Back in 2007 and 2008 when Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton
were battling for the party nomination for President, I was torn. I liked both
candidates. On the one hand I wanted a woman to ascend to the White House, and
I thought Hillary was the right person for it. Only one problem: she was so
close in time to when Bill Clinton was President. National memory is such – now
and then – to act as a poison well for people close to the unpleasant memories.
And Bill made some beauties!
Hillary was tarnished by those beauties of Bill only because
of her proximity. Association means a lot to a lot of people, and I had hoped
that Hillary would have delayed her presidential ambitions to a later time when
people would better focus just on her and not saddle her with the baggage of
Bill.
So I examined Obama’s candidacy and was pleasantly
surprised. Read several books on him and came to understand his abilities,
thinking process and values structure. He was a formidable politician as well.
I had not known much about him going into this race, but soon developed a deep
appreciation for him.
As the primary elections went on I observed how Obama and
Hillary conducted themselves. Who would I support? A candidate who would be the
first African American president? Or the first woman to hold the White House?
Even though Obama’s history in elected politics was small,
he projected a statesman’s demeanor and a quick mind promising an intellect
that was up to the demanding job of being President.
Hillary, on the other hand, turned feisty and combative
early in the campaign. She soured me at that point and I transferred my
allegiance to Obama.
Now eight years later Hillary is embarked on the mighty task
to win the White House. Her only opponent is a 74 year old Vermont US Senator
who is decidedly liberal and even a self-avowed Socialist. In a conservative
tinged nation like America
in 2016, socialism is not an ideal bully pulpit to speak from. So it seemed
Hillary would have a cakewalk to the party’s nomination.
How wrong I was!
Bernie Sanders turns out to be a spokesman for a lot of
young people, a lot of independent minded voters, and a lot of people sick and
tired of politics as usual. Hillary represents the latter while Bernie speaks
for the former. And yes, it is time we changed from the old ways to the new
ones. Ours is a society mired in mediocrity in public performance. Politics has
become a power game for the wealthy and only the greedy need apply. To feed
this the rest of us pay the price. That’s 90% to 95% of us pay the greedy power
mongers. They are the winners, not us.
In Obama we won, but the power brokers and wealthy pulled
most of the strings. So nothing much has been accomplished if it had to be run
through congress. America
wants this to stop. So do our friends in other nations watching us.
But what is happening now is this:
- Sanders speaks what most want to hear
- Hillary speaks of governing and her ability to do so; and she can do it!
- Republicans speak of conservatism, states’ rights, religious power and power over people.
In a nutshell that sums it up for me. Sanders has the
talking points. Hillary has the governing points. Republicans are the polar
opposite.
So, here’s the deal. Hillary is presently turning into the
shrew again, bad mouthing Sanders and building party animosity in the ranks.
Bernie’s people are out of control and doing the same against Hillary and thus
magnifying the animosity.
Hillary and Bernie should be on the same side. Both have great
ideas. Hillary has the knowledge and experience and the connections to get
things done. Bernie does not have those abilities and a Sanders presidency
would be more years of governance stymied by congress. Not a good thing for the
country.
Hillary should win the primaries and be the party’s nominee.
Bernie should be a trusted adviser and idea man to assist Hillary. The
republicans should lose the November election handily and lay to rest for at
least four years the conservative machine of negativism. That will give
republicans an opportunity to rethink their party’s vision and soul. Then they
can return to the national stage to play the role of a responsible two-party
player with effectiveness.
Meanwhile Hillary needs to learn to play nice with Bernie.
Bernie needs to reshape his vision and collaborative powers and play well with
Hillary.
Failing this, Bernie will win the nomination and destroy
both Hillary and the Democratic Party for at least eight years. More
importantly the White House will be inhabited by Ted Cruz and abortion,
Christianity and conservatism will reign supreme in the land.
Do any of us really want this?
If not, then you know what to do.
April 8, 2016
Sanders speaks what most want to hear.
ReplyDeleteThis is a point worth pondering. It seems to me, and I am only an observer, that what Sanders and (t)Rump have in common is that they speak what PART of one party constituency wants to hear. It plays well in primary elections because it only needs to appeal to a fraction of a fraction to get results. It will not play so well in a general election. Sanders at least articulates a vision, but I have heard no compelling description of how he would get the nation as a whole where it wants it to go. (t)Rump just bristles and whines and makes bold assertions about what he will do with no connection to the reality of what a president can accomplish in the real world of Washington and world politics.
At any rate, the Republicans have spent all their time destroying the possibility of a competent, responsible and electable candidate emerging as their candidate. The Democrats, apparently upset that the media has focused all its attention on the Republican farce, appear to have decided it is time for them to see if they can destroy any hopes they might have had to unite the country behind a competent, responsible and electable candidate. Whatever Sanders or Clinton might have been before the latest round of foolishess, they are both showing the huge chinks in their armor at a time when they need to be strengthening their program to move the country forward.
All is division, all is conflict, all is battle-bots preening and posing for the Jerry Springer crowd.
I believe the present primary process is largely to blame, aided and abetted by a news media culture that has lost its social role and sold out to the mis-infotainment industry. None of it bodes well for us.
And I truly hope I am wrong.