Tomorrow, it all ends, at least as far as the election is concerned. Any delusions regarding the efficacy of one candidate over the other will finally be laid bare, and no one will be able to hide behind the uncertainties of polling data, the size of their rallies, or how unanimous support for their candidate inside their group of like minded cohorts is. For better or (more likely) for worse, this all comes to an end tomorrow, but tomorrow is likely only the beginning of what is to come.
The most fascinating and instructive imagery of Donald Trump’s campaign has been that of the “Trump Train“, barreling down the tracks, blowing through obstacle after obstacle, on its way toward some kind of inevitable and certain destination. This image of a run away train is wholly embraced by many of his most devoted supporters and is one that has some obvious as well as ominous implications. It is clear to anyone that the run away train is an acute reflection of the unsettlingly psychology of Trump’s most manic supporters.
To them, the image of a train propelling itself recklessly down its tracks reflects the urgency and, more importantly, momentum of their movement, fueled as it is by paranoia and angst over the future. The train is a conduit through which they somehow out pace their worst fears, powered by the echo chamber that reinforces their perception of reality, and burns away anyone that disagrees with them, adding more and more impetus to the train. Their rallies, their sloganeering, and their general ugliness to dissenters, all hack away at anything that might slow the train down.
As the Trump Train thunders by, we on the outside see the train as pure chaos, passengers clinging madly to its sides, shrieking a chorus of slogans to reassure themselves as they blast through one warning obstacle after another, put in place long ago by wise and thoughtful men. We see that, as the train barrels down the tracks, they aren’t outrunning their collective fears but amplifying them in a ceaseless drumbeat hammering their fears into a desperate and sightless mass hysteria. Donald Trump stopped being just a candidate to them long ago. He’s their messiah.
“Mad Hatter: “Why is a raven like a writing-desk?”
“Have you guessed the riddle yet?” the Hatter said, turning to Alice again.
“No, I give it up,” Alice replied: “What’s the answer?”
“I haven’t the slightest idea,” said the Hatter”
-Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland-
Tomorrow, no matter what happens, the Trump Train runs out of track. Should Donald Trump lose, as he is predicted to, then the aftermath may be every bit as frightening as this whole fiasco of an election has been. These people will be free of the train, but the madness that has fueled their outrage will remain, and it will no longer have an outlet. I do not hold out any hope that these people will wake up on Wednesday morning, clear eyed, and think to themselves, “Silly me, I was overreacting the whole time.“
They are, after all, fully emotionally invested in this mass delusion, and they will see traitors and betrayers everywhere. The worst, I fear, is yet to come.
Be brave. Be free.
Liberty is For The Win!
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Liberty is For The Win 
Well, generally speaking, as a constitutional/fiscal conservative, I agree with you on many of the issues, But I disagree with some on Trump. Yes, I know, Trump historically is not the most conservative out there and compared to Cruz. First, Trump defied the pollsters. I was careful not to fall for it for the polls predicting Trump’s demise. Reagan defied the pollster too to some degree. The people were fed up with Carter and democrat rule in Congress since WW2. I remember the Regan years and voted for him both times. I did not agree with him totally in all things, but he was the best we had on the ticket. Congress and POTUS were more amicable to work out the issues or less polarizing as we are today. Yes, he was more conservative on the issues than Trump and won’t dispute that. But, Reagan defied the pollster too. Internet, blogs, social media, etc., did not exist back then. ABC/CBS/NBC/PBS/CNN was it on antennae TV and cable if it was available. Our cultural, social and political values have shifted considerably since the Reagan years, some for worse. I.e., LGBT issues, en mass illegal immigration, muslim terrorism, on and on. Our values of this generation of voters have been water down buy the poor public school systems K-12 and hard leftism prevalent in colleges and universities and the communist/Islamic controlled media. Establishment Republicans/and some conservatives failed to deliver. There are elected officials I thought/believed were close to what I believed, but NOOOO…they caved in to Obama and voted to give him just about anything he wanted. Most notably was last year’s budget battle. The so-called “conservative” handed Obama every dollar he wanted. Fast forward to the primaries. I voted what was touted a “conservative” to defeat her. She lost to the incumbent. So, I have to hold my nose, and vote for the same “conservative” because the alternative is far worse than this RINO. Bottom line, to the point, it is better to cast a vote for candidate that has some conservative values than the other with none at all. And, it doesn’t mean I approve of everything of the candidate, though you could make a case for that otherwise, which I understand.
