Lawrence Tribe

Lawrence Tribe is a professor of constitutional law at Harvard School of Law.  He opined that the Electoral college should not vote for a candidate that has intrinsic conflicts of interest.  Trump's declaration that as President he has no legal obligation to divest his vast business interests.  What Trump is saying is no different than what Nixon said when he declared that if the President does it, it can't be illegal.  IMHO, If Trump's conflicts aren't addressed, the country continues to push the Presidential crisis down the road toward impeachment.

True Colors

Threats to prosecute Hillary Clinton - because of her going along with Jill Stein's recount efforts -shows the trump team for what it is - self serving, unethical, without any principles except trump gain.  Nothing and none is safe from Trump's self-aggrandizement.

DIVERSION

Trump just nominated 2 critical posts - Tom Price for Secretary of Health & Human Services and Seema Verna for head of the center for Medicare and Medicaid.  See my previous post for my scathing rant on her. 
Rather than having the public and media focusing on the discussion of their qualifications and characteristics for handling these jobs, Trump tweets about revoking citizenship for flag burning.  Revoking citizenship for flag burning is unlikely to ever take place, unless this country drastically changes our Constitutional safeguards. 
So media focuses on Trump's bull shit rather than one of the most critical areas for the majority of the citizens of this country - their health insurance system!
MEDIA, GET WITH HE PROGRAM !!!

Tom Price & Seema Verna

Welcome to Indiana, USA - Seema Verna has been named to head the center for Medicare and Medicaid within the dept of HHS, to be headed by Tom Price - the GA Congressman who swore to repeal the ACA. So much for Trump's "promise" to maintain Medicare.  Welcome aboard, suckers!

Here's an excerpt from the official blog of Physicians for a National Health Plan that explains the absurdity of the Indiana  Medicaid program (POWER ccounts):

So how do the POWER accounts work? First it is important to understand the complexity of the establishment and administration of these accounts because there are so many variables depending on whether the recipients are above or below 100 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL), which plan they participate in (Regular Plus, Regular Basic, State Plus, State Basic, plus HIP Link), whether or not they are classified as medically frail, whether they are Native Americans, whether or not they use preventive care services, and so forth. The description that follows applies differentially depending on these variables but will be presented as if it were a uniform program since these features represent the general drift of HIP 2.0. The actual details can be found in the Lewin Group report (link above).

The POWER accounts are funded mostly by the state with a contribution from the patient amounting to about 2 percent of income, up to a combined maximum of $2500 (mostly from the state). They are used to pay for the first $2500 of care (except for preventive services) and then a managed care plan begins paying. The payment by the patient is so small that it has very little impact on the government’s share of the costs. But most of these patients have no discretionary income thus even these small payments can be a financial burden to them, having to displace spending on other essentials.

If the individual uses no medical services, their contributions can accumulate in their POWER accounts and they can take their funds with them when they leave the program. But the maximum in the account can be only $2500, and their contribution is only a fraction of that. It is obvious that the meager amount that would be returned in no way could be used as an additional retirement benefit – defeating one of the purposes of HSAs.

If the patients fail to contribute to the POWER account, and their income is over 100 FPL, they completely lose their coverage and cannot reapply for a minimum of 6 months. If their income is under 100 FPL and they fail to contribute to the POWER account, they are shifted to the Basic plan and then are exposed to copayments, and they lose services such as dental and eye, and are limited in their prescription benefits.

These accounts are supposed to increase consumer awareness, but many of the participants do not know that the accounts exist, and many of those who do don’t really understand them. This hardly advances the conservative concept of consumer-directed health care.

Obviously these POWER accounts are not based on any sound health policy science, but they are merely a fabrication of ideologically-driven bureaucrats who want to pretend or maybe have fooled themselves into believing that they have created a poor man’s version of health savings accounts. HSAs actually provide benefits, albeit primarily for the healthy and wealthy. Medicaid was designed as a prepaid health care system for those with low incomes. The Medicaid Power accounts do the opposite of HSAs in that they penalize those who do not participate, taking away traditional Medicaid benefits, thereby adversely affecting particularly those with the lowest incomes.

