Here’s the thing about election season politics in the U.S. It’s wild, unpredictable, and has revealed the dark underbelly of the American psyche – that we are a deeply divided and polarized nation. We elevate a reality TV star and billionaire to an unprecedented status, apparently won’t mind a second Clinton in the White House, and have a media that pretty much ignores the only candidate with a truly progressive platform.
The other night for the MSNBC town hall meetings with Clinton and Sanders, I experienced something new – a disappointment in the network’s coverage. Clinton got an hour with Rachel Maddow, Sanders got 30 minutes. Why?
More and more frequently, I find that the media, even the progressive media that we usually like and watch, are leaning toward Clinton. Why? She represents the status quo. She will embroil us in endless wars, will feel that she must be tough on national security because she’s a woman – and that kind of tough means an increased defense budget- and she will dance with Wall Street even though she says otherwise. In the end, nearly everything she says is about her, what she has done and accomplished, and why she is the only one who can take on Trump. When I hear her speak now, I turn off the news and watch House of Cards.
Yes, it’s Netflix’s fiction. But is it? Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright are moderate Democrats who also happen to be really despicable. I love the show, but can’t think of a single character – except, perhaps, the poor writer who has fallen in love with the First Lady, who is likeable. Are the Underwoods fashioned on the Clintons?
Today, our neighbor Annette stopped by. She’s giving us a bed she no longer needs that we’ll put in the guest bedroom. She happened to mention that she’s voting for Trump. We told her that she will be voting against her family’s self-interest and why not vote for Sanders?
“Because he won’t be the candidate,” she said. “And I can’t vote for Clinton.”
“She’s under investigation by the FBI,” I said. “If she’s indicted, she won’t be a candidate.”
Annette just rolled her eyes. “She won’t be indicted. She’s a Clinton.”
Really? Do we tune into House of Cards because it depicts every dark facet of politics that we always suspected was true?
The Wisconsin primary is today, April 5. If Sanders wins by a big margin, then he has a good shot. There’s a chance that if he wins, some of the super delegates – the most UNdemocratic wrench in the Democratic party – may give him a thumbs up. If that happens, Trump will be reduced to shredded lettuce.
In fact, Trump’s latest remarks – that women who have abortions should be prosecuted – may be exactly what Sanders said it was, another stupid remark to grab headlines. But it also resulted in a skyrocket of Trump’s negative ratings, even among Republican women. The media salivates over stuff like this and it all could end up as a contested convention – also depicted in this season’s House of Cards. If that happens, who knows what jerk will win the nomination? It could be anyone. Kasich, Rand Paul, Sarah Palin.
Voters who dislike Clinton may end up voting for her simply because the alternative is too awful to contemplate and they believe she can win against Trump. But if you’re going to vote on that basis, she’s not your candidate. Sanders is.
But don’t listen to me. Go watch House of Cards. It’s possible that some of the writers were tuning into the future when they wrote this season’s episode a year ago.
PS And Bernie wins Wisconsin by double digits!
This is the first time I’ve really been interested in US politics and elections – from afar, it’s fascinating and, at the same time, scary.
American politics right now is a complete circus!
Interesting facts about Trump….his mother was born in Scotland and IMMIGRATED to the U.S. when she was 18 years old. So he is only a SECOND GENERATION American! And barely even that. His genetic tree has “limbs” all over the place linking him to Germany and to German Jewish heritage. He is a strong supporter of the “Aryan” culture and doctrines. These are just a few TRUE facts pertinent to him and that make his platform absurd. Of interest to me especially: Trump was born on June 14, 1946. Hitler died in April of 1945. So, there is no overlapping of their lives. Hitler died. Trump was born 14 months later. Reincarnation is a cornerstone of my personal convictions. Stating it in simple terms, ( not going into the vast, complex, complicated quantum theories),there IS the possibility that trump MAY have aspects of Hitler’s soul manifesting within his Consciousness; and there does exist the possibility that he MAY, indeed, be a reincarnation of Adolf Hitler. I can’t rule this out. I look at photos of Trump and photos of Hitler, and with intuitive vision am able to clearly see some shared physical characteristics. Just a bit more food for thought.
What reminds me of what Trump could do with a majority Republican Congress is Trish’s book “Kill Time.” Then there is “1984.” Trump even talked about using nuclear weapons on Eorope.
Thanks, Ray! Now I need to go back and re-read my own book!
I would vote for Clinton if Bernie doesn’t win, as, I suppose, the lesser of two evils. And in her defense, she has said and endorsed some very good things about the empowerment of women in America and internationally – as a feminist, I have to add that. Trump represents something very scary to me – not only misogyny and the repression of women, but the simplistic, reactionary scapegoating that is the advent of fascism. The impoverishment that is happening because of the rise of global corporate power, the complete loss of faith in our corrupt government, as many have pointed out, can go either way – into enlightened revolution (Bernie) or, as happened in Nazi Germany when that country found itself in pretty much the same situation – into fascism. Sometimes watching that hatefilled, angry man rant (Trump) I am reminded of Hitler, ranting before the German people. Watch some historical films and you will see what I mean. What is more frightening is the way both can emotionally whip up the crowd.
There’s very little daylight between Trump and Hitler. I would have to vote for clinton as well. As much as I would dislike doing so, the ideas of Trump or Cruz is too repulsive.
I agree! I Agree! Am also watching House of Cards. Kevin Spacy is always great.
About Trump and the abortion issue – give me the barf bag. He shot himself in the foot this time – or the brain more likely. There are a lot of women who will not vote for Trump and lots of husbands who will – old white men. So there are going to be many divided families in this election.
The abortion comments may prove to be his undoing. I hope so.