Another weekend, another 20 million awful stories about Donald Trump. Before I get into Trump’s deplorable shenanigans, let me just spend a moment on Rush Limbaugh, because I honestly think Rush made some comments that will end up defining this election in a really horrible way. Last week, Rush was bloviating in his usual way about liberal conspiracies when he hit upon a new conspiracy: consent. As in, liberals believe that whatever happens between consenting adults is fine. Rush pointed that out like it’s a bad thing, like “consent” is a dirty word, that “consent” is ruining Trump’s chances. That’s how far down the rabbit hole we are at this point: conservative thinkers believe that the concept and reality of consent in sexual relations is a negative thing. Think about that. Think about what that says about rape culture that 40% of the population buys that. As for Trump… here are the most deplorable stories.
Donald Trump was not impressed with HRC. As Trump flails around at rallies, he’s been going off-Teleprompter and he’s been saying some truly and profoundly disturbing things. He returned to Hillary’s performance at the second debate, the same debate where he literally stalked Hillary around the dais, and this is what he said: “I’m standing at my podium and she walks in front of me, right. She walks in front of me, you know. And when she walked in front of me, believe me, I wasn’t impressed.” As in, Donald Trump doesn’t like the way Hillary Clinton looks. Because that’s the worst insult he can lodge at her, because he’s a f—king child.
Speaking of objectifying women. Trump has also been flailing around as he tries to say something incriminating about the multiple women accusing him of sexual harassment and assault. On Friday, we discussed how Trump had dismissed People journalist Natasha Stoynoff’s claims of assault by saying “look at her, I don’t think so.” As in, Trump is so classy, he only harasses and assaults beautiful women. Well, he said something similar about Jessica Leeds, the woman who claims Trump assaulted her on a plane. Trump told his audience: “Yeah, I’m going to go after her. Believe me, she would not be my first choice. That I can tell you. You don’t know, that would not be my first choice.” THAT. Not her. THAT. Remind you of the P-ssy tape, when he referred to an actress as “it”?
Sniffles McSnorts-a-lot wants Hillary to take a drug test. Again, the conversation has never been about Hillary seeming like she’s on drugs. Trump is the one who can’t get through a 90 minute debate without sniffling like a cokehead. But Trump still wants Hillary to take a drug test, saying: “At the beginning of her last debate, she was all pumped at the beginning, but at the end she was all ‘take me down.’ She could barely reach her car. I think we should take a drug test. Anyway, I’m willing to do it.” Good. Take a drug test, Sniffles.
What else? Many media outlets are struggling to keep ongoing and updated lists of all of the women coming out with sexual assault and harassment stories – Vox is keeping a detailed list, which you can read here. Politico has also been trying to report (with a straight face) how unhinged Trump has been sounding over the past few days especially. And I haven’t even spent any time discussing Trump’s dog-whistle anti-Semitism. Ugh…
So let’s end this on a nice note? Our lovely neighbors to the north understand that we here in the US need a little pep talk. And since Canadians are the sweetest and most polite people in the world, they made us a little video to tell us how much they love us. Thank you, Canada! We don’t even deserve to have such nice neighbors.
Photos courtesy of Getty, WENN, Pacific Coast News.
The Canadian video is great! I’ve been traveling the world for the past few weeks (Uganda, South Africa, Singapore, now the Philippines… next up the UK) and people have been saying similar things. It’s crazy to hear so many stories from friends, colleagues, taxi drivers, security guards, etc about how much this election will effect their lives and how much they DO NOT want me and other Americans to vote for Trump. I didn’t need persuading as #imwithher, but strangers’ need to reach out to me is heartening & powerful.
That solidarity sounds amazing how crazy to be traveling during this time, to feel it across the globe first hand. It’s so scary. Thanks for sharing that. (:
Now that trump is doing horribly in the polls, the stock market is more stable. Go back and look at a chart- when trump was leading in the polls confidence plummeted. That’s possibly the reason (or symptom?) for total fear when trump seemed to be a plausible candidate.
Australians feel the same! I was just over in America and made sure anyone who wanted to talk politics realised how much we don’t want trump either. We are your allies and have followed you to two rather sketchy wars already. I can only imagine what that man will attempt to do if he gets in. My husband is military, I couldn’t handle his life being in jeopardy again because we have to follow that idiot.
Canadians follow the election like it was happening here. We watch the news, the debates, SNL, John Oliver, Sam Bee, Bill Maher, network pundits, we comment on social media, read American papers and talk endlessly amongst ourselves. We are shocked and horrified and sickened by the way Trump talks about women, Black people, Muslims and Mexicans – and how he talks about how much people are going to love his plans and policies though to date has offered zero details besides the fact that he’s going to use his experience as a four times bankrupted businessman to negotiate fantastic deals.
We really do think America is great but are petrified about what you might become if Trump wins.
Despite the fact that we haven’t met you all, we do have one favour to ask you, to beg of you: VOTE. Insist everyone you know votes… drive the elderly to poling stations… lean on Berne fans… bribe disenchanted youth and first time voters… just vote. Early and often if possible.
Let’s make 2017 great. And let’s have coffee sometime soon – our place or yours. Whatever works.
It’ll be great.