This is a perverse program designed to satisfy the ideology of the Indiana stewards. (Kentucky is next.) One of the Indiana stewards and a strong supporter of POWER accounts – the governor – is currently a candidate for the vice-presidency of the United States. Programs like this expose the souls of those who support them.

Clown Show Continues

Trump has announced that millions voted for Clinton - illegally.  Of course, he presented no evidence with his announcement.  This sort of blatant lie might have been humorous from a candidate, but as President-elect it is dangerous.  A potential President by Tweet.  Disinformation.  Disgusting. 
Meanwhile, the clown show continues as his staff argue publicly between Guiliani and Romney as his nominee for Secretary of State.  Not worthy of a Presidential staff and not supportive of the potential candidate who will need international credibility to do the Secretary's job properly.  Not to mention that Guiliani has displayed total behavioral absurdity for a potential secretary.  It would be a joke, if it weren't so serious.
Finally, for the moment, I read that one impact of the Affordable Care Act was the saving of $7.4 BILIION in charity uncompensated costs at US hospital emergency rooms.  So frightening talk continues about repealing the ACA, knocking 22 million people out of coverage and loosing supportive portions of the ACA, like not allowing denial for pre-existing conditions and also allowing adult kids to continue on their parents' policies.  And then there is Medicare - talk about Paul Ryan's pet project - to unravel a program that has worked for seniors for decades - so the very seniors who can't afford it and are most vulnerable will face the need to further subsidize their health insurance.  And please note that currently, poor seniors who can't afford the highest quality Medicare options must choose basic coverage with co-pays and treatment limitations. 
Maybe Republicans in the Congress, who will eventually face re-election fights, might come to their senses on health insurance, but meanwhile, the executive clown show continues.

YES !

The Clinton campaign is supporting the recount initiated in Wisconsin by Jill Stein.  A good move.  107,000 votes in 3 states decide the Electoral count; over 2 million votes more than Trump overall.
Who talked endlessly about a "rigged" election?  Who cast doubt on whether he would accept the result if he didn't win?  Who encouraged Russian hacking?
Whatever happens, will happen.  But there is no reason to believe the results without the closest review possible.
Al Gore was the American hero in 2000.  This situation is entirely different - without raising the terrible direction we face for four years under Trump.  A leader who isn't bothering to receive the daily security briefings, who is establishing a cabinet through a public tease.  Who is changing his positions on major issues randomly.  A disaster in the making.
And he has absolutely NO MANDATE for radial change.
Turmoil now will save fiasco later.

Another Old White Man

Wilbur Ross, likely for Secretary of Commerce.  Perfect.  (That's sarcasm, just to be clear.)   He's 78 years old and his claim to wealth and fame is that he took bankrupt companies, like steel companies, broke them up and made a fortune.  Just what Trump voters thought they would get.  (That's also sarcasm, just to be clear.)
This is the epitome of what we can expect form Trump.  Along with Betsy DeVos, another wealthy scion of conservatism, for education who supports charter schools rather than the public schools - which educate the vast majority of American children and support the men and women who educate them.
Welcome aboard, fools!

Daily Security Briefings

The most unprepared President-elect in recent history has had only two security briefings of the briefings provided DAILY since the election.  Be afraid, be very afraid.

MAKE THE CALL !!!

Jill Stein has quickly - in lightning fast speed - raised millions toward the recount in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan.  Hillary's popular vote margin is going over 2 million.  We are facing the most unprepared polarizing President in our lifetimes who is moving toward a very radical administration - think Steve Bannon, Betsy DeVos, Wilbur Ross.  This is not even what his voters expected, let alone his opponents.  Well, maybe his opponents were smart enough to expect this.  In any case, we need to know the facts.
MAKE THE CALL !!!!

