Editor:

The Democrats got shellacked in the 2016 election ("Let's Get to Work," Nov. 17). The presidency, both houses of Congress, governorships, state houses, dog catcher, you name it. According to the Associated Press, Clinton won 487 counties nationwide, compared with 2,626 for President-elect Donald Trump. Some Californians want to leave the union over the Trump win. Does anyone know how NorCal can leave California?

Anyway...

Trump was/is a true revolutionary, both in his message and his method of spreading it. A Real Clear Politics poll showed 70-plus percent of the people thought our country was heading in the wrong direction. A non-politician (thank God) stepped up and stood for the common American. Why are we surprised when the elite's choice/agenda was beaten?

Our country was formed by revolutionaries who sacrificed their lives/fortunes to form a Constitution that gave power to the people not the government. Trump believes America and Americans should come first. He worked like hell taking on all detractors, including the elite media, who also lost big time respect and audience. Trump used technology to go over the press' head, past the media's "gate-keeping," their bias and irrelevance, straight to the American people through his Twitter account.

So let's see what happens. We passed the power of our country to a new president in a peaceful civilized manner with the exception being the same old tired rioters; 70 percent of whom I bet have not even registered, let alone voted. We now know the press cannot be trusted with the truth.

The malaise and division created by the politicization of the press has gone on far too long. People are feeling anxious. Personally, I am excited and looking forward to our new president bringing in new ideas/plans for our country. I am optimistic for big changes in a good way for our country. This country began with revolutionaries. Now they are called patriots.

Rick Brennan, Eureka

Editor:

I agree with letter-writer Janet Sclar's observation ("Mailbox," Dec. 1) that the anti-Trump camp doesn't understand Trump's "bravado, sarcasm, lack of "political correctness" and rhetoric, while at the same time they swallow every negative tidbit and nuance they can from the ratings-driven ... media without bothering to check the facts."

Bravado and sarcasm worked well to entertain the masses and disarm political adversaries. However, Trump lacks an attention span for any projects except his own aggrandizement. Despite this lack, he has been busily appointing people to powerful positions, and these people do have attention spans and coherent political philosophies. Do some research about them. A lot of interesting facts are available if you dig a little deeper than the "ratings-driven media." And don't believe everything you read in your inbox.

Trump's appointees are going to try to use him as a puppet, but he may not be all that easy to manipulate, even when he's duly flattered. Meanwhile, Congressional Republicans are also going to try to use him. These warring cross purposes will probably undermine the effectiveness of Trump's agenda — whatever that might be.

I don't think Trump himself is a white nationalist, but he has emboldened white nationalists and violent, xenophobic people with his carelessly inflammatory talk. Most people I know have reacted with determination to reach out to those who might be at risk. That is a good development. We all need to be aware, informed, and ready to react specifically to whatever comes down the pipeline.

Martha Walden, Bayside