Whirldly, that is good to hear, and I’m on it! Please know that most Americans detest this idiot. He has a very small, very loud following. He does *not* represent Americans 🙁
A part of me wishes the moment “He Who Shall Not Be Named” started running for office, I would have written down literally every ludicrous utterance he has made. I could write a book and perhaps retire early. Question is…what genre would it go under? Political Satire? Horror Non-Fiction?
The problem to me is not only what he says on a daily basis. The problem was to find out the number of Americans agreeing with him…
…Not to mention that so many of those people are preaching, “Get the pitchforks and torches ready” if HRC wins. There’s a sheriff in Milwaukee, Wisconsin going on the record supporting that. SMH…
Jane, they really think the only way that he could lose is if it was rigged.
@ uninspired I know and that seriously frightens and frustrates me to no end.
How, HOW has that sheriff not been stripped of his badge immediately for saying such a thing?!
Cosign “frightened and frustrated to no end.” This is so scary.
I thought of starting a twitter account “Donald the Debater” where I just posted the statements he made during the debate, verbatim. It would be insane!
But then I realized that:
– A) I didn’t want to spend hours of my own time focused on and spreading his vile, hateful, idiocy.
and
-B) the worst of his supports would probably retweet and like the tweets, instead of seeing them for the ridiculous spewing that they were (during a debate or any other forum)
The lady groped on the plane…Trumpists originally tried to debunk her story by alluding to some sort of inconsistency in her story, to do with the type of armrests that were on those planes or some such….aviation experts found no inconsistency. Then we have the ” witness” who contradicted her version of events. He was – according to him – a British 18 year old flying first class on a US internal flight. He clearly remembered the event not happening the way she said it did, despite Trump being unknown in the UK at the time and the passage of many years. And lo and behold, he turns out to be the bloke who was all over the media in the UK with allegations that he had procured juveniles for British MPs to abuse. He had no evidence then either. The desperation of the Trump camp to slander the women making these allegations is despicable, but I don’t expect any better from this vile man and his supporters.
If you search around, Trumpettes are also trying to debunk her by arguing that the term she used, something like “hands like an octopus” is a line from a Velvet Underground song and thus, she lifted it from there and – voila – it didn’t happen! Like, really. This is what they’re reduced to. They’ve reached conspiracy theory levels of nuttery.
Someone on Reddit did a calendar of Cheeto Benitos crazy and had filled every date with his stupidity.
isabelle: can you please share the Reddit link? Thank you.
But the day only has 24 hours and you need to sleep, eat, work, shower, and LIVE! There is no way one person could do that. The sheer volume of insane and despicable, revolting and offensive things that have come out of his face would be unmanagable.
Mother Jones is running a great series of amazingly offensive/inept things Trump has done in the course of his life and I’m still amazed. My favorite is the one about his lawyers always meeting with him in pairs because he couldn’t keep his lies straight.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/10/trump-files-how-donalds-lawyers-dealt-his-constant-lying
(Scroll down at the link for the rest of the list.)
Want to read something really terrifying? Read this on Trump supporters.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2016/10/15/donald-trump-warnings-conspiracy-rig-election-are-stoking-anger-among-his-followers/LcCY6e0QOcfH8VdeK9UdsM/story.html
I read that yesterday and was chilled and frightened. What do we do with people with these thoughts.
Also, it frightens me that our news media has pretty much buried the news of the Kansas terrorist plot in which three middle-aged white guys were arrested for plotting to bomb a mosque and an apartment complex because dozens of Somalis live there on November 9. They were waiting for the 9th because they didn’t want to interfere with the election.
Agree, this should be a bigger story.
And imagine the terror for those Somalis, having come to the USA for safety.
I think I saw something about 1 plotter being a DT supporter though this would be a fair surmise.
Am not being as reassured by polls as I would have thought because of the persistent threat of violence.
I don’t think that news has been buried. It was all over my FB feed. And I never watch TV but it was on yesterday for college football and afterwards I was channel surfing a bit and caught a big segment about it on NBC news. The photos of those deplorables seriously made my skin crawl.
@Esmon, on my FB feed, I’m the only one who posted anything about it. The news websites have pretty much stuck it halfway down the page or nowhere to be seen unless you do a search and I cannot help but wonder whether the coverage would be different if the terrorists were not white
It’s not on the NY Times homepage. It should be.
I haven’t seen much of anything on this.
@lightpurple — absolutely the coverage would be different if it were the Somalis planning to bomb a church. Without a doubt.
ETA: Great minds, MellyMel!!
It’s because those men are white, plain and simple. I read about it this morning and they weren’t even referred to as terrorist, which is what they are. If it had been the Somalian Muslims accused of this, it would be everywhere and you know who would be using it as an example of why we shouldn’t allow Muslims into this country. The double-standard in reporting these crimes is sickening.
They are school ground big mouthed bullies and will do nothing the day after he looses, except bitch. They will take to the favorite brainwashing site and to express their rage. Encountered a raging Trump supporter that lost it when I told them I was voting for Hillary they looked like they want to throttle me. When I then smiled after saying it, they stomped off like their big orange baby and slammed the door like their leader an angry child. If he looses they will act like a spoiled child when they don’t get their way: whine, cry, rage, lie,make excuses and then go to their room to sulk………oh and white uneducated women are voting largely for Trump it’s not just white men, white uneducated women are as well.
