I chose today to read the comment section of an article in the “Independent” – an internet publication which I know little about, that pointed out the FBI was being sued in order to force them to make public information relating to their decision to interfere with the 2016 presidential election.  Many people, including myself, believe that the decision by James Comey to suggest the FBI had more of Hillary Clinton’s emails to “investigate” (which proved to be untrue – these emails were on a computer owned by the estranged husband of one of Mrs. Clinton’s staffers) caused enough late deciding voters to vote for Donald Trump to swing the election.  Right now, as I’m writing this, the news media is focused on the role Russia played in turning the election toward Trump – which they should be investigating – that reality, in itself, is REALLY BAD – but, in the process, there’s little talk about the FBI’s role in the election and even less talk into how the voter suppression laws in states like North Carolina, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and others prevented MILLIONS of mostly democratic voters from casting their ballots.

Nate Silver, of a website called FiveThirtyEight, who is what appears to me to be the most respected “pollster” out there, was very clear regarding the effect Comey had on the election.  He stated that Comey’s letter to the republican congress cost Hillary Clinton the election.  “No ifs, ands, or buts.”  As I was reading the aforementioned article and then the comments I couldn’t help but think about the right wing brainwashing that’s been going on in America since the days of Ronald Reagan.  Reagan initiated the “hate” towards OUR government and began the intellectual assault on “liberals” that is thriving in the world of the “right wing” to this day.  As I was reading the comment section to this article my mind was reinforced with the thoughts I’ve been having about “how bad is it going to have to get, before us “liberals” have a place at the table again.  And, keep in mind that Barack Obama, at least to me, was/is no “liberal.”  I consider President Obama to be a moderate pragmatist.  As I’ve written before, I was never certain he understood/stands there’s a WAR going on in America for the heart and soul of this nation.

As I was reading the comments to the article referenced above it was kind of depressing to read comments from people who were spouting the “talking points” of the propagandists that permeate our airwaves on behalf of the republican “establishment” (that most of these people claim to be against) while referring to those who disagree with them as “libtards” or worse.  It’s as if their point of view is “true” because Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh or one of the many mouthpieces for the right wing propaganda machine said so.  We have evolved into a fact free society and having dialogue between people with opposing viewpoints is nearing impossible.  I’m sure there are many others like myself who choose to avoid discussions about politics with friends who’ve been “sucked in” by Fox “news,” Limbaugh, or the many other options out there for people who are spewing misinformation because the misinformation has been deeply embedded in their brains.

I remember watching the election shortly after the Comey comments were made public and the resultant effect on the polling.  I remember Silver withing a day or two warning people who thought Mrs. Clinton would win that there was a major shift happening.  On one program where it was either him or one of his associates being interviewed, their polling (which has proved to be very accurate over the past few years) suggested that over 50% of undecided voters found this revelation to be enough to cause them to vote for Trump.  Of course, Trump played it masterfully, and the “news” that there was nothing to the emails – which came out one day prior to the closing of the polls – was too little and too late for Mrs. Clinton.

As more and more Americans become aware of the reality that Trump was correct when he said the election was going to be “rigged” – and, that it was rigged on his behalf – he will become an even more illegitimate holder of the highest office in this land.  Trump is already showing his bullying nature as he chooses a cabinet that is making “libtards” cringe and by refusing to divest himself from his real estate empire that will cause him to be in violation of the constitution’s emolument clause on the day he takes the oath of office.  I personally believe Trump thinks the republicans wouldn’t dare confront him on this issue and the democrats can’t because they are in the minority in both houses of Congress.  In my mind, this will be a CONSTANT issue for however long Trump survives in the White House.

Here’s a reality that not many people are talking about.  I have no doubt that there’s a large block of republicans who would rather have Mike Pense as president instead of Trump.  It would not surprise me at all if Trump fails to make it all the way through is first term in office.  When things start going south and, in addition, when “we the people” start learning more about Mr. Trump (assuming any investigative reporters survive his assault on the media) and his business and personal dealings I would not be surprised to see the republican “establishment” (which is still in control, no matter what people think) flee from Trump in an instant.

For example, he pledged to sue all the women who came forth and accused him of sexually assaulting him.  I for one, hope he follows through on that “promise.”  Or better yet, how about Gloria Allred and some of the other attorney’s involved sue Trump – kind of like what happened to Bill Clinton if you remember.  I love listening to my republican friends who have disdain for Clinton because of his philandering tell me they voted for Trump for “moral reasons.”  Will the republicans have the courage to enforce their own pledges to enforce the constitution regarding Trump’s clear conflicts of interest that are bound to “pop up” all over the place or stand up for their own “moral” principals?

One thing republicans have convinced me of over the years is that they are good at winning elections but terrible at governing.  This very reality shows the depth of their propaganda “machine” that continues to cause middle class Americans to vote against their own self interest. I’m feeling as if it will take another disaster similar to the Great Depression to get every day Americans who’ve been sucked in by Fox, Limbaugh, and the rest of the right wing MISinformation machine to realize they’ve been duped.  For example, I have to wonder how many Trump voters even know that his cabinet is full of people he defiled during the campaign.  I believe at least three top posts are going to Goldman Sachs people.  Trump’s cabinet will be filled with the cream from America’s elite 1%.  His appointees are pledged to wipe every government regulation that protects “we the people” from corporate overreach off the books.  Get ready for the next “bubble!”

