This is a political post.
I'm stunned. Still. In one swoop of apathy and lack of scope, this happened. Well, damn.
√ These will cause the deficit to explode because we'll be taking in less and spending lots more, but because suddenly deficits won't matter anymore, because the Republicans are in charge.
√ More militarization of the local police.
√ The Post Office may close. All of them. Seriously.
I'm stunned. Still. In one swoop of apathy and lack of scope, this happened. Well, damn.
First, if
you are a pundit, please turn in your press credentials, your notepad
and your crystal ball. We thank you for your time and your service but
you know nothing. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
Because
up until last night the conventional wisdom was an openly racist
billionaire with multiple bankruptcies and a pending rape case who
openly called for violence against his opponents and employed no ground
team and no ad buys couldn't win a national election. But this election
has proved that conventional wisdom is utter rubbish. Apparently the
world is always in flux and all that any of us were ever doing is
guessing.
Eight
months ago the big story was the disarray the Republican Party was in,
and how it was soon going to be impossible for them to win nationally.
In reality, the story should have been the Democratic party and it's
less than democratic anointing of a chosen candidate. So pundits, we're
done with you. It was a nice run, but we have no more need for this type
of "filter bubble" reporting. Here's a lovely gold Casio watch and coupon for extra sprinkles at Dunkin Dounts.
Because I was actively not paying attention it was only within the past
few days, after reading an article I can't find right now, that I
realized what central theory Clinton's campaign was organized around.
Looking at my own scribblings from just 24 hours ago I can see that I
apparently bought into it as well: "You need surgery. Who do you trust more: A doctor with a malpractice suit against them, or the Manager of your favorite fast food place?" And what strikes me as odd is that it
type thinking appears to based on an discredited theory of Ayn Rand, just a tweak
away from one formerly embraced by the Republican party elites. This
alone should have made it suspect.
Clinton's
campaign, the thrust of it and the memes of it, were based in the idea
of meritocracy, the idea that the one who is most meritorious, most
educated, best equipped should be the one to lead. It sounds great on
paper, but it's
essentially Rand's Rational Choice Theory but with a trail of bona fides as
a supplemental. And Rand's theory was hokum because it discounted that
emotional tendencies continually bleed through most of our decisions.
In
essence, Clinton felt because she had a fantastic resume, if her
interview was just so-so it didn't matter: She was the most qualified
candidate. Not the best, the most qualified. By contrast her opponent
had a terrible resume, but his interview was so good the interviewer
took him out for a beer afterwards. There is more to leadership and getting elected than
merit. Clinton had an inability to invoke deep seated feelings outside the cabal of Democratic elite, who essentially anointed her in 2008 and hung onto that choice into the now. Clinton just didn't excite people, she brought no energy, and much like in 2008 just assumed she was going to win. She presented as the inevitable. It turned out we weren't with her because we wanted to be, but because we
had to be. And it showed at the polls.
*Deep, sad sigh*
With all that said, let's do a quick rundown of where we'll stand in say, a year from now -
√ The
Affordable Healthcare Act will be overturned and replaced by...nothing?
Or maybe block grants to the states which in turn won't squander the
money because there is like no corruption at the state level.
√ Corporate
taxes are going to be cut to boost job creation and the economy,
despite the theory failing to work in Wisconsin and Kentucky.
√ The military budget is about get a boost.
√ These will cause the deficit to explode because we'll be taking in less and spending lots more, but because suddenly deficits won't matter anymore, because the Republicans are in charge.
√ The Department of Justice will cease to investigate officer related shootings or even be interested in pursuing them. The SEC, already weak, is about to become completely toothless.
√ The Supreme Court will on it's way to being right-wing conservative to an extreme for the next 30 years or so. Such a lock they might even try to repeal Roe v. Wade.
√ More militarization of the local police.
√ The
Voting Rights act will be completely dismantled if not completely
repealed, and emboldened by the success of their previous efforts the
prospect of voter registration purges under the guise of protecting the
integrity of the vote will become more commonplace.
√ The Dream Act will be eviscerated
√ Any type of Affirmative Action may be removed from all aspects of life. Damn a diversity hire.
√ The Post Office may close. All of them. Seriously.
√ Regulations
that protect us from ourselves are about to go the way of the dodo.
Because it's not about us its about profit. Profit now rules.
And
finally, and most depressing, the Republican Party is about to go to
work overtime to reduce Obama's legacy to that of a political footnote at best,
and his memory to that of painting in a museum. The plaque might even
just read "This black guy was in charge for a while. Nothing happened."
It will be as if the last eight years were but a dream.
But hey, there is work in Arizona! We got a wall to build.
Damn, damn, damn.