He didn’t really defy the pollsters. Hillary still won the popular vote. His victory margins were within margin of error for the polling. That said, Donald Trump is not even vaguely a conservative. He’s a Nationalist, and you’re only beginning to see what that ideology means on my Twitter timeline. I might actually not live to see the end of his presidency. That’s what you’re defending.
“He didn’t really defy the pollsters. Hillary still won the popular vote. His victory margins were within margin of error for the polling.” If so, then why do you keep saying we’re doomed? ( based on the current polls at the time you stated) I don’t think he is a Nationalist because I believe he has had a change in heart. Some have noticed and so have I. Cruz has come out and supported him, which was a surprise to me after he relentlessly bashed he and his wife. “That’s what you’re defending.” No. What I am defending is what little bit of liberty is left for us to enjoy from unindicted felon Hillary. That job done. Now, what I would like to see is high ranking conservatives articulate fiscal/constitutional conservatism to Trump and staff. Trump’s platform is not the most conservative, true. Example, his tax platform is better than what we have, but still not good enough, but it is a step in the right direction. And, he should get off the protectionism. Free markets work at the international level as is does at the national level. Drop import and export taxes and have our trading partners agree do the same. Level the playing field for all. Import/export taxes do nothing but go to the federal treasury with no economic benefit. Just a few of my takes on it. Even at my state and local level, I voted for Republicans that are not the most conservative, but I will be damned if vote for an obama/hillary apologetic democrat. But I still believe in what I believe. Nothing has changed. Moses had some baggage in his life, but God chose him for a mission. We can still learn lessons about Moses. Apostle Paul persecuted Christians before he was converted and change of heart. Did Paul’s past stop him from his mission? No, I don’t think so. Noah had some ugly baggage too, but he had mission. So, to the point, what I am trying to say is, if Trump has truly had a change in heart, then it will be born out during the course of the next four years. #Libertytrumpseverything.
I don’t see his change of heart anywhere.
Once, I experienced a disaster at sea during my active duty time and some near misses in Straits of Hormuz/Gulf of Oman during Desert Storm. When you ship is in imminent danger, it is all hands on deck to defend her. That’s my analogy of this election. Adams and Jefferson were polarized on some issues, but the forged ahead to get this America going. I remember the 1992 election when Ross Perot ran and he took a lot of votes away from Bush Sr and we get a rapist Slick Willie in the WH. Not being apologetic to H, but he was the man for the time. Fast forward we almost got Shrillary. Anyway, you still give great analysis here and articulate the issues very well. By the way, when you mention you may not live to the end of his presidency, I wish you good health and long life. #Libertytrumpseverything.
We’ll see. It may not be as easy being non-white in Trump’s America.
Yes, we shall see. I try to look at the issues through the prism of #Liberty, #NaturalLaw and life experiences, i.e. what works and what doesn’t, basically. I encourage you to do the same.
I look at things exactly the same way, except I add one more component. I also look at what ought to be. When something doesn’t work, it is usually due to someone holding on to a dated policy or habit that benefits them at someone else’s expense. This creates an is/ought conflict. I try always to err on the side of what ought to be, not what is. What “is” causes every calamitous war or economic disaster in man’s bloody history. Think the unanswered question of Slavery from the Constitution or the problem of the Community Reinvestment Act. People pick what “is” comfortable and politically expedient over what “ought” be, and it always causes horrible results. A wise people moves forward. A foolish people elect a man like Obama, who won’t fix the problem, and then Trump, because he claims to fix the problems that Obama created.
That’s what “is”. It’s time America started moving back toward “ought”.