So, here we are: Election Day blues
It’s very beautiful and sunny out. A perfect late fall day.
It’s even rather warm for this time of year. A perfect Election Day.
The sky is blue. My mood is blue. I predict that our next president will be blue, initials HRC.
I am hoping that the Senate will buck the blue trend and remain red.
I will be planning to comment on the election results this evening. I invite you to join me.
I wish neo and all the readers/commenters here the best of luck, and to keep our fingers crossed for our Republic.
For many years, conservatives have praised the virtues of divided government. Tomorrow, that’s how I hope to find some solace.
I am predicting a slim DJT win. He wins NC FL IA MI OH PA WI.
Enthusiasm makes the difference. The Republic is saved.
My husband and I stood in line for 35 minutes but that was because they had 1 person checking people in and 2 or 3 were “provisional” or “supplemental” ballots. That really stops the flow.
Whatever happens I feel personally joyful because I picked up my 6 year old granddaughter from school yesterday. It took me a couple hours to put 2 and 2 together, but she had shown me a red elephant that the teacher cut out of construction paper for her. Long and short of it is she was 1 of the 3 people that “voted” for Trump, the other 18 receiving blue donkeys for their “votes”. Why does that make me happy, even though here in middle-class America we have a classroom of 1st graders “voting” for Hillary? My sweet Peach had mentioned to me a couple times what a “bad” man Trump was…she heard it on the playground. The last time, I had asked her what the kids were saying about Hillary and she said, “she’s good”. I told her the kids were wrong and Gram was voting for Trump. That simple, no other conversation. So even though a couple of the kids tried to talk her into changing her vote, she didn’t falter. When I asked why she chose Donald, she said, “I like his smile.” It was funny, even though she had no unhappiness at being an outlier, at one point she said to me, “I think the vote should be private, Gram.”
Beautiful day in my part of New England too. Washed out the bad taste in my mouth from voting with a nice hourlong dogwalk — I recommend it to all.
It all seems so anticlimactic after all the Surprise talk.
I half-expected someone to wheel out the Ark of the Covenant and we would see Hillary’s and Donald’s faces melt away.
Sorry to hear your glum, neo-neocon. Take a few minutes to let it all sink in, and then take off that gloomy mask of tragedy. It’s not your style. And never forget; you have the cool, clear
eyes of a seeker of wisdom and truth. Yet there’s that upturned chin and that grin of impetuous youth.
This, https://g.co/kgs/8b7FsC
never fails to bring a smile to my face.
Sharon W
The shy Trump voter will win the day.
I have two Hispanics friends and the husband just retired from the military. Both Trump voters although the MSM tells us Hispanics hate Trump.
I felt this way when Romney lost. As awful as the past 2 years have been I have not been surprised. We had such a clear choice with Romney/Ryan vs. Obama/Biden. And it wasn’t even close. A majority of voters want to sacrifice freedom, liberty and responsibility for the false promise of security. And an alarming number of our fellow citizens are very comfortable with the idea that they can determine what and how their neighbors should live, and how much of their neighbors perceived largesse belongs to the State.
This year we are only seeing the continued devolution on our Republic from that immature manner of reasoning.
Rufus T. Firefly:
Yes, that does make me smile.
I had the great good fortune, by the way, to see Bobby Morse (the guy who sang “I Believe in You” in “How to Succeed,” that first song you were quoting) in his first big Broadway hit, prior to that, “Take Me Along.” I was a child, but I very much remember how he stole the show.
It’s a nice day here in Houston.
What a strange election. For the first time in my adult life I’ve actively avoided talking about politics with many of my close friends because I honestly didn’t have any idea how they would vote. Friendship is more important that politics, and I didn’t want to risk that getting into useless arguments.
So I’m thankful for this site, where I’ve been able to express myself about this unfortunate election. I’m looking forward to the post-election talk.
It’s an exceptionally beautiful day on California’s Central Coast. I am reminded of the beauty I noticed on the day of the WTC attacks on 9/11/2001, in the San Francisco Bay Area. On that day, after watching news for hours, I went on a solo, peaceful bicycle ride. I felt like I was enjoying beauty as a catastrophic war was about to start.