Isabelle, I sincerely hope you’re right. I truly do. But I’ve never seen anything like this before. These people are angry, vengeful, armed, and convinced that the election is/will be rigged. They scare the crap out of me.
Again- desperately hope you’re right and it’s all talk. But I don’t feel as confident about that as you do.
It’s going to be a long few weeks.
Trump’s ego is so fragile he would rather undermine the foundation of democracy and repeal freedom of the press than admit defeat. That’s pathetic. How anyone can read a quote about stopping the media or patrolling ballot boxes and not worry about the future of America isn’t paying enough attention.
While having the media led out by the police in riot gear is a new and novel low. Partisan observers have always been apart of the process (a stupid part for multiple reasons) but a part none the less. They follow very strict rules and can and will be removed for breaking those rules. My mom is a Cheif Judge and the partisan observers are fine with her. All the worrisome stuff is what happens outside in the “free speech” campaigning areas. So her county has hired retired law enforcement officers to be outside the sites, keep it civil, call the cops if need be and not allow voter suppression and harassment. She is proud of her job and the system and bends over backwards to answer questions for observers, show them the process, ect instead of kicking them out although she has every right to do that.
Thanks for the link – it is truly terrifying. As for the one guy named who openly talked about assassination if Hillary’s elected, not only is he completely stupid on so many levels but I’m sure the secret service will be keeping tabs on him and others making threats. Unbelievable.
That IS chilling.
That a candidate for president speaks like that, that his surrogates are starting to speak like that and that his supporters are talking like that too, all of it is awful. These are the “Make America Great Again” folks, right? What part of disrupting the “peaceful transition of the Office” (which, BTW, has awed me every time I see it happen after every Presidential election, because it is one of the things that truly does make America great) would they see as making America Great?
If the rest of us could make it through two terms with George W Bush as President and Dick Cheney as Vice President, including the unjust wars that killed thousands started simply because W had a grudge, Trump supporters can grow up and deal with Hillary Clinton as President. Jeesh!
That guy basically threatened to assassinate HRC. Is that…how is he allowed to say that? Shouldn’t the Feds be investigating threats like that?
@Kitten, that was exactly my reaction. I just shouted at my husband, “Why isn’t he in jail?!” and my husband said it’s probably not illegal to threaten a candidate. Ok, well then as soon as the election is called for HRC, police should be at this guy’s doorstep ready to take him into custody, no?
These people terrify me. I was shaking after reading that.
The problem is that these guys (men/women) are the ones that have arsenals in their homes and looking at those with opposing views as enemies. Seriously if HRC wins I think we will be in martial law pretty quickly because these people are effing crazy. Actually if Trump wins we will be in martial law too but because he’s a dictator wannabe.
@Jenns: Holy Sh!t! That article is absolutely terrifying. I’m speechless.
So at last we can all agree that 49% of Americans are unapologetically bigoted towards all except white english language speaking males. NOW is the time to begin classes geared toward humanitarianism (opposite of bigotry) beginning in daycare. We have a problem and it’s obvious.
I’m sure HRC is heartbroken over his opinion of her looks. /s
Ha, I know. It’s just crazy that THIS is what she has to deal with. When she told Ellen about how she was worried about staying accurate and focused during the debate it broke my heart a little bit because of Trump and his supporters absolute disdain for accuracy or facts. How utterly frustrating.
I was wondering just yesterday what the election home stretch might look like if she was facing an opponent who was actually worthy, who she could actually debate on real issues.
He should look at himself in the mirror, he is no oil painting, actually I think he is the ugliest man inside and out I have ever come across, he makes my skin crawl.
“I’m made of steel”, lmao off at SNL last night at that line but its true. Steal spine on her.
Long time lurker here, I’ve been reading this blog for years and I’ve always enjoyed the celebrity coverage. I’ll probably regret saying this, but I’m honestly disappointed in what you’re saying here about “40% of the population” thinking consent is a negative thing. Not all conservative thinkers think the same way. Not all conservative thinkers think Trump is a great candidate, and we don’t all want him to win the election. Seriously, why is it okay to lump all of us together and collectively blast us here? I feel like it’s getting to the point here where my “conservative voice” wouldn’t be welcome at all.
Yeah that’s fair. Rush Limbaugh is not the standard bearer for conservative thinking, he’s more of a fringe crackpot. Being an actual conservative during these times! You have my sympathy.
He was extremely influential during the first decade of this century. I don’t know if his followers have left him or not…maybe someone else knows. Crackpots can still be influential and have been throughout American history.
I have long associated RL with an unhinged, extreme viewpoint. When he mocked a famous Parkinson’s patient, it told me all I needed to know.
All voices are welcome but at this point there doesn’t seem to be much public representation of conservatism in a civil way that respects our democracy and all people in it. If the Republican party makes different choices starting November 9th, and Republican lawmakers start to work with Democrats, the mood might change. Moderate Conservatives would need to support efforts to tear down gerrymandering, overturn Citizens United and reinstate voting rights. Otherwise it is still not a level playing field.
To enlarge on this, I would like to see conservative voters support what have historically been Democratic or liberal positions on supporting and strengthening the means by which we govern ourselves, and make them more open to all.
