The Alternative

Brett's Random Thoughts From the Corner Chair
     Regardless of who you voted for, we should all be proud of the voter turnout.  Both major party candidates received a tremendous number of votes, as did Mr. Johnson of the Libertarian Party.  It’s too bad that we don’t get that kind of turnout to vote for candidates rather than against candidates, as I suspect was the case this time.
     In any case, congratulations are in order for Mr. Trump.  Congratulations, and recognition, are also in order for the first female to manage a campaign that won the Presidency.  Regardless of who you voted for, you probably recognize that Kelly Anne Conway (Trumps campaign manager) did a fantastic job.  This is a field that has been totally the domain of men in the past, but Ms. Conway broke through that perceived barrier with class and dominance.  Well done.
     Trump’s win is all the more impressive when you realize what he was up against.  He took on the Insiders of the Republican Party, including the powerful Bush political machine, and did so while dealing with a press that was pretty critical of him throughout the primary season.  And he won. 
     He then took on the powerful Clinton machine,  the Insiders from both major parties, the big money wall streeters, and an openly hostile media in the general election.  Rarely, if ever, have the political powers been so stacked against a candidate.  And he won.  This seems to have been a peaceful revolution against the ruling class.
     For many, a Trump win came as a totally shocking surprise.  For many others, though, it was not.  I’ve never been a big fan of Michael Moore, but he was dead on when he predicted Trump would be the next President, back in July and then again in October. 
     The Insiders pooh poohed his prediction, but he was right that Trump would carry the rust belt states and the election, and why.  Other analysts, such as Jim Rickards, also were predicting a Trump win.  Most of the media seemed to be totally flabbergasted as returns came in and just couldn’t understand how they had been so wrong.  A few did get it. 
     I think it was Chuck Todd that was realizing that they had totally overlooked what has become known to the political elite as “fly over country.”  This is home to the productive engine of America, the rural agriculture areas and the manufacturing centers, both of which have suffered greatly from the policies of taking from the productive and giving to the unproductive.
     While Clinton was demonstrating the disdain the Insiders, Democrat and Republican, have for the heart of America by referring to them as “deplorables,” Trump was going to the people, listening to them, and connecting with them.  The utter disdain the Insiders have for the Outsiders was abundantly evident throughout Tuesday evenings election coverage.  Over and over on many channels many of the talking heads stated their belief that Trump voters, or Republicans, or rural people, were all uneducated.  Very insulting, and totally without any basis outside of the imaginary world they live in. 
     As I said, a few did not present this view, but so many did.  What do they mean by uneducated?  I think most farmers I know are college educated.  And among those that aren’t, I’m pretty sure they are still quite educated.  Probably most of them would be quite capable of sitting in a talking head chair bleating out opinions for a few hours, whereas I’m quite sure none of the talking heads are educated enough to do what these farmers do on a daily basis, where a working understanding is needed of biology, chemistry, physics, agronomy, economics, mechanics, etc.
     I’d like to see some of these “educated” folks try to fix their car engines, or design and construct a bridge, or treat a patient in an ambulance or ER, or coordinate a response to a fire, or frankly do anything productive.  And, yes, I am college educated, graduating summa cum laude and a member of Mensa, so I do take offense at being called uneducated and by implication ignorant, by the elitists.
     Just look at all those uneducated deplorable’s out in the street rioting over the results of the election.  Oh, wait … that isn’t the uneducated deplorable Trump supporters, but the educated, tolerant, caring Clinton supporters showing great maturity and tolerance for opposing views. 
     They are marching, destroying property, and even beating fellow human beings for the high crime of voting for someone other than Clinton.  This is ridiculous.  What if’s are always speculative, but I sincerely doubt that if Clinton had won you would see Trump supporters acting this way, if for no other reason than that they would need to be at work to support both their families and their dependent welfare families.  But more importantly, though very unhappy with the results, they would have accepted the results.  You didn’t see this reaction four or eight years ago from the side that lost the election.  Says a lot.
     Speaking of adult-like reactions, or the lack thereof, I see some college professors felt the need to cancel classes or exams so that the students could have time to grieve or whatever.  Good grief, what a bunch of immature babies we’re turning out these days.  Today being Veteran’s Day, I’m reminded that 70-plus years ago, young adults were storming beaches on Normandy, Iwo Jima, Tarawa, and other places, and 50 years ago young adults were going through booby-trapped jungles to face the enemy.  Today young adults need “safe places” on campus where their feelings won’t be hurt by someone saying something they find offensive, and they are reduced to being unable to take tests due to an election not coming out the way they want. 
     What will they do when they find out the real world doesn’t coddle to their every need.  I suppose that is partly the result of being fed a steady diet of indoctrination of victimhood and intolerance being called tolerance.
     I was glad to see Obama and Trump are both acting like adults so far in the transition.  Good for them.