Well, that didn’t go well. 46.9% of registered voters did not vote. Clinton won the popular vote. Trump is President-elect, thanks to the electoral vote system. We have some big problems ahead. From a scientist’s perspective, these problems start with a President-elect who considers climate change to be a hoax and a VP-elect who doesn’t believe in evolution. Neither view reflects reality. So we have some fights ahead over ground that is scientifically settled, not the best way to spend time. (In climate change the disagreements are over the human role in global warming, not whether it’s occurring. With evolutionary theory, well, it’s as settled as gravitational theory—most are not foolish enough to question its existence.)
While we could have moved forward with a somewhat flawed president, who actually does care about other people, we instead chose (though not the majority) to move forward with someone obviously deeply flawed. Yes, I can hear some of you thinking that Clinton would have been as bad or worse, but the majority of voters disagree with you—and you got to choose the channel we’re all forced to watch. Now we’re just going to have to sit and learn together just how bad it’s going to be. Fear and rage, stoked through propaganda, misinformation, and lies, has caused the country (mostly whites) to elect someone who is going to make the world a worse place for many people. And not just presumed enemies, but many of us that are supposed to be on the same side, fellow citizens, friends, neighbors. I understand the anti-Washington, populist anger that caused this outcome. What I don’t understand is how such a con man fooled so many into thinking that he had their best interests in mind. He doesn’t. A lot of people are going to get royally shafted—on purpose—by this incoming administration and the changes it makes in this country, policy-wise and socially. Few will deserve it. We will all need to step up and be a force for good.