Without that, it’s harder for me to respect many conservative positions because distorting and strangling democratic access has given them disproportionate influence over our national life.
I think the 40% Kaiser is mentioning is the number of Trump’s die-hard supporters who do believe in whatever crazy things Trump/Limbaugh/Breitbart/Fox News says and run with it to form all these crazy conspiracy theories. Regular conservatives are a different story.
That being said, as long as that crazy 40% is still underneath the GOP umbrella, and top republican officials don’t enthusiastically as a whole denounce Trump/quietly support him by doing/saying nothing while he’s undermining the election conservatives are gonna be tainted and mistrusted for a longggg time. An unfortunate consequence of the bystander effect, but a consequence nonetheless.
I don’t think a conservative voice would be unwelcome…it’s just this is what we’ve come to, making generalizations because the unhinged voices are screaming so loudly. I am now struggling myself to reconcile how several women who I thought I knew to be smart and rational are supporting Trump. I would love a thoughtful discussion about it but all I get are regurgitated talking points about emails, Benghazi and other vague anti-Hillary grumblings. It’s discouraging.
This. I have twice in my life voted for a Republican presidential candidate so it’s not like I would never consider a qualified Republican candidate again. But this buffoon goes against everything I believe in: for the sake of individual rights and the future of this country. If you ask these people “Make a list of all the good things each candidate has done for our country,” what would they say? They would still be talking about emails.
@koorik thank you SO MUCH for being a conservative and posting here. This site is incredibly liberal with a strong feminist angle, and a lot of time the “conservatives” thet post usually post in a fashion that might not welcome conversation (seem troll like). Echoing @Esmom, unfortunately, from what I can tell, the posters that lean more right have yet to bring forth a meaningful, open conversation.
Speaking as a conservative liberal for myself, far right in policy, I’ve tried, recently and very hard , to have more empathy and compassion for viewpoints from conservative women, women who still support (while not condoning his actions.)
I’ve tried really hard to learn more about the how and why this idea about “consent” is such a trigger and how some people could equate rap songs (etc) and the “filth” within, how that somehow equals non consensual pussy grabbing.
The example of Beyoncé owning her sexuality and flaunting it in videos and songs and that is somehow equal to non consensual pussy grabbing. The idea that even if a woman does that all night, when she leaves and walks home in her skimpy outfit, that her body is still hers and no powerful man can come to her and sexualize her without her consent. There is so much confusion and anger and circular talking about this as if it is all the same.
What I realized in my quest to understand more fully, and take the hatred and sometimes irrational anger at what “seems” to me to be a lot of people not understanding consent and how it differs from sexualization, when I realized that’s the very heart of this whole issue.
Conservatives, from what I understand, have a barometer that is different from liberals specifically about what is acceptable sexualization. So while to a liberal the word pussy might not spark any flames when used in media, that very thing would already send a true conservative into a tailspin. From then on, I get the impression that to conservatives it’s all kind of the same, because their barometer has already been set off.
When I thought about it that way, I realized the conversations are always going to go round about like this because for a true conservative and a true liberal, the way they think about this issue isn’t likely to change and it starts before consent is needed. (Like for them it seems like don’t wear the short skirt = avoid sexual situations and for us it’s more wear short skirt = my body and right to say no).
I’m trying not to generalize, but I do think there is a tiered layer of conservatives, and the ones that get us worked up are the ones who simply cannot have a convo about issues without a pivot back, or policies without a pivot back, or a question like how can you support this man and still have pride in being a woman without being 100% shut down. As mentioned, the ones who show up here, the ones Kaiser is talking about in the media, the ones we all have issues with are the ones doing mental gymnastics around this.
For once I’d love a conversation with a conservative about each candidate that doesn’t immediately pivot back to the “CROOK!” and is more about a side by side comparison of ability and plans, and policy moving forward.
I don’t know who I answered. I’m sorry. I’ve been thinking about this all, this incredible disconnect.
There has been an interesting body of research to the effect that conservative politics are supported by people with more authoritarian personalities — i.e. more rigid, more “my way or the highway,” and that center-left politics are supported by people with more flexible personalities (accounting for all the Democratic/progressive open in-fighting). It’s worth looking up. Different personality styles can account for these differing approaches to the political scene.
The same researchers estimate that about 1/2 the American electorate has the more “authoritarian” personality style and about 1/3 the Canadian electorate has it, too. This certainly meshes with the way the voting goes.
@esmom a co-worker and I had a conversation the other day about how different this election is. In the past if I found out someone was voting for say…. Romney, my overall opinion of them would not change. I would just acknowledge that we had different points of view and move on. With this election and this candidate I struggle when I find out a person I respect (especially a woman) is supporting Trump. My opinion of them instantly changes. I don’t feel good about it but that is where I am at.
Thank you all for your responses, I’m glad to see nice, thoughtful discussion. I’ll say this. Ever since the Tea Party movement, I’ve struggled with where and how to align myself politically. This movement has the GOP leaning so far right, when I think a lot of younger republicans like me are far, far more moderate. As an example, I live in North Carolina, and I’m absolutely horrified at the passing of HB2 for many reasons (it’s discriminatory, bigoted, makes my state lose probably millions of dollars in athletics competitions and corporations backing out, state employees initially lost the right to sue for discrimination in the work place, etc).
