I’m not a “fan” of Hillary Clinton.  That being said, I’m also not someone who doesn’t like her or doesn’t appreciate what she’s done over the years.  She’s served America in many different important capacities.  I’ve always simply considered her more “conservative” than what I consider to be the foundation which built America’s great middle class which was the “New Deal” of Franklin Roosevelt and the “Great Society” of Lyndon Johnson.  During the years from the 1930’s until roughly the late 70’s workers in America were considered the backbone of this nation.  Certainly Mrs. Clinton is to the left of the republican party (which has been attacking her relentlessly for a couple decades now) but, considering where we find republicans these days, being to the “left” of them doesn’t make someone “progressive” in my eyes.

However, just as we’ve seen President Obama turn to the “left” in his last couple of years in the White House (and, if you haven’t noticed, correspondingly his approval ratings have risen) I believe the candidacy of Bernie Sanders has “pushed” Mrs. Clinton closer to what I would consider the positions that can make this nation healthy again.  Lately, I’ve heard that she’s talking about making college affordable (hopefully free) and pushing for a raise in the minimum wage.  I’m guessing that the issue of income inequality will be a part of her “stump speech” as the campaign progresses.  Additionally, I’m hoping there will be some “hint” of pushing for the “public option” that SHOULD have been an integral part of the original ACA (AKA “Obamacare”) Mrs. Clinton is considered by many to be a “hawk” when it comes to the military and I have to say this is where some of my uneasiness comes from.  I’m looking forward to the day when America is no longer assuming the role of the “world’s policeman.”

The reality of America’s “professional military” – that is, a military that’s not supported by a draft – has allowed our leaders to demonstrate on multiple occasions they’ve learned nothing from the lessons of Viet Nam.  George W Bush and Dick Cheney demonstrated this FACT on steroids with the fiascos in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Of course, the aftermath of Iraq is what has led to a totally destabilized Middle East and an out of control “terrorist” group known as “ISIS” or ISIL” depending on who you’re listening to.  ISIL (I’ll use President Obama’s acronym) is an outgrowth of “Al Qaeda in Iraq” which didn’t exist until the Bush/Cheney illegal and unprovoked invasion of a sovereign nation which had not attacked the United States – the first time in our history this atrocity has happened.  Of course, Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld couldn’t resist the temptation to show their complete disregard for American law and International law by authorizing the use of TORTURE on “enemy combatants.”

To make it worse, an “enemy combatant” was whomever Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld – and their “assigns” – decided it was.  Guantanamo (GITMO), Abu Ghraib (ironically, the same prison that Saddam Hussein used to TORTURE Iraqi citizens), and the several “black holes” around the world where the United States military would send “enemy combatants” to be “rendered” all seemingly were filled to capacity.  I’ve read several books reporting on the conditions in these places and what went on there and it makes you think it’s time for America to “intervene” in the deplorable disregard of “human rights.”  Of course, then the reality sinks in that it’s us (the U.S.) committing the atrocities.  “We the people” have to accept our responsibility in all of this because we’re the ones who keep electing people like Bush/Cheney into office – and, then let them get away with being WAR CRIMINALS.  I could write several posts about how “enemy combatants” were “chosen” and what happened to many of them, but suffice it to say that MOST of the people at GITMO and Abu Ghraib should never have been there and the FACT that several died while experiencing the Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld “enhanced interrogation” should give any American with a sense of commitment to our core principals “pause.”

President Obama, soon after moving into the White House, said “America doesn’t TORTURE” and that the tactics used by Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld would not be used again.  You can go back and read many of my posts – I WAS NOT HAPPY when President Obama did this.  And, then he said there would be no investigations of the Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld (and others) illegal activity because we were going to “look forward instead of back.”  I couldn’t believe he would do that, especially since he was a constitutional law expert.  I knew what the result would be (again, you can read my posts at the time, I’m not trying to be boastful – just stating that it didn’t take a constitutional expert to figure out the error of that decision) and we’re on the verge of “reliving” that reality.

I think that President Obama just can’t bring himself to believe that the American people would elect someone of the caliber of Donald Trump to be president, but that possibility is definitely on the horizon.  And, the CONSTANT and decades long right wing assault on Hillary Clinton is what makes this possibility even more alarming.  Donald Trump has boastfully claimed (I’ve heard it myself) that he will authorize “Waterboarding and a lot more.”  His right wing “Tea Party type followers cheer at the thought – which simply reinforces my original disgust with President Obama’s decision to “look the other way” regarding WAR CRIMES.  There should be NO DOUBT in the minds of the American public and anyone running for President – or for that matter – ANYONE in a position to authorize or carry out TORTURE – that it is ILLEGAL and carries significant PENALTIES.

