At the end of a nasty, bitter, uncivil, and fact-challenged election, Donald Trump emerged victorious as our next president. He did not win the popular vote, although some on the right claim he did, but he clearly won the Constitutionally-prescribed process by which he amassed the commanding number of votes in the Electoral College. For good or for ill, the results of the popular vote are not legally or Constitutionally relevant.
Many people, myself included, strongly opposed Donald Trump for a variety of reasons. We weren't thrilled with Hillary Clinton as a candidate, but in an election in which most of us voted while holding our noses, she seemed to me to be the better of two unfortunate candidates.
Now that the election is over, demonstrations - indeed, riots - have broken out in various cities across the country as people who are horrified at the thought of a Trump presidency turn out with chants of "Not My President."
Well, folks, you're wrong.
Donald Trump is your president. You may not like him, but he won the election in full compliance with the Constitution. I agree that Mr Trump doesn't appear to understand the Constitution* and the responsibilities, limitations, and freedoms it prescribes, but nevertheless, he's the president-elect. The time has come to suck up our disappointment and, as President Obama reminded us, do everything we can to help make Donald Trump a successful president. This doesn't mean failing to strongly (and within the constitutional process) object to his policies** that are misguided. It does mean that we should give him the benefit of the doubt and hear him out.
Donald Trump is one of the most distasteful persons ever elected to the presidency. He advocated some things I could support, but many others I couldn't. He ran a campaign based on lies***, hatred, and fear-mongering, and I personally believe that he will be a disastrous president. But he's now my president-elect, and yours, too.
Let's calm down and help him where we can, and oppose him where we must.
Bilbo
* And I don't mean that he doesn't know how many articles there are in the Constitution. Hell, I don't think I could have told you that, either. I mean that he has, throughout the campaign, advocated measures that are blatantly unconstitutional and unamerican.
** To the extent he has any.
*** And please don't try to equate the huge number of pants-on-fire howlers Mr Trump refused to walk back, even when PROVEN to be wrong, with those told by Secretary Clinton. All politicians have at most a nodding acquaintance with the truth ... Mr Trump wouldn't recognize it if it bit him on the backside.