Many of us do not share the same views and opinions as the Fox News Hive Mind, but unfortunately there hasn’t been a candidate that truly represents a moderate republican point of view. Who are these people said upthread that they would like to see conservatives support historically democratic positions. I would like that too, and I think that will happen when we get candidates in who aren’t radically right. As a personal example, I believe that healthcare in this country is a right, not a privilege for only the rich, and while the ACA has some flaws, I love the idea that we have a system in place where someone like my sister (type 1 diabetic) isn’t denied coverage for her condition, and doesn’t have to shell out thousands of dollars a year in insurance costs (I could get on a soapbox and bitch about this for days). It’s one example, but I know a lot of republicans who have decidedly liberal positions when it comes to health care, the environment, and social issues. We’re here, but we probably feel like we don’t fit in anywhere since we have such a mix of view points. Honestly, I think because the republican party is turning into the tea party, we may not see a moderate republican win too much.
@NotTrumpsDarling – it’s incredible and commendable that you would try to understand that viewpoint. I struggle with that too, because it’s very hard to “logic” your way through, because it’s something very emotional – not logical at all. I’m with you though, as a woman I feel like it’s my right to wear whatever the heck I want and I should have the same expectation of security in a skirt as I do a parka when I walk down the street. I can’t really offer up discussion from the conservative point of view here, because I frankly don’t share that viewpoint. There’s no amount of mental gymnastics a person can do around this that can justify the view point that a woman “has it coming” when she wears something that that person arbitrarily thinks is “sluty”. When I see this, it’s infuriating, because it just feels like that person wants to put me in a box and tell me to behave myself.
I would love to see discussion around why someone thinks Trump is a good candidate (socially or economically) but I’m willing to bet there aren’t a lot of people with that viewpoint here.
@who THANK YOU! I looked it up and am excited to read up. 🙌🏽
@ Who ARE These People?
You might be interested in this article, which surveys Europe for authoritarian populist attitudes. If you read down towards the end of the article, it compares with Trump and similar attitudes in the US.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/albertonardelli/extreme-views-are-becoming-the-mainstream-in-britain-and-eur?utm_term=.fo6B3v7BN#.gxRm0O3mx
Koorik, yeah, I too struggle with wrapping my head around the extreme conservative stance on consent and women’s rights in general. Did you see some of the Youtube comments on the Michelle Obama speech that was posted here the other day? Half of the antis were “emails emails emails Benghazi emails” and the other half thought FLOTUS was being a whiny baby over nothing because consent doesn’t matter to them.
I think it ties back to the recent conservative/Republican positions:
A) that regulation that dictates what happens inside the home (ie in people’s love lives/marriages, in people’s bedrooms, in women’s bodies, and in their practices of faith) = GOOD for America
and
B) that any regulation that tries to manage what happens in the wider world ( ie environmental protections, consumer protections, banking regulation, gun control, campaign financing, safety net programs, humanitarian aid) = BAD BAD BAD for America
Add to that whatever underlying prejudices that place “straight” white males in the primary position, and everyone else as “less than” in terms of rights, access, ability to have their voices heard and their needs met. (I put “straight” in quotes because of the # of white male politicians who present as straight but get found out as having had sexual relations with men (sadly often minors or employees/interns) )
And you wind up with a people who default to blaming sexual assault on what a woman was wearing while she was going about her life, than to blaming the man who *chose* to not keep his hands or other parts of his anatomy to himself. Basically because women = objects with no rights, white men* = full citizens who can do what they please, take what they want, piss on whatever.
*It’s usually white men, but can be black men or others if they happen to be celebrated athletes or other celebrities (ie Bill Cosby)
Hey, notdonaldsdarling, living for your comment. Love it. Well worth the read.
@neo Thank You!! I went off rambling but the ideas were there and my truth is that I truly am trying to understand. I really am with love in my heart.
I’m grateful for @koorick’s post, and the subsequent conversation. I think it showed that both sides can meet and learn and grow from each other. I was fascinated to hear other people chiming in too, with their thoughts and feelings and viewpoints. Today it almost seemed as though we were all
coming from a similar place and I really
needed that. 💙
Omg, Esmom, me too.
@NotDonaldsDarling & Koorik, thank you, those were great comments and helped me to understand a bit more – and you’re right, “circular” is an excellent way to describe many of the recent conversations. So frustrating. It is so reassuring to know there are people like you out there, AND willing to engage in a forum like this!
@Tate, nailed it! In past years, I’ve had friends or acquaintances who voted for a conservative candidate, and all I would do is refrain from discussing politics with that person; I never felt it was worth ruining a friendship over. It did not spark the abject *horror* that I feel when I learn someone I like and respect is a Trump supporter.
This election is apples & oranges compared to any others I’ve lived through. I don’t feel good about how it changes my opinion of someone, either, but honestly, how else can we feel? This man represents everything I see as evil. If someone still supports him, well, that isn’t someone I want to be around, or have my young child spend time with either. It’s so depressing on every single level.
I would welcome a conservative point of view. I don’t post in political threads that often; however, I think they are much more interesting when people with different opinions are able to talk about it (with a safe word when necessary!) in a rational conversation.
