I think everyone should read Trump's acceptance speech.

[Vekseid]

From here:

Trump's Acceptance Speech

TRUMP: Thank you. Thank you very much, everyone.

(APPLAUSE)

Sorry to keep you waiting; complicated business; complicated.

(APPLAUSE)

Thank you very much.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: I’ve just received a call from Secretary Clinton.

(APPLAUSE)

She congratulated us — it’s about us — on our victory, and I congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard-fought campaign. I mean, she — she fought very hard.

(APPLAUSE)

Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country.

(APPLAUSE)

I mean that very sincerely.

(APPLAUSE)

Now it’s time for America to bind the wounds of division; have to get together. To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people.

(APPLAUSE)

It’s time. I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans, and this is so important to me.

(APPLAUSE)

For those who have chosen not to support me in the past, of which there were a few people. . .

(LAUGHTER)

. . . I’m reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so that we can work together and unify our great country.

(APPLAUSE)

As I’ve said from the beginning, ours was not a campaign, but rather an incredible and great movement made up of millions of hard-working men and women who love their country and want a better, brighter future for themselves and for their families.

(APPLAUSE)

It’s a movement comprised of Americans from all races, religions, backgrounds and beliefs who want and expect our government to serve the people, and serve the people it will.

(APPLAUSE)

Working together, we will begin the urgent task of rebuilding our nation and renewing the American dream. I’ve spent my entire life and business looking at the untapped potential in projects and in people all over the world. That is now what I want to do for our country.

(APPLAUSE)

Tremendous potential. I’ve gotten to know our country so well — tremendous potential. It’s going to be a beautiful thing. Every single American will have the opportunity to realize his or her fullest potential. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.

(APPLAUSE)

We are going to fix our inner cities and rebuild our highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, schools, hospitals. We’re going to rebuild our infrastructure, which will become, by the way, second to none. And we will put millions of our people to work as we rebuild it.

We will also finally take care of our great veterans.

(APPLAUSE)

They’ve been so loyal, and I’ve gotten to know so many over this 18-month journey. The time I’ve spent with them during this campaign has been among my greatest honors. Our veterans are incredible people. We will embark upon a project of national growth and renewal. I will harness the creative talents of our people and we will call upon the best and brightest to leverage their tremendous talent for the benefit of all. It’s going to happen.

(APPLAUSE)

We have a great economic plan. We will double our growth and have the strongest economy anywhere in the world. At the same time, we will get along with all other nations willing to get along with us. We will be.

(APPLAUSE)

We’ll have great relationships. We expect to have great, great relationships. No dream is too big, no challenge is too great.

TRUMP: Nothing we want for our future is beyond our reach.

America will no longer settle for anything less than the best.

(APPLAUSE)

We must reclaim our country’s destiny and dream big and bold and daring. We have to do that. We’re going to dream of things for our country and beautiful things and successful things once again.

I want to tell the world community that while we will always put America’s interests first, we will deal fairly with everyone, with everyone — all people and all other nations. We will seek common ground, not hostility; partnership, not conflict.

And now I’d like to take this moment to thank some of the people who really helped me with this, what they are calling tonight, very, very historic victory.

First, I want to thank my parents, who I know are looking down on me right now.

(APPLAUSE)

Great people. I’ve learned so much from them. They were wonderful in every regard. I had truly great parents.

I also want to thank my sisters, Maryanne and Elizabeth, who are here with us tonight. And, where are they? They’re here someplace. They’re very shy, actually. And my brother Robert — my great friend. Where is Robert? Where is Robert?

(APPLAUSE)

My brother Robert. And they should all be on this stage, but that’s OK. They’re great. And also my late brother, Fred. Great guy. Fantastic guy.

(APPLAUSE)

Fantastic family. I was very lucky. Great brothers, sisters; great, unbelievable parents.

To Melania and Don. . .

(APPLAUSE) . . . and Ivanka. . .

(APPLAUSE)

. . . and Eric and Tiffany and Baron, I love you and I thank you, and especially for putting up with all of those hours. This was tough.

(APPLAUSE)

This was tough. This political stuff is nasty and it’s tough. So I want to thank my family very much. Really fantastic. Thank you all. Thank you all.

