When The Smoke Clears - And Hillary Wins

[WiffenPoof]

As I've always indicated; it isn't Donald Trump that worries me. It is the millions of loyal followers that are becoming unhinged with greater frequency. They do not care if Donald lies. They are not bothered by any of the disgusting antics that he continues to demonstrate. And, they appear not to care about any of his racist past.

My concern is what will happen after the smoke clears and Trump followers are left with a loser. As they go through the stages to acceptance, they may stop at denial and anger.

My fear is what they might do...who they might hurt. I simply do not believe that they will crawl back in their holes with a whimper.

The will of the people will not be enough to quell their outrage and disappointment.

Is anyone else entertaining the idea that we may be facing a very angry segment of our society come November?

-P

[MineralMan]

1. Oh, it's certainly possible. That's why I'm recommending

that people not gloat too publicly after Hillary wins. Just leave it as it is. Let her move into the White House and give the hotheads plenty of time to move on to their next outrage.

The temptation to gloat is going to be a powerful one, though.

[RonniePudding]

6. They're going to be at an 11 with or without gloating, I'm afraid

[TXCritter]

2. Yes and no

If their anger is rooted in misogyny and xenophobia then I'm willing to go toe-to-toe with them. I'm happy to wind them up and let them self-destruct.

There are far more dangerous conservatives to deal with. Ones that require intelligent debate. To them I say - keep your basket of deplorables in a kennel, choose a sane candidate and next time we'll have a very different debate.

[WiffenPoof]

9. Well stated... NT

[LisaM]

3. I think we need to acknowledge what is essentially a cry for help.

These are very scared people, and in a lot of cases they are getting marginalized, particularly in the workforce. In my opinion, we need to pay attention to that, and focus on creating a strong middle class. One way to do this is create more government jobs - quit starving government, fer Crissakes. Bring back jobs like school bus drivers where the drivers actually work for the school system, not a contracting company, for example. Rein in the gig economy.

[WiffenPoof]

10. Completely Agree

They are scared. Whether we want to admit it our not, these people feel left out. Strengthening the middle class would be a major step in addressing their issues.

[LisaM]

12. I was thinking about my elementary school recently.

The cooks, the janitors, the bus drivers - they were all our schoolmate's grandparents, aunts, parents, etc., and we respected them. And I suspect they made decent wages and got a pension. Good jobs for hardworking people that don't require degrees. Nothing wrong with that! I know pensions have gone the way of the dodo (sadly) but they'd presumably get into 401(k)s.

[underpants]

4. What the hell is DU going to do?

There will be two threads in GD:
Today's RT take on things and something about indigenous people.

[NewJeffCT]

5. Most of them are paper tigers

who will keep typing away angrily in their parents' basement and spouting hate online.

That said, it only takes 2 of them to become the next McVeigh and Nichols.

[WiffenPoof]

8. I was so afraid...

...to mention something as extreme as domestic terrorism. I just didn't want to go there. But, I think we need to be on guard in case the unthinkable happens.

[NAO]

7. I predict rioting, violence. Americn Kristallnacht - the day AFA passed, brick thru Giffords window

The bottom line is that Trump has re-legitimized HATE. Decades of progress, achieved by educating children in tolerance and using severe public censure to suppress open expression of hate (they call it "political correctness&quot have ALREADY been destroyed.

I don't know if people remember, but the night the Affordable Care Act passed, in Tucson, AZ a brick with a hateful message was thrown thru Gabrielle Giffords office window. That same night, there were countless acts of violence, vandalism, and death threats to congress directed reported from every state in the US. It went as crass and vicious as one congressman's cat being mutilated.

When Obama won his second term, they were so furious I though something was going to happen, but they just steamed with hate for another 3 1/2 years util their champion, Donald Trump crawled out of the slime (rode down the escalator, whatever).

When Trump loses, things his supporters might do include:

- disbelieve the elections' results / claim it was "rigged" or "hacked"

- have violent protests, which may lead to riots and looting

- buy more guns (remember gun sales skyrocketed when Obama was elected)

- dig in deeper and reinforce their doomsday prepper bunkers

- buy gold and vacuum packed food

- claim they are going to start a civil war

- talk about using their "2nd Amendment Freedoms to Oppose Government Tyranny"

[WiffenPoof]

11. Now I'm really concerned.... NT

[DFW]

13. I'd say your worries are not in the least exaggerated

The fact that we all know where to place the blame does not diminish the danger we will, indeed, likely be facing as a nation. Trump's suggestion of a "Second Amendment Solution" will not evaporate with his loss in November.