T-Minus 31 Days

The three most divisive topics of conversation ion American society, and I assume other societies, but I’m an American and don’t presume to speak for other countries) are money, politics, and religion. The painful irony of this of is that those are the three most important issues in our culture. All other issues can in one form or another be traced back to one or all of those core issues. Compounded with this being the single most contentious and destabilizing Presidential Election since 1860 and I think we all know how that turned out.

We have a month until the day, and things are looking bad.

We have four viable choices for President of the United States of America this year. There are a significant number of people who will tell you there are only two choices and while they may be right when it comes to the likelihood of success, let’s be honest they are 99.8% right, there is still four major candidates on the ballots in almost every state. Running on the Democratic Ticket is Former Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton (HRC). Running on the Republican Ticket is Professional Personality Donald J. Trump (DJT). Running on the Libertarian Ticket is Former Governor Gary Johnson, And Running on the Green Ticket is Dr. Jill Stein.

I am an Independent Voter and a proudly self-described Democratic Socialist. If I had to pick a party to be affiliated with it’d be the Green Party, and you’d assume my vote was going to Stein. That would be the furthest thing from the truth, in reality, I’m voting for HRC even though I’ll be holding my nose while I do it and using a couple of bottles of Purell when I’m done. Okay, that’s a bit of an exaggeration but here’s why I’m voting for her.

I’m going to keep this as short and sweet as I can, but we all know I suffer from diarrhea of the word processor, so I apologize in advance if I ramble.

I like Governor Johnson and Dr. Stein. I’ve watched just about all of their interviews and town halls since spring, and they seem like genuinely good people. Honestly, I could live with one of them winning the presidency, but we all know that’s not going to happen no matter how much their supporters wish otherwise. Do I agree with them on the issues? Surprisingly yes on many issues I agree more with them than HRC and DJT. Now don’t get me wrong they are both fringe candidates from fringe parties which have yet to normalize but they are interesting, and I’m not going to overly criticize anyone who votes for them I just can’t do it myself. Why can’t I vote for one of them even though my views skews heavily toward the Green Party? One reason and I bet I can guess what that is.

Donald J. Trump.

Do I need to go into detail as to why this many can’t be allowed to be the President? Maybe and maybe not but I’m going to do a Solomon and split the baby by giving the short version. DJT is a fascist, megalomaniac, misogynist, racist, corrupt, lying douche bag who encourages his followers to commit violence and openly bragged he could shoot someone in the middle of 5th avenue and not get arrested. (I’m not providing citations for all of these claims, do gods damned google search if you need sources of confirmation) If all of that wasn’t bad enough, he talks about how terrible America is and how he’s gonna make it great again.

How is America terrible in his mind?

Is it the increased racial equality since he was young? Is it the independence of modern American women? Is it that Americans are increasingly and proudly exercising their freedom of speech? Is it the acceptance and equal rights for the LGBT citizens of our nation? Is it the acceptance of other cultures which despite what the media keeps telling us is only growing? Is it the fact that American are hard and industrious workers? Is it the increased empathy which leads us to want to help the less fortunate? Is it our strong and vibrant all volunteer military?

What is it sir, what do you want to change?

Kick out all foreigners? Put women back in the kitchens and bedrooms where you can force them to kiss you and grab them by the pussy and call them fat pigs? The world where you’re free to send even more of job overseas like you have so many of the ones in your company? Are we going to start nuking everyone and killing as many civilians as possible? A world were all environmental, and food regulations are removed or neutered? The world without affordable healthcare and education? The world where nonwhites are the enemy?

The 1950’s are dead and buried. We’re better off without them.

Now for my vote.

I am not going to actively defend why I’m voting for HRC. There will be no falling on my sword for the former Goldwater Girl. We all know the criticisms thrown at her but I’ll give a very brief rundown and my feelings about them. Let’s get the biggie, at least amongst some of the people I know, out of the way. Now let’s confront Benghazi.

The attack on the American Embassy in Benghazi is complete and utter bullshit as a scandal. Is it horrible that four people died at the embassy? Of course, it is. But was there some conspiracy or gross, willful negligence that lead to the tragedy? Not in the least. At worst the State Department, which HRC ran at the time, can be accused of is the bad management of the aftermath. These things have been proven by MULTIPLE GOP lead congressional investigations which have cost us (the American Taxpayers) millions of dollars and yielded nothing but vindication.

Moving on.

Now let’s talk a little about the Clinton Foundation and the private Email server. Why am I combining the two? Because I have a similar opinion on them. I think both of the situations are questionable and she is skating on charges because of her money and connections. Do I think she used the foundation to Launder money? Maybe but probably not, the Clinton Foundation has done a lot of good in the world and seems to be one of the better organizations of its kind. Not perfect but it’s good definitely outweighing the bad. What I do think happened is that outside individuals used their donations to the Foundation in orde3r to gain access to HRC and former President Clinton. It was an unofficial pay for play set up, not technically illegal but definitely slimy. When it comes to the email server, I think it’s something many other politicians have done, and they all should be called to the carpet on it. I think it was illegal and I do not think anything will ever come of it for her or any of the other hundreds of politicians who’ve done similar things.

I don’t like HRC. I think she is a corporatist right wing conservative democrat who would’ve fit in brilliantly with the 1980’s GOP establishment. She is the epitome of the bought and paid for politician. She looks out for her backers and donors first and the public second. She’ll change her mind and position on almost anything to gain and advantage and doesn’t see any of us as real people with thoughts, feelings, hopes, and dreams. In other words, she’s really no different than any other career politician in the United States and gods help us she’s the only thing standing between us and the American Fascists.

That’s why I’m voting for her.