And Lara, unbelievable job, unbelievable.

Vanessa, thank you. Thank you very much.

What a great group. You’ve all given me such incredible support, and I will tell you that we have a large group of people. You know, they kept saying we have a small staff. Not so small. Look at all the people that we have. Look at all of these people.

And Kellyanne and Chris and Rudy and Steve and David. We have got — we have got tremendously talented people up here. And I want to tell you, it’s been — it’s been very, very special. I want to give a very special thanks to our former mayor, Rudy Giuliani.

(APPLAUSE)

Unbelievable. Unbelievable. He traveled with us and he went through meetings. That Rudy never changes. Where’s Rudy? Where is he? Rudy.

Governor Chris Christie, folks, was unbelievable.

(APPLAUSE)

Thank you, Chris.

The first man, first senator, first major, major politician, and let me tell you, he is highly respected in Washington because he’s as smart as you get: Senator Jeff Sessions. Where is Jeff?

(APPLAUSE)

Great man.

Another great man, very tough competitor. He was not easy. He was not easy. Who is that? Is that the mayor that showed up?

(LAUGHTER)

Is that Rudy? Oh, Rudy got up here.

Another great man who has been really a friend to me. But I’ll tell you, I got to know him as a competitor because he was one of the folks that was negotiating to go against those Democrats: Dr. Ben Carson. Where is Ben?

(APPLAUSE)

Where is Ben?

TRUMP: And by the way, Mike Huckabee is here someplace, and he is fantastic. Mike and his family, Sarah — thank you very much.

General Mike Flynn. Where is Mike?

(APPLAUSE)

And General Kellogg. We have over 200 generals and admirals that have endorsed our campaign. And they’re special people and it’s really an honor. We have 22 congressional Medal of Honor recipients. We have just tremendous people.

A very special person who believed me and, you know, I’d read reports that I wasn’t getting along with him. I never had a bad second with him. He’s an unbelievable star. He is. . .

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: That’s right. How did you possibly guess? So let me tell you about Reince, and I’ve said this. I said, Reince — and I know it, I know. Look at all those people over there. I know it. Reince is a superstar. But I said, “They can’t call you a superstar, Reince, unless we win,” because you can’t be called a superstar — like Secretariat — if Secretariat came in second, Secretariat would not have that big, beautiful bronze bust at the track at Belmont.

But I’ll tell you, Reince is really a star. And he is the hardest-working guy. And in a certain way, I did this — Reince, come up here. Where is Reince? Get over here, Reince.

(APPLAUSE)

Boy oh boy oh boy. It’s about time you did this, Reince. My God.

(APPLAUSE)

Say a few words. No, come on, say something.

RNC CHAIRMAN REINCE PRIEBUS: Ladies and gentlemen, the next president of the United States, Donald Trump.

(APPLAUSE)

Thank you. It’s been an honor. God bless. Thank God.

TRUMP: Amazing guy.

Our partnership with the RNC was so important to the success and what we’ve done.

So I also have to say I’ve gotten to know some incredible people — the Secret Service people.

(APPLAUSE)

They’re tough and they’re smart and they’re sharp, and I don’t want to mess around with them, I can tell you. And when I want to go and wave to a big group of people and they rip me down and put me back down on the seat. But they are fantastic people, so I want to thank the Secret Service.

(APPLAUSE)

And law enforcement in New York City. They’re here tonight.

(APPLAUSE)

These are spectacular people, sometimes underappreciated unfortunately, but we appreciate them. We know what they go through.

So, it’s been what they call a historic event, but to be really historic, we have to do a great job. And I promise you that I will not let you down. We will do a great job. We will do a great job.

(APPLAUSE)

I look very much forward to being your president, and hopefully at the end of two years or three years or four years, or maybe even eight years. . .

(APPLAUSE)

. . . you will say, so many of you worked so hard for us, but you will say that — you will say that that was something that you really were very proud to do and I can. . .

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: Thank you very much.

And I can only say that while the campaign is over, our work on this movement is now really just beginning.

