Dick Bernard: The U.S. Election 2016

I write at 12:09 a.m. Central Standard time Nov. 9, 2016, and it appears it will be President Trump, and continuing Senate and House Majorities of Republicans – it appears to be virtually a sweep for the Republicans. [UPDATED below]
Here is a map of updated results. Of course, it will have changed by morning. It shows only AZ, MN, WI, MI, PA, NH, ME in play. Neither Donald Trump nor Hillary Clinton have yet to appear at their respective campaign headquarters.
trump-11-9-16001
It appears Americans are going to have the opportunity to find out what Trumps mantra, “Make America Great Again”, means.
From time to time I’ll update this post. You can comment directly to this post if you wish; or to me at dick_bernardATmsnDOTcom. Keep it serious and respectful, because this is a serious matter with huge long term implications for not only ourselves but for the world at large.
Earlier last night, a friend sent a graphic that somehow already seems out of date, a few hours later. Here it is. Take a look. What will this 2016 election really mean?
UPDATE 4:30 p.m.
Some Basic Data:
325 million – present population
226 million – potential eligible voters 2016
59,333,439 Hillary Clinton popular vote 2016
59,165,778 Donald Trump popular vote 2016
131 million voters 2008
69 million Barack Obama popular vote 2008
60 million John McCain popular vote 2008
Yesterdays post is here.
Minnesota Up-to-date results here.
Presidential election up to date, here.
2016-ballot-pres001
1:49 a.m. Nov. 9: Here’s the first commentary, very brief, from my favorite blogger, Just Above Sunset.
COMMENTS:
PERSONAL, from Dick: Personally, I think most of us will rue the results of Nov. 8, 2016. The biggest victims will most likely be Trumps most avid supporters, the economically disadvantaged who think nobody cares….As best I can tell, the Republican policy has been to encourage people to distrust Government itself, and to offer itself as more trustworthy than the opposition.
Some highly generalized data which is sourced above:
A. Of the U.S. 325 million citizens, about 225 million were potentially eligible voters on Tuesday.
B. Of these 225 M, about 120 million, about 60%, voted essentially in equal numbers for either Trump or Clinton (these were almost all of the votes cast). This was, in turn, about 12 million fewer votes than cast in the 2008 Obama/McCain race.
C. About 100 million potential voters didn’t vote at all; about 30% of the potential eligible voters voted for Trump, who received slightly fewer votes than Clinton, but won the electoral contest.
Unfortunately, I have noticed that we Americans are generally very sloppy about our civic responsibility. For some of those who actually voted, casting a single ballot every four years for President is seen as fulfilling their obligation. Sad but true, we get exactly what we deserve. And now we have to hope that there will be some semblance of fairness in our government the next two, and four, years.
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More Comments.
1. from Bruce: Dick, Clinton just wasn’t the candidate to run. If they were really serious about stopping Trump, any other candidate would have won, especially Bernie. This has to be on them & nobody else. I worked & voted for Jill hoping to get a real progressive party up & running. It looks like that was lost too.
2. from Jeff: The question to be answered… why did millions of voters in Florida, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa and Minnesota for starters….. who voted for Barack Obama 4 years ago, vote for his exact opposite yesterday?
I think the by word from here on out is, be careful what you ask for, you might get it.
My main fear is for our institutions and the rule of law. A President who is riding with the alt right and is an authoritarian populist now has a Congress on his side, now you must watch people like McCain, John Roberts, etc. in order to find out if integrity and the Constitution really can prevail.
3. from Madeline: Bernie would not have fared better–this was white backlash! Racism et al. And it wasn’t likely the same people who voted for Obama. I and many friends are wearing BLACK today–funeral for all that was decent in our society. What I’m hoping for is change in count or Electoral College mutiny, or DRUMPF being prosecuted by FBI over Tuesday’s disclosure of their investigation.
4. from Maryam: Two thoughtful quotes reflect how I feel today.
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it–always.”
-Mahatma Gandhi
“What I do know for certain is this: The Republican Party and Donald Trump will have control of all the levers of government, from the courts to the Congress to …the White House. That is an awesome responsibility, and it is all going to be on them. Do they understand that? Personally, I will not wish them ill. Too much is at stake for my country and my children. Unlike the Republican Party for the last eight years, I am not going to try to make my president fail. If he fails, we all fail. So yes, I will hope that a better man emerges than we saw in this campaign. But at the moment I am in anguish, frightened for my country and for our unity. And for the first time, I feel homeless in America.” -Thomas Friedman
5. strong>from Rebecca: This is a response to one of my dear friends who is distraught over the election results.
