Lucky.As an American who voted for Clinton I am not terribly worried about a Trump presidency.
Here is why:
I'm white.
I survived the Bush years. Almost everything Bush did in his 8 years I was totally against. Almost everything. Mainly it was the wars. I liked his immigration and immigrant policies. There was the dismantling of the budget surplus, housing bubble, and the market crash because of the policies from that era and it hurt me yet I'm still economically viable despite it.
I suspect that, with Obama and every president who promises things to get into office, there is a reality that they all must face. Things we the public cannot see. The briefings that Trump is getting right now are going to sober him up to the reality of the office of the POTUS' real responsibility and reach of power. Even with a Republican controlled Congress and Executive branch our political system has balanced power between the three branches that includes the minority party to even then have a say.
Four years is not a long time. I suspect we will be better for all of this in 2020.
I have a brother who has lived here most of his life. He's here illegally from the Philippines, and today I sat around and wondered how many more times I'm going to get to see him. If Trump does what he promised- will my brother be forced to leave? He barely knows the Philippines- this is his home. Where would he even go? He barely knows the family over there. And I know some of you here can't wait for my brother to leave because you feel like he's taking something from you, and he deserves it. And some of you will just find this so hilarious. But he's my brother. And I love him. And now I find myself wondering if in two years, he'll be at Christmas with us.
A colleague of mine showed up to work on the edge of tears today. Mike Pence is already talking about the LGBTQ rights he's looking forward to dismantling, and he's one of the most anti-gay elected officials in the country. He's responsible for one of the freedom to discrimination/freedom of religion bills. Her sister called her up sobbing, terrified of what this is going to mean for her. I broke down too- what does this mean for my other brother who happens to be gay? What about all of my friends?
I get how this is some major political victory for some people here. And how it's just hysterically funny to others. And I get how some of you just feel like this is no big deal- because for you it may not be.
But for some of us- this is beyond terrifying. I'm so scared for my family that I'm literally sick to my stomach.