Sold Your Souls at the Polls

I'll start off getting right to the point. I supported Hillary Clinton. I believe that she was the most qualified candidate by a mile compared to Donald Trump. Years of public service, including 8 years as First Lady, a New York State senator, and Secretary of State. To think that Donald Trump was going to make it to the GOP primaries was laughable. To think Donald Trump was going to win the election, terrifying. And here we are.

I have had many social media arguments over the past year. Many with friends. Many with family, unfortunately. I was/am the only Clinton supporter in my family. Not an easy spot to be in, but I can hold my own. Many a day feeling like I was banging my head against a brick wall. No argument to make for Hillary.
"She's a crook!"
"She's a murderer!"
"She's in bed with Wall Street!"
"She sent emails over an insecure server. Classified secrets!"
"She is responsible for attack on the U.S. Embassy in Benghazi, and the deaths of four American citizens, including Ambassador Stevens!"

Did I say emails? Oh...yes I did. Those were the most important it seems. Nothing Donald Trump says or does, (and he said and did A LOT) would be as bad. Nothing. Make racist statements? Emails, emails, emails! Attacks on immigrants and Muslim or Hispanic citizens? Email, emails, emails! No real plans for healthcare, the economy, or ISIS. Emails, emails, emails! (Pepper a little Benghazi rhetoric in once in awhile) Objectifying women, degrading women who were not a "10," a history of crude talk concerning women, possible rape cases or sexual harassment charges? Emails, EMAils, EMAILS!!! Nope. Nothing is worse than Hillary's email scandal or Benghazi. Never mind that the FBI told congress in July that they found nothing of consequence in the emails, and would not recommend criminal charges. Or that after all the money the Republicans spent on an investigation to find Hillary Clinton responsible for the deaths in the Benghazi embassy, they found nothing to show she was responsible in any way and could have prevented anything. Nope. Sorry, they said. She IS guilty. Doesn't matter what proof or lack of. Guilty guilty guilty.

Meanwhile, Trump continues to make inflammatory statements towards blacks, Muslims, LGBT community, and Hispanics. And nobody speaks out. Nobody can step up to the plate and say, "He's my candidate, but I don't agree with what he's saying about minorities and women." His supporters remain silent. Silence can speak volumes. If you aren't openly disagreeing, then I guess you must agree with the things he's saying?

But he has promised CHANGE. REAL change. He's not a career politician. He will come in and shake things up in Washington. About damn time! We don't care about the statements towards women, or minorities, or the LGBT community. It's about CHANGE. It's about not letting that "crook" Clinton become president. Doesn't matter that she was not convicted or indicted on anything. Even Ambassador Steven's family was vocal about not holding her responsible for the attack and subsequent death of the Ambassador. Didn't matter. CHANGE. Regular guy. Doesn't matter that he's had all these bankruptcies and failed businesses. Or screwed hard working people out of money he owed for services.
Nope. Emails emails emails!!

I have a problem with all of my friends and family that support Trump, never once condemning his words of hate, bigotry, or possible rape and harassment charges. Nope. Emails, emails, emails!! That is a far worse crime. Doesn't matter she was found "careless" but not criminal. Like many of those who had served before her and done the same thing. I was vilified for supporting a "criminal" and a "liar." Yet Trump lied at every turn. Didn't matter. CHANGE. Emails, emails, emails!" Hillary is rigging the election! She does those things. But never mind that if that's the case, why did she lose to Obama? Why did she lose this election? I would think that if she was as powerful and conniving as people say, why does she lose?

So now Trump is going to be president. He has already flip flopped on a couple major promises to supporters. Hillary Clinton will have won the popular vote by a large margin. The people elected Hillary Clinton. The Electoral College elected Trump. People are rioting and protesting. Not condoning it. People are painting nazi emblems and hateful racist terms on buildings, etc. Not a word from Trump or very many that I know support him. People's view of me has been colored by my support of Hillary? I can say the same thing back.

