JaneAusten

I can see why people are pessimistic. God knows I was and still am to some extent but I do think there are so many things people take for granted in this country which has led to voter apathy. There is no other country in the world that has the smooth transition of power and such stabilization. It may not seem that way to some, but a lot of people really believe nothing changes or has changed no matter who is in power, as change happens in many cases that slowly or seamlessly in the US. I say that outside of minorities who feel every bit of change positive or negative. It's why our overall election turnouts, yes even at the presidential election, stink. Wasn't turnout 63% in 2008 for Obama and people felt that was impressive. I find it disgraceful that it's not at least 75%. Brexit voting was considered average turnout and that was 79% in the UK. It tells you how complacent people are. Unless your way of life is really compromised or you are forever persecuted in obvious and not so obvious ways, many don't care. It's why black women have had and still have the highest voter turnout of any demographic. I frankly believe when things start really touching the people who normally don't get touched(including the rust belt white working class) in terms of social safety net programs being gone, terrorist attacks, no jobs, a trade war leading to significant consumer price increases, things will change. Instability will cause people to show up IMO. And that's everyone except well to do white males IMO. The democrats need to get their crap together no question but WE need to voice our concerns and hold them accountable and do our parts to make sure people are aware and involved. As Obama has said, democracy is not a spectator sport. I have a ton of concerns but the activist meetings I have been to with a couple organizations the past 6 weeks has encouraged me. People are fired up now those in charge need to leverage that sense of activism. That's my biggest concern is that the democrats continue bickering. Well at least in Illinois we aren't and many are primed and ready to get rid of our 2 year useless GOP governor who even our last GOP governor called a disaster.

I give the democrats until the end of the year to get over this election and to begin organizing. Lots of groups are organizing now and the party needs to get their *hit together to leverage them. At least here in Illinois they are doing their job and getting party people involved in the organizing. I have a feeling since Bernie is too polarizing, we might see Obama resurface to help.I like Keith Ellison but there are a ton of Hillary people who don't want him due to his allegiance to Sanders. There is also someone needed beyond the party lines.

I guess that means we get to ignore the atrocities committed by law enforcement against our minority brothers and sisters, the rise in hate crimes particularly against Muslim Americans, or Indian, Arab, Hispanic, and Asian kids who are now being bullied on a regular basis by those poor white people. You sound like General Flynn who doesn't know why they hate us, doesn't want to know, and doesn't care to learn to find out. He just wants to nuke them all. And you think that miraculously leaves the lily white citizens untouched do you?

I honestly could care less what the right believes and how can anyone side with the GOP based on what's going down in North Carolina. It's a disgrace and a coup orchestrated within the boundaries of this nation.

What's interesting is nothing has allegedly been released that was hacked from the RNC. The second article in particular was a surprise to me is I had no idea information hacked from the DNCC was being used against democrats in house races and that Paul Ryan likely knew that stolen information was being used. I don't believe for a second that RNC information was not hacked but why were democrats targeted particularly in house races?

^^@Khan. I have the utmost respect for President Obama but if this indeed did happen I have lost a ton. My biggest issue with Obama has been his perpensity for playing to the better natures of people. And that lot in Washington has none. If anything I doubt Clinton would have played as nice and ethically as Obama had, had she been elected. I just realize I think how really vulnerable our democracy is to corruption and to survive you have to have people serving who give a damn. For the most part we don't. Heck I think George Bush a colassal failure but I don't even think he would have sold us out this way. I'm so disillusioned with our leadership including Obama.

I don't know what to say if the stories about the White House actually knowing about Russian intervention in our election back in August working to get Trump elected, told the GOP house and GOP senate leadership, and was told they would make it a partisan issue if it was disclosed this close to an election. If true how could the President allow himself to be blackmailed in this way. .And how on earth can people like Ryan and McConnell look in the mirror in the morning. If true these are impeachable offenses against not only a sitting president but also the senate and house leadership. it's entirely possible Putin has honey trapped some members of our government and no doubt incoming cabinet and advisory personnel. It all makes me sick to my stomach to even have doubts.

