Saturday, October 8, 2016

It's Not Too Late


My latest newspaper column:
The Dallas Morning News. The Arizona Republic. The Cincinnati Enquirer, The New Hampshire Union-Leader, The Richmond Times-Dispatch. The San Diego Union-Tribune. Et mucho cetera. Conservative newspapers, which have always endorsed the Republican candidate for president, some of them for well over a century. Not now. In rejecting Donald Trump, most endorsed Hillary Clinton. A couple nodded to Gary “Aleppo?” Johnson. USA Today, having never opined on a presidential race, implored readers not to vote for Trump. 
“Dangerous, unstable, liar, thin-skinned, vindictive, uninformed, ” they said, costing them readers and evoking death threats. (Death threats: America’s answer to Voltaire.) Turns out defending true conservatism is heroic. 
I agree liberals don’t have exclusive answers to our many problems. (We’re totally right about trickle-down economics, though.) I get why people dislike Hillary Clinton, even if their reasons are largely based on Foxilimbeckojonesean lies and exaggerations. I know people want “change.” But it’s long past time for true conservatives to admit, as The Atlantic put it, an “ostentatiously unqualified” person has won the nomination of their party, one who neither represents their politics nor the kind of change they want; who ought never become the personification of The United States to the world. Simple observation is all it takes. 
Donald Trump spent last week tweeting awfulness about a former Miss Universe because Hillary Clinton berated his treatment of her. He couldn’t stop himself. Day after day it continued, childishly, compulsively. Well, Trumpites, fustigation comes with the political territory. Only the most Foxilimbeckojonesian can say President Obama hasn’t handled the disrespect he’s received from Republicans with dignity and restraint. What would Donald do to those who offend his brittle ego? What has he done throughout his career, and threatened to do as president? If the prospect doesn’t frighten you, I’d love to know the medications you’re on. 
An embarrassing onslaught of adolescent insults and incoherent rambling followed his debate loss. To a woman! During the VP debate Donald tweeted that Hillary’s ties to Putin, for whom he professes admiration, with whose country he does business, need to be investigated! And he mocked Tim Kaine’s looks. What sort of mind... ?
I’ve heard from readers who declaim their hatred of “everything” about liberals, using it to excuse supporting a candidate so obviously lacking integrity. “It’s not a personality contest,” one reasoned, evidently ignorant of the difference between personality and character. It’s impossible to open their eyes to the malignant mentality of Donald Trump. If he hates the same things they hate, it’s immaterial that he’s a psychologically unfit, narcissistic, vengeful, congenital prevaricator who, throughout his life, has shown no sense of personal or shared responsibility. “Finally,” they say. “Someone who thinks like I do.”
Backing a man so bereft of decency, a “businessman” who’s cheated, broken laws, gone bankrupt (losing a billion dollars in an up market and using trickle-down tax law to pay no taxes shows “business savvy,” they say, faces straight as a rifle barrel); needed daddy’s bailouts, repeatedly, to keep him afloat; run scams and phony, illegal charities; been sued thousands of times; regularly stiffed and bullied people who worked for him; a recidivist vulgarian who smears his opponent for her husband’s infidelities while claiming he’s proud of his marital behavior (but pled The Fifth about it in court) – this confirms they’d vote for anyone, no matter how unsuited, even a classic demagogue, as long as he’d enrich them or punish people unlike themselves. This is immorality greater than Trump’s: he can’t control himself. They could. 
My pen pals won’t change, nor will the white supremacists flocking to Trump. I disbelieve they represent all supporters, though. Surely there are some to whom the continuing revelations of his incompetent and unscrupulous behavior will reach the point of awakening. Those Republican newspapers got there, after all. And they have company
It’s always been too late for my epistolers, but not for you, honorable conservatives. If Hillary Clinton is as bad as you think, and if your party finds a credible candidate, it should be easy to defeat her in four years. This singular election isn’t about political philosophy. It’s about keeping a vulgar, sociopathic grifter out of the Oval Office. Have the self-respect to acknowledge and act on it. It can be our little secret.
[Image source]

13 comments:

  1. Time has run out for holdout Republican politicians. If they don't renounce Trump - right now - they'll find that the orange scum will not wash off. Their future opponents will damage them simply by asking the Trump question.

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  2. Sid:

    Have a sip of Elijah Craig Small Batch and relax. I still believe, as I said several months ago, that this will be a blow out for Hillary. I'm a conservative and have been, I believe, since I was in the womb. My thoughts on matters always seem to fall to the right of any line drawn, though I do listen (and enjoy doing so) to arguments from the left. My visceral (and hard, at times) to keep under control thoughts on things like "gun control" run from: "That would be two hands on the weapon" to "When you come for mine, bring yours, you'll need them. Etc., etc., etc.

    But, with all of that, I cannot even stomach the thought of voting for Trump. Voting for Hillary would be an option, but I cannot bring myself to do that either even though I know that all she is is Richard Nixon minus his warmth, compassion, honesty and humor.