(APPLAUSE)

We’re going to get to work immediately for the American people. And we’re going to be doing a job that hopefully you will be so proud of your president. You’ll be so proud. Again, it’s my honor. It was an amazing evening. It’s been an amazing two-year period. And I love this country.

(APPLAUSE) Thank you. Thank you very much.

(APPLAUSE)

Thank you to Mike Pence. Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

Trump is a salesman first and an actor second. This speech fits his pattern, even if the tone is completely different than everything we have heard from him since he started his birther tirade. It is very easy to read what you want to hear in this sort of speaking pattern - something the man has spent his life mastering.

I seriously have no idea what Trump will do. I don't exactly feel alone in that, which naturally engenders fear in a lot of people. We won't get meaningful answers to that until he starts appointing cabinet members and justices. A lot of people forget he was a Democrat.

Someone should go to Breitbart's grave with a generator, see what his corpse can power.

For everything, this is not a demagogue's speech. It is actively pluralist, even - asking for guidance from his critics.

If you don't believe we have seen worse, go read Bush Junior's speech. Take a moment to appreciate just how proud you are of Cheney's vice presidency. Then compare the tone that follows.

Trump's first act on getting elected - his first words - directly speak to the tribalism that has been festering in the United States over the past few decades. To the point of paralysis.

I genuinely was not expecting that. I genuinely believe that division is the biggest problem America has been facing.

It is why I wrote this.

For it to get called out and addressed from the Republican side is something new.

I don't know what is going to happen. The Sun still rose today, and we owe it to ourselves to do the best with what we are given.

Please do not let fear and anxiety paralyze you.

Take care.

[CrownedSun]

I'm not suddenly okay with the results of this election, and I stand by my vote, but thank you for directing me to that. I wasn't in a mood to listen to anything like that yesterday, I just wanted this to be over and to learn who the next President was, but reading that-- actions, and not words, will tell in the end-- but that Speech helps at least a little.

[Gypsy]

Maybe it's just me, but the link to 'Message Unbottled' opens up a tab, but no content.    Twas just me, and the update to my 'New Tab' addon for Firefox.

Thank you for sharing this, Vekseid.

[Nico]

Thank you for sharing!

And, I have to say something. I don't think that I've ever posted in the PROC Board before but I feel the need to, today. I am not a very political person and what I have to say is not about politics.

As I have told a dear friend from the US just earlier - I cannot change what has happened, and it certainly will not change my view on the people and friends from the US I hold dear. Whatever happens, wherever this will take the world, people will always be people for me. Awesome, deserving respect no matter what. Everyone is unique and beautiful.

My friends are awesome. <3

/end.

[Vekseid]

I'm not suddenly okay with the results of this election, and I stand by my vote, but thank you for directing me to that. I wasn't in a mood to listen to anything like that yesterday, I just wanted this to be over and to learn who the next President was, but reading that-- actions, and not words, will tell in the end-- but that Speech helps at least a little.

I am not going to pretend I am happy with it. I hope we will see a Warren 2020 run.

I was half expecting a Lincoln bookend... that the party that began its tenure with 'United We Stand' would end in promoting division.

So this was not an unwelcome thing to read, all things considered.

[Eikichi]

I think people should just wait. Our presidents have always drifted to the moral center of policy, not always but most have done so.

Until a Trump presidency actually shows something alarming, it's not the end of the world. He might actually bring change, or be decent. Just wait and see.

[Beguile's Mistress]

I doubt that Trump has a moral center.  Having suffered at the hands of men like him he makes my flesh crawl.  My only hope is that we survive the people he puts in his cabinet and the staffers with whom he surrounds himself.

As for his speech I can only say he has good speech writers.  It is a prime example of hypocrisy.

[gaggedLouise]

He'll have to show that he means it, by his behaviour and his decisions in office, when he's trying to take the moral high ground like that.  :-(

I'm feeling profoundly nonplussed with this guy.

[Nowherewoman]

As someone pointed out, he must realize that a lot of what he promised to do in order to get elected can not actually be done- if for no other reason than that even a fully Republican Congress is not going to PAY for it! And since their jobs rely on generous corporate donors, it's unlikely they're going to go in for trade wars in a big way.