At the end of the day you have to ask yourself are all these jobs coming back or staying? That's really all that matters no matter what Fox News may say. The answer to that obviously is no. The Carrier situation is a good example. The CEO of United Technologies already has said those 700 jobs will be gone in 2 years due to automation. Some of the actual Carrier workers whose jobs are not being saved are already speaking out. I really think as jobs don't materialize and the infrastructure work so desperately needed in smaller communities doesn't happen there, we will see an even greater exodus to big cities and blue states. I have read some compare Trump to Hitler. Ok they share some common characteristics no question but the one thing Hitler actually did do was revive Germany's economy. The depression for Germany basically ended in 1936 while ours was still going. But the difference in how he did it was he actually instilled a socialist model with price and wage controls, caps on businesses in terms of profits to help spread the wealth. A lot of what the German's saw as positives allowed the terrible things being done to those targeted to be swept under the rug. There is nothing like that being done here to help revive our economy - if anything the tax cuts and such are going to feed the oligarchs who are going to get richer and richer.

Interesting. But honestly I have a friend who returned after spending the last 18 years in Italy and Belusconi and his tenure as PM had a lot more similarities to trump with his business background and the -ability to be the Italian version of Teflon Don. He still has a presence in politics although much less due to his tax evasion conviction and the child pornography associations. He also controls a good amount still of the media there which explains the untruths allowed to propagate as fact.

I appreciate you sharing this and indeed, it's a well researched article I wish more people would read. I think many of us realize the changes in China over the past few years but I have to admit it really didn't resonate clearly to me as to why until I read this. The most disturbing part is exactly what I fear with the new President. You can't bluster in and renegotiate trade deals or cut off trade and hurt our relationship with them to the extent he viably can otherwise the entire world economy will collapse. And this idea we can simply dictate trade policy to them is nonsense. Our business interests are so intertwined that you can't simply cancel everything. The average American won't understand most of this and that's the pity because again it's those people who would hurt the most.

Ok not smart of course. And it makes me even more wary. I know people are freaking out over Russia and Putin but IMO China is a heck of a lot more dangerous or potentially dangerous. Much of it due to the fact they happen to own a lot of this country and a good amount of our debt is to them. And while Russia has the brut force image, China has a heck of a lot more intellectual capacity. And North Korea is still a danger to the world because of China, who could have easily obliterated that regime ages ago. Duterte is a crazy nut so of course he'd be invited over here by Trump.

I don't mean to sound dismissive of Warren but she is 67 years old. And I am a big Duckworth and Wendy Davis fan. I don't disagree with you and I actually don't question the re-election of Pelosi as minority leader at this point, but I do think young fresh blood is needed. We got spoiled with Obama IMO. And I am totally on board with the 50 state strategy but I admit to not being certain about Ellison. He's got a great track record but I am not sure he has the inspirational aspect that that role might need at this point. Maybe I am underestimating him - I hope I am.

I am not one to think this recount is going to amount to anything but the final vote counts in all 3 states(Wi, Mi, PA) now have Hillary's deficit below 80,000 votes. PA dropped from a 70k vote lead to 40k And in now,: Lead recount lawyer in Wisconsin indicates that 19 counties in Wisconsin are refusing to give the recount team access to ballots. I may not believe anything fishy happened in Michigan or Pennsylvania, but Wisconsin - with Scott Walker - I have zero doubt that something happened there. By the way the democrats need fresh blood and that doesn't mean Sanders and Warren, and I like what I have read about Jamie Raskin. Thought this was interesting. https://newrepublic.com/article/139092/jamie-raskin-fierce-funny-message-dispirited-democrats

The irony here is that trump caved and for the great negotiator, he's done exactly what he has criticized politicians for doing for years. Giving a company a tax break for staying here. And in this case, they are still eliminating over half the jobs and sending them to Mexico. What I don't get is if Carrier has a big government contract, tell them you'll consider pulling it if those jobs are all cut. And I never believed most people wanted Obamacare cut. It was just a talking point for GOPers who hate Obama. But states like California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, New York, Virginia, Nevada, and Illinois are talking about potentially taking over the state marketplaces and offering a form of the plan to their own residents, possibly pooling all the states together who are interested in keeping some form of it. I don't know if the Massachusetts plan went away after Obamacare went into effect, but I assume they would be another state willing to participate.

In most cases I wouldn't believe the Post over CNN. In this case I do 100%

Well this might be the first concrete thing at this point that could be used to impeach. Along with the courting foreign diplomats for the hotel in Washington but I am fuzzy on what the rules are prior to taking the oath and after.

When did science become a partisan issue? 99.9% of the scientists around the world say it's real, the Pentagon has said it's the biggest threat to out national security but somehow it's partisan. If anything you would think that the more intelligent member of the party would give a damn about their children and grandchildren and not the almighty dollar,

The EPA was one of the few good things to come out of the Nixon Administration(A REPUBLICAN) and there will end up being someone running it against climate change

Is this supposed to be some longterm good news? Of course the energy and financials stocks have soared. De-regulating the financial industry and basically dismantling every policy the EPA has enacted is a dream come true for these businesses. I'll remember this when the financial industry crashes like it did in 1929, 1987, and 2008.