Precision

Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by over 2 million votes.  Scientists have discovered anomalies in voting patterns in the counties using electronic ballots in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.   It's time for a recount to make sure that the election ahs been accurately tallied.
Remember who spent the entire campaign declaring that the election "was rigged".  Who promised that if he didn't win, it would be proof that the election "was rigged".  He questioned whether he would concede the election.
Then there is the general issue of hacking, Wiki leaks and Russian influence.
DEMAND A RECOUNT!

Wrong Twice

It was wrong for Trump to promise to prosecute Hillary Clinton during his campaign.  I wrote endlessly about his leading the chants of  "lock her up".  It was not a promise that any candidate could fulfill as President  since it was always up to the Department of Justice and the DOJ/FBI Director declared that there would be no prosecution of Hillary Clinton.  This was simply one more phoney issue to achieve victory.
Now, as President-elect, Trump again has taken it upon himself to decide who does or does not get prosecuted for a possible act.
The remaining outstanding question is how Trump has formulated the position of Attorney General in the person of his nominee, Jefferson Beauregard Sessions.  Is there a mutual agreement in the standard independence expected of the USAG?
We will continue to see other evidence of this theme - phoney issues to achieve victory that will haunt until Trump leaves office, if he ever actually survives to take the oath.
My prediction is that he will take the oath, nominate a supreme Court Associate Justice and then - one way or another - leave the Office of the President.

Crooked Media

CROOKED!  First is was Hillary, now it's the "media".  Using multiple approaches to avoid the media, Trump is moving toward a lack of visibility and openness that hints of authoritarian style of leadership that is contrary to American democracy.
Recent examples of this pattern range from trivial to critical. 
By producing his own video to update his transition efforts, he denied the press the opportunity to ask questions.  And there is a critical issue on the table - how to separate his business and public government interest.  Already, we have seen serious breaches of the American tradition - Trump's children meeting with foreign leaders while participating in transition planning, Trump meeting with leaders from India on his business dealings, raising issues with British leaders about wind farms off Scotland that would interfere with the views from his golf courses.
Trump held a meeting with television political press - on the condition of being "off the record" !!! (which in itself is problematic) - and then ranted for twenty minutes and criticized his coverage as "unfair".  This is from the man who got vast amounts of free tv coverage that propelled him to Electoral College victory.  He also singled out Martha Radditz and another woman journalist, perhaps Megan Kelly.
Finally, while not major, it is an attack on free speech when he criticized the Hamilton cast member - and the audience who booed - for stating his concerns to Pence.
We have here evidence that he is attempting to stifle criticism and openness.  Given his campaign promises - remember "I alone can fix it" - and the stream of lies that led to his Electoral College victory vigilance is the only possible response to this authoritarian threat.  And this threat is coupled with the frightening bigotry toward everyone except white men - just look at his first cabinet choice, Jefferson Beauregard Sessions.

Tim Ryan

Tim Ryan wants Nancy Pelosi's job as Democratic House leader.  To that end, he predicts that the Democratic Party will be a regional, no national, political party. 
It's a great line but not true.  A few facts - Hillary Clinton won the national vote by over 1.7 million votes.  Trump's election, in my view, was the response of the white male electorate to an African-American President and a woman Presidential candidate.  The media gave Trump huge amounts of free coverage, and much of that coverage included his vast array of lies,
That is not to say that there is no work to do for Democrats. The key will be to reconcile the diverse elements of the Party, particularly bringing back the white working class people who fear the other part of the Democratic  Coalition - Africn-Americans, Latinos, women and people who live on the East and West Coasts.
Tim Ryan doesn't need to tear the party apart for his own ambition.

Hail or Heil

Does it matter?  Even if it was "Hail", it's intent was the same.  This Alt-Right gathering was celebrating the election of Donald Trump as a sympathetic voice to their causes of "European" supremacy and bigotry against all others. 
Trump has not come out forcefully against their message.