Our household is liberal, and my husband is voting for Hilary Clinton. However, if the Republicans had fielded a more qualified candidate, he would be taking a long hard look at him/her.
Because there are polls indicating that it’s true. I’m really sorry to tell you, but the truth is that a huge portion of conservative do believe this.
Hi KooriK.
I respect the hell out of conservatives who refuse to endorse Trump and try and actively speak against him. I just wish there were more of them.
I’m very much a lefty, but can totally understand where traditional-type fiscal conservatives are coming from. The problem is that ‘normal’ conservatism got high-jacked, firstly by the likes of Newt Gingrich in the 1990s, then by the Tea Party in the 2000s, and now by Trump.
Unfortunately, the labels ‘Republican’ and ‘Conservative’ have become tainted, not least by cowardly senators and congresspeople who are covering their own backsides by refusing to disavow Trump.
Since the 1990s, there has also been this weird swing against social issues (e.g. the whole transgender bathroom nonsense) – which totally goes against the libertarian idea of governments keeping their noses out of people’s personal lives.
It is these kind of hypocrisies – plus the racist and sexist dog-whistling – that have led to this widespread anger towards SOME Republicans. For me, the t-shirts worn by Trump voters were the final straw.
So, please, conservative voices against Trump are HUGELY welcome! I think the sane people of the US need to stick together.
I’m with Kath.
I’m as liberal as they come but genuinely do enjoy hearing from reasonable republicans in an effort to try and understand their positions. Nothing but respect for the public ones brave enough to denounce Trump.
But Kath is right, something happened around the time the Tea Party formed and it has been downhill ever since. I know that those reasonable, Trump-denouncing conservatives still exist (a few are right here in this thread! thankfully), but the radical ones are the loudest and most visible right now, and have been for a while. The recent photos of people wearing those vile shirts at Trump rallies were the last straw for me as well – how can someone expect to be taken seriously when they look like that??
I actually have a great deal of sympathy for people like NotDonaldsDarling and Koorik; your once-reasonable party has been hijacked by extreme lunatics, and I can’t imagine how that must feel – a, “Where does that leave me?” kind of thing.
It’s heartbreaking to see our country divided like this.
The 40% is Trump’s polling. Those 40% (give or take a few points depending on the poll) DO want Trump to win. Why shouldn’t they be called out for wanting to vote for someone who’s campaign has been wall to wall idiocy, bigotry and paranoid hatred?
I think a thoughtful conservative voice may not get big cheers, but I don’t think you would be personally bashed or insulted. I would be really interested in a thoughtful, respectful debate about real issues. I think Trump screwed this up for a lot of reasonable republicans. Peace!
Because right now 40% of the population is saying they would vote for Trump. A vote for Trump is a vote for his beliefs..: which is that consent is a liberal joke, not a basic human right. It’s not a knock against the conservative base. It’s a knock against the 40% who still say they’d vote for this
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/15/the-ched-evans-case-sends-a-chilling-message-to-women-dont-repor/
I hope this link works. A very chilling case in the Uk recently involving consent. In some ways we seem to be going backwards.
The Ched Evans case is Nate Parker all over again – right down to the harassing of the survivor. And his family offered £50k reward for witnesses to the survivor’s sexual history to come forward and the ones who did were friends of the accused’s friends. Then the judge admitted the resulting testimony as evidence. I’m in total disbelief.
Mr Sixer has been raging all over social media about it and you wouldn’t believe how many people support the verdict, including women. Even the Sixlets and their little friends have a more sophisticated understanding of consent than half the idiots Mr Sixer has been arguing with online. I hope the next generation saves us from all this abject shite, I really do.
I saw that too. I can’t believe they let her sexual history into evidence. And I also can’t beliueve they let him and his PR/family influence the media as they did.
I’m sorry, what now? They allowed the victim’s sexual history into court??
I apologize in advance for saying this, but it makes me feel a tiny bit better that Americans aren’t the only ones behaving like immoral lunatics.
A vote for Trump is validating everything that he stands for … it is validating sexism, racism, violence towards those with differing views, conspiracy theories, toxicity, mean-spirited bullying behavior and pants on fire lying. He is everything you tell your child NOT to be.
Trump…Hillary keeps beating you at debates because she prepares (and frankly, because she’s a lot smarter than you are) not because she’s on drugs.
Calling Dr. Freud! Given how much Trump projects, this increases the odds he’s a user. This is the prism through which he sees the world.
He is even more deeply depraved than we thought.
This. “Hillary is on drugs” is classic projection.
His behaviour is classic. Psychology/psychiatry departments now have a clearly delineated and florid example of personality disorders and decompensation to show and discuss thanks to video. He’s the textbook example for Personality Disorders For Dummies, it’s so simple and obvious. And of course, there’s the fascism.
Thank you, Canada! I LOVE you. Thank you for all of your writers, singers, actors and other artists who have enriched our culture. Thank you for the inspiration.
That was so lovely!
That was a lovely video and so needed.
I saw Donald at the debate, he stood right in front of me and I was not impressed and I vote.
When he looks in the mirror he sees a GQ model. More proof of his unhinged delusions.
Wow, wish I was there.
