Oh please. This is not helpful. Why not say something constructive instead of fanning the flames. Regardless of who won, we are bitterly divided. Posts like this just deepen the gulf, which does not help any of us.

We shall see how trump rewards the support of the KKK and Breitbart, and what nice positions chris Christie and Giuliani will have earned for themselves. Politics, business...

Amen, Karin.

Today I choose to be happy.

I choose to be thankful.

I choose not to let others who aren't even aware of my existence on this planet steal my joy.

Carry on.

Exposing corruption is constructive. It hurts, but it's constructive.

Congress went largely incumbent, and with Trump at their side, nothing is going to pass that will actually benefit the masses of uneducated white people who brought Trump to the White House. We are a nation of fools.

Uneducated white people? Fools? God will judge them, not you.

I'm not going to comment much. I just want to say, I am genuinely sorry to those who are upset by the results. I know how it feels to be very upset by the results of an election and I know it does not feel good so I am sorry for those who are upset today.

The only thing I will say is, Trump has proved the experts wrong so far on everything. They said he wouldn't run, they said he wouldn't win the primaries, and they said he would not win the general. Now the same they are saying he is going to be a bad president. Let us hope for the entire countries sake that they are wrong again and that he will do good things for ALL of us.

I am also very sorry to those upset about the outcome.

Hillary will be on any minute with her remarks. I will watch in your honor.

Edited to add...very nice speech!

Lisa, I think your condescension of your fellow Americans is exactly why Trump won. For the record, I, a lifelong Republican who possesses both a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, literally walked into the booth undecided on how to vote. I ultimately cast my vote with the "deplorables" bc frankly, HRC & her supporters were so nasty about the people in red states. The arrogance was so off-putting.

FTR, I fully expected her to win & had resigned myself to the gloating & whatnot. I was shocked watching the returns; it was an unprecedented, fascinating election night. The political scientist in me was glued to the TV. I am not gloating...I wasn't a Trump supporter, even though I voted for him. I do hope he is able to bring some relief and hope to his core constituency. If he can't...he will be a one term president.

I would have loved comparative access to the RNC's emails, tactics and Trump's campaign emails. Not to mention updates on the FBI investigations into his Russian ties, his tax returns, and his upcoming racketeering and rape trials. Russian hackers with the fullthroated support of Wikileaks influenced your election.

It's the Federal government. There will be accusations of malfeasance, lack of progress, feel good and feel bad. It will just be delivered by a new, untested head of state. As Ida said, carry on.

I think I read somewhere this morning that that Trump took a few states that have not supported a Republican presidential candidate since the 80s. Pennsylvania and...?? don't remember. Wisconsin maybe. Maybe I misinterpreted what I read, I'm no expert on American politics. But... if that is true - those people didn't suddenly become 'uneducated, hate-filled fools' since the last election, and I would think to dismiss them as such would be careless.

I'm with Ida. Last night I was in a 4-way text-fest with my best friends. We soared and crashed and I cussed a blue streak. One of them is traveling in Argentina and she is suffering greatly. As devastated as we all are at the outcome, I choose to keep my head up and carry on. The sun came up this morning and I am still grateful for all that I have. I will not let this stop me.

Nothing will change. It will still be old white men with Washington insiders running the show.

I don't know what it will take to get the change that people are seeking.

Truly, I believe that for the majority of us our lives will not be significantly altered by a new president. If anything, some of the proposed policies, if actually effected, will create new opportunities for us to demonstrate love and compassion towards our fellow citizens. New ways for us to reach out to people of different colors, beliefs, and lifestyles. That's what I intend to focus on. You don't by any means have to be a Christian to see the value in these words from Philippians:

And it's not just thinking on these things, but a positive mindset begets positive action. I just see no other option.

I believe humor is vital right now, as well - even something "off color" (pardon the pun). This cracked me up:

If we lose our ability to laugh at ourselves and love one another in spite of our differences and retain a sense of optimism, we might as well just lay down and die. And that's not something I'm interested in doing.

Nini804, my remarks were not intended as condescending of my fellow Americans. The un-degreed white working class largely supported Trump. There's nothing condescending or arguable about that. It is what it is.

But at this point, the only thing that has changed is the presidential seat. Most incumbents are heading right back to Washington. Trump claimed to his supporters that he's going to "clean the swamp." The voters sent most of that swamp mess right back.

What am I dismissing? I'm acknowledging the reality of today. I'm well aware of what really has changed, and what has not.

When I referenced a nation of fools, I said "we." I'm not excluding anyone in this. We are collectively responsible for the swamp.

ETA, I resent that you interpreted my words and portray me as some sort of elitist looking down on my poor, fellow stupid Americans today. Your degrees don't excuse you any further than anyone's lack of, does.