Meanwhile, Trump has produced a video about his transition team plan.  No press invited. 
And I heard about an in person meeting with media leaders, supposedly to work out relationships, began with his twenty minute rant.
Of course he doesn't want to meet openly with press - the first issue is the conflicts of interest.

I follow liberal media.  the question is how the mainstream press will follow him.

Lies

During the campaign, Trump said that his influence resulted in the Ford Motor Company changing its plan to move a factory making cars to Mexico.  Trump has reiterated this claim.  The Ford CEO has stated repeatedly that his company never planned the move that Trump accused him of. 
It's bad, but not unusual, for a candidate to lie or at least exaggerate.  It's another thing for a President-elect to blatantly lie, all with the goal of self-aggrandizing.

This fits with Trump's limiting access to the press.  Equally alarming is the involvement of his children in managing the transition - Ivanka meeting with the Japanese prime minister, wanting Ivanka's husband in Trump's security briefings (not cler whether he was actually there), limiting access to press preventing photo ops and instead providing in-house photos.  It goes on.

Elliot Cohen,  a foreign policy professional, advised staff to work with trump, in the interest of the well being of the nation.  After one meeting with Trump staff, who basically said they won and it would be their way, changed his mind and advised staying as far away as possible.  There is  a hint of an authoritarian style that is truly contrary to American values and Constitutional law.  Think aobut the Presdient-elect criticizing protest directed at the Vice-President-elect.  That is too close to condemning free speech.

I despise the reactionary potential to civil and women's rights.  The thought that the country could revert to the status of the 1950's or worse is appalling.  But I believe the country could survive this, however painful that survival would be.  But in foreign affairs!  The anti-Islam and anti-Moslem actions, along with enabling Russia through apparent friendships and lobbying - that would be change that would never undone and could actually lead to active war.

 I fear for our future as country.I have not yet given up hope that some Republicans will come to their senses and vote for sanity in the Electoral College.

Maybe

Well, look at the "bright" side.  There is nothing ambiguous about Trump's first three picks - AG,  CIA and National Security Advisor.  There is no confusion, non subtlety.  Trump is going all out on his campaign rhetoric.  They were not empty words.  He has now shown his true color. 
It is up to reasonable people of all political shades and stripes to stand for ration, reason, basic good sense and human concern.

Jeff Sessions

Here's a link to The New York Times confirmation of sessions' appointment as US Attorney General:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/19/us/politics/jeff-sessions-donald-trump-attorney-general.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=a-lede-package-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

 In summary, in the past, Sessions was denied Senate committee approval for a federal judgeship because of his racist comments.  He supports denial of avenues to citizenship to undocumented immigrants, he supports building "the wall" and anti-Moslem policies. 

Again, I am sick to my stomach.
The struggle continues and grows.

A Picture

So far, two trends are emerging foreshadowing the Trump Administration.  Well, perhaps three trends. 
First, the overall economy.  The likelihood of vastly decreased regulation corporations has led to a sudden and widespread increase in the values of stocks while bond prices have gone down in anticipation of a huge infrastructure program.  So there will be an impact on the economy.  As an aside, isn't it interesting that the Republican Congress is willing to spend and accrue huge deficits for a Republican President, but would not do under a democratic President.  We can expect higher interest rates (compounding the problem with the deficit) and increased inflation.  Perhaps most key for the average American is the potential loss of consumer protections.
Second, bigotry has become mainstream.  Steve Bannon in the White House, talk of a Moslem registry and the flirtation with the man from Kansas, Kris Koback, who wrote the /Arizona laws putting undocumented Latinos at grave risk.  It is no accident that hate crimes have increased significantly.
Third, there is a pro-Russian flavor developing with Lt. General Flynn at center stage.
None of this bodes well for the average American.
Finally, Trump is surrounding himself with people who have - dare I say - extreme views.  Wile at the same time, Trump seems to be maintaining an autocratic view of leadership by himself alone.  Remember?  "I alone can fix it"?  I think he meant it.  Maybe the "I" includes his adult children and Jared Kushner, a few trusted allies.  But there seems to be a lack of understanding of government that is going to led to chaos.  Maybe tht ill be good in slowing his "progress".
Pundits  say the "wisdom of the electorate", "this is what they voted for" .  No, voters did not vote for bigotry nor economic benefits to corporations.  None of this addresses the needs of the electorate - affordable health care, child care and college, an economy that will allow them to return to the middle class, to buy a house.
We will see but it looks like we are headed for a rough four years.