    I reserve my anger, therefore, for both parties for presenting us with this Hobson's Choice of an election. Therefore, keep an eye on the election returns in November and you might see a write-in-vote for James Webb as President ("I wouldn't pee on Jane Fonda if she were on fire.") and James Mattis for VP ("Be polite. Be professional. Have a plan to kill everyone you meet.")

    It's the only thing I can do to vent the anger of being presented with these two and calm my conservatives soul.

    Hillary in a blowout. It's going to happen. I'll even buy the bottle of Elijah Craig.

    Larry

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  3. I understand why you can't vote for Hillary, Larry; although, as I wrote, in this case -- this singular case of momentous import -- it's not about political philosophy but about ensuring that such a horrifying vulgarian doesn't get within a parsec of the Oval Office. And whereas Hillary will surely win in WA, I think that despite her many flaws, she needs to get as many votes as possible so that (god willing) Trump is vanquished so thoroughly in the popular vote that his kind won't soon appear on the national stage again.

    I've always mostly liked James Webb, although at this point I'd be ready to forgive Jane Fonda for her youthful stupidity. She's admitted it, too. Hell, I wrote a letter to LBJ when I was in college, telling him that if he says we need to be in the war, I believed him. Four years later, at med school graduation, I wore a peace symbol on my gown. People change; as long as it's for the better, I can live with their pasts.

    I will, of course, happily accept the offer of a shared sip of Elijah.

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  4. Some days more than others I like being right...I really like being right this time.

    In less than 3 days, it happened exactly as I said it would.

    (paraphrased) "Trump will never be POTUS and the election will be a landslide the likes we have not seen." I said that months ago.

    Less than three days ago I said...

    "We are about to get introduced to the real Trump. Trumps' world is going to crash down around him in the next 30 days. Trump will wish that a fat Miss Universe is all the news is talking about. Watch and see. They just shut down his charity in NY. Trump U and now the TV show peoples are coming forward with Trump stories of how he treated the contestants and crew."

    "I can't imagine this is the end. I can't believe someone has not hacked Trump."

    October 3, 2016 at 9:30 PM Delete

    Any Trump supporters and/or Red teams cheer squad want to play poker with me? Christmas is coming and it's the time of year I actually do go play poker. I got 8 empty seats for Trump/Red Team faithfuls.

    Now then...Let's get down to what matters...

    I will be happy to be executive producer for the new Kasie Hunt Channel. 24 hours of nothing but Kasie. That's what America wants, that's what America needs!

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  5. I am already sick of hearing Tpubs denounce Trump. Making lame excuses like "I didn't know""It's not so bad, alot of men do it.""Political correctness is killing America""We need more prayer in school and less violent video games" Then go on w/o taking a breath about what they 'know'.

    To those people I say...

    How the Hell can you tell me or anyone anything if you can't tell a terribly flawed person from the good? How do you make it through life oblivious as to what people REALLY think about you. Then blabber on about what kind of person Hillary is. These people "KNOW"? about Hillary. Sorry, y'all don't know Hillary any better than anyone else you've never met and see on TV, radio etc. How many of you know anything about show biz? OK...How many have ran a political campaign? Ran for office of any kind? How about rubbed elbows with lots of famous people? Unless you've been there, you do not know. Unless you have real awareness. You don't know. People are weird creatures. Very complicated. Being a shrink does NOT make one an expert on people. But, Trump supporters know better and then wonder why this country is so f'd up? Trump supporters ARE THE REASON America is a mess, so quit complaining and blaming and try something different.

    I am sorry...If you are so ignorant and blind as to support Trump in any way shape or form...and learn nothing. Deflect, make excuses like the "I know what I am, but what are you" defense. Which is an appropriate defense for someones soul that never made it past grade school...and that's an insult to kids in grade school. Kids are completely turned off by Trump. Not a single one thinks Trump is a good person and this was before yesterdays news. CHILDREN are more informed and intuitive about decency and human nature than adults who support Trump.

    Now then...

    These are the type of opinions, and the way I write that gets an immediate "eww"/"testy" response. Ignore the facts because you don't like the way someone puts something. "Watch FOX much?" would be my response. Rail against "Political Correctness" as you criticize someone not being "politically Correct".

    Then get more of the same BS from the same people about FOX being the light and every other news outlet is the lying darkness full of big gay black men with pink curlers in their hair looking for the first conservative to marry and forcibly have them toss the salad after just grabbing their wiener w/o warning! Shoot em' all!

    While the "lying darkness" news outlets were breaking about Trumps latest B.S. FOX was on full hurricane/flood mode for hours. HOURS!!! HELLO? I actually watched FOX. I KNOW what is going on because I choose to really find out because I really do give a shit. I also don't go on and on about shit I know nothing about. I hate being wrong. I love showing people and telling them about things they'd never know otherwise. I especially love seeing it coming in advance when nobody else can see it clearly. That happens all the time. Just ask anyone who's been around me for any length of time. I have an uncanny way of seeing things before they happen. Nobody believes that either...But then, they don't really know what they are talking about. They've never spent any real time with me either...See how it perpetuates?

