There have been many elections when I believed the choices we made were crucial. None has been as crucial or as indicative as this one of who we are as a country. Never has it been so important to vote Democratic. (And I have had favorites in many, including this one, in which Hillary was not my first choice. Bernie was.)
But now the choice is simple, really: A democratic (with a little d), steady, prepared, intelligent, sane, sentient, experienced, accomplished (with those accomplishments helping others, not just one’s self), constructive, diplomatic, fair-minded, people-centric, caring, respectful leader, or one who is none of these things.
We owe it to ourselves and our country to save us all from Trumpism. There is more to building and maintaining a country than nihilism, destruction, and perennial meanness. Destroying whatever progress we have made, instead of building on it and improving it, does not a government sustain. Our country is our business, all of our business. And we owe our country our best effort at constructive patriotism. Let’s build on and improve what we have accomplished thus far.
The pretense foisted on Americans by the media which suggests falsely that neither candidate made any concrete proposals for America is a lie. If you haven’t gone to HillaryClinton.com, and you are still questioning, please do it.
Hillary Clinton believes nuclear weapons should be the last, not the first, choice for solving the world’s problems. Donald Trump is itchy to use them and cannot understand why we do not (use them). He’s not got a clue about the implications of doing that. Hillary Clinton spent years developing diplomatic skills to negotiate conflicts around the world. She understands the economy and how it works. She knows better than to make ridiculous, even outrageous statements, to antagonize countries around the world.
She knows that “trickle down economics” is a fiction that only serves the 1%. Donald Trump only cares about his and his children’s companies. Hillary spent her whole adult life trying to make life better for children and families. From housing to helping children with disabilities, to helping AIDS victims get medicines, to providing health care (CHIP) and education in the US and around the world, Hillary Clinton has shown that she cares about Americans and brings practical solutions to improving their lives. Donald Trump can claim none of those things. Donald Trump kept people of color out of his buildings, bilked contractors and workers, allegedly defrauded students of his so-called Trump-U. He bankrupted multiple companies, skimming off the value for himself, leaving everyone else holding the bag. He brags about him being a king of debt. And he is that. He racks up debts and then doesn’t pay them. Some Americans seem to believe that a person’s supposed wealth is the measure of a person. But the measure of a person is so much more.
For all the significant differences in temperament, qualifications, diplomatic skills, respect for others, constructive proposals (do the media ever even cover Hillary’s proposals?), there is a huge difference in veracity. Yes, veracity.
Most of all he has mislead America about Hillary Clinton. Whatever weaknesses are his own, he pretended they were Hillary’s in hopes he’d divert attention from himself. “Crooked Hillary” was a fake meme designed to distract America from who he really is. Donald J. Trump has done a number on Hillary’s character. And it is really rotten. Here are nearly 500 lies Donald J Trump has told.
Additionally, there are hundreds of people whom Donald J Trump has ridiculed and offended with racist, xenophobic, misogynist, cruel verbal attacks. The way Donald Trump advocates women should be treated is horrendous. The refusal to renounce Aryan Nations, the KKK and other racist groups supporting him tell us what we need to know.
The bully tactics, the threats to get even with journalists and anyone else who sided against him, are not just un-presidential, they are unAmerican. His threats to renounce democratic processes are unprecedented. The exhortations to violence are unacceptible. We cannot have a president who behaves this way. Today, at the 11th hour, he pretends he wants to unite Americans. He, who caused massive divisions, hate and xenophobia for over fifteen months is such a hypocrite. Donald Trump cannot be president of the United States.
We can take no state for granted. Hillary is right. We are stronger together. Bernie knows it. You know it. Please vote.
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