We Will Survive

Nothing about the past week has shown an ability of the President-elect to get off to a good start.  Truthfully, I have tried not to pay too much attention since I do not expect anything of substantial effect for a while.  But really, the bad signs are evident everywhere.
Purging his transition team (even though as a Jerseyite I detest Christie and am happy to see him put in his place for one) in an apparent vendetta over Christie conviction of Jared Kushner's father is frightening in itself.  Trump halted the pace of the transition over a family vendetta.  The vendetta included Mike Rogers who is said to be the most capable person for security on the team.  And the replacement team was not anywhere near ready to pick up the pieces.
Then there are the only staffing decisions public - Reince Prievis, Steve Bannon and the Trump adult children.
Then there is the issue of the Trump empire - to be run by the same adult children for whom he wants security clearances.  The family that already is mixing their commercial interests with the government funded transition website.
Then there is the Presidency-elect by tweet, declaring that the transition is organized and only Trump himself knows who will be joining the cabinet.
Then there is Fifth Avenue, New York City. brought to gridlock because of both protesters and Presidential level security.  Think of the cost in dollars and personnel for the NYC Police Department.  But Trump won't take his team to Washington.
Finally, he spoke Putin and the next day Putin bombed Aleppo.  Republican John McCain issued a warning about not responding appropriately to Putin's phoney overtures.  The American government's reaction to Putin's behavior was reasonable.  Funny how Trump wants to warm to Putin while he distances the American public form his transition activities.
Speaker Paul Ryan is grinning and happy about total Republican control of the federal government.  Senator leader Mitch McConnell was more measured, responding to question with silence.  I have written many times that the future in in their hands.  How far are they going to be willing to go in selling the country's soul to the devil?
Congressional elections are in two years.  The struggle continues
Yes,. the USA will survive but vigilance is essential and the press will play a vital role. 

Peace

Barrack Obama brought us peace and improving economy.
Trump allies are talking about "rebuilding" the military (was it dismantled - I think not), aggressive stances around the world, lowering taxes, and a major infrastructure bill.  He is floating names of candidates for posts in foreign relations who are war hawks.
Here's the thing - Trump doesn't know what he is looking at.  These are people with powerful agendas who will lead this country into hostile relations with adversaries  and that leads to war.  It is a question of how the USA leads -  Obama led through diplomacy and respect. these neocons want to lead through power and force. 
I truly doubt that Trump understands the ramifications of where he is heading the country.
Kushner, his son-in-law, asked how many staffers in the West Wing would be leaving and they would replace.   He didn't even know that they would all be leaving.  Trump wants top security clearance for his children and, even if they don't get it now, they will when he is President.  These young adults are not appropriate advisors, nor is Steve Bannon nor Reince Prievus.  Not one has worked with Congress or government.
Maybe the ebst we can hope for is that the administration is so messed up that they can't get anything done.

STEVE BANNON ?!?!!?

Steve Bannon - a counsel to the President.  A total outrage.  He is anti-government, obstructionist, racist, bigot.

Then there is the issue of Trump's adult children being his counsel while also supposedly running the family businesses.  The American people still don't know the reach of trump's financial empire around the world, especially the impact of it on relations with Russia. 

And remember, Republicans control the entire Congress.  The very politicians who obstructed Obama for eight years and will continue to show that they put the Republican Party ahead of the nation.  I doubt that Trump could do anything that would cause his own party to impeach him.  But, given his view of military tactics, will we need to rely on the military to confront Trump?  A military coup in the USA.  What a horror.