What a surprise election! It was learned that people told the pollsters that they were voting for Hillary when they planned on voting for Trump all along. They didn’t want to admit they were voting for Trump. What does that say about many in our culture who we’re reluctant to speak about what’s really on our minds? Even more reason to focus on the latest research that shows that dialogue, rather than other educational approaches, as to what makes a difference. Dialogue, not debate, is a tool showing promising breakthroughs in learning how to collectively live together.
Those who voted for Trump just can’t stomach another 4 years of their voices and circumstances not being heard for many years. Just like the acting out kid in the classroom seeking attention, no matter what the price, he/she finally does get attention. However what will be done with this new-found-attention? It’s one thing to get it and quite another to come up with workable solutions. The devil is always in the details. However, sometimes the kid who was rebelling the most has something valuable to contribute when a genuine effort is made in “listening to understand.”
Just like the classroom circle process you and I developed, as peace educators, where everyone’s voice was heard and ideas explored, the same is needed at at the adult level. There obviously are things to discuss, not hide, when a whole bunch of people rise up and say, “Let the change begin” when they get a leader who is willing to challenge the status quo when certain aspects of it are not serving groups of people well. There’s no force like the force of unmet needs. Even Democrat leaders were saying this morning, “We need to find a way to reach out to the working class.” The working class used be the base! What happened that the Democrats strayed away from their base?
I voted for Hillary too and yet paid close attention to Trump out of curiosity. He first comes out of the gate with “emotions” combined with a few morsels of reason/logic. As humans most of us (bell curve) tend to react with our emotions first and then engage in reason and logic. He begins most conversations with what many people are already emotionally experiencing but too hesitant to express. He has well crafted the technique leading with emotions first.
However, it is interesting to note that more than one person has reported that Trump is flexible…if he hears more and more reasons/logic he’s willing to change his tune. It has been said that this is one of his most redeeming traits.
I’ve begun to see people forming and ready to reach out to his unusual leadership style in case he became President. I believe there is going to be a lot of “quiet” work by good people who will never receive any credit, but will be his daily influencers. If he casts them aside others will be ready in the wings to serve in this way. He is “teachable” and deep down has a good heart. (Point being – dig down deep.) There will be those who can reach these two aspects of his being.
In the meantime, in our own circle of friends and families, it’s important not to use our energy to bash Trump but take our conversations deeper and look for inclusive solutions. This may ultimately be one of Trump’s greatest gift – He calls it like he sees it and it is up to the rest of us to deal with what has been there all along – hiding under a rock or right in front of our noses, causing temporary blindness. It hurts to live in a society where some need to hide their true voting intentions. What’s the lesson to be learned here? What would that dialogue look like?
6. from Jim: In Blaine, a lower middle class (heavily blue color) suburb, a snotty young Republican, big fan of Trump’s, repeatedly posted on his Facebook page that the Confederacy was an outstanding government and that Abraham Lincoln was the worst president in U.S. history. He quite easily won a seat in the Minnesota Legislature.
I’ve seen two or three similar stories just in Minnesota — which voted Clinton — in the first few hours since the election returns have been available.
Another one is a terrible ex-shock radio blabbermouth who at various times has said nobody has the right to tell others they can’t own slaves and that men have a native right to use force to keep their wives in line. He got a House seat, although it was fairly close.
And that, again, is Minnesota. Dig a little and you’ll find worse in Mississippi or North Dakota or….
They’re feeling untouchable.
7. A friend in France: I was watching television all night and saw the shock of the world about Trump’s election. What are your feelings?
8. from Barbara: Today is a day for mourning because this is a national tragedy.
I am crying for all the little girls in America. For all the little girls who are being told it is ok to be sexually assaulted because that is just something guys do.
I am crying for all the little girls who are being told that misogyny is not only ok, it is rewarded with the highest prize.
I am crying for all the little girls who are being told “no, you can’t be anything you want to be in America.”
I am crying for all the little girls who will kill themselves because they cannot be a “ten”.
I am crying for all the little girls who are being told once again that your value is in how you look, not in who you are.
I am crying for all the little girls who are being told men do not have to respect you. They can call you every vile name and you just have to tolerate that emotional abuse.
I am crying for my granddaughter who has to grow up in a hate trumps love world.

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