It’s been a whole seven or so hours since Hillary Clinton conceded the election to Donald Trump and I am still in shock.
Donald Trump, who before this election you would have known as the “You’re Fired guy” from The Apprentice, is now the president-elect of the United States.
While I was worried before the numbers came trickling in, I was all but sure Clinton had this thing in the bag. How could she lose? It made no logical sense. Trump has no political experience. He’s crass, ridiculous, and as far as I could figure, loathed by anyone with an IQ exceeding their shoe size.
Sadly, I was wrong.
As of noon on November 9, Hillary had the popular vote but Trump’s 289 electoral votes easily pushed him past Clinton’s 218. Trump collected more votes than Mitt Romney and John McCain, the previous two Republican nominees. By the time the New Hampshire, Minnesota, and Michigan numbers come in, he will likely have collected more votes than George W Bush, the last Republican president.
I mean… Trump doesn’t represent the American ideal. He represents America’s id, the psychological version of an illiterate 15-year-old or the stupid voice in your head that tells you to keep drinking and then punch that guy in the face for looking at you funny. Speaking of drinking, when Bush was elected president, some of his supporters said it was because Dubya was relatable, the kind of guy with whom you could have a beer.
No one I want to hang out with wants to have a beer with Donald. He’s the kind of guy you’d get to pay for the first pitcher of beer and then ditch because his behaviour is embarrassing and you’re scared someone might find you guilty by association.
Scratch that, actually. I wouldn’t let him pay because then I’d be beholden to him and I don’t associate in any way with creeps.
The day after the election, I got a wakeup text from one of my Canadian mates, who ended up crying to her parents at breakfast and all I could do was tell her I loved her. In earnest, I almost cried on election night when I realized there was no coming back for Clinton. There is no consolation to be found here. No amount of comedy gold will ever make up for the fact US voters proved how easily they can be manipulated by fear and ignorance.
I can only guess at the fallout (pun intended) for my friends down south, particularly those who aren’t white, upper-classstraight males. (I had to say pun intended there because reckless nuclear launches aren’t out of the question when it comes to Trump.)
What do I expect will happen? I think he’ll outlaw abortion and gay marriage. I think his rule will lead to a rise in anti-Muslim sentiment, with general race relations deteriorating from “appalling” to “bordering on war crimes.”
I think the Canadian economy will take a hit it isn’t in shape to shrug off and the US is going to end up in another war it can’t afford.
Of course I also thought Hillary would win in a landslide so don’t take my word for any of this.
I’m done now… not to mention depressed and angry.