This feels so much like 2016.

[Crunchy Frog]

Everybody feeling so confident, and coming and checking the computer that night and seeing all the doom.

Only difference really is that I'm feeling more prepared. This is the outcome that I was always expecting, but in 2016 I truly didn't believe that Fuckface had a chance. I'm more jaded and cynical and ready to just grit my teeth for whatever is coming, so I'm not panicking the way I was 8 years ago. I've also managed to not eat wads of candy, and the various substances I've taken seem to be more effective. And of course we still have DU this time.

I'm just really, really sad. I think Kamala would have possibly been a brilliant president. It just seems that the American people as a whole have decided to flush the country and a 250 year experiment with democracy down the toilet. There isn't anyone who voted for the Thing who didn't know exactly what they voting for. I guess we really do live in a shithole with some islands of sanity in it.

I apologize for the rambling. I've managed to stay away from this and other political sites for most of the night, and was dreading coming on here, but finally pulled myself together enough to do it.

I need to figure out how to best keep myself anesthetized for the next few days.

I hope everyone is coping as well as possible.

Just shit.

[Ocelot II]

1. Only worse. In 2016 we didn't know how bad Trump was or could be.

But now we do - and he's even worse than he was in 2016. He can barely utter a coherent sentence; he's been convicted of 34 felonies; he's a serial adulterer and an adjudicated rapist; he's been sued successfully for fraud and defamation; he's insulted almost every demographic group that isn't white; his former cabinet members and other WH staff and a bunch of generals have said he's unfit and a threat to national security. He's vindictive and cruel and hateful. He should be in prison, or at least utterly shunned by every decent person.

But half of the people we live with aren't so decent, I guess; and have apparently decided that these things aren't bugs; they're features. I am so disheartened to know that millions of our fellow citizens are OK with all of it. Quite a lot of them call themselves Christians. Jesus wept.

[Crunchy Frog]

6. We're in uncharted territory. There were still guardrails last time, and there won't be this time.

Those sane people who were in his former administration won't be there this time. And this is what half the country wanted.

We are witnessing a once great country committing suicide with people's eyes fully open to what it is that they're choosing. I can't even think of any historical parallels.

I guess there's not much we can do other than watch the spectacle unfold and sane people try to look out for one another.

I'm thinking most people won't even be grasping the enormity of what's just happened, and will be going about their business tomorrow as if nothing much has happened. Just another day of work and school and shopping.

For my own survival I need to work on emotionally detaching.

I wish everyone luck in coping as best they can.

[TommieMommy]

2. I'm so very sad. I'm worried about the future. Bummer

[yorkster]

3. I ache for kamala and for Tim Walz.

Two terrific, intelligent, compassionate people much needed by this country.

They campaigned their hearts out.

[Mike 03]

4. I'm sad too and relate to all of those feelings.

A big difference for me between 2016 and now is that in 2016 I thought he was mostly a clown who wouldn't do any good but probably couldn't do a lot of harm, but now I see that notion was a complete folly, because regardless of his idiocy he is now surrounded by super-purposeful, cruel and evil people like Stephen Miller and those horrendous creeps from the Heritage Foundation who have been planning for decades for this moment and know exactly what they want to do. And we know Trump doesn't want to govern, he'll just turn the governing over to them. SO I'm willing to admit I'm scared to death. Climate, Ukraine, Civil Rights, Women's Health, the safety of everyone on his Enemies List (including many of our most effective Democrats), seems now to hang totally in the balance. I wonder if a lot of people will resign from politics and leave the country.

[Crunchy Frog]

7. I understood how awful he was in 2016. It's why I went into a complete emotional meltdown

when I saw how the election went down. But I also know it will be vastly worse this time, because there were still guardrails in place, and decent people working in his administration. Even Mike Pence had some degree of integrity which It was very careful to avoid this time by choosing Vance.

I just can't afford to get myself as worked up this time. It won't change anything and I've got issues with my family and personal life that I didn't have 8 years ago.

My heart is absolutely breaking over Ukraine though. I don't think I can stand to see an entire beautiful and brave country get genocided in full view of the entire world.

[Coventina]

5. I posted about my fears about a week ago.

I specifically mentioned that 2016 was still very fresh in my mind.

I was told my fears were groundless.

[Crunchy Frog]

8. That's DU groupthink. I've long ago learned to discount it.

It's a well meaning and supportive community but can often get caught up in its own bubble, which can sometimes make the majority views end up being spectacularly wrong while dissenters get discounted or piled on.

Still, it's been my political home for more than 20 years, and will continue as such until the gestapo shuts it down.