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  6. Absolutely on point, Smoove. To have excused the obvious for his entire campaign and suddenly wake up when his well-known misogyny is finally on the record for what it is (sexual predation) is the height of hypocrisy. As others have said, they've been ok with his hating of Mexicans, Hispanics, Blacks, immigrants, disabled, reporters... but when it's white women, well, that's too much.

    John McCain could swallow his pride and endorse for many months. Now he can't. Well, good for him, way too late to save his soul and reattach his balls.

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  7. Now the defense is "What Trump SAID was (any word but the word 'deplorable'). Too funny. Ayotte didn't jump ship. They all fail to respond to what he said he did.

    If Trump is POTUS, my advice to Putin is guard your pee pee.

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  8. About 80% of the people I work with-all women-are going to vote for Trump. There seems to be literally nothing I can say that will give them pause regarding Hillary. Certainly they are low information voters. They did have to admit they don't know if Trump would really follow through on his promise to use his huge knowledge of the tax code to help the non wealthy. No matter. It's not about facts. It's about FEELINGS. Nope can't vote for nut kicking, lesbian, feminazi, baby murdering, BENGHAZI! Bitch!
    There seems to exist a religious certainty amongst these folks AND the community they live in that every lie Limbaugh and Fox has told about Hillary is scientific fact.
    If not for cognitive dissonance I fear they would suffer terrible cognitive distress.

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  9. Hook, line, and sinker. Foxification is a powerful and frightening thing.

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  10. The "Foxified" (My spell checks only suggestion was "Detoxified"). I added "Foxified to my dictionary. In my personal Thesaurus, "Truthiness" is an option for anything "FOX".

    The same people who refuse to dump Trump(Women especially), are the same people in the 80's who said our kids will turn into murderous tikes and kill cops by listening to music, video games, movies, TV etc. That it would sully our American ideals. In DOOM (a very popular video game from the 80's), a person runs around with a chainsaw killing mutant pigs in an intense 8 bit animation in bathrooms and concession stands. THE HORROR!

    Tipper Gore lead the charge for ratings on all media. Till then, only motion pictures had ratings regarding age.

    That's what the FOX 'news' demographic was terrified about before FOX was even a twinkle in Roger Ailes eye.

    So what really happened?

    The kids are more intelligent than the FOX demographic. While the FOX demo rails about kids writing like this "How r u bae". Not using cursive. Everyone gets a trophy etc.

    Meanwhile the kids are learning about the world around them at an astonishing rate and doing schoolwork in JHS and High School that the FOX demo learned in college. Meanwhile, grampa can't send a Tweet or email anyone. Their grand kids are their tech support.

    The folks in the 80's worried about violent, sex charged juveniles. They are the same folks who were actually effected by media. FOX in particular. "2nd Amendment solutions" Racism is alive and well in America. The vast majority of Kids are not racists. They easily engage the world and easily relate to people all over the globe except N. Korea. The FOX demo fears most of the worlds people.

    The damage FOX and the very very wealth has done is so deep and far reaching that it truly is a clear and present danger.

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  11. Current events might require a change, but the newspaper column I'm working on for next starts with the phrase "Win or lose, Donald Trump has done incalculable damage to America." It certainly applies to all of those who laid the groundwork for Trumpism, too.

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  12. Oh Smooth, you just cranked me around like a Rubrics cube.
    I seem to recall that parents of a kid who committed suicide sued the band Judas Priest around 1986 or so.
    A tradegy exploited by a farce. Something like 90%+ of so called Satan worshipping kids say they're just trying to piss off their parents or the hypocrisy of the holy rollers.
    Can't forget Jesse Helms and the art police of the 80s
    Piss Christ??!!!! Hang the NEA by its testicals!
    When the screamers resort to the " hey you damn kids get off my lawn" its just sad. Funny how the FOX demographic never talks about the good old days before penicillin or when blacks were lynched for terror.
    But its fading. Every generation has an expiration date even if takes 100 years. Even the last surviving WWI veterans didn't pass until a few years ago so the 1950s will be with us for awhile but is still fading.
    In the mean time there is a Supreme Court vacancy that needs filled and that's change that matters

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  13. "Win or lose, Donald Trump has done incalculable damage to America."

    I think that's a very fair analysis.

    Dan...

    "I seem to recall that parents of a kid who committed suicide sued the band Judas Priest around 1986 or so." I do remember that. Alice Cooper and Ozzie were being sued along the way too. Dee Snider, Henry Rollins. I am pretty sure that's about the time (Reagan/Bush Era). Then right through the 90's. By like '96, they had managed to rate most if not all media.

    I am pretty sure every generation on the way out has said "Kids these days"

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