You pretty much have to believe Trump thinks he’s untouchable as far as our laws and our constitution.  He can do whatever he pleases.  After all, he “won” without divulging his taxes, he “won” despite admitting he’s a sexual predator, he “won” with the label of “racist” with a known “White Supremacist” as his CEO (supposedly, there’s another video out there that exposes Trump using the “N” word behind the scenes at one of his TV shows), he “won” despite being labeled the liar of liars during the campaign from the fact checking websites, he “won” with the help of women voters whom he insulted over and over again during the campaign, and to top it all off, all those republicans on the “never Trump” bandwagon have been falling all over themselves to get on the “inside” since the election results became reality.  I’m sure he feels there’s nothing he can do to “upset the apple cart.”  And, he may be correct, but my naive belief in the American system and America itself tells me otherwise.  I believe there are MILLIONS like myself who will never accept that Donald Trump is legitimately the president of the United States.  And, I believe all these republicans scurrying for favor with Trump will head in the other direction at the first signs of disaster – which, in my mind, is not an if but a when.

After the Iowa Caucuses Donald Trump exclaimed, “I love the uneducated voters.”  He also said, during one of the debates when it was brought up that he hasn’t paid a dime in Federal Taxes in the past 18 or so years, “that makes me smart.”  And, in reality, he’s proven that he’s really smart.  He’s played the media like a virtuoso on the violin and he’s ginned up those “uneducated voters” that he loves to the point where they voted in record numbers.  He’s given the right wing racists in America a true champion and the end result is people like the ones I referred to above who are making divisive (and uneducated) comments on websites attacking the very “libtards” that are more in tune with their own self interests are blindly loyal to Trump.

These people are disgusted with the dysfunction of our government and have been convinced by the right wing propagandists that it’s the fault of the “libtards.”  In reality, they have no idea who’s fault anything is because they ALLOW their opinions to be formed by the the experts of misinformation.  Hannity, Limbaugh, and many of the other “minions” in this propaganda scheme are marvelously good liars ( additionally, during the election, I thought Kellyanne Conway, Trump’s campaign manager, was maybe the most skilled liar I’ve ever listened to in my lifetime with the exception, naturally, of Trump himself) and I haven’t met one Trump supporter who has cross checked any information they “believe” – because why would they? it came from Fox “news,” or Rush Limbaugh.  To suggest Fox “news” might not be giving “facts” causes some of these people to start throwing things as they yell about “libtards.” (or worse)

I was never an enthusiastic Hillary Clinton supporter, but the more I witnessed her being attacked from all sides in our “liberal” media, the more I realized that there must be a reason the “right wing” was in such fear of her.  I believe she would have had the courage to stand up to these people, but we’ve all been spared four long years of one “invented” scandal after another.  Now, we get to sit back and observe how much damage can Trump and all the surrogates who’ve jumped on his “bandwagon” can do to what’s remaining of the “New Deal” of the 30’s and 40’s and “Great Society” of the 60’s.  I’ve written in the past that rights and privileges are much easier to lose than to get back once you’ve lost them.  The “right wing” cabal that has been behind the destruction of America’s middle class since the days of Ronald Reagan has been here throughout history.  In fact, it’s feeling, to me, like “deja vu all over again” regarding my vision of America in the 1920’s.  We’re experiencing a wealthy elite expertly turning one blue collar faction against another while ripping us all off while our focus is on things like “immigration,” or “gay rights,” or “email scandals,” or – well, the list goes on.

I have to cringe when a farmer, or a factory worker, or any member of the working class is calling me, a teacher, a “libtard” because I believe they should have basic health care as a right, that their children should have access to higher education without “breaking the bank,” and that America should bring her troops home and stop trying to be the world’s policeman.  It makes me cringe when I’m called a “libtard” because I want our government to balance its budget and pay off at least some of its debt – while the “conservative” who’s calling me names is voting for one republican after another who pushes the deficit to record levels and continuously is cutting taxes for his cronies – and, then masterfully puts the blame for the deficit on democrats while our “liberal media” lets them get away with it.

I don’t understand why someone who depends on the Affordable Care Act would vote for someone who pledges to repeal it – as the first thing he does in office.  I don’t understand why people who depend on Social Security and Medicare would vote people into office who are determined to undermine both programs.  And, I really don’t understand why ANYONE who calls themselves a Christian would vote for someone who’s an overt racist and sexual predator and then tell me they did so for “moral” reasons.  Time will tell how this plays out – one thing I hope is the result of Trump’s presidency will be the emergence of a wave of political awareness and activity by America’s young voting age people that pushes us towards Bernie Sanders’ “agenda” – but I believe the potential for a national disaster (economically and militarily) due to Trump’s presidency is “off the charts.”

I hope I’m wrong, but I fear the damage caused to our republic will take at least a generation to overcome.  And, remember, Trump and his cronies are experts at profiting off of what’s disaster for “we the people” – this is why so many are lining up to battle his agenda from day one – there are many Americans who use the internet to mobilize who “get it” and are “paying attention.” Like me, they don’t trust the democratic party to have the “spine” for the “battle.”  We’ve seen a pretty much one sided “war” since President Obama took office and the republicans have been the “aggressors.”  The republicans will do anything to gain, and now keep, power.  They’ve succeeded for the second time (the first being Bush/Cheney) in their attempt to create their “permanent republican ‘majority'” and they’ve got a bully in chief in the White House.  It’s not going to be easy to get those people who referred to people like me (in the article in the “Independent”) to realize they’ve been duped and to join forces to actually create a REAL populist movement (like the “New Deal”) aimed at “fixing” Washington DC.  Again, the next four years should be interesting at the very least.