Politics of Awful

It started with Bill Clinton’s run for president back in the 1990’s. For some reason republicans felt it was their duty to besmirch the candidate before he was nominated. And they did. They opened a war against Clinton. Sued in federal court and state court. Harassed him until they were blue in the face. And then for good measure, they sued him again. And again.

And then they sued Hillary. After that, they sued Hillary and Bill, then Bill and Hillary.

By the end of the unstoppable Clinton 8 years of amazing advancement on many national fronts, the Clinton's were bankrupt and $8 million in debt. This didn’t stop the republicans. They sued some more. Soon the Clinton’s were $16 million in debt.

But Bill wrote a book. Then Hillary. Combined, they earned more than $16 million, and began to amass a small asset base that would carry them through retirement and many active years to come. Bill’s speech fees helped, and his writing, and his books. So did Hillary’s talents in similar veins. Of course the retirement benefits of a President are nothing to scoff at. So, as it happens, the Clinton’s are sitting very well financially compared with most citizens.

They have earned every penny. They have survived the scorn – real and imagined – by their enemies. And furthermore, they have thrived. Their accomplishments have become legion. The American people are the beneficiaries of their hard work. History, too.

So much so is this true that the republicans began a reign of terror against all middle-of-the-roaders and Democrats. Simply put, if you were not a republican, you were distrusted and belittled. Worse still, if you were not a conservative, you were a traitor to America.

They believe this. And the only people who can battle that ridiculous position are you and I.

The battle cry to ‘get the Clinton's’ has already been sounded targeting Hillary. Too bad it won’t work this time.

I don’t think that conclusion is wishful thinking on my part. In my bones I feel the American people have had quite enough negativism.

Nothing good comes from negativity. Worry, fear and dread cause the body and mind to cringe into a ball and go into hiding. Bomb shelters were a minor industry in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. Fear created it and conservatives heralding nuclear annihilation were the cheer leading section. They were wrong then. They are wrong now. But they built an industry of celebrity politicians and tearing the same down into bits of fire wood.

By accident they co-developed the national ache over celebrity news as well. Today we have entire newscasts devoted to following celebrities in their daily lives, then reporting on them as though they are the primary news of the day. The secondary feature of this industry is the news making efforts to belittle and destroy the celebrities. I guess they do this because they feel room must be made for still more celebrities!

So now we have celebrity entertainers, fake celebrities (Kardashians and Jenners), sports celebs and all the rest in addition to politicians.

Overkill. Plain and simple. Life ought not be about personalities but actual news of events, movements, understandings, discoveries, and the story of mankind surviving the many slings and arrows of life. That’s news. That’s history in the making. Individual celebrities are not news. nor should they.

However we look at it, the political hacks in the republican party have destroyed their own party and their own ideology with hideous human behavior. The sideline industry of celebrity news is finally outpacing that of the celebrity politicians. And in that is the downfall of the republican attacks on enemy politicians. They have spawned so many haters of other people that their hate of specific politicians has been diluted.

Hillary will survive the wingnuts because they have over played their hand.

Besides, Hillary and Bill have been through this before. A replay is not in the cards. America has other things to mind.

That’s just too, too bad!

April 15, 2015