I have been reading up on the proposed infrastructure bill and what a load of BS. And this is the thing democrats want to goto bat on? It basically is privatizing everything and outsourcing through bonds, providing tax credit to the bond purchasers, and allowing the bond purchasers to get their money back through the privatization aspect(ie; bridges would be tolled, roads tolled, etc). Also indicating things like community sewage and water rebuilding would never get done. And forget the rural areas, because the only way the projects are profitable is if you do them in areas where there is lots of spending available. So much for all those infrastructure jobs in places like rural WV and Kentucky. That's certainly not all of it, but it pisses me off that the democrats might be willing to sellout on this. Thanks to Bernie(I will work with Trump on a $10 minimum wage, versus blasting Hillary for a $12 min wage increase) and Chuck Schumer.

Where are you seeing people facing the racism etc. I don't see anyone on the MSM saying much nor in the NYT. As for the Nationalism aspect, I think you have to see IMO how the GOP responds to this because no way do I believe Trump's White House plays nice with the Ryan's and McConnell's of the world. And if Medicare gets slashed, you are going to see a whole lot of people who were promised by the president elect going after someone. He did promise he would not touch Social Security and Medicare. The second part is seeing the grass roots efforts that arise from this because I firmly believe there are going to be many. But time will tell. Am I scared hell yes, but I am also optimistic by seeing millions come together in defense.

So apparently after Trumps scathing response to the Hamilton criticism, his own Vice President responded to him and said they were actually very polite.

I wish I was @Propane_Jane. I've been following her for months and her posts were part of what gave me optimism and hope and she's mad as anything. I saw that tweet from Haberman and that was all it took after months of terrible reporting on the part of the NYT. And those who feel I need to continue my subscription when they still have been reporting, softening this Trump BS and telling people to give him a chance, can use their own money. I have issues with the Post but at least they seemed to try the impartiality even if they did fail miserably. The Times made no pretense and then we have Haberman telling people that Pence deserves respect? Where the hell was all their reporting on Pence and the failures of his own attempts to implement his ideology in Red Indiana? He would have gotten beat and beat badly if he re-ran but I didn't see the Times have any reporting on how the HIV epidemic is up in Indiana while he diverted money onto electro-shock therapy to "cure" homosexuals. Or him wanting to jail women for failing to bury their miscarried fetus's. So yeah I get to decide that the NYT and Haberman(who beat down Clinton for months) are not worth my time. And thanks for the pep talk. This election has really brought out strong emotions and stress in all of us. Oh and by the way here is that hack Haberman saying as VP-Elect Pence doesn't deserve disrespect. Yeah she and the Times can take a flying leap after staying silent for YEARS of disrespect towards President and Michelle Obama. Maggie Haberman @maggieNYT 16h He's also the VP-elect. A level of disrespect twitter.com/ditzkoff/statu… Dave Itzkoff @ditzkoff Pence getting booed at Hamilton bums me out. Whatever you think of him. He’s trying to engage. Could get ideas from far worse places.

Did you read my post? Where on earth are you even getting I am a Trump supporter out of this? Read again. good grief now I have to explain the fact I am not a Trump supporter and what the post means? I didn't realize it was that unclear.

I finally cancelled my subscription to the NYT this morning. I am not really sure why I have kept it to be honest. I am all for fair and honest news but they are not. After that tweet from that hack Maggie Haberman late yesterday about how disrespectful people were being of Mike Pence, enough is enough. A paper that collaborated with US intelligence to promote the Iraq war. I never should have. And while I was not looking for anyone cheerleading Hillary Clinton, the amount of front page coverage over her foundation versus doing some real investigative journalism into perhaps our PEOTUS's ties to foreign entities like how much money he owes.( Put aside the fact we now have to rely on the intelligence from our foreign allies to determine what Vladimir Putin has on Trump versus our own intelligence services). Anyway some of the local papers such as the Miami Herald and LA Times have actually done some decent reporting. But I wanted to find out if anyone knew of good unbiased news sources out there. I have been following Al Jazeera now and Politifact, Pundifact, and The Week and The Nation primarily because Ari Berman is the ONLY ONE who was reporting on voter suppression. I also think non conventional media sources are going to become even more important. I have tried the Intercept but their journalists are so damn condescending it's hard to stomach them. I am done with the Beltway media for the most part. Most of them are sycophants who are out of touch and are all just now regurgitating the poor rural white man story.