Here's the thing.  Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by over two million votes!  Donald Trump does not have some extreme mandate.  I understand and accept that Trump's election means a leaning to the right, to more conservative policies. 

But the change in direction should not erase the direction of the country for the past fifty to seventy five years.  Medicare, Social Security, Roe v Wade.  The recent global climate change agreement, NATO, NAFTA. 
Radical change will bring upheaval across the USA and Trump will have earned it. 

I fear that these people will know the inner secrets of the American government.

Safety Pins

Wear your safety pin.  A symbol of solidarity and protection for those at risk of discrimination.

Get It Together

Let's not get caught up in the blame game.  Yes, Clinton lost.  We could rehash all the factors that led to the most bizarre Presidential election result in history.  Instead, let's look at the result for hints of how to regroup and find a way to achieve going forward.
Clinton won the popular vote by as much as two million!  But lost the central spine of the country in the electoral vote.
These stories about the civil war in the Democratic Party are a fake out. 
The Democratic Party has two main tasks.  First, reach out to their old constituency, the industrial "rust" belt working voters, most without college educations, who feel left behind, while maintaining the Obama coalition.  Second, figure out how to overcome repressive voter id laws that probably sewayed the lection definitively. 
At the same time, the Democratic constituency must gear up for potential fights on issues.  We'll see how Trump of the Republican Congress work together or not. We know wht the Congress will do, but we can hope trump will notice that his "mandate" will be from the Electoral College, not the popular vote. 
We will need to look to the American Civil Liberties Union, the Southern Poverty Law Center, Planned Parenthood and other organizations who can lead the fight from outside the government.

Electoral College

Why don't the electors vote for Hillary Clinton? 

Election Results

Hillary Clinton won the popular vote.  Trump won the Electoral vote.  This also happened when Bush won the Electoral and Gore won the popular vote.
The bottom line is that the country is evenly divided - there re no mandates for radical agendas on either side.
For the moment, putting aside social issues, perhaps the main area of agreement is that the country needs to find a way forward in the post-industrial age.  This is an age where many people have been left behind - the people who have made their living in basic factory industries, ie people without the resources (skills, education, abilities and more) to thrive in this service and technological world.
The problem is that Republican Party wants to address this problem by reducing government and the Democratic Party wants to use government to help those struggling.
Healthcare is a perfect example.  Republicans look to employers to cover health insurance (which excludes those without good jobs) while Democrats seek to supplement available health insurance with a government program.  The problem is the health industry lobby - how can the country get rid of private insurance companies and go to a straight forward government system for all?
Affordable college is another.  How can young people enter the work force saddled with huge debts?  And, without a college education, really, without an advanced degree, how can young people find well paying jobs?
The best I see on the immediate horizon are tax cuts and infrastructure repair.  Which will balloon the deficit.  Beyond that, I see Republicans trying to impose an agenda that more than half the country doesn't want.
A good strt would be a Supreme Court nomination of a moderate, which, by the way, is exactly what Barrack Obama did.

The Day After

Lawrence O'Donnell just described the result of the election of Donald Trump as the decline of  American civilization.  This explains why an old college friend posted on facebook that the supporters of Hillary Clinton should be quiet and get over it.  That is why there are spontaneous organic protests in Oakland, CA, Seattle, Portland, Chicago, Philadelphia and New York City.
This election is not a typical election - O'Donnell is right - the results of this election reveal that our civilization is in decline.  It is not just the policies tht Trump espoused, it is his bigotry and the delivery of his message, his personal abuse of Hillary Clinton.  Hopefully this will be an aberration in American political history.
Of course, the Trump voters had legitimate concerns but their choice to address those concerns will be shown to be a scm unless Trump changes his course dramatically.  Considering Giuliani, Gingrich and Christie for major positions is not encouraging.
It is appalling to think that there is a civil protest against the results of a US Presidential election.  But it is because our civilization is in decline.