I have two Hispanics friends and the husband just retired from the military. Both Trump voters although the MSM tells us Hispanics hate Trump.- Cornhead
I recently had a rental house I’m remodeling painted by a Hispanic gentleman- voting for Trump.
He’s lived here for a long time, small businessman and he’s seen what the government can do for him.
Well there’s 3 Latino votes and counting.
Neo-neocon, I recall you mentioning that before. I remain envious.
Unfortunately we are re-learning the same lesson civilized humans have learned, forgotten and re-learned over and over again throughout history. It’s so much more attractive to fix the whole world than fixing our family, our neighborhood, our town.
You’re the psych expert, neo-neocon. Can you tell me why we all personally struggle with providing for ourselves, staying in relationships with significant others, educating our own children.. with many mis-steps along the way, yet we so readily believe we have the answers for the rest of humanity? How do people convince themselves they understand how all others should live their lives?
Alan F.,
The night before the 2012 election I went to a small chapel to pray. There was only one other person there, and she soon left (it’s a small chapel and it was rather late). I eventually left also, I still remember stepping outside and the feeling that came over me. I’m not a particularly dramatic person (and, unfortunately, not always very religous), but the entire environment had a strong air of, “you’re on your own this time.” It wasn’t vengeful. It was a sense that the cavalry wasn’t going to be called this time. We were destined to sleep in the bed we had made ourselves.
Thank God for the things you can control, trust God for the things you can’t.
Throughout the old testament, God’s chosen people stray, are disciplined, repent and are restored. Over and over.
Sometimes the discipline seems rather harsh.
Brian E.,
And time and time again, when they perceive trouble they beg God for a strong king to lead them. And time and time again the king’s power grows out of control and they regret the demand.
Rinse. Repeat.
In place of the blues, try a reel like Molly on the Shore, or a cakewalky promenade of a fizz like The Banjo.
“Can you tell me why we all personally struggle with providing for ourselves, staying in relationships with significant others, educating our own children.. with many mis-steps along the way, yet we so readily believe we have the answers for the rest of humanity? How do people convince themselves they understand how all others should live their lives?” – Firefly
Spot on.
As an owner and a manager of sizable organizations, it becomes extremely clear that the world is not the black and white / 100% good vs 100% evil that many folks think, talk, behave like it is. There is far more grey area than they care to admit or acknowledge.
The path to success is hardly ever full frontal confrontation, and almost always requires one to convince others and bring them on board, that is, if we care about any cooperative endeavor (e.g. marketplace, democracy).
It has been a good rule of thumb to assume that the most loud and self-assured in their position are the ones least knowledgeable or least thought through.
Certainly seems to work well for “conservative” media.
For the third straight election, America will be the loser. Actually America will be the loser no matter if HRC or DJT wins. That is the tragedy – that two such awful people are the major nominees. I will write in Evan McMullin’s name, as a New Yorker I am effectively disenfranchised and I have little doubt that HRC will win.
Rufus Firefly,
Thank God we’re not electing a king.
Another prediction. If Hillary loses, she files for divorce on him in January. Why keep up the charade?
Brian E
My friend lives in a small town south of Lincoln. She served in the military. Her family has been in the US probably as long as mine, but she is ofthetimes presumed to be an illegal alien. I have always thought that Hispanic citizens should be the strongest opponents to open borders.
And Trump was quite clear when he said that *some* Mexicans were drug dealers and rapists and other were “fine people.” But it immediately got spun that Trump hated all Hispanics. I hate the imprecision and spin of the media and Dems.
Another prediction. If Hillary loses, she files for divorce on him in January. Why keep up the charade?
Zero chance of that. Zero.
What makes you think Hillary doesn’t like Bill? You are confusing your dislike of Bill with how other people think.
OK, so he’s a philandering git. But lots of people stay married to philanderers, and in Bill’s case it’s hardly news to her.
