More than half the 112 anti-Trump protesters arrested in Portland didn't even vote Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3938928/More-ha

[bcking 3,157]

Few comments:

1. I don't live in Oregon anymore, but if someone doesn't vote in Oregon they are honestly just lazy. I don't care how much an election is a "foregone conclusion, it is one of the easiest states to the vote in. I lived there for the first 24 years of my life. Registering is easy, you can mail your ballot in, or you can drop it off the day of the election in a box. Zero lines. Easy peasy.

2. I agree with whoever made the comment that talking about people who "don't bother" because their state is Red/Blue can go both ways. I'm sure you could actually try to quantify it and maybe it wouldn't work out even but I think on paper the argument stands for both sides. I live in Texas. Voting seemed pretty pointless to me, and I know plenty of others who felt the same way (People who would vote left). I'm sure plenty of us could give examples of both (My close friend is a Republican in a very blue state and he didn't bother voting).

3.

"Trouble is, not all that many fell for Trump, as compared to the past 2 elections. Just that fewer fell for Hillary. People aren't as dumb as some might think, on either side of the purple fence.

And I will admit no one is more surprised than I. When Trump first started running, I thought it was a reality show stunt, nothing more. And even 2 days before the election, I posted that he didn't stand a chance against Hillary. I really thought her money and bribes had her winning. I am pleased that "we the people" spoke up. Now it remains to be seen if Trump can deliver as president as well as he has as a businessman..."

I think it is a little contradictory to admit that Trump's win is because fewer people voted for Hillary than expected and then argue that "We the people spoke up". Wouldn't it be more accurate to say that "We the people" (the majority that won the last two elections for the left) didn't bother showing up, and therefore Trump won? As someone else pointed out already, he won with the same if not fewer votes than past republican candidates. He took states with less votes than Romney got 4 years ago when Romney lost the state (Wisconsin for example - Trump gained 1.387 million votes to Romney's 1.407 million).

I won't question Trump's victory, but I would question whether it actually shows the majority of the country support him. To me it just shows that a significant portion of the country didn't bother voting (likely because they liked neither candidate).

4. The phrase is "COULDN'T" care less. Not could care less.

EDIT: I deleted a sentence where I mistakenly brought up poor voter turnout. I have now realized that more updated numbers (as absentee/mail ballots were counted) showed that turnout was THAT bad. Though still below 2012.

Edited November 16, 2016 by bcking

[bcking 3,157]

I hope to see the Democrats rise from this disaster and become a new and stronger party with a change in their direction.

Republicans are doing it , I hope the Dems do it as well. Democracy is fun when level and played fair on both sides.

Republics had about 300,000 more people vote for their candidate this year compared to 4 years ago. Yes they won, but I hardly see that as "Rising from a disaster". They barely squeaked by.

[eieio 1,594]

It would be wise to wait until all of the ballots are actually counted and accepted. Many are thrown out , for various reasons.

[bcking 3,157]

It would be wise to wait until all of the ballots are actually counted and accepted. Many are thrown out , for various reasons.

Fair point. So perhaps if we wait Republicans will have an even less than 300,000 vote gain from 2012. It's estimated that the eligible voting population grew by about 10 million. A 300,000 (or less, as you correctly point out it could get smaller) is not much of gain.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

Fair point. So perhaps if we wait Republicans will have an even less than 300,000 vote gain from 2012. It's estimated that the eligible voting population grew by about 10 million. A 300,000 (or less, as you correctly point out it could get smaller) is not much of gain.

But still the Democratic party is so out of touch with mainstream America they still won.

And a million little snow flakes cried out my Hillary my Hillary why have thou forsaken me

[JayJayH 546]

oregon is blue. most probably didn't see the point since they believed hillary had it in the bag. there's a reason so many people are shocked, it's hard to fathom so many people falling for such an obvious con.

This is part of a persistent problem Democrats have had with its base - Particularly with young people.

Not bothering to vote because Oregon will 'go to Hillary anyway' is one thing, Trump almost won Virginia from that mentality. I'm more concerned though about the amount of people who think the election was between Trump and Clinton, and just that. Aside from very slowly affecting the makeup of the SCOTUS and temporary executive actions, the presidency has very little effect on Americans' daily lives. What does effect people's daily lives are the congressmen, senators, judges, state legislators and ballot measures they vote for - Or don't vote for. Congress right now is deep red. If the Democratic base actually voted in midterm elections, the Senate at least would be blue.