I think we're in for a bumpy, possibly ugly 4 years, but the system has a tendency to polish at least SOME of the rougbest edges off.

[Ariel]

I heard it live. Couldn't stop rolling my eyes.

Honestly scared to see what the future holds for my country.

[Tamhansen]

As someone pointed out, he must realize that a lot of what he promised to do in order to get elected can not actually be done- if for no other reason than that even a fully Republican Congress is not going to PAY for it! And since their jobs rely on generous corporate donors, it's unlikely they're going to go in for trade wars in a big way.

I think we're in for a bumpy, possibly ugly 4 years, but the system has a tendency to polish at least SOME of the rougbest edges off.

The scariest part, at least to those living outside the country is one of the things he can do. Pull the US out of climate agreements, stop federal green initiatives, and return the US to the path of coal.

Sponsors likie the Koch brothers would be thrilled by such a prospect, as it would be the culmination of years and years of spending billions to get climate change deniers in the white house.

President Trump might not destroy the US overnight, but he might play a big part in the destruction of our planet.

[TheGlyphstone]

I've mentioned in another thread that I'm not so much scared of Trump's personal policy initiatives as the damage that a GOP House+Senate+Supreme Court triumvirate will do when they're willing to throw enough sops to his ego that he doesn't interfere with anything they push through into law.

He's spoken some pretty nice-sounding words. Now let's see him actually put them into action.

[Vekseid]

I think people should just wait. Our presidents have always drifted to the moral center of policy, not always but most have done so.

Until a Trump presidency actually shows something alarming, it's not the end of the world. He might actually bring change, or be decent. Just wait and see.

I feel this sort of attitude is a mistake, honestly. It is reactive. You can't defend your way to victory.

Just waiting for the president to do something bad rather than trying to figure out ways to affect the change you wish to see is not going to get you far. That's living in Cheney's 'reality based world', as he put it.

- Stopping voter disenfranchisement. Make sure there are more polling places, more early voting, more ability for people to take time off to vote. Remove barriers to registration.

- Reducing the impact of tribalism and its associated polarization. Discourage isolation, encourage pluralistic views of thought.

- Promote critical thinking, a desire for learning, and analysis.

[Nowherewoman]

I feel this sort of attitude is a mistake, honestly. It is reactive. You can't defend your way to victory.

***

- Promote critical thinking, a desire for learning, and analysis.

This, especially.  While I am by no means a huge Clinton fan, I find it interesting that SHE was the one so many people thought was 'untrustworthy', while Trump flipflopped daily, some times hourly, and refused to address issues AT ALL, in any meaningful or even humanly coherent way.  It's a combination, I fear, of adrenaline- shouting always gets one's attention- and an unwillingness on the part of some to apply critical thinking to what one is hearing.  Certainly, Clinton's positions on certain issues miraculously 'evolved' once she decided to run for President, and I am not impressed by that. But there's really no comparison between the two on the subject of, dare I say, 'truthiness'.

[Trigon]

Not gonna lie, but I think Trump is an illegitimate president. Just fuming right now  >:( >:( >:(

[Beguile's Mistress]

- Stopping voter disenfranchisement. Make sure there are more polling places, more early voting, more ability for people to take time off to vote. Remove barriers to registration.

- Reducing the impact of tribalism and its associated polarization. Discourage isolation, encourage pluralistic views of thought.

- Promote critical thinking, a desire for learning, and analysis.

Voter disenfranchisement, tribalism and a lack of communication and information all contributed to a Trump election.  The Trump supporter demographic supports this as does the GOP.  In order to avoid this in the future we need to keep a dialogue going, reach out to minorities, encourage those who haven't registered to do so as soon as possible and campaign for legislation that will open more polling places where needed and make them more accessible.

Getting angry and arguing with people will only cause a greater divide.  Calm discussion, listening to the opinions of others and working to get people involved is what is needed.  If you see a need in your community help address it.  Become a force for good and build trust.  People will listen and work with you.  They'll join in when it is time to work for a common cause and vote to get the right people in office.

