Trump is president; Who is to blame?

[Whateverist]

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This does not seem to be only a political event. Trump never should have gotten close. That so many Americans who are struggling with money picked Trump must mean that our version of capitalism could use some further adjustments. That so many Americans in places where the economy is on the rise also chose Trump raises the possibility that our leaders promise too much, that we expect that more is possible than really is. That such a proudly amoral and publicly hateful man could become the choice of large majorities of observant Christians suggests some weakness in our religious life and our expressions of morality. That he did not lose more support after his racism and misogyny became well-known suggests how commonplace these resentments must be, between husbands and wives and between neighbors. There was not enough individual decency to make plain Trump’s indecency. We are not so good a people as we thought.

(My bold text).

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Exactly my point when I said this in the other thread (I edited the second quote somewhat to make it fit into this context better):

All this demonstrates is that the American public have a lot of bigots voting. Just like here in the UK with the Leave Campaign winning when many people's reasons for voting for Leave was "To stop them Muslim Paki bastards from comin' over 'ere takin' our jobs innit."

[...]A lot of them are racists.[...] [We] can't ignore the fact many racists bigots voted for Brexit and Trump for racist reasons.

[...][Now]I'm not saying half of the country are bigots and racists. I'm saying a great many of that half are.[...]It's about calling a spade a spade.[...]Calling things as they are is important. [...]What we need is less people ignoring reality and more people calling a spade a spade. [...][many] people [are] burying their heads in the sand[...] [and I think it's about time] people [...] [got] their spades out.

Yeah, but I take Alex's point. There is way too much attention paid to candidates personal life and qualities and far too little to their policies and track record. Of course with Trump there is hardly any of that to draw on.

[The Grand Nudger]

-and in the case of clinton far too much.  Maybe, this go round, the republican voters realized they;d been wrong about that whole "family values" business at -entirely- the wrong moment in history.....lol

[Neo-Scholastic]

DNC: "Let's nominate a candidate under FBI investigation."
RNC: "We know better."
CNN, NYT, et al: "Let's openly abandon our facade of objectivity."
IRS, DOJ: "People can't see we've become political tools."
NPR: "Let's focus on identity politics and not policies."
Pollsters: "People still believe our surveys aren't advancing an agenda."
Hillary: "The largest voting bloc in America is deplorable."

[Manowar]

Many parts to blame, First off no one really likes Hillary, Obamacare,( Unaffordable Care Act) it is costing way too much. Many did not like Obama so a vote for Hillary would mean four more years of what we had, for some that is too much to bear. Maybe trade had something to do with it. Maybe another candidate might have been better, there are a ton of reasons. There is also what I call the Manilow effect. You know some songs by Barry Manilow, you liked but were embarrassed to admit it so when pollsters asked who people would vote for they did not admit they would vote for Trump, IMO.

Like it or not we have four years of Trump, who knows maybe he will do a good job. I am not happy with the way he will shape the Supreme court. Having Pence as veep is scary. Chris Christie. Guiliani, Ugh!

Manowar

[The Grand Nudger]

We'd better hope he does a good job....because if he doesn't...and if the state of affairs on both sides of the aisle remain as they are..it;s going to be worse next go round.  If their hail mary, burn it to the ground candidate doesn't enfranchise -in their minds- what is very clearly a powerful voting bloc, and not by a little....alot.....then they;re going to have to appeal to something even more base and urgent than an "anti-establishment" candidate.

Just what, do we think that might be...for that voting bloc?

[Anomalocaris]

I liked this bit in the NY times:  

This does not seem to be only a political event. Trump never should have gotten close. That so many Americans who are struggling with money picked Trump must mean that our version of capitalism could use some further adjustments. That so many Americans in places where the economy is on the rise also chose Trump raises the possibility that our leaders promise too much, that we expect that more is possible than really is. That such a proudly amoral and publicly hateful man could become the choice of large majorities of observant Christians suggests some weakness in our religious life and our expressions of morality. That he did not lose more support after his racism and misogyny became well-known suggests how commonplace these resentments must be, between husbands and wives and between neighbors. There was not enough individual decency to make plain Trump’s indecency. We are not so good a people as we thought.

http://www.newyorker.com/news/benjamin-w...s-to-blame

So who do you blame?  The DNC?  Hillary?

My first inclination is to blame the education system.  How could people not see the false promise of a strong man saying "only I can do it, trust me and don't worry about the details?"  Even more than that, there are a lot of people not doing well economically and rolling the dice on change probably beats betting on slow, incremental improvement to them.  

Or maybe human nature is simply tragic?  Why do we look for a savior anyway?  The trouble with looking for someone better than yourself to rescue you is it still depends on you to recognize the right one.

I blame the founding delusion that Americans are a decent people, implying something else must be at fault if they behaved spectacularly Indecently.

[Aroura]

I would largely blame the DNC for pushing so ardently for Hillary.  They felt Trump stood no chance and it was their best opportunity to break that ultimate glass ceiling.  If Bernie was the candidate I honestly think it would have been a landslide victory for him.  I generally vote Republican but if this was Trump vs Bernie, I may have voted Bernie.  As it was I voted off primary party because both candidates were deplorable options in my mind.  

A clear message emerged from this result though.  The majority of Americans are fed up with the establishment and this was a way to send a message.

It appears Hillary will still win the popular vote.  So not really the majority of Americans.  Just the ones on the bible and rust belt. And Florida, apparently.

[Kingpin]

I would largely blame the DNC for pushing so ardently for Hillary.  They felt Trump stood no chance and it was their best opportunity to break that ultimate glass ceiling.  If Bernie was the candidate I honestly think it would have been a landslide victory for him.  I generally vote Republican but if this was Trump vs Bernie, I may have voted Bernie.  As it was I voted off primary party because both candidates were deplorable options in my mind.  

A clear message emerged from this result though.  The majority of Americans are fed up with the establishment and this was a way to send a message.

It appears Hillary will still win the popular vote.  So not really the majority of Americans.  Just the ones on the bible and rust belt. And Florida, apparently.

Same result as when George H.W. Bush beat Al Gore, only that was by a slimmer electoral college margin. Another reason I despise the outdated electoral college. Candidates only focus on states they need to get to that magic 270 number and completely disregard the majority of America.

[Whateverist]

Hillary: "The largest voting bloc in America is deplorable."

Well she had that much right at least.

[abaris]

Anyone found anything on the voter turnout? I would be really curious how many people actually felt like deciding on the future of their country.