You do make a valid point. But when you put those republicans in blue states that stay home up against the dems in blue states that stay home for the same reason, I would imagine they would at least even out. Living in a blue state, I do know a lot of dems that stay home because the outcome is a foregone conclusion. I'm sure the same would be true for dems and republicans that stay home in red states.

The biggest difference in this election was the dems that stayed home, at least 6 million of them.

I agree, and that's an important distinction. But Trump gained 1 - 2 million votes from McCain and Romney, in part due to an exodus from the Democratic Party of working-class white voters in the Rust Belt. This used to be the Democrats' bread and butter, and the Democrats have failed to talk to them. Part of this is likely due to issues that Bernie Sanders attacked Hillary for in the primaries, another part is due to the Democrats moving away from economic issues to a much larger focus on social issues. This is popular in California, New York and the DC area. Not so much in Youngstown, Ohio.

Trump's margins in the Rust Belt were fairly narrow, but keep in mind that Obama won Michigan by 10%, Wisconsin by 7%, Iowa and Pennsylvania by 6% in 2012. By even more in 2008. The Democrats shouldn't be reckoning with why they lost. They should be reckoning with why it was even close to begin with. Hillary Clinton's edge in the popular vote can be attributed to the fact that 4 million more Californians voted this year than in 2012.

Edited November 16, 2016 by JayJayH

[bcking 3,157]

I agree, and that's an important distinction. But Trump gained 1 - 2 million votes from McCain and Romney, in part due to an exodus from the Democratic Party of working-class white voters in the Rust Belt. This used to be the Democrats' bread and butter, and the Democrats have failed to talk to them.

Trump's margins in the Rust Belt were fairly narrow, but keep in mind that Obama won Michigan by 10%, Wisconsin by 7%, Iowa and Pennsylvania by 6% in 2012. By even more in 2008. The Democrats shouldn't be reckoning with why they lost. They should be reckoning with why it was even close to begin with.

Trump won 61,242,652

Romney won 60,933,504

Votes aren't done yet so maybe it'll change. At least right now though it's only a 300,000 vote gain. Compared to the "eligible" population gain of 7-10 million.

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

I think I posted this already, but it shows that as a nation, we are not quite as BLUE/RED as we might think. And

And voter fraud actually won it for Trump. But of course, we on the right shall not complain: http://heavy.com/news/2016/11/2016-exit-polls-did-hillaty-clinton-win-presidential-election-voter-fraud-donald-trump-lose-rigged/

[JayJayH 546]

Trump won 61,242,652

Romney won 60,933,504

Votes aren't done yet so maybe it'll change. At least right now though it's only a 300,000 vote gain. Compared to the "eligible" population gain of 7-10 million.

True, it'll probably end up around 500,000. What I'm saying is, it's important to look at where the votes (and margins) were gained, not just the total number.

Trump gained a quarter million votes in Pennsylvania. Over 150,000 in Michigan and 110,000 in Ohio.

[bcking 3,157]

True, it'll probably end up around 500,000. What I'm saying is, it's important to look at where the votes (and margins) were gained, not just the total number.

Trump gained a quarter million votes in Pennsylvania. Over 150,000 in Michigan and 110,000 in Ohio.

Ah gotcha. Good point.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

[bcking 3,157]

She called Trump supporters deplorable. We now know, about 19% of the country voted for him. So about 1/5 of the country, not half.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

She called Trump supporters deplorable. We now know, about 19% of the country voted for him. So about 1/5 of the country, not half.

So the other 81% support Hillary.. ?

[bcking 3,157]

So the other 81% support Hillary.. ?

No I didn't say that? How did you get that from what I said?

I just looked up the quote. I was actually wrong in my math. Apologies. The quote is:

"you could put half of Trump’s supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables"

So I'm saying 19% voted for Trump and are therefore "Trump supporters". So actually she called 9.5% of the country deplorables. Now you could argue that there are some Trump supporters who didn't vote for him but I imagine that is a minority compared to those that did.

[Rob L 3,811]

No I didn't say that? How did you get that from what I said?

I just looked up the quote. I was actually wrong in my math. Apologies. The quote is:

"you could put half of Trump’s supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables"

So I'm saying 19% voted for Trump and are therefore "Trump supporters". So actually she called 9.5% of the country deplorables. Now you could argue that there are some Trump supporters who didn't vote for him but I imagine that is a minority compared to those that did.

Regardless it was a poor choice of of words on her part