Election

I’ve seen a bit of self-righteous posturing about ‘undemocratic’ whining over the election result. I think the protests that are going on are mostly, but not completely, unproductive and the violence completely counter-productive, but it’s important not to forget a few key features from this election: 1) Trump got a minority of votes – the majority of voters rejected him; 2) Clinton got more votes than Trump; 3) neither candidate got a majority. In many countries this would mean a run-off election so someone got a 50% + 1 mandate. In this country we have the electoral college system, which overrules the popular vote so a run-off is not considered as long as someone gets 270. The founders had a pretty rational reason for the electoral college system, so large more densely populated states couldn’t consistently dominate smaller states in elections, and for them as a compromise between direct popular election and election by ‘qualified’ electors. It’s time may be past – that’s a debate worth having – but the result is what it is this time round. Resistance has to take a different direction than protesting the election.

It’s also true that if the result had gone the other way we would surely be seeing much shouting, protesting, and likely violence over the ‘rigged’ system.

American democracy has long been overrated, as all kinds of undemocratic influences have impinged on elections, notably but not only big money, but this was one of the most undemocratic elections I’ve witnessed, with outside influences playing an outsize role, and lies and distortion and character assassination featuring far more than policy or issues – far more than the normal abysmally high level. No one should brag about, or be too satisfied about the result.

Some humility is called for given the facts above. Humility is not likely to come from Trump, since the concept is nowhere in his constitution, but it should come from his fans (Hillary’s too).

Donald Trump's Hell

Donald Trump’s Hell

#Many people are saying…that they’d love nothing more than to see Donald Trump not just lose the presidential election, but lose in a stunning landslide. They want the message that this is not what the American people are about to ring out around the world, where rational citizens from nearly every nation are gobsmacked at what is happening in this one.

What happens after he loses?

He says he’ll just go back to his very very nice life, or a very very long vacation.

Here’s what I’d like to see:

Trump tries to go back to his very very nice life…but it doesn’t work out that way. Every deal he tries to make goes sour…no one wants to work with him. All his previous associates abandon him – too much of his true nature has emerged in the campaign. In fact, one after the other initiates lawsuits against him for his broken promises, false claims, defamation, and failure to pay his debts.

He tries to get another ‘reality’ show going but no network will pick it up.

As his businesses fail, bankruptcy rears its head again and he files for the 7^th time. This time he is unable to profit from bankruptcy; he’s blocked by court actions taken by creditors, staff, and workers.

Finally he’s forced to sell Trump Tower, but the proceeds are not enough to pay off all his debts and legal fees.

His wife leaves him for Warren Buffet.

His children abandon him, calling him a loser.

Broke, he takes a job with a life insurance firm that assigns him to a desk job in Fargo, North Dakota. He makes $30,000 a year. He is given a tiny cubicle with walls that are as high as his nose – his carrot top mop and scared eyes peer around at all the other workers in their cubicles. He tries to engage his co-workers with stories from his past but they ignore him, winking at each with sly smiles.

He takes the bus to and from work. It’s a 40 minute ride that takes him through a poor black neighborhood and a thriving Muslim enclave – every day.

At night he goes home to his 3 room apartment in a low rent part of town – most of his neighbors are Mexican - where he spends most of his time watching re-runs of The Apprentice – until the TV station cancels them.

He sits in his underwear and stares out at the brick wall of the rundown apartment building next door, just four feet way, sucking on cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Cherry picking scientific evidence

A curious phenomenon: nowhere is the disconnect between scientific evidence and public opinion more stark than around the topics of climate change and genetic engineering (GE). It is so odd that a large body of people rally around and support the scientific consensus on human caused climate change while at the same time ignoring, discounting and disparaging the even stronger scientific consensus that GE foods are as safe to eat as non-GE foods. The converse is true too: a large body of people ignore, discount and disparage the scientific consensus on climate change, while at the same time rallying around and supporting the scientific consensus on GE foods. We really can’t have it both ways; emotion and ideology (with hefty doses of confirmation bias) beat out scientific evidence for both groups of people. Curious and frustrating.

Don't be scared of Trump

Don't be scared of Trump. Be scared of 'the people'. There are a whole lot of obnoxious arseholes in the US; bigoted people, narrow minded people, people who can't think critically. Shoot first, ask questions later people. People who lack magnanimity, empathy, or even curiosity. They ask no questions about matters of justice or equality. They are not interested in anyone other than themselves. US vs THEM kind of people. People who revel in their ignorance, and wear it as a badge of honor.
Be scared of the education system that spawned them.
Around the world people have generally scorned the American government and its policies; but claim to like and admire the American people. Much of that affection must have dwindled when G. W. Bush was re-elected in spite of what everyone knew about the invasion of Iraq. The responsibility at some point has to come back to the people; the gothic burden of a substantial proportion of the American people that weighs around the neck of aspirations to become a positive player at home and around the world.
Don't be scared of Trump. He can't do most of things he says he will (nor could Bernie Sanders do what he said he would). Be scared of 'the people'.