Trump's America

[JewelSong]

I think the left needs to get out of the habit of looking for a charismatic person to follow and into the habit of looking to themselves and each other. We're not going to get out of this hole unless we're all climbing.

Word.

[Impenitent]

Oh, yeah! Trusting to charisma to carry you through is fatal. Adding charisma to a solid foundation of competence, intelligence, passion, resilience and political savvy is no bad thing, though.

[Primula Baggins]

Absolutely, Impy. But I think there's still a problem with Democrats/liberals pinning their hopes on one national-level politician. One of the reasons we lost on the national level grew out of the fact that the Democratic Party has ignored local elections, at the same time that the right wing of the Republican Party was focusing on them intensively. One result? The 2010 midterm election, which handed the power to gerrymander congressional districts based on the 2010 census to the Republicans in many states. Republican-dominated state legislatures, with Republican governors in place, have been able to impose their agenda even in formerly liberal states. The DNC has been so focused on winning the White House that they've ignored just about everything else.

Not only that, the demographic inevitability of Democratic supremacy has been oversold. The new, younger, more diverse Democratic electorate has to have a reason to vote for Democrats, or to vote at all, and candidates at all levels of government that they can enthusiastically support. The presidential candidates of thirty years from now should be running for city council now, or the state legislature. And some are. But the party isn't supporting those who do run, let alone fostering and encouraging the enthusiasm to get involved at the grass-roots level so more people join them.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Oh, yeah! Trusting to charisma to carry you through is fatal. Adding charisma to a solid foundation of competence, intelligence, passion, resilience and political savvy is no bad thing, though.

Well, that's pretty much what the Democrats just had, and what do we have to show for it?

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[Inanna]

Some brilliant legislation towards justice & equality in the last 8 years.

[Dave_LF]

Oh, yeah! Trusting to charisma to carry you through is fatal. Adding charisma to a solid foundation of competence, intelligence, passion, resilience and political savvy is no bad thing, though.

Well, that's pretty much what the Democrats just had, and what do we have to show for it?

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A majority of the voters, for one thing.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Some brilliant legislation towards justice & equality in the last 8 years.

How much of it will have a lasting effect? I guess time will tell.

[Alatar]

Just for fun...

[Cerin]

They look like they're at a funeral. In a way, I suppose they were.

[Primula Baggins]

Trump seems to hate his new job. He has to do things when he doesn't feel like doing them, and so far people are insufficiently awestruck by his glory.

I think there's a fair chance he won't finish out his term. But if it happens, I predict that it won't be impeachment that does it; even if they regain a majority in 2018, our courageous Democrats in Congress would never do anything so un-collegial as to indict someone for high crimes and misdemeanors just because there's clear evidence he might have committed them (assuming he does, which I think is a fair assumption).

No, he'll resign because he misses his old lifestyle.

[River]

So it looks like a Scientist's March is going to happen. Details are scant because this only started going down a few days ago and scientists are a bunch of primadonna creative types. We try not to act like it but we really are and organizing us is like herding cats. Feral cats, to be more precise.

When feral cats herd, you know it's bad.

[Jude]

Has there ever been a U.S. president that resigned just because he didn't feel like continuing?

[Inanna]

He's not going to resign. Being the president feeds into his megalomania

[Lalaith]

Are you part of the group on FB, River? I am. Let me know if you need an add to the secret group.

We can dream about Trump resigning, can't we?

I don't know any presidents who resigned just because they didn't feel like continuing, but there was the whole pope thing. That gives me some hope!

In any case, I'm getting very easily overwhelmed with all of this. I hate politics, as you all know, but I can't afford to be minimally involved anymore. So I'm a part of a few groups on FB to get an idea of what to do (hence, the whole being overwhelmed thing!). There is so much going wrong that it is tempting to do nothing. But...see above.

So I'm going to focus on two issues: science/environment and human rights. The first focus is pretty clear and direct; the latter is a little less so still. I may need to narrow it down.

And then there's the whole having to call people on the phone thing. That is like the worst torture ever! I'm not sure I can make myself do it. Maybe I need to set aside a day of the week to do it.

[Jude]

Are you part of the Scientist Group, Lali?

If you want to practice calling people on the phone, you can always use me as a guinea pig

Regarding Trump resigning, he's picked a bunch of people who are as bad or worse than he is. So things wouldn't be much better if he resigned or was impeached. Maybe that was his strategy all along...

[River]

There's a group? Yes, please.

I can focus in one direction, so I'm going with science and environment because I've been giving to those groups already, environmental degradation can collapse civilizations (as can other things), and after dedicating my life to being all objective and rational I really can't just sit back and watch this whole post-truth/alternative facts/magical thinking nonsense take hold.

My husband seems to be orienting in the human rights direction, when he isn't staring at the headlines dumbfounded and whimpering about how he moved to the US to get away from this sort of crap.

[Frelga]

Same.

[Lalaith]

I added you, pending admin approval. Jewel added me, so thank you, Jewel!

[Dave_LF]

Want to add more too?

[Lalaith]

Sure! Would you like to be added? I'll go do it now.


And, Jude, yes, I do need to call you!