As little as two years ago, we were arguing about whether the methodology used to ascertain a specific number was the proper way to analyze a piece of data. Now we are debating whether unicorn shit really does affect pixies adversely. The last 18 months have seen a total repudiation of all science and reason, and the championing of unconsidered and unsourced opinion as the FACTS over all methods of analytical reasoning. Remember. Trump is not normal. None of this is normal. Six months ago we were debating HOW to measure the amount of global warming that has occurred, and some fringe loonies with little credibility or power were crowing about the earth being flat. Now the flat-earthers are in power. DO NOT allow yourself to be lulled into the Republican narrative that it's always been like this, because it hasn't.
Let me try again, without the hyperbole, because I know it's not helpful. Let's just look at voter rights. Slowly, but surely, we went from a country where only white, land owning men could vote to where we are today, where theoretically everyone can vote. There was some struggling here and there, and there's still some struggles now, but we're in a much better place than we used to be and a large number of us understand we still have a ways to go in regards too gerrymandering, voter supression, etc. Just because some people in some state were able to pull off some shifty maneuvers, it doesn't mean the world has gone backwards. If we took this a step further, we're now fighting for more granular rights for smaller groups of minorities. Do you think Trans Rights were a huge talking point in the '60s and '70s? Here we are now though, fighting for their rights because for the most part, the rights of minorities and women are pretty much one. Now we just gotta work on keeping them. This same logic applies to education, workers rights (though that's a terrifying realm right now), the environment, health, etc. A lot of these things are hard to lose once we have them. For example, for every vaccine denier you hear about, there's hundreds of people still giving their kids vaccines cause they know they're good and right. For every dumb proposal or law that is passed, there are organizations like the ACLU, EFF, and even our own courts to try and keep things in check. When we start to fall back too hard, too far, too fast, there's a counter response. Millions of women recently got together for their rights. Around the country town halls are being filled with people with real concerns about their healthcare, the environment, and other issues. I think I read somewhere there's a sum of about 1,000 scientists in America considering running for government positions. These times are far from normal, you're right. If they were, we wouldn't be seeing these reactions from people.
I think rd95's point is that nostalgia's a hell of a drug, and it's easy to get caught up in remembering a time that never really existed. Remember 8 years ago when the sky was falling, because Cheney still refused to let anyone see the list of the members of his energy taskforce? It's hilarious in its own way that we all feel kind of nostalgic for that quaint time. If Trump keeps his job for four years, I think the likeliest result will be a fracturing of the country. We lived through the Bush years; we can handle bad conservative policy. What we can't handle is deliberate assaults on our way of life. 85% of America's GDP comes from districts that voted Clinton. We all have the power to take Trump's tax cuts, say thank you very much, invest the money in our own communities, and continue to watch coal country meth itself to death. By then my last bit of compassion for them should be dried up enough that I won't even feel bad thinking that.