As president she will sorely lack trusted people to talk to. Bill will be one of the few left for her, and she’s unlikely to throw him under the bus.
A counter prediction: Trump will divorce before Hillary. (Yeah, not much of a prediction, given his track record.)
As wannabe president she will have no-one to talk to, given her lack of popularity.
Bill will be what little she has left.
@Brian E
Add my wife’s hairdresser. In Florida, no less. That’s four.
We voted at 8 am, drove to the stable and were on a trail ride by 9. Rode for an hour, took care of the horses, and returned home to have lunch on the next door neighbor’s porch. No one had any desire to talk about the election.
“Can you tell me why we all personally struggle with providing for ourselves, staying in relationships with significant others, educating our own children.. with many mis-steps along the way, yet we so readily believe we have the answers for the rest of humanity? How do people convince themselves they understand how all others should live their lives?”
Simple. We believe that our lives are complex and unique, and that other people’s are simple and uniform. Partly that’s due to the fact that we’re aware of our own situation’s subtleties due to proximity. Partly we’re just that arrogant. Oh, and partly, other people’s problems are obvious to figure out because they’re boneheads just like we are and make obvious mistakes.
“How do people convince themselves they understand how all others should live their lives?”- Firefly
It’s called society. Without telling others how to live (and binding yourself in the process) you have anarchy.
It’s the conundrum faced by San Diego Chargers fans – on the one hand, it’s obnoxious to think that you could coach a team better than a professional; on the other hand, you actually could.
Voted and am now going to go take a long shower and wash off the odor. Oh well, RCP says the Senate will stay Red just wish we could get that Kentucky Senator to step down as Majority leader.
Nick Says:
November 8th, 2016 at 6:14 pm
“It’s the conundrum faced by San Diego Chargers fans — on the one hand, it’s obnoxious to think that you could coach a team better than a professional; on the other hand, you actually could.”
For me, Nick’s comment was both funny and timely. When I voted this afternoon, I was sorely tempted to write in my own name for president.
My reasoning was much the same as Nick’s. I come from a people who are pathologically modest, so you can believe me when I say that my ambition was out of character.
In fact, if not for the anonymity of blog comments, I couldn’t even confess my temptation.
Rufus Firefly Says:
November 8th, 2016 at 1:50 pm
Sorry to hear your glum, neo-neocon. Take a few minutes to let it all sink in, and then take off that gloomy mask of tragedy. It’s not your style. And never forget; you have the cool, clear
eyes of a seeker of wisdom and truth. Yet there’s that upturned chin and that grin of impetuous youth.
* * *
And never forget who sings the song to whom.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Believe_in_You_(Frank_Loesser_song)
In HS, our choir and theater department always did a “Broadway” show annually, and “How to Succeed” was one of our productions. I ended up as a tech that year, and eventually served as the page-turner for the “orchestra” – one pianist, a long-time buddy of our director, who taught at a state university. He was incredible in general, but the most amazing feat I witnessed was the night our J. Pierrepont began to go flat so badly on one song that the pianist stopped playing momentarily; I watched as his hands, poised above the ivories, mimed the key change needed, came down bang on the singer’s pitch, and played the rest of the piece in the new (unscored) key.
I think there’s an analogy to life and elections in there somewhere.
AesopFan,
That’s a great story!
I muck around a bit with music, but I’m always amazed by people who are levels ahead of where I am (and there are many of them!). The amount of mental juggling that went on in that pianist’s head in that moment… Very cool!
You know Neo, this is why I’ve always and oft wrote that polls are designed to manipulate public opinion, not reflect it. Also notice I didn’t contest the results of various polls over the years, since it wasn’t necessary. They are not what you think they are Neo, so I don’t use them.
Nate Silver anybody? Bombshell accuracy right. Not a problem for me, since I don’t use polls. Oh, they’re useful as propaganda, yes, but not useful in the way most people here tried to use them as.
Thank God we’re not electing a king.
Whoops, too late for that. Once Hussein became your Messiah as a dead republic and democracy decided it as your Rule of Law, whoever comes afterwards inherits the throne.