Election Results

The people have spoken.  The majority have been taken in by a scam artist.  As Michael Moore said, in a couple months, they will find out that he is a scam artist and then what?
Obama and Hillary said all the right things - unlike what the republican leadership said when Obama won in 2008 every day thereafter. 
But Hillary also said it's worth fighting for what you believe in.  We can't desert the causes and principles we value.
We can only hope that Trump figures out how to move the country forward responsibly.  "Make American Great Again" was a sogan for white dominance and bigotry of all sorts.  Did Trump know what he was doing?  Does he have a commitment to the worst that his slogan came to mean?  Does Trump really expect to move forward on all his vague, impossible to execute promises?
Or will he work to achieve a rational Presidency?
Only time will tell.  We will get hints as forms his government.

I ahd thought about discontinuing my blog after the election, but I guess not.

The Right to Vote

I saw this photo on the Washington Post.  Those are "I voted" stickers all over the grave of Susan B Anthony in Rochester, NY.  Let's remember her today - as we elect our first woman President.  I think about how much it meant to my grandmother to vote  up until her dying day at age 86.  She knew what it meant to actually get the opportunity to vote when she was already a mother of thirty-something.
But I haven't forgotten about Goodman Schwerner and Chaney or the Pettis Bridge.  (Forgive my spelling.)  African Americans fought and still fight to vote. 
But we might take another step forward tonight.
The country needs to put the lies behind us.  The difference in this election is that Trump tossed lies around like truth, ie., Clinton should be in jail, she would bring in millions of foreigners on day one, Clinton is sleeping away the campaign, she is ill and has no stamina and it goes on and on.  When Clinton talked about Trump's temperament and ability to be President, she told the truth.  Sure, I'm a liberal Democrat, but my observation is simple fact.  Trump lied, Clinton told the truth.
Friends have expressed the view that the Democrats and Clinton need to reach out to the Trump voters - the hard working white men who fear the loss of their livelihoods as the world moves forward, who resent others, women and people of color, who achieve in the evolving society.  I disagree, I think the democrats need to stand for their values - values that include affordable healthcare and college, rebuilding infrastructure, clean energy and the energy grid, among so much else.  Maybe if the Democrats get enough numerical strength they can overcome the fears of those left behind.
We might take a step forward tonight

Rally

What a night at Independence Hall !   Bon Jovi, Springstein, Bill Clinton, Mchelle Obama, President Obama and then Hillary.  I was standing behind Independence Hall, could her the audio but couldn't see anything.  A nice group gathered - it was as close as we could get.  Lots of young people and women, men of all ages, too, but lots of women.  Happy people.  I was there - maybe 3 Presidents in one event, we'll know about that tomorrow night.

Meanwile, Trump proposes his key cabinet officers - Gingrich for Secretary of State, Guiliani for attorney general, General Flynn for Defense Secretary and Rence Previs for Chief of Staff.  ll white older men.  Think about it - the Nine Wives Club.  Think of the limitations all have shown - Previs presiding over the disintegration of the Republican Party, Flynn, who sat in on Trump's security briefing and argued with the briefer.  Gingrich I so divisive nd is going to be our top diplomat?  and Guiliani who ahs been sounding insane on the campign circuit.  No people of color, no women.  That's Trump all over gain.  It is why he must be defeated

Why No Trump

Here's a link to Fareed Zakaria's op ed:

http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/06/opinions/fareeds-take-on-trump/index.html

I was interested because he headlined, "Trump is a cancer on American democracy".  I agree with this sentiment.  But I was disappointed in the limits of his conclusions.  I m obliged to add, perhaps more crucially, Trump does not display any indication of how the US Constitution direts the government.  His promise of how "I alone can fix it" ignores the US Constitution.  Trump does not respect the rule of law.  In addition to the pandering that Zakaria describes.