+1
Is he as unattractive and orange as he appears on tv?
I’m always proud of my fellow Canadians! What a nice idea. Yes, America is already great, for many reasons. But as a fellow neighbor, I’ve never been more concerned about the US. I have to have faith that the majority of Americans are not the fringe crazies we see supporting Trump. I know you’ll do the right thing on Nov 8.
Marlee Matlin is either a coward, a Trump supporter, or both.
Her response was a disappointment. She should have called him by name and denounced his entire being.
As a disabled person myself, I think her response was fine. It focused on how unacceptable it is to use the r word and discrimination of deaf people who, like many people with other disabilities, are too often presumed to be incompetent or intellectually wanting just because they are not normative in an able-bodied person’s perspective. Don’t call her a coward. It takes a lot of courage to speak out about albeism, as it is everywhere and many people still don’t “see” it. I appreciate Marlee not making it about Trump specifically because we disabled people know all too well the only reason someone like Trump is OK with it is because so many other able-bodied people in our country are too.
@KasySwee sorry.. this response is addressing all the following. I just didn’t want to answer each, individually.
It’s not about being disabled or not. It’s about anyone being personally demeaned and denigrated by that deplorable.
I have family members and friends who are developmentally disabled (one, severely). I rip into any adult who uses the word “retarded” or “retard” when referencing a person, including themselves (in seriousness or joking). …when it’s used as a pejorative regarding people. Kids get talked to about why it’s wrong. Trump isn’t some kid who doesn’t know any better.
I don’t ask or consider Matlin to be the anointed spokesperson for disabled people— just someone who was treated despicably by Trump.
Calling his behavior out and denouncing him by name is not going low.
Of course she had the right to respond as she wishes. I, simply, find it inadequate… just as I find Ryan’s waffling and that of the other like-minded Reps.
Michelle Obama “When they go low,we go high”
I applaud Marlee Marlin.
I respect the way Marlee Matlin chose to address this problem. She spoke with dignity and self-respect, she represented the deaf and hard-of-hearing, and I think it’s clear how she feels and how she votes. It’s unfair to call someone a “coward” for not saying what you *think* you would say if you were in her shoes. You’re not in her shoes. We none of us can know what we would say if we were other people.
I think she has a right to respond as she wishes.
Just can’t help noticing that all the “horrible, horrible” insults and insinuations he hurls toward Hillary are actual facts about himself. He’s turned deflection into a new art form.
Its an old Roger Ailes trick. Roger Ailes is now in complete control of his campaign, especially since the sexual allegations have came out against him. It works, look at how popular Fox news became under him.
I noticed that too. How is it that more people don’t see it? It’s so obvious to me.
http://nyti.ms/2e7gqUa
Every time I see that picture I feel sorry for that poor innocent child. His parents support Trump! They’re such rabid fans that they dressed him like a mini Trump. That toddler doesn’t stand a chance.
@Sullivan, same. I literally cringe for that poor child.
His parents are no doubt incredibly proud 😒
I was at a birthday party for my nephew yesterday. His girlfriend and family put it together for him and I learned her dad is a huge Trump supporter. Very loud in his beliefs, proclaiming at one point ‘Trump is God’ despite his wife’s pleas for no politics talk at the party. He was also talking about Hillary being a crook and how she’s going to take his guns. ….. my boyfriend and I did not stay long.
I come from a family of gun owners and hunters, and it’s funny to me how they swore Obama was going to take their guns. He didn’t. So now they are convinced Hillary will. I cannot understand this logic and hysteria for the life of me.
Obama was going to take away their precious future apocalyptic kill they neighbor guns. What did he do in reality, lifted more restrictions on them. They are told his everyday through their websites and ‘media’. Their talking heads have scared them shi*tless with lies. Also I know this sounds judgmental but assume white men of a certain age are mostly Trump supporters.
Thank you, Canada!! I needed that! 🇨🇦❤️🇺🇸
Sniffle-sniffle needs a psych evaluation asap.
Said it all in a nutshell (pun intended). Thanks.
Now he’s calling for SNL to be cancelled because of the vast conspiracy against him. Imagine if the president of the Philippines called him a “son of a whore.” It’d be WWIII.
Thanks to all the other nonsense surrounding him each day, an interview with his former employee Barbara Res ended up getting little if any mention. She is an attorney and engineer who worked with him in management for 18 years.
At the end of the interview, she concisely summed his lack of governmental experience and his temperament (she described a very vindictive mindset). It really is scary.
His biographer/ghostwriter says that whatever accusations/insults Trump levels at people, are usually reflections of his own weaknesses. So, every time he says something disparaging about Clinton or others, I just apply it to him. And now he’s calling for Clinton to take a drug test (wtf?) and this morning I read an article suggesting that Trump is addicted to diet pills that are known as cheap speed. The possible side effects of it describe Trump to a T, so it was pretty convincing.
Bring on the drug tests, I say.
Exactly what I said in #13 above. In 100% agreement w/ all you said.
Those can’t be very good diet pills… I’d be asking for my money back…
AnneTommy, thank you, this thread needed some levity and you brought it! 😂
I believe this 100%. At the last debate when DT asserted that Hillary had hatred in her heart I burst out laughing. Never was his projecting his feelings more clear.