[Zakharra]

Not gonna lie, but I think Trump is an illegitimate president. Just fuming right now  >:( >:( >:(

Why do you think he is illegitimate? He won the necessary electoral votes needed and the majority of states. Looking at the map of which way the states went, the US is mostly red. The Democrats won the west coast, the New England states, a few other east coast states and a handful in the middle of the country (about 19 states total), with the red going to Trump. I fail to see how that is illegitimate.

[CrownedSun]

It's a popular vote argument.

To tell the truth, I honestly agree with the whole 'the electoral college is wrong' thing, but I'm not sure just a straight 'getting rid of the electoral college' strategy is the way to go either.

I mean, that disenfranchises people who aren't living in big cities to a pretty substantial degree.

<.<

Maybe some kind mixture of the two, just base it off a general vote-- no colleges or points or anything,-- but weigh the votes a bit to give people in the interior states a bit more of a say. That would solve some problems, such as your vote not really counting if you're in an area that leans heavily in one direction or the other, or TONS and TONS of votes coming from one small area not... entirely overwhelming the area.. but still contributing to the process more than they currently do.

*shrugs*

Its academic anyway, honestly, we're not going to lose the Electoral College.

[Gypsy]

Before the election, I seem to remember some saying the electoral college was a good thing that protects minority groups from the mob rule of the majority. 

Whether the system is the right one or not seems largely to depend on who it ends up favoring rather than the system itself.

It's the system we have, and the time to change it is before the game is played, not after when we don't like the results.

[Beguile's Mistress]

It will take a Constitutional Amendment to get it changed.

[CrownedSun]

It will take a Constitutional Amendment to get it changed.

Yup, n' discussion about how horrible it is will disappear entirely in a few months.

[Zakharra]

It's a popular vote argument.

Honestly, I honestly agree with the whole 'the electoral college is wrong' thing, but I'm not sure just a straight electoral college thing is the way to go either.

I mean, that disenfranchises people who aren't living in big cities to a pretty substantial degree.

<.<

Maybe some kind mixture of the two, just base it off a general vote-- no colleges or points or anything,-- but weigh the votes a bit to give people in the interior states a bit more of a say. That would solve some problems, such as your vote not really counting if you're in an area that leans heavily in one direction or the other, or TONS and TONS of votes coming from one small area not... entirely overwhelming the area.. but still contributing to the process more than they currently do.

*shrugs*

Its academic anyway, honestly, we're not going to lose the Electoral College.

It would also require a Constitutional Amendment to remove the Electoral Collage. Which requires something like 2/3 to 3/4 of the states to vote in favor of that. I do not see that many states voting to neuter themselves politically to give a straight up popular vote to the heavily populated Democrat states.

I have always supported the Electoral collage. The founders were smart enough to put in decent compromises that ensures that the most heavily populated states -can't-, by themselves, determine who is and is not President. The US is a democracy; to a point. We're a republic with checks and balances in federal elections to ensure the majority or minority doesn't necessarily run roughshod over the other side. The smaller population states have a say in it just as a bigger population state does. The large populated states have more of a voice, but not enough they can ignore the lower populated states.

[CrownedSun]

n' honestly, while Hilary won the popular, the margin was tight enough that I don't feel like we were necessarily cheated.

I mean, its easy to say "we should just go by the popular vote," but look at a population density map of the US and ask yourself if you're REALLY okay with basically just-- not having the places that aren't the deepest darkest colors on said map having any real say in whole the president is, at all,--

These kind of arguments are really, to my mind, more in favor of succession than changing the election process like that.

(Which, incidentally, would be an even WORSE idea.)

[Beguile's Mistress]

Amending the Constitution is a long, drawn-out process.  Since 1789 only 27 Amendments to the Constitution have been ratified. 

I can almost guarantee that this issue will be fought with every ounce of power and rhetoric that can be brought to bear before the necessary three-fourths of the states (38) will approve it.

[RedRose]

I think people should just wait. Our presidents have always drifted to the moral center of policy, not always but most have done so.

Until a Trump presidency actually shows something alarming, it's not the end of the world. He might actually bring change, or be decent. Just wait and see.

Now that he's elected it's the best way to think.

If he really is illegitimate this needs to be confronted and dealt with.

If not that is democracy.