Monday, October 31, 2016

It Will Soon All Be Over

"This idea that Trump represents such a threat to western civilization -- it's often predicted about presidents and nothing ever happens -- yet if Trump wins it will be an amazing moment of change because it would destroy the power structure of the Republican party the power structure of the Democratic party and destroy the power of the media."
Camille Paglia, author, professor of humanities, University of the Arts, Philadelphia

"Everyone -- everyone -- is knocked down in life."
"And my mother showed me and taught me, what matters is whether you get back up. And those of us who are people of faith know that getting back up is what we are called to do."
"It's unprecedented [revelations by James Comey, director of the FBI] and it is deeply troubling because voters deserve to get full and complete facts."
Hillary Clinton, U.S. presidential candidate, Democrat

"[Clinton] set up this illegal server knowing full well that her actions put our national security at risk."
"We have one ultimate check on Hillary's corruption, and that is the power of voting. Hillary put the office of secretary of state up for sale and, if she ever got the chance, she'd put the Oval Office up for sale too."
Donald J. Trump, U.S. presidential candidate, Republican

Either of these unlikeable, deeply compromised candidates for President of the United States of America would, under any other circumstances, appear some lunatic's idea of a bad, bad joke. It is difficult to believe that American politics have become so degraded and desperately at conflict that candidates of their ilk would represent the best that the United States has to offer at this time. It is a mind-bogglingly frightening reality that either would become president.

The ongoing investigation into whether Mrs. Clinton violated American laws in her casual disregard of classified emails has yet to render a definitive opinion, but the odour that emanates from the issue and Mrs. Clinton's evasive tactics, along with her obvious links while Secretary of State to her husband's Clinton family charity in effect selling to high bidders entree to the inner sanctorums of government is shudderingly reflective of an inappropriate candidate to put it politely.

Why Mr. Comey made his decision when he did, citing 'pertinent' information forthcoming when the newly-revealed emails surfaced on a computer owned by a disreputable, discredited, tawdry sexual molester matching the tarnished record of Mrs. Clinton's husband, both of whom appear as sullied as Donald Trump's own record as a perverse and ugly misogynist denigrating women even while appraising them for their possibilities, is not yet clear. Other than the kind of outraged denunciations he was subject to the first time around when he declared malfeasance but no grounds to prosecute.

The polarized, disgustingly sleazy campaign must present as a delightful diversion to the leaders of China and Russia. Viewing from afar the decibel-level of disbelief and antic manoeuvres and declarations of ultimate grubbiness must surely satisfy schadenfreude at its most appreciative descent into madness. The superiority and righteousness of democracy as the ultimate human-rights defending equalizer of society, stumbling and falling off a humbling cliff.

There will be no dignity in this woman ascending the presidency. And nor would there be any reason to smile should the debased and bizarre Trump trump her for the vote. The world will have cause to tremble and moan when either of the two candidates declares victory; only slightly less so should Hillary Clinton become the first female American president. Stoicism will be required over the succeeding four years and the wish that all that preceded the vote swiftly becomes a forgettable agony of disgrace.

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