George W Bush, Dick Cheney, and Donald Rumsfeld should ALL have been impeached and faced criminal prosecution for authorizing TORTURE.  Not only the Waterboarding, but they had no boundaries on what they did to “enemy combatants.”  Evidently, they – and many of the people who today are supporting Trump – think that America is above International Law (what’s interesting is the Geneva Conventions are, in large part, the result of American support for the human rights movement) and, with regard to those around the world who are shocked by our abuse of human rights – essentially “screw them.”  They still seem to be oblivious to the international backlash that is aimed squarely at America and is building up steam.  I can guarantee you that if the American voters somehow choose Trump as President that things will get a LOT worse before (and if) they get better.

I wrote sometime back that all the Trump “haters” in the republican party will eventually fall in line and they’ll start funneling all the money that’s available to getting him elected.  I have no doubt that behind the scenes – as I’m writing this – the big money people are cluing Trump in on what he’s going to do and say for the rest of the campaign.  He’ll either fall in line, or they will threaten to hold back the money (and, believe me, Trump does NOT have the funds to run a presidential campaign on his own “dime”)  And, these people (The Koch network for example) are brilliant political operatives and they will turn the dialogue TOTALLY away from Trump and put their anti Hillary campaign on steroids.  I’m already seeing the subliminal adds on the internet pop up when I’m browsing – for example, with yes or no questions like “Should Hillary Clinton be in prison?”  Yes, these come from the same people who support the TORTURE and scoff at the idea that maybe Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld are the ones who should be in prison.

Mrs. Clinton was, obviously, not wise to have an email server at her home.  However, receiving sensitive info on personal email accounts is not unique to Mrs. Clinton.  If you were around in the 90’s you know to what lengths the republicans will go to in their perpetual effort to find scandals in regards to the Clintons.  In reality, I don’t want to be defending either Bill or Hillary Clinton any more than to say the obvious – and that is the republicans are more obsessed with finding a scandal than they are with governing.  I’d like to see EVERY candidate for president be treated the same and that would mean Trump should make his emails public.  Actually, what I’d really like to see from Trump is his taxes.  If he manages to win the White House without disclosing his taxes – well, again, that’s on us – “we the people.”  If we’re stupid enough to allow that to happen, then we deserve what we get.  To me, that this is a possibility demonstrates the absurdity of calling our media “liberal.”  Mrs. Clinton’s emails are a big deal, but Trump’s taxes are not.  Yikes!

I have a very good friend who told me the other day he’s going to vote for Trump.  He (like me) is a Christian, although he still hasn’t figured out what Fox “news” is doing to his brain.  It’s really difficult to reason with anyone who’s addicted to Fox.  When I asked him if he read any books his answer was an emphatic NO!  He said, “I barely graduated from high school.”  (we both graduated in 1965)  When I asked him where his information was coming from the two words that mostly caught my attention were “O’Reilly” and “Hannity.”  His reason for voting for Trump instead of Mrs. Clinton was “morals.”  That’s correct, the Fox crew has him believing that Donald Trump is moral and Mrs. Clinton is a “liar.”  I didn’t know what to say (he said, “you’re not going to change my mind”) and I don’t know how long it will be until “we the people” fully understand the DAMAGE Fox “news” and the right wing talkers like Rush Limbaugh are having on this nation.  (Yes, my friend listens to Rush)  Again, I’m not trying to defend Hillary Clinton here as if I’m a strong supporter (I’m one of the millions who’ve sent dollars to Bernie Sanders) but, to suggest voting for Donald Trump because of “moral” reasons borders on the absurd to me.

I want to say my friend has been brainwashed – but, in reality, I believe all of us – “we the people” have been brainwashed for many years.  It’s just that the people behind the right wing push in America since the 70’s and the “Powell memo” are much better at this than those who consider themselves “progressive.”  And, this is the very reality that is bothering me the most right now.  As I look at the attacks on Mrs. Clinton the reality of Trump winning the election in the fall becomes more plausible.  I’m certain the attacks are only going to intensify and if the so-called “liberal media” continues to act in a shameful manner as they almost continue nurturing the Trump campaign to “keep things interesting,”  the unthinkable might happen.  Check your history books regarding 1930’s Germany and look at the parallels.  Republicans have already proved they haven’t learned from history vis a vi Iraq and Afghanistan.  To me, the question becomes, how low do we want to go?

How long will “we the people” allow our media to continue their failure to “vet” Donald Trump on anything resembling what they’re doing (and have done) to Mrs. Clinton?  Let’s start be demanding the disclosure of Trump’s taxes!