So Trump supporters sold their souls for CHANGE. For a non-politician. No experience. Change will come. Just not the change they want, I believe. Obviously forsaking friends of race, faith, sexual identity, and gender. All for this man who has proven nothing other than the fact that his moral compass is broken. He doesn't even want to live in the White House full time. He wants to be able to golf and stay at his place in New York City or Florida. This is what being president is all about. Hillary Clinton would have gotten it. He apparantly does not. But that's okay. CHANGE. Be careful what you wish for.

The Great Divide

i have never been involved in anything that is as decisive as this presidential election. Friends and family are pitted against each other. Social media has become a battlefield, leaving a ton of scarred and bloody remains. I have had more than my share of verbal cannon fodder, and I am at my wits end. The stress and anxiety is incredibly draining. The prospect of my candidate losing is sickening, and each day, the news wavers between possible victors. It is my belief that Donald Trump is dangerous. Not only is he unqualified to run a country, but his temperament and ideas on foreign policy are scary.

People feel the same about Hillary Clinton. No one on either side will listen to the other. There is much conjecture. My thoughts are that Trump has actually said and done things on tape that cannot be disclaimed. Mocking a disabled reporter: http://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2015/11/26/donald-trump-mocks-reporter-with-disability-berman-sot-ac.cnn

Flippant remarks about the use of nuclear weapons: https://thinkprogress.org/9-terrifying-things-donald-trump-has-publicly-said-about-nuclear-weapons-99f6290bc32a#.4cfzs2hid

His remarks concerning women: http://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/news/a44629/donald-trump-insults-women/

His friendship with the Clintons: http://elitedaily.com/news/politics/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-friends/1619008/

Even more troubling, Russia: http://time.com/4433880/donald-trump-ties-to-russia/

When Obama won in 2008, the Republicans in Congress said that they would have preferred Hillary had won, and that they would have been able to work with her better. But now they are saying that if she wins, they will block her Supreme Court nominations for her term. Look at how they've blocked many of Obama's choices and proposals. If the Democrats don't take back Congress and She wins, same thing. If Trump wins and GOP remains in control, I shudder to think.

I am a registered Republican. Reagan was the last Republican I voted for. My eyes were open to any candidate this year, even given my respect and support for Hillary Clinton. The GOP had NOBODY of any worth presented to us. Ted Cruz was worse than Trump in my opinion. I was happy to see him go. I liked Bernie Sanders alright, but knew that his ideas were not going to be met with resounding support from DNC, and that they were putting their money on Clinton. Right or wrong, that is how it went. Sanders wasn't strong enough to win in their eyes. I wish the GOP had found better candidates. I would have liked to have been challenged. Trump made it easy. He has ignited racism, sexism, and many things that have been long gone in our country. Well, racism has never completely died unfortunately, as is sexism, but the firestorm he is creating is not good. I have too many friends that are affected by this. Friends of different races. LGBTQ friends. Friends who rely on Planned Parenthood. What happens to them? What's the plan for healthcare. You just don't say repeal the ACA without a real plan.

Every day it seems that I get into "it" on social media with people that I consider friends. Even family. I can't understand their supporting Trump, they don't understand my support of Clinton. I don't care. This man is not qualified. Hillary Clinton has been a senator, A first lady, and a Secretary of State, with more air miles logged than many of her predecessors: https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/hillary-clintons-overseas-diplomacy-versus-other-secretaries-of-state/2013/01/08/742f46b2-59f3-11e2-9fa9-5fbdc9530eb9_blog.html

At this point I have little or no respect for Trump supporters. Many are friends, so I'm sorry. I probably don't have much respect from them either. If he wins and there is success, I will be first in line to say I was wrong. I have yet to see or understand what he has shown to prove he should be president. Why? because he is not a "politician?" I'm sorry, but he has had many failures in business and has shown his temperament to be that of a spoiled child. I like what Tom Hanks said. If I needed a root canal, would I go to the guy that says, "I haven't done one before, but I think I could do a good job. So lie down and let me see what I can do." Or you go to the person that has done thousands before and knows what they're doing.

I'm not religious. If so, I would pray awfully hard for Hillary Clinton to win. Right now her odds are at about 88%. I'll take it. Either way, a week from tonight, there will be a new president. Let's hope America makes the right choice.