This Is Who A Lot of Us Are
“Donald Trump told Americans exactly what he planned to do. He would use military force against his political opponents. He would fire thousands of career public servants. He would deport millions of immigrants in military-style roundups. He would crush the independence of the Department of Justice, use government to push public health conspiracies and abandon America’s allies abroad. He would turn the government into a tool of his own grievances, a way to punish his critics and richly reward his supporters. He would be a ‘dictator’ — if only on Day 1.This was a conquering of the nation not by force but with a permission slip. Now, America stands on the precipice of an authoritarian style of governance never before seen in its 248-year history.” NYT: America Hires a Strongman.
+ “Trump’s victory is a grim day for the United States and for democracies around the world. You have every right to be appalled, saddened, shocked, and frightened. Soon, however, you should dust yourself off, square your shoulders, and take a deep breath. Americans who care about democracy have work to do.” Tom Nichols in The Atlantic (Gift Article): Democracy Is Not Over. And we owe it those who were particularly attacked during this campaign to step up and be there. As Dahlia Lithwick writes: “This campaign was run on the express promise to inflict maximal pain and suffering on a whole lot of disfavored and marginalized people. I trust them to keep that promise. Try to keep your heart soft because that will be the work.”
+ “Above all, we must learn to live in an America where an overwhelming number of our fellow citizens have chosen a president who holds the most fundamental values and traditions of our democracy, our Constitution, even our military in contempt. Over the past decade, opinion polls have showed Americans’ faith in their institutions waning. But no opinion poll could make this shift in values any clearer than this vote. As a result of this election, the United States will become a different kind of country.” David Frum in The Atlantic (Gift Article): Trump Won. Now What?
+ Dan Pfeiffer: Some Initial Thoughts on a Brutal Defeat. “I know most of you reading this are angry, scared, frustrated, and in shock. I share all of those reactions. I am heartbroken that Kamala Harris won’t be our next President. She would have been a great president. I was so looking forward to telling my daughter that America had just elected its first woman president. I am dreading the conversation about why we didn’t.”
+ CNN: Eight takeaways from the 2024 election.
+ The Dow Jones jumps over 1,300 points after Trump wins the election.
+ As it stands now, the GOP has the White House and the Senate. The House is yet to be decided. Kamala Harris has conceded the race in a call to Trump (and you think you’ve had some hard conversations today…) and is expected to deliver her concession speech soon. Here’s the latest from CNN, NBC, and AP.
