What just happened?

We just elected a man who ran a campaign based on fear, hate, racism and misogyny. Devoid of any content other than a few catch phrases and intellectually too lazy to learn more about the issues, Donald Trump is going to be our president in 2 short months.

I’m terrified, and at a loss in a way that I haven’t felt in quite some time. I didn’t sleep a lot last night.

This isn’t Democrats v Republicans – if Romney or McCain had won in previous elections, I had full faith in their ability to govern. I would have strongly disagreed with some of their decisions, but my faith in those men, in our nation, and who we are as a people would not have been shaken. They are both ultimately decent men.

Trump is not a decent man.

So much about what makes our country strong, free and diverse is at risk if Trump gets his way:

• Climate change progress, gone
• LGBT equality, at risk
• A woman’s right to choose, gone
• Civil liberties, at risk
• Freedom of the press, at serious risk
• 50+ year alliances around the world could be dismantled
• The end of real discussions on demilitarization of our police forces
• A fragile but long recovery from the 2008 collapse will probably evaporate as well

That doesn’t even take into consideration that he’s a vindictive, childish bully that now will have access to the largest nuclear arsenal in the world.

What I’m struggling with the most right now is a path forward that is constructive. 2018 will be here soon and Trump has to be held in check somehow between now and then. But so many people are completely dismayed and don’t know what to do. I plan on making an impact so I can look back on these years and say that I didn’t sit idly by while Trump and his cronies turn this already great nation into an authoritarian nightmare for those that don’t look a certain way or believe in a particular deity.

We have a lot to think about and a lot of work to do, folks.