My God, relax. I was just pointing out that perhaps the elitist attitude of the Democratic Party might have co tributed just a smidge to Trump's election. And I only included my education level to show that perhaps not ALL Trump supports are uneducated, struggling rural folk. There are plenty of successful, educated people who voted for him as well. And in my specific case, I ended up voting for him bc of that elitist attitude. It made me feel very contrarian.

The line from scripture in Hillary's speech today resonated w/ me so much that I went and found a bit more on it:

Galatians 6:9 says, "Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart." It doesn't mean, of course, that you can never stop one job and start another. If you ask what the well-doing is that we must not tire of, probably the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22f. is the best answer: don't grow weary of being patient and kind and good and faithful and gentle and self-controlled. Don't grow weary of manifesting your peace and joy in all kinds of acts of love to your neighbors and associates and family. In short, don't lose heart in spending yourself through love

It's an interesting question, how to run an organization of any kind in such a way that every email could be held up to public scrutiny. It seems like that is what one should plan for now.

Nini804, in addition to your interpretation of my condescension of my fellow Americans, I'm also not a Democrat and I did not vote for HRC.

(Idaclaire, that cracked me up, too. I copied and shared on FB. Thanks for a much needed laugh)

MtnRdRedux a while back, I read an article somewhere with a thesis arguing that one of the surest ways to destroy a political party or a corporation or really any organization is to hack their emails. This essentially cripples their communications system going forward because they have to fear every private message will become public knowledge (voice mails, emails, etc.). I wish I could find the article because it was very interesting.

nini804

Lisa, I think your condescension of your fellow Americans is exactly why Trump won. For the record, I, a lifelong Republican who possesses both a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, literally walked into the booth undecided on how to vote. I ultimately cast my vote with the "deplorables" bc frankly, HRC & her supporters were so nasty about the people in red states. The arrogance was so off-putting.

*******

nini and his or her elitist ilk are reaping what they've sown. There is blame to be born upon those who have shown nothing but despicable behavior towards their fellow Americans who hold different political views.

Now, you're finding out that drinking poison and expecting the other person to die actually doesn't work.

Good people don't say bad things or lie, cheat, deceive in emails.

Neither did Hillary apparently but it didn't seem to matter. Podesta didn't get much farther than calling Bernie a doofus. I may have said worse in my work emails and mine are fully releaseable under the freedom of information act. I hesitate if my personal emails were put out there, not least because I write personal emails with an audience in mind. For example I share a gallows humor with my husband and we make dark jokes that would be hurtful to some people were they to be made public. Especially if the sarcasm wasn't clear.

that was the wild thing about the email "scandals" - there wasn't that much there and nothing implicated Hillary's team but she was smeared by association.

I saw this in today's news. The reaction stunned me.

CNN: Wall Street traders boo Hillary Clinton, chant 'Lock her up!'

Yes, but running an organization or even one's private life where every email is possibly subject to open scrutiny is still difficult, for anyone.

Just imagine you need to discuss an employee, and you wanted feedback from several departments. There is nothing untoward, but people would have/want an expectation of privacy.

I think it could lead to a throwback to pencil and pen!

There seems to be a profound lack of awareness among Trump supporters of his long history of lying, cheating, and saying bad things about others. I can only explain it as being so immersed in Fox News that you never read or listen to any other news source.

That was the thesis of the article. People are going to become afraid to use electronic communication of any sort (or really even written communications b/c your paper notes could fall into the wrong hands too), and this will cripple operational effectiveness!

Honestly, I really don't think people voted for Trump because of Hillary's emails or Podesta's though. Maybe if it had been a "normal" candidate that beat Hillary, that would be a viable theory. But given the vote, the down ballot races, and the fact the electoral college may look worse for dems than since 1988, I really don't think emails were the driving force.

Do you guys?

If we lose our ability to laugh at ourselves and love one another in spite of our differences and retain a sense of optimism, we might as well just lay down and die. And that's not something I'm interested in doing.

I've been full of anger and disbelief since last night, but after reading your post was finally able to let some healing tears flow. Thank you!

And thanks to for the meme! Now I'm in the right frame of mind to hit FB. ;)

I think we should be thanking James Comey for this debacle. It would not have taken many votes for a different outcome and if Comey had not thrown her under the bus at a critical moment, things would be different today. Let's keep in mind that more than half of us voted FOR her. The electoral college system has to go.

Brushworks, sorry but no. The OP did not expose corruption but is simply repeating the exact same decisive banter that is already paralyzing us. How does that possibly help anything?

As for emails, they can be interpreted in almost any way people want to twist them. For example some scientists' emails were hacked and exposed as "fraud" when it was actually nothing of the sort. It was colleagues discussing their analysis. Even though when held up to the light there was nothing damning in their exchange, the ongoing perception is that there was a big conspiracy. Except their wasn't. This does not have to do with "good people." Well, sometimes it does, but in other cases it's just people who are targeted and then smeared endlessly. It's a real shame that those tactics get traction, but there you have it. This is the world we now live in.

