Lots of things get downvotes that don't represent a gestalt of HN opinions: the idea that JS is an acceptable programming language, that .NET is a reasonable pl

Lots of things get downvotes that don't represent a gestalt of HN opinions: the idea that JS is an acceptable programming language, that .NET is a reasonable platform for development, that sending JSON to the client isn't necessarily an improvement over sending markup. Just because your opinion is opposed doesn't mean dissent isn't allowed. It is pretty ridiculous to assert that the election's outcome lies primarily on Putin. On the other hand, Trump's victory was pretty thin, and that invites speculation that if certain influences hadn't been present, the election might well have gone the other way. Russian influence is one among many, but it's among the most disturbing, which is one reason people have strong feelings about dismissing it.