(If I may say, I've had a pretty shitty, uh, 18 hours. Father accused me of not looking for another job -- I haven't, but that's because I'm happy with the job I have -- and then today I had a huge back-up on the way to work, thus losing all the advantage in time I thought I got even though I voted before going to work, and then this asshole didn't look back and hold the door open for me while getting into the building. Just a weird vibe I'm feeling ... is it because of Election Day?)
Yes, I voted for Hillary Clinton. I do so with some trepidation: I think she is too cozy with Wall Street, she is a hawk when it comes to defense and world affairs, and honestly, I'm still not really over that her husband fucked around with an intern while he was President. (I have no issues with her standing by him, I just have sort of a problem that the soon-to-be First Husband used to fuck around with an intern while he was leading The Free World. And by the way, I'm taking Clinton's weaknesses as my own after reading Charlie Pierce regularly on Esquire.com. I really have no original ideas anymore.)
However, even though I know a lot of people who will vote for Clinton while holding their noses, I'm not at that point. I am OK with voting for her. In fact, I am more than OK with voting for her. And I can affirmatively vote for Clinton for several reasons. Like her or not, she is more than qualified for the office; remember that she has served as a Senator and as a Secretary of State. She has worked in government -- effectively -- for more than three decades, especially helping children. And from what I have heard, she is a policy wonk that gets shit done. No, she isn't a great campaigner or speaker or politician, but once she gets into the White House, she doesn't really have to do any of that. She actually, you know, governs. And there is plenty of testimony, from Republicans as well as Democrats, that she knows what to do and how to do it.
Before I list all the obvious things that make her opponent uniquely unqualified, I want to say something about the philosophical arguments against voting for Clinton and why one could ever vote for Donald Trump. First of all, a lot of people dismiss all the shit Trump has said because, according to them, "It's just words. I'm less concerned about what he said than what she (or her husband) did." Ignoring the obviously distorted accusations that form the basis of the "doings" they accuse the Clintons of, despite his distinct lack of civil service (which is a huge demerit for me), Trump has done things -- a lot of things that convince me that he has no business being in the White House unless he's taking a tour. Ties and debt to Russia? Multiple bankruptcies? And, by the way, vague concepts about how to deal with the problems this country faces instead of actual plans? And where the hell are your taxes, anyway?
However, let this damned campaign he's running prove that sometimes words do matter. All the insults and threats and baiting that is the bedrock of his candidacy disqualifies him from the presidency. I do not want a stupid, vapid, lying pig whose views (and I'm not sure if he truly believes them or not) are the voice of so many Americans leading this country. He has been so hateful, and he has capitalized so well on that hate, that now I feel the need to use my vote to stomp out his campaign and with it the hopes and dreams of far too many goddamn people who share this country with me. He truly leads an enemy of millions, and they'll need to be torn asunder lest we need to face them again in two or four years. So yeah, words do matter.
(And by the way, I've heard that people like to vote for candidates they think "they can drink a beer with." Uh, news flash: Candidates for president will never drink a beer with you. Because they have more important shit they need to do. So stop with this "everyman" crap, it's never going to happen. Only Trump supporters think this way.)
I think I need to end this now. Besides, if I keep going on with my thoughts, I don't think I'll stop. I'll just say that if Trump becomes President, I have no doubt that he won't give a shit about doing the government's business. He'll leave it all up to Mike Pence while he goes around trying to make money for himself. That's how he'll give up, like, nuclear secrets to Russia in exchange for millions or millions in forgiven debt. That's going to happen; he doesn't give a damn about running this country, he's only out for himself. (How so many people don't see that bothers the hell out of me.) Meanwhile, with Clinton in the White House, shit might actually get done. Because she's serious about this job. She's the only one who is. And if she doesn't make Wall Street heel, or if she steps up drone-bombing campaigns in the Middle East, we'll have to make her. Because that is what democracy is -- the people stepping up and telling the people in government what we want them to do.
So that's why I voted for Clinton, and you should, too.
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