Americans are used to being betrayed by their political representation.
This long series of infidelities has led to the current predicament, where the Republican and Democratic parties present us with the opposite of what most Americans want.
Why this vexing stalemate?
History.
The current Democratic President, Mr. Obama, gained both notoriety and trust for his stance against war. Rank-and-file Democrats rejoiced. The Bush Wars were over!
Nope. Obama grew into his role as war president.
Like his predecessor.
Under his watch, the U.S. expanded regime change to Libya, stretched the Afghanistan incursion into our longest war, and now sends more troops into Iraq. (Sans their boots.)
The peacenik manqué has discovered his talent for killing foreigners. His supporters, in consequence, “cling to” his other paltry achievements: a weak, ephemeral recovery; the imperiled, perilous Obamacare.
And a long series of lectures.
No wonder Democrats are demoralized enough to vote for hawkish Hillary Clinton, the least qualified presidential candidate in American history.
But wait, Obama hath ballyhooed: she is “the most qualified”!
Why “least”?
Because FBI Director James Comey just admitted* that any underling of his that had behaved as recklessly as she had with national security would be “disciplined” and “in big trouble.”
Instead, Americans may wind up hiring her . . . for Commander in Chief!
Republicans, on the other hand, have enthusiastically kicked at that “small government” football so many times, only to witness their “leaders” yank it away. Have they now given up? Donald Trump has no interest in limiting government; he talks of new spending programs.
With a “choice that isn’t” in these two losers, no wonder “we don’t win anymore.”
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
*Comey’s exact words, in July, were “They might get fired, they might lose their clearance” — expertly hedging with those mights — “There would be some discipline.” Though he could find no evidence of intent to commit a criminal act, Comey did judge Mrs. Clinton “extremely careless” and “negligent.”
4 replies on “The Choice That Isn’t”
Great points. And I guess I admire your restraint for not advocating the only semi reasonable choice: Johnson.
Paul probably thought that should be obvious. 😉
I am calling Johnson volunteers and every state has thousands. I am calling on the volunteers just in our county here in Texas. Really fun. Smart people, eager to help.
Sometimes the limits of space make decisions easier. 😉
I’m for Johnson, as readers know, and have talked about him a decent amount, but I didn’t want to bring him up here, as I thought it would detract from the broader point: we have to stop being Charlie Brown’s getting the football pulled away by the R and D Lucys.
Of course, in my mind that means vote for Johnson — or if your politics are more left, for Stein.
I don’t want to push my choice on others, for their sake, and for mine — we need a bigger tent working on issues and I don’t want to diminish my ability to help accomplish that. And I want to be respectful of my audience, too, which I estimate will vote something like this:
42% Johnson
38% Trump
8% Stein
7% Won’t cast a ballot for president
5% Clinton
Some of Johnson’s support above is Rs. I suspect that in a different year, with a more acceptable GOP candidate, some of the “libertarians” on my email list and reading online (FB or the website) would vote for the Republican.
…. Republicans who have enthusiastically kicked at the small government football so many times, only to have their “leaders” yank it away may have now given up; (For) Donald Trump has no interest in limiting government — and he talks of new spending programs ….
Actual Republicans were, effectively, about as involved in the selection of Donald Trump, as we were in the “Democrats'” nomination of the fearsome and loathsome Missus Cli’ton.
The Fascist-Media Party promoted — and crossover “Democrats” picked — Mr Trump.
As ever, as the candidate most likely to lose – come November – to even a yeller dog, if it’s displaying the “Democrats'” “D.”
Brian Richard Allen