Originally posted on 11/13/2016:

I got it wrong. Full stop. I misread the acceptability of Donald Trump. I misread the collective shift in the acceptability of Trump. Mea culpa.

What now. We shall see. If he doesn't get us killed, I'll call it a win. I remain concerned that his personality is dangerous to our survival. But I am a galss half full guy, so I am going to stay that way. Maybe he will change. He does want to 'win'. I do believe that. Will that cause him to change his ways? All we can do is hope so. Or, as my wise 8-year old nephew says: "I guess we'll just have to hope he becomes a better person."

I am actually not overly worried about his policies. He's moldable, pliable. He desires to be accepted. And he's not an ideologue. He may very well end up governing as the rich elite NY liberal who hates taxes that he spent the majority of his adult life as. He is going to expand federal government -- this is what liberals want and conservatives oppose, right? He is going to eventually cause a lot of internal strife within the Republican Party and it will sure be fascinating to see how that plays out and whether it splits up in some way. The Republicans now hold Congress entirely. They say they want small government. Granted, I got this election all wrong, but I will bet hard that the federal budget will be bigger in 2 and 4 years than it is now. Probably significantly bigger.

Trump is a master brander and seems to have a knack for getting a great inheritance. He gets another one right now. This country is in GREAT shape. Obama took a country teetering on the precipice and guiding it to the underpinnings of the next great boon. It is well underway and still early. Trump is now the beneficiary. He can tinker with it on the edges, slap his name on it and call it a great success! Brilliant. That's how he has run his business for the last 20 years. He isn't going to rid Obamacare. He will make some amendments that everyone wants and certainly are needed, call it TrumpCare, and brand it a yuge brilliant success. Fine with me. I don't begrudge that. America IS great, always has been and unless Trump screws up gloriously, will remain so. But he can say it wasn't before, not it is and slap his name on it.

A word about the protestors right now: silly. Harness that, organize, and save the protests for when you actually need it. If Trump and the Republicans try to roll back rights, then it will be time to mobilize. The right to choose, gay marriage, the essence of ObamaCare -- organize now and wait for something to protest about.

The Trump Effect on the impressionable and young is a big concern. I sincerely hope that he has someone in his ear that tells him he must tell the country that bullying, hatred, misogyny, etc. is wrong and will not be tolerated. This stuff will be on the rise and I know most will say you can't blame Trump for that. But, words do have consequences.

His past personal deplorableness is over. It's time to give that up. Kind of sad, but doesn't matter anymore. The focus has to shift to what he proposes and what he does. Give him a chance to change.

Trump is going to be my President and I will give him a chance. I will root on the things that he does that I agree with and speak up against the things he tries to do that are wrong. Instead of automatically protesting and blocking, Dems and liberals would be wise instead to try to shape him. As Jimmy Carter said - he is pliable. Here's where his being a bullshitter comes in handy. All those horrible things he said he'd do -- probably all just bullshit to get elected. Trump spent most of his adult life as an elite NY liberal - it will not surprise me if he ends up governing as one.

I have said for months that I am on bullish on the American economy and I still am. I doubt that Trump can screw it up. America is already great and the economy has extremely strong underpinnings. Trump can just slap his name on it and take credit. It's a little annoying, but I'll get over it. I just want America to remain great and I choose to hope that Trump does not screw that up.

To the extent of dialogue here, I am going to raise it. Not going to engage in petty insults and name-calling. I don't expect that to end from certain people, but although it's challenging, I will try not to engage.

Again, congrats to Trump backers. You were right, I was wrong, and you deserve a moment in the sun.

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