Not much surprises me anymore, but Donald Trump pulling off a win last night did. Hillary beat him in the popular vote, but lost the electoral college.
On the positive side, it is immensely entertaining to see her lifelong dream go down in flames and the reaction from her supporters is priceless.
On the negative side Trump didn’t run on limiting/reducing government like Reagan. He ran on running government “better”. Trump supporters are going to find out those aren’t the same thing.
Libertarians were winners with Gary Johnson getting ~3.8 million votes. So were the NRA who put $20+ million into the campaign as Chuck Todd notes:
Republicans remain in control of both houses of Congress, albeit with smaller majorities. Chuck Schumer is set to become Senate Minority Leader next year. He is going to be point-man in blocking NRA’s agenda, especially for SCOTUS replacements.
At the state level, it appears the Republicans, with some help, will maintain control of the State Senate. Incumbent Michael Venditto is behind in SD-8, but Chris Jacobs won in SD-60. The Assembly stays pretty much the same so next session will probably be a lot like this session. Fortunately, I still have some tequila left over from yesterday.
We seem to have saved the Second Amendment from a Hillary Supreme Court. No small accomplishment.
It remains to be seen if his picks would be any better. Remember, he makes deals. Wait until he starts filling out his cabinet.
Will NYSPRA begin the proceedings to go to SCOTUS or is it a wait and see?
I think the next lawsuit closest to SCOTUS is in the 4th Circuit.
I recall Trump saying that he would consult with NRA on a SCOTUS pick. He’s not a professional politician with a stable of contenders for SCOTUS. He is open to suggestion, and if I recall correctly, he has stated that he wants suggestions from NRA.
I’m skeptical of politicians, so I listen for fraudulent nonsense like, “I’m a hunter”, which is meaningless in terms of RKBA. I didn’t hear any nonsense from Trump, but I did hear that he would consult with NRA on SCOTUS. That’s big.
BTW, I really like how in your clip, Tom Brokaw, an anti-gun propagandist from way back, so bristles at the idea that NRA has bought themselves a SCOTUS appointment, that he leans back, and buttons up his blazer! For a man in his position, that is the equivalent of girding for war! Good to see them on the back foot!
This is a huge victory for gun rights in the US, and hopefully the world. Still, as I said, I don’t trust politicians. I remember the Pataki betrayal. I was in Kingston, in my car, when it came over the radio. I could scarcely believe it. We gave him the governorship over Cuomo, and he stabbed us in the back. Hopefully, Trump won’t let us down, but there’s no telling in advance, because only time will tell. To the future!
Sad faces on the people who supported the overnight rape of our constitutional rights as Americans that their man, Andrew Cuomo, forced upon us, with no public input? Deserved. Let them cry the bitterest of tears, for they very much deserve to do so, for what they did to us, and for which, they have yet to repent. The rest of the country saw the rape of Andrew Cuomo, and obviously, they did take note of it.
Jacob,
I share ur concerns here. I was in lock step with u in the primaries. I would be much happier with a Ted Cruz (machine gun bacon .. LOL). But there was a Hillary who despises us, and openly intended to fundamentally destroy us. She said so and I believed her (overturn Heller, sue manf. out of existence……). After 8 of the most depressing years I can remember, this Trump managed to rally real Americans to stop her. I call that a victory! I am not sure anybody else could have done that. The rest of the Repubs survived ON HIS COAT TAILS. Take a moment, have a drink, and smile Jacob. Now lets see what happens???
When Trump either signs into law substantive legislation like reciprocity or appoints a Scalia-like justice then I will believe him.