Not really. Clinton beat Trump in the popular vote, and although that didn't equate to victory in the Electoral College, it shows that Democratic turnout is still very good. Trump's supporters, many of them disaffected blue collar workers, are about to find out that those rust belt jobs he promised are never coming back. They've been betrayed and used. As usual, evangelicals chose political power in pursuit of their social agenda rather than adherence to their much-vaunted morals, and already we're seeing a rift developing. The only ones who will gain substantially are Wall Street types. Trump did not betray his class.
But that's not meant to imply the Democrats are blameless. They too used blue collar workers as pawns in previous elections, paying little more than lip service to union rights and workers genuine needs. They can return as Democratic voters IF the party can show concrete, demonstrable changes that support workers.
Look who you're responding to Ed. Likely in one ear/out the other.
And the Dem turnout wasn't good at all. Not like it should have been. It always takes an election like this for a post-mortem to be done. Hopefully the Dems will listen to it moreso than the Republicans did last time...you know, "stop being the party of stupid" and all that? Stop alienating minorities? While they came out ahead this election, from all accounts they didn't do alot to help with that.
My hope, is that Trump's claim of 'being the least racist person I know' is true and his rhetoric during the campaign was just that. I have my doubts, but am willing to give him the benefit of it (unlike Republican supporters who for the last eight years have done everything they could to delegitimize the legally elected President).
And for those who say Trump has a mandate? He may have the two houses of Congress (although not the Senate if you consider right now it's not a filibuster-proof entity) but winning the EC and losing the PV doesn't give him a mandate. I hope those Republicans who distanced themselves from him are just as critical of what he wants as they should be.
Time for Dems to stop being pussies. I have a feeling that may finally happen (although I'm skeptical). If there's one thing the Republicans are good at, it's inciting interest within the base. The DNC needs an overhaul.