Infamy

November 8, 2016, "a date which will live in infamy."  Surely this won't become the standard like the real day of "infamy," that of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.  But I think in many ways Americans should hang their heads in shame.

I had this in my mind for the past few days and would have written it regardless of the winner.  If you remember the song, "Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right......"  Well, that's what we faced yesterday.  As I have noted for months now, neither of the candidates deserved to be President.  American voters should not have allowed either to be a choice.  But, alas, we did.  And now I fear the next four years.  Of course, as noted, I would also have feared the next four years had the result been turned around.

If there is any one good thing about this, it's that the Establishment has been defeated, at least for President.  (OK, I don't really believe this; Trump is Establishment, just not the political one.)  But I really doubt the political Establishment will "get it."  There are too many arrogant elitists among it and too many who are firmly ensconced to care about what many, if not most, American people want.  More about that, somewhat contradictory, in a minute.

I would guess our only hope is in appointments.  Who will the new President appoint?  Some think he will make strong appointments, to the Cabinet, to the Supreme Court, etc.  I have my doubts, esp since he is, I think, mentally imbalanced at least to a degree.  But can he pick worse than Eric Holder or Loretta Lynch?  Hillary Clinton?  Arne Duncan? etc.?  I would think not.  One never knows, though.

The arrogant elitists have already been sending out the e-mails, decrying the outcome because of "ignorant," "stupid," and, yes, "biased" and "racist" white males.  They obviously don't "get it," either.  They don't understand the frustration and anger at, frankly, a "rigged system," one which has continually worked against many Americans.  Elections in '12 (other than Obama's re-election) and '14 should have sent a message and I think did.  But it was ignored by the Establishment.  Now we will pay the price.  I really hope not, but I am not optimistic.

On an aside, I've really been thinking how in the world did we elect Obama, not once, but twice.  OK, I understand '08, with the excitement generated, the first black (at least half black candidate), the blame Bush (He "lied," you know.) for everything movement, the obvious media bias, etc.  That Obama was no more qualified to be President than Trump seemed to escape people.  (The other day someone said to me, "But he was a Senator......"  My reply was, "But how did he get elected to the Senate?  What qualifications did he have for that, other than meeting the limited Constitutional ones?)  2008 I see, but 2012?  Nope, I don't see that.  But there are still people out there who think he's been a good President.  Oh well......

Now, an election against the Establishment?  I don't know about other states, but a quick glance at Michigan state and local results indicates something far different.  Most of the Establishment candidates won and won handily.  Heck, John Conyers won almost 3/4 of the vote!  How did that happen??????  And I could cite others.  So, what was the answer if not Anti-Establishment sentiment?
Maybe this is Americans' version of electing Jesse Ventura or Al Franken in Minnesota?  I don't know and perhaps never will.  Is it our fascination, our obsession with fame, spurred on by reality television?  Why elect one Anti-Establishment candidate, to the top position, but revert to the same old politicians farther down the ballot?  Beats me.

I hope that we have blown this up far too much, that we can survive this.  After all, we survived the Civil War, with the help of our greatest President.  Lincoln began as a big question mark, flawed of course.  But he grew as the nation needed him to grow.  He had no ego, not one to speak of.  We made it through two world wars, too.  And we made it through Presidents like Buchanan, A. Johnson, Carter, etc.  Times are very different now, though, with American culture.  I suspect we will "make it" now, too.  The question, though, is will it be enough to merely "make it."  A lot of damage has been done over the course of the past few decades and can anyone seriously think we're not on a downward spiral?  Again, will mere survival under this President be enough to right the ship?  I have my doubts, but still have some hope, although it's draining quickly.