This is how insane Trump is, accusing Hillary of being on drugs and demanding drug testing for the next debate. It is absolutely vile and unprecedented, and there is zero evidence of that night to even give a hint she was on something. He’s the one that was sniffling nonstop. He was the one stalking her on stage.
Yet, he gets away with spouting such nonsense and making a mockery of this election. He’s an idiot.
I’m going to go watch De Niro’s video again. He hits the nail on the head.
I know. And the people cheer, which is worse to me. He is making a mockery of this election and again what’s worse is the seemingly normal people who are on board with him. Do they not feel their party is worthy of a legitimate candidate? Don’t they want two relative equals to debate on the issues? We’re not getting that and if it’s this frustrating for me I can’t imagine how Hillary feels. Being reduced to battling this buffoon.
As someone here said recently, the presidency will feel like a walk in the park after this sh$%show of a campaign season. GOP obstructionism nothwithstanding.
Esmom, it is truly insane that Hillary has to deal with this buffoon. I’m not even a huge fan of HRC by any means, but when you look back at her professional accomplishments and career, it is ridiculous that she is in a position of competing with this idiot.
I also wonder why the GOP doesn’t believe they deserve a more qualified candidate. The entire thing is mind-boggling.
So this is the new normal until November 8? Three to four Trump posts every day, even on weekends? There is not one square inch of the Internet where his six feet and three inches of fascist, xenophobic woman-hating orange madness hasn’t conquered. Even escapist gossip sites. It’s too much, it’s exhausting. There has to be somewhere where he is not.
Please forgive this rant by a long-time lurker. Just cannot take anymore Trump.
Peace to everyone, you are all so wonderful and thoughtful, in all things, from the lighthearted to the profound.
Hopefully this election and the damnable Trump will be behind us soon. Better days.
I hear you. I think the only solution is to stay away from digital devices between now and then. Sigh.
So glad to see the stories here because the comments are some of the most intelligent out there…
“Orange madness!” I like that. It makes me think of how his craziness can be linked with other colorful names like the red death, yellow fever, or the Black Plague.😉 Luckily the cure for this one is voting.
That video from Canada was amazing. I really needed that! I honestly can’t even watch the news without wanting to take a shower afterwards. All the coverage about Trump … it was starting to taint my outlook on life. Ugh, what a lousy excuse for a human. And then I watched that Canadian video and it reminded me that yeah, there’s a lot of good out there. America has problems but we’re still pretty darn great. And one of the best things we have going for us is our neighbors up north. Thank you, Canada! You’re one frigging awesome country!
LinaLamont, I think Matlin was trying to take the high road, calmly and with no overly emotional denouncing of DT. Yet, she did clearly state it was unacceptable language and she would respond with her vote, a right she clearly holds dear. I can understand your frustration but disagree she is a coward. I do get your frustration however, as I used to work with special needs children and his words and actions towards anyone with special needs infuriates and sickens me. However, it seems like the far right just gets more whipped up into a frenzy when they are taken head on or outright denounced. ITS tough, the more hate they spew out the harder it is not to respond in kind. This has been a strong, strong trait of HRC in this election she has rarely stooped to his level.
Also to the moderate Republicans and others who hate DT, I hear you. I try not to lump y’all in with the others because that is not fair. However, take your darn party back!! It has been highjacked, twisted, corrupted and damaged. I consider myself a Libertarian so I’m usually forced to pick one of the two major party candidates and I know so many level headed moderate Republicans who are just sickened by this whole farce. I respect those in the party who denounce DT and I’m disappointed in those who haven’t done so by now. It shouldn’t have gotten this far. Glad to hear your reasonable voices, thank you for some excellent insights and I will personally try harder not to lump all Republicans in the far right hate group category, it isn’t correct or fair. ((Hugs)) to us all and a mimosa to those who need it (me).
I hope Donald is humiliated by the elction results. I hope he is just completely destroyed. This man is foul and toxic.
I don’t even respect Ivanka anymore. She stays with this ultimate douchebag and defends him.
This election has been very illuminating. I always thought Donald was a blowhard but I had no idea how far the ugliness went until this election.
At first, I enjoyed watching Donald make the professional politians sweat because I have zippo respect for them and I think the system works for a monied elite and not for the majority of the country or the land over which the government stewards. However, as time went on, I remember watching one of the primary debates and thinking his candidacy wasn’t funny anymore. He is the kind of personality who never should have power.
This election confirms my suspicions that the people in charge of our government and economy/business are selfish, disgusting individuals who have zeo business being where they are.
At this point, I don’t believe this man is capable of being humiliated. He sees the writing on the wall, so he’s already spouting the “rigged!” nonsense. He will never gracefully accept defeat.
Family Guy just used the whole pussygate footage with the actual audio of Trump… they had Peter talking to him throughout. It was good.
Well, I for one have never been impressed with your looks, so…
I never thought about this before seeing this video that you guys need support. I’m sending you all a big hug from over the Atlantic. If did not have a marvelous settled life here in the midst of Europe I would come to live in America no matter what. I love the US and how different the cities and cultures are out there and people are generaly very warm. And I think that no matter how this election ends for most part of the world the US will remain a country of dreams. So don’t be sad.