Thursday, August 11, 2016

General Comments on the World...

I remember TV shows where, whenever the protagonist had to make a decision, there appeared a little angelic figure of himself on one shoulder and a demonic figure on the other. Each whispered urgently in his (or her) ear, touting the advantages of being good...or not. The audience always knew what would happen; either our hero(ine) would choose the right thing to do, or, if he/she chose the devil's way, she/he would reap the consequences of her (or his) misdeeds.

Well, throughout these past months, we've all had angels and devils riding on our shoulders, and they are whispering, talking, shouting-- incessantly, it seems. It's called a presidential campaign. For  a bit, we paused our personal consciences to put those opposing voices on television during the conventions. But now, they are back in force. It's election season.

I am an unapologetic Democrat. There have been Republicans that I've admired and respected, but, for the most part, I've voted for the democratic ticket down the line because I have agreed more with their take on government. 

This year has been a hard one. I am not a Hillary-hater, and I truly do not understand the depth with which some people detest her. She may not be the paragon that her campaign literature claims, but she surely is not the devil incarnate painted by her detractors. Whether she is liked or disliked, she does have more qualifications for the job than most people who have sought it. And that's what we are all about here: picking the best candidate for the job.

Oddly, I have friends and relatives who are part of the 'hater' bandwagon. I can't talk to them. They have abandoned all reason, and see the Democratic candidate through a red haze, and, like maddened bulls, charge with murderous intent at any attempt at reasonable discussion. Which I could understand (sort of), if there were any alternative.

However, there isn't. I had sort of resigned myself to a race against Jeb Bush. Gone. Then, sighing, I thought, well, maybe Marco Rubio. Nope. With a shudder, I saw Ted Cruz fighting to stay in the race, and, were it not for the alternative that remained, I'd have dropped to my knees in thanksgiving when he called it quits.

What is wrong with the world? A voting public who can look at Donald Trump and say, "There! That's who I want to be America's face in the world!" must be a country of lunatics. HE is a lunatic. I cannot comprehend the mindset of the people who have flocked to help elect him; these people should know better. They are not all shotgun-toting ignoramuses who have no interest in how global relations work. They are not all binge-watching idiots who think we live in the ultimate 'reality' show, and that what plays on TV will play in real life.

In the words of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, "Who ARE these guys?" We are beset by indefatigable groups of Trump fans, bent on destroying government as we know it, as our founding fathers envisioned it, for some indeterminate wrongs that he can't fix, no matter how many lies he tells, no matter how 'great' he believes he is. He hasn't even given us the plans for how he's going to do anything. And wouldn't know how to implement them if he did, because he knows nothing of the Constitution or how government works. So why would anyone lend credence to his claims? We are not children who wish for things with such passion that we ultimately believe them to be real. This Pinocchio will never turn into a real boy. He has proven himself incapable of that.

I do get it. There are plenty of people out there who have legitimate grievances. The economy has not been kind, the job market poor, wars and terrorism present very real fears--but there has been improvement in most areas. A stubborn Congress that refuses to budge on anything that might be even loosely interpreted as progress or relief, or (horrors!) a presidential success for Mr. Obama, has stalled other programs with potential benefits. Who hasn't wished for the ability to crumple up the current version of things, toss it in the wastebasket, and start fresh? But, but, but....who could look at Donald Trump and imagine him capable of thinking of anyone but himself? Of being statesman-like?Of compromising? If this is our fresh start on government, god help us all.

There have been layers upon layers of slurs and insults and lies from Mr. Trump. He has repeated them so often that I daresay he might actually believe them. But that doesn't mean that WE should. I find myself watching him, mesmerized by his consistent disregard for truth, for decent behavior, for consideration. He speaks, not like a head of state, but like a spoiled child with a childish vocabulary of "great" and "huge" and "awesome". He has to be the center of every room, of every conversation, and will do whatever he needs to to achieve that end. Children generally outgrow that phase. Mr. Trump has not. Compare his demeanor to that of President Obama. Calm, articulate, thoughtful, compassionate, intelligent...this is what we want, what we need, what we have had in the White House. Not Trump. Even with his apologists lined up in ranks behind him, attempting to explain what he REALLY meant when he encouraged violence against his opponent, when he ...(I was going to list his gaffes, but decided it would take too long and be too boring..Instead, let's just shortcut to "whenever he opens his mouth or taps out a tweet")

I try not to blog politically. I try not to use Facebook to broadcast my opinions, unless I find something that truly says what I think. I even keep my mouth shut in company sometimes because I realize there are people out there who disagree with my sentiments on certain issues--and I value my friends for more than their political choices, misguided tho they might sometimes be :) Consider this rant, then, my way of letting off steam, of coping with the insanity of the Republican party this year. Consider this my long-winded way of saying--and explaining why--"I'm with her."

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