For the past few years, I’ve deliberately avoided discussing politics in my column, or social media generally, simply because it’s usually a waste of time and energy (as will be this rant). But, sometimes the need for one to express one’s thoughts (and yes, feelings) about such matters becomes overwhelming. I’d be curious as to how many folks here think about what’s going on, particularly as pertains to the presidential (and in many ways least important) race.
For me, I have to say this has to be the single most disappointing presidential race I have ever experienced in my, perhaps too many, years on this planet. Never, have I disliked, even been repulsed by, both candidates. Usually one is relatively acceptable. For me it’s usually been the Democratic candidate because I am generally of a more progressive persuasion. Notwithstanding, that hasn’t precluded the positive aspects of the candidates from the other side. Even Nixon was responsible for the establishment of the (now virtually moribund) National Endowment for the Arts. At least Reagan, Ford, G.H.W. and G.W. Bush were not openly malicious, notwithstanding my disagreements with most of what they brought to the White House. Anyway, you get my drift here.
However, this time around I have to say I am in a serious quandary. Back in 2008 I was very much in favour of Hillary Clinton; Let’s face it Barack Obama was simply not ready for the office; and he has (very much to my regret) proved it (the reasons for this would be for another discussion). At that time Hillary Clinton was still a very credible candidate for the office; she had not been corrupted by the secretive machinations as Secretary of State for the Obama administration. Her credibility has been seriously undermined by her inscrutable determination to not be forthcoming on not just her incessant e-mail revelations, but her whole circumspect approach to dealings with the Foundation and in what other cryptic endeavours she and Bill have been engaged. I’m not generally one to pay attention what the American public as a whole thinks (since I for the most part have a pretty low opinion of the American public’s irrational, emotional and largely ill-informed “thinking”), but this time around I have to concur, I find her to be vexingly disingenuous.
That being said, I then think, how can anybody in their right mind even remotely consider Donald Trump a serious contender for president? To those of you who support his candidacy… What is wrong with you? I know that people don’t like to be told that they are stupid, but… YOU’RE STUPID! There is, and can be, no other explanation as to why anybody with anything other than the I.Q. of a radish, and the emotional development of a four year old, would even remotely consider this man for the office. There simply is no excuse.
I guess what bothers me the most is that the Democratic Party had a bona fide alternative, a chance to win not only the presidency, but actually precipitate a major sea change in Washington beyond the presidential level, which I mentioned is actually less important that what is commonly referred to the “down ballot” part of this election. Nothing could reflect more clearly the distinction between the two major parties than what happened prior to and during the conventions:
The Republicans went with the “outsider” candidate who reflected precisely all the worst qualities of the so-called base of the party: xenophobia, racism, religious fanaticism and the worst form of jingoism, economic inequality, global warming denial, you-name-it, all packaged in the fear of anything remotely associated the government. The result is a candidate who the majority of Americans find repulsive. A person whose unfavourable ratings are close to 60 per cent of the public.
The Democrats on the other hand through their blatantly corrupt determination to assure their predetermined (thank you Debbie Wassermann Shultz) machine candidate of choice was the chosen one despite all data that evidenced over and over again that THEIR outside candidate Bernie Sanders would have beaten Donald Trump by as much as two-to-one margins. Why? Because people knew Bernie Sanders was authentic. He didn’t have innumerable skeletons in the closet, and always stayed on message — a message, by the way, to which the folks at “Black Lives Matter” blinded themselves because of their tunnel visioned approach to the political situation.
Anyway, for me the political process in this country has not only hit an all time low, it doesn’t look to improve anytime soon. In fact, with the mass media frenzy feeding on Clintons e-mail and foundation bungling and the latest Trump crazy man faux pas on virtually anything, I don’t expect the American public to become intelligent soon — if ever.
So, I’m confronted with the “lesser of two evils” syndrome — again. Do I vote for a big mouthed blowhard, narcissist who cannot make a decision in which he feels does not benefit him personally, or do I vote for a completely compromised, surreptitious person whose credibility ever since becoming an high profile ill-prepared member of an high-profile ill-prepared president’s cabinet? I afraid I’m going to have to hold my nose and divine into the quagmire with the latter, for two reasons:
1) At one time she was an idealist with progressive ideas, and maybe, just maybe, if she’s elected with at least a Democratic majority in the senate she can retrieve a little of her old self
2) She’s not Donald Trump.
I really can’t stand this
