**Trigger Warning and Disclaimer: I am no expert and this is mainly satirical. Also, some of the links open to websites with disturbing images such as the link about refugees. Lastly, links to products are simply for example and not an endorsement of the product itself.**

With a chance of Trump winning the election on November 8th, we all have to start preparing for the apocalypse that may ensue after Trump gains office. I'll take this moment to share some of the things you can be doing to ensure that you can survive the upcoming years should Trump gain power.

Before we get too far into this, I want to make sure that you understand that some of us will have to prepare less than others.

For example, should you find yourself to be a Trump supporter, then you can stop reading here as you will most likely be fine. Mr. Trump will most likely be encouraging you to begin and power the apocalypse. Some of you may even be lucky enough to bring him his food and drink and perform services for him in return for your longevity. The luckiest of you will be his personal groom of the stool. Your chances of surviving increase and your need to prepare decrease as you identify with more of these characteristics and traits: white, male, Christian (or at least not Muslim), heterosexual, cisgender, upper to upper-middle class, republican, and conservative. There are other more nuanced factors, but that is a great start. I want to note that although the color of our eyes and hair may not be huge now, it has been in the past with other notable dictators.

For the rest of us, there is a lot of work to do. Consider this list a beginning point for your total prepping plan and consider doing more research into further ways to prepare and look into each list item below with greater depth.

You will need to prepare for the entire time ahead of you. This time will be broken down into critical periods. We'll review each of the critical periods and understand what is needed for each period. At the end of each critical period we will see what you need to do to prepare for that period within the next few weeks and months.

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November 8th, 2016 to November 8th, 2017

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

~Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984)

This is where the it all begins and so all the events will take some time to gain momentum. With the chance that Mr.Trump is actually reasonable or reasonably limited in his power, you may not want to leave at all and hope that the next election brings someone who is more sensible.

However, should Mr. Trump not be either of those, then the majority of this time will be spent passing laws that make his power over the country absolute and he may use a specific group of individuals in the US as a scape-goat to unite the rest of the people into following Mr. Trump's orders. For example, Mr. Trump may abolish the title and office of president and instead use "Leader". He may restrict a certain group of US citizens from holding office, from being in schools, from being able to reproduce (ie. sterilizes them), and from working in journalism, and he may erect exhibits against certain groups of individuals, and may encourage a book burning of books that are "un-American".

At this point there will still probably be a working economy and you should still be able to buy goods and services should you not be restricted by the new laws.

What to do to prep:

FIRST AND FOREMOST: VOTE AGAINST DONALD TRUMP

The next thing to do is read up on your history of dictators and the laws that they have encouraged or passed in the past. Keep a keen eye on the news to watch for these laws being proposed or passed. Should you find that such laws are being proposed and/or passed start speaking up and fighting these laws. Bring together coalitions and organize movements and protests. This is the critical time to act and save yourself a lot of hassle later. Should none of that work, then you should consider moving to Canada or Mexcio as quickly as possible - especially if you are the target of the laws being proposed and put into place. Should you want to be cautious, you can move at the first sign of trouble in an attempt to avoid the horrors that other refugees have had to face - even in 2016.

As far as moving goes, you will be better off if you:

• Have a passport - if you're close to the Canadian border you can simply have a Enhanced Driver's License. If you are really concerned, then get your passport expedited for a little extra money.

• Have an exit plan. Should it be early, you can probably just leave legally should you have the aforementioned papers. If not, you'll have to leave illegally. Canada has a larger border so it should be easier to slip by any guards. Mexico will most likely be a hot spot with Mr. Trump, so it's best to avoid crossing the Mexican border unless you are much closer to it. While crossing either border, be sure you know how overcome US placed obstacles to be successful. know the dangers that are involved crossing in each border. For example, in Mexico it is warm and there are natural as well as human threats. In Canada it will be much colder so prepare for the weather - from my experience in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, you want at least 3 layers of clothes and some reusable heat packs. Try moving through more un-populated areas using a population density map to learn were to go to avoid people.

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November 8th, 2017 - November 8th 2018

By this point it has hit the fan and things are going down. I don't know to what extent the country has degraded by a year in, but things such as genocide and other awful things have happened in the past, so please be prepared.

If you are part of the targeted citizens and you haven't left yet, then you will need to hide very well and learn to live off of the grid. You will also need to have some good survival skills. This country is freaking huge, so you should be able to take refuge in the mountains, in the more deserted areas of the country, or in places that no one likes to be - like Ohio.

There are two main things that you will need: Pre-placed resources known as bug-out bags and survival skills.

Bug Out Bags

A bug out bag is a kit that will help you survive for about 72 hours. There are tons of sites that describe the essentials of a bug out bag. There are two types of bags. Ones that are pre-place along your desire route of travel and one that you begin with that has the longer lasting items.

