Election 2016

So it's between the Democrat, Hillary Clinton, the first woman nominated for President by a major political party, and Donald J. Trump, His Orangeness, and reality TV "star." I was a Bernie Sanders fan, but I will be voting for Hillary for a number of reasons. She may not have been my original choice, but she is so far superior to His Orangeness that it's pathetic.

His Orangeness has demonstrated time after time again that he is ignorant of basic facts about the U.S.  and the world. He has shown an affinity for dictators throughout the world, and has shown sympathy for Russia and Putin. He's sexist, racist, and a damned bullshit artist. No one can predict what he will do, but his narcissistic personality and actions show he is only out for himself.  The Republicans, except for a few, are supporting him as Team Red.

HRC is far from perfect, but at least is a conventional politician. Bernie made her tack to more liberal and progressive rhetoric, and forced the Democratic Party to enact the most progressive platform ever. I voted for Barak Obama (twice), and although he didn't so what I wanted, he sure beat the alternatives. Then again, Republicans, from the very first day he took office decided to deliberately
block whatever he was for, even if it was a Republican policy, such as the Affordable Care Act, Obamacare. It especially impacted Obama's government spending in jump starting the economy when it was in free fall when he took office, losing jobs at the rate of 750,000 a month. The Republicans successfully cut what was needed in half, a third of which was tax cuts. Things probably would have been much better if that had not happened.

This all goes to illustrate how bad the Republican philosophy is. The last time we had a Republican administration, they turned a budget surplus, which was going to pay off the national debt by 2010, into trillion dollar deficits, started two wars on the government's credit card, and then because of their kockamamie economic policy, crashed the economy on the way out the door that Democrats had to pick up the pieces.

The media is absolutely no help in informing the American people. It is only interested in making money, and a horse race is the way they go. Both siderism, that is, both sides are responsible for the mess we are in, is the mantra of the dominant media. Where I live, the dominant media is totally conservative. There is no liberal media that competes with conservative media. It's one reason I go ballistic when I hear ostensibly liberal, progressive people repeating conservative memes.

Bottom line, progressive people, of which I am one, need to realize this is an election between Democrats and Republicans. Third party candidates like, Jill Stein or Gary Johnson have absolutely no chance of winning. That's why I consider a vote not for Hillary Clinton is a vote for His Orangeness. It may make one feel righteous, but it will have the effect of electing the very worst person ever to the presidency, and I lived through the Nixon, Reagan, and George W. Bush administrations.

I watched in 2000 when "people of conscience" in Florida cast enough votes for third party candidate, Ralph Nader, to make the election close enough to trigger a recount under Florida state law. Then, because of justices elevated to the Supreme Court by Bush 41, voted to halt the recount, and give the election to Bush 43, which was called by W's brother Jeb, and his minion, Secretary of State, Katherine Harris. I do not want to see any replay of that atrocity. When the media finally got around to recounting the vote, Gore would have taken Florida and the election.

You may not like Hillary. She's not my favorite. But the only way to prevent the worst alternative possible, is to hold your nose and cast your vote for her. Then we can live to fight another day. We must continue to fight for our progressive principles up and down the ballot. If you don't like the choices get out and work for better. Not just vote, but work to get others to vote for our principles. If you were a Bernie supporter, like me, then continue working for the revolution. Don't just sink back into your apathetic holes, but work to bring about the change you want, and not expect others to do the work for you.

To my friends in Georgia. Georgia is in play in this election. Let's not give Georgia's electoral votes to him by not voting for her.