I’ve said this before, so for long time readers, excuse the repetition. And it’s not like the Internet lacks for opinions on the Clinton/Trump race, but I’m a citizen, and this is important. So once again:
Trump is dangerously unqualified. His temperament is unstable, he lacks knowledge, he lacks the inclination to obtain knowledge, and he will not take direction from people who know what they’re talking about. I happen to think Clinton is very qualified and that the criticisms of her are probably overblown. But, even setting that aside, her flaws are ordinary political flaws. She’s not dangerously unstable.
And that’s where my analysis pretty much ends. Trump is dangerously unqualified and unstable, and his Presidency would potentially pose an existential threat to the country. Clinton is none of those things. I have gathered enough information that I could get into a nuanced debate about this or that issue, but what’s the point? If you have one candidate that’s a threat to the future of the country and another one that isn’t, any rational voting algorithm tells you to stop there and vote against the one who can’t credibly do the job and vote for the one who can credibly do the job.
This isn’t a game. It’s not cheering when your team scores or the other team fumbles. It’s choosing the leadership of the most powerful country in the world. Someone who, in a very real sense, has power over life and death. As citizens of that country, we have a duty to vote rationally and not based on our tribal affiliations or emotions. If the Republicans had nominated a plausibly competent candidate, this would be a tougher decision. But they didn’t, so it’s not.
Genau
The fact that Donald Trump is even on the ballot speaks volumes about today’s Republican party.
This is a very dark time.
I found this elsewhere and it s
Obama Was Right About Republican Extremism All Along
Well said, but so many have been eloquent on this subject, ranging from the dozens of newspapers, magazines, columnists and respected public servants. They all say, “Please don’t do this”. When a republic is established on the assumption that its most critical decisions will be centered around rational discourse, and something like this happens to exclude it, AND it still prevails, the republic is in peril. Trump is not just a little different. He’s an aberration of ignorance and maladjustment who surrounds himself with likeminded people. Meanwhile the world stands in amazement that Trump is where he is. People may yet learn that the permanence of the republic is not guaranteed.
The “race” is narrowing. Clinton will still probably prevail (I tell myself that in my daily meditations to release despair about living in a nation where a major party that can nominate Trump and could possible elect him.) But Comey’s coverup of the FBI’s knowledge of close Russian ties to the Kremlin and his Hatch Act violations have probably doomed the Senate to the republicans.
One take away from this election is that Democrats can never again permit republicans to serve in appointed political office. Their treachery is on full display with Comey.
I wonder how much the disparity between the Presidential campaigns’ ground operations will matter.
From what I read, Clinton and the DNC have a great advantage on this point. Trump has been reported to have done little, relying on the RNC. This is consistent with Trump’s grifting ways. Donate little, overpay your private assets with campain donations and RNC money, and stiff vendors. (It was announced today that he stiffed a polling firm for 670,000.)
Dog, the thing that I find most frustrating is the support that Trump gets from sophisticated republican and independent insiders and leaders. I have seen guys like Trump many times in my legal practice and in my rich “successful” sociopathic inlaws. We know the type. Utterly ammoral, immoral. Petty, undbounded greed and self-worship. Decietful and vindictive when cornered. Treacherous when out of the line of sight..
“The “race” is narrowing.”
You are mistaken Carlito.
The “race” isn’t narrowing. Hillary is maintaining a robust lead
Sam Wang gives Hillary a 97% of winning
And the Senate?
Democrats have a 70% of taking the Senate.
Oh, and I enjoy reading your comments.
I see on 538 Polls a narrowing race. Still a big Clinton edge. But Trump moved to small leads in Iowa, Ohio and Arizona, where Clinton had small leads. But Clinton does still have a meaningful lead, I agree.
Farmers have a lot of pithy sayings. One of them applies here: “Don’t count the bushels in the crop until they are in the bin”. It’s over on January 20.
Ohio sure is perplexing.
And I happen to think there is decent chance Hillary carries Indiana.
On 538, Florida and North Carolina are within a point. Indiana is a 95% probablity for Trump.
According to 538 polls, Trump is moving out to 12-15 point leads in Ohio, Iowa and Arizona. Florida and North Carolina are with less than a point. Nevada has also slipped to a couple of points to Clinton. A week ago, is was a 90 to 10 probability for Trump. It is now 69 to 31. It was as high as 55-45 before the second debate.
Certainly Billary is less of a dumpster fire than Trump. God Bless the USA.
I don’t understand how anybody can support Clinton or Trump, but I understand why people are voting for Grandma Nixon and the Wild Man.
The point of my post was that it’s not necessarily about supporting one or the other. One of them is going to be President. Trump is dangerously unqualified and unstable. Clinton is not. Beyond that point, the rest of the discussion seems like so much sound and fury.
It’s like you have to rent your house to one of two people for the next four years. One may have loud weekend parties, get in late, bother your neighbors and be late with the rent. The other, with his friends, will steal your furniture, burn down your house and blame you for it. Sort of being stuck between a rock and a hard place.
That’s an interesting, and funny, analysis.
He will steal your furniture and say he’s entitled to it. I forgot that detail.