitbart cabal are scary.  Their values aren't most of the Country's values.  They are a truly terrifying segment of our population. We need to stop them.  A vote for Clinton speaks volumes and we need a landslide so they can all crawl back in their holes and be gone.  No recounts. No close elections.  We need a large popular and electoral win.  We need to win back the Senate so we won't have to sit through hearing after hearing after hearing.  Stand up and make your V-O-T-E heard.  

Sidebars:  Carve out time in your day to vote.  It's one week from today, November 8, 2016.  Look at your calendar and block out time.  It's too important.  Clinton is the most vetted, investigated, and interrogated person ever in the history of our Country for a candidate and she still is standing.  Drumpf has gotten away with "murder."  -- Onto a little lighter topic...the World Series!  It's been great so far.  Killing in the ratings,  Cleveland Indians lead 3-2 against the Chicago Cubs.  Game 6 tonight in Cleveland.  -- There are some programs to help distract from the insanity still...The Voice always good and fun.  This Is Us is definitely worth watching, DVRing, catching OnDemand.  Samantha Bee was great again this week and did a great sit-down with President Obama.  Bill Maher finally was granted an interview with Obama after much begging and petitioning, which airs Friday night on HBO.  -- I am definitely trying to curtail my news influx to a minimal amount.  It is hard to do, but for the sake of my GI system and palpitating heart, it's a must. -- Halloween is over and November is already here.  It's already begun to look like Christmas, but Thanksgiving happens first.  Hopefully, we will have a lot to be grateful for this year.... 

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@DianaPodolsky