Pre-placed bug out bags contain:

• Water (The water itself, water containers, and filters)
• Food (Preferably non-perishable and backed with carbs and protein)
• Clothing (As replacements for torn/damaged/dirty clothing)
• Heat Source (Ignition source, tinder, waterproof storage)
• First Aid (A normal kit, a Mylar blanket, and some insect repellent)
• Misc:
  • Power for electronics (Batteries)
  • Money (Assuming its value hasn't dropped to nothing, you can also stash objects that may be of value should the economy be reduced to a bargaining economy)
• Hygiene (TOILET PAPER, soap for cleaning dishes and pots, sanitizers - hand/towel, small towel)

A quick note on towels:

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy has a few things to say on the subject of towels.

A towel, it says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have. Partly because it has great practical value - you can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble-sanded beaches of Santraginus V, inhaling the heady sea vapours; you can sleep under it beneath the stars that shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a mini-raft down the slow heavy river Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand combat; wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (a mindbogglingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can’t see it, it can’t see you - daft as a brush, but very very ravenous); you can wave your towel in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough.

More importantly, a towel has immense psychological value. For some reason, if a strag (strag: non-hitchhiker) discovers that a hitchhiker has his towel with him, he will automatically assume that he is also in the possession of a toothbrush, face flannel, soap, tin of biscuits, flask, compass, map, ball of string, gnat spray, wet-weather gear, space suit, etc etc. Furthermore, the strag will then happily lend the hitchhiker any of these or a dozen other items that the hitchhiker may accidentally have “lost”. What the strag will think is that any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through, and still know where his towel is is clearly a man to be reckoned with.

Starting bug out bags contain:

Similar to pre-placed bug out bags.

• Clothing for various climates (Coat, gloves, etc. if you expect cold climates, and your first set of clothes to last you 72 hours)
• Water (The water itself, water containers, and filters)
• Food (Preferably non-perishable and backed with carbs and protein)
• Heat Source (Ignition source, tinder - dryer lint is good for example, waterproof storage)

Unique to the starting bug out bag.

• Shelter and Bedding (A tarp, a tent, sleeping bag, and blanket at the very least, an inflatable pillow and ground pad at best)
• Food Prepping Equipment (Durable and collapsible pans, plates, eating utensils, and cup at least, a thermos at most, pot scrubber)
• Tools/Misc. (Multi-tool, hatchet and/or survival knife, binoculars, a convex lens such as a magnifying glass, belay device, solar panel pack, LED head lamp/LED lamp - preferably solar charged, flashlight, cell phone or other two-way communication device - the simpler the technology the better, emergency radio, pepper spray - to flavor food, handgun/rife for hunting and ammunition - if you are comfortable with or politically support such a device and you have had proper training, parachute cord, duct tape, big garbage bags, resealable bags, sewing kit, face mask - for the really paranoid, latex tubing - you could make a cool sling shot, snare wire - for traps and to conduct electricity, literature on the geography around you and the wildlife that inhabits it, compass)

Skills

You will need to learn some skills to survive in the outdoors.

• Keeping Calm (Keeping a level head is the key factor in all of this)

• How To Build A Shelter (So you don't freeze or attract wildlife)
• How To Build A Fire (So you can cook and be warm)
• Navigation (So you don't walk in circles - something tend to do when there is no discernible reference point.)
• Foraging (Knowing what to and not to eat. From what little I know, basically everything will kill you or give you sever hallucinations so knowing what not to eat is very important. You can pick up guides for your local area and places you need to travel to.)

• Cooking (So you don't get sick)
• First Aid (Treating bites, bone breakage or fracture, burns, etc.)
• Tracking (This is mainly for hunting, but if you think you can do better with plants then go ahead)
• Knot Tying (Oddly incredibly useful - especially for pitching a tent, making a trap, or securing many things)
• Making A Signal (If you need help)
• Lock Picking and Hot Wiring (Just in case)
• How to drive a motorcycle (To be bad-ass)

What to do to prep:

• First thing is to make a plan to leave if you haven't already
• Place the pre-placed bug out bags along your route long before you need to use them
• Learn the skills you need
• Slowly make your way to an exit point (to leave the country) and use your survival skills and pre-placed resources to get you there

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November 8th, 2018 - Beyond

This is the time for revolution or for permanent exile.

If you would like to see the US restored to the strong democracy it once was, then begin looking up some anarchist literature and begin to bring down the tyrannical government that is being led by Mr.Trump or flee to countries that are aiding in taking down Mr. Trump.

If you would just like to be safe -like a reasonable human being - then stay in Canada or some other safe nation and hope that nuclear warfare doesn't erupt. Build a nice cabin in the woods and remain there until it all blows over. Usually humanity has a way of correcting these awful events before they lead to an extinction level event.

Let's Be Real

To be honest, I don't believe that any of this will happen. The president has some power, but not that much. A lot of the politics is divided and that is what is really scary. Remember to talk with people about their positions and to stay educated about the diverse people in this country and their beliefs and personal situations. Remember to have empathy and to use good judgement.

With all of that said, prepping for disasters and emergencies can be both fun and educational. I encourage you all to learn and practice the skills mentioned above. Stock up on some of the supplies as they can be helpful in even mild situations like power outages.

And as always, stay prepared my friends!