It would seem the timing of the insurance company letters notifying of large rate hikes had more of an effect than the worn out email resurrection did. (Which, truly, if that was the reason for her downfall it is an undoing and regret of her own not anyone else's. It's not fair to blame someone else for trying to do their job.)

I mean, really. Getting a bill for $12,000-$30,000 a year in premiums alone did not effect the election?

Good men don't delight in walking into teenage beauty pageant dressing rooms and ogling young naked women, and then brag about it on radio.

Good men don't suggest torturing or killing relatives of suspected terrorists.

Good men don't propose a religious test to entering our country.

Good men don't laugh and agree when told that their own daughter is a "nice piece of ass".

Good men don't mock the disabled or our POWs

I think Michael Moore got it mostly right:
5 Reasons Why Trump Will Win

I've read through most of the WikiLeaks. ZzzzZzzzzzz. A bunch of politicos tossing ideas around, like one might in an actual meeting at work.

my canidate of choice lost because of the electoral college twice in my lifetime and yet I don't think it is something that needs to be undone. It was established for some reasons that no longer affect us but also to ensure that no one was disenfranchised because they reside in a small state. It is a complex system but it is our American system and unlikely to be changed. Neither Gore nor Clinton, the two who have lost in the last two decades because of it, wish it to be changed either. Clinton accepts the results of this election and so will I and I hope if the tables were turned so would Trump supporters.

"Clinton accepts the results of this election and so will I and I hope if the tables were turned so would Trump supporters."

What is the alternative?

The vote was so close in many swing states. If Trump had lost with that close of a vote, what would you expect him and his supporters to do?

it could go to a recount, the loser could try and take it to the Supreme Court, and still lose as they should, the loser could spend years campaigning to over turn the electoral college with an amendment ratified by 3/4 th of the congress or they can accept it as our democratic process as both Gore and Clinton have. I do actually believe the other side would do so too. And even if they did not respect the system they would still lose with in it.

Whether you are a fan of Michael Moore or not, he called it.

Any of our work emails are subject to FOIA. If you are any type of public employee, this applies to you.

Well lets thank that manly man, Vladimir PUtin, while we're at it OP - he had a big hand in this mess as well. Why is it anyway that the Russian hacks all oddly seemed to benefit one candidate, and harm the other? (Kurt Eichenwald's most recent investigative journalism on the subject was quite illuminating, if anyone's interested.)

If I had to pick the #1 most shocking and disappointing thing about this whole thing, it might be how blithely many of ya'll just blew off the whole Russia thing. Youd think that defending against foreign meddling in our elections would be one thing that would unite us all as Americans.

I should also mention we supported Julian Assange with the war documents/Chelsea Manning case. When Assange was clearly meddling in the American election we have lost all respect for him.

As a long time public employee, I learned the hard way how something said innocently in an email can come back to bite you. I'd always been told that anytime you write an email, pretend it's being published on the front page of the newspaper.

ANY time there is anything you don't want going down to posperity, you pick up the phone. And this should apply to anyone using a work email.

Recently a very hot button issue my office is working on is going to court . A man using his work email account (at a well known investment firm) utterly disparaged one of the plaintiffs to a colleague of his. His email had been forwarded on as part of a conversation chain and ended up with one of my coworkers-who will have to turn over all HIS emails relating to the case. So this private citizen, using his work email, will have it made public, and will likely end up having to be deposed.

Even in a private conversation, you must be careful about who you share with in an email.

I am not surprised that the polls were so far off. If you constantly deride, boil down and dismiss another person's views as homophobic, racist, sexist, uneducated, etc is it any wonder that these people were not forthcoming about their vote to friends, family and pollsters?

"is it any wonder that these people were not forthcoming about their vote to friends, family and pollsters?"

Before the election, DH and I kept speculating whether there might be others like us who kept quiet during all the noise. I remain absolutely stunned to learn we weren't alone.

I hope i have not been disrespectful to trump supporters if I have please know that i respect everyone's right to choose whom they believe to be the best candidate. I have never nor will i ever choose my political opinion over a friendship nor would i want to live in a community of all like minded individuals. I appreciate the ideological differences this country and this forum has even when it means my choice loses.

Neetsiepie - totally agree with you about the philosophy around emails. The first poster child for that was actually when Martha Stewart went to jail. It is amazing how many people still do not get that and put really dumb stuff in emails.

I am an attorney for a corporation, and when we have litigation, we have to do a "litigation hold" on all employees who may be involved in the subject of the litigation. Then the legal team goes through the emails. The people who write the dumbest things are usually the people that end up being deposed in the lawsuit later on. Depositions are not very pleasant, and you would think that being involved in a deposition over a stupid thing you wrote in an email would make one think differently about how to write emails in the future. But oddly, it has been my experience that being called out and embarrassed once for careless emails seems to have no bearing on future behavior.