Recall how Ralph Nader brought us George Bush? Liberals loved telling progressives how they brought us George Bush and eternal war. They conveniently forgot to mention that liberals voted for the PATRIOT ACT and the war in Afghanistan and their party brought us the Iraq War and stayed silent as Colin Powell lied through his teeth at the United Nations to justify a new hot war against Iraq in the name of freedom. It was Nader who brought this on us. Nader and the minute electorate that voted for him and, perhaps, the electorate that did not vote. Nader brought us Bush.
I feel no compunction about telling liberals these days that Hillary could bring us Trump. And every single liberal who votes for her could bring us Trump.
It is now 36 hours removed from the first debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. The first post-debate poll shows Hillary with a mild bump in her poll numbers – barely leading beyond the margin of error. This, after a debate which the Huffington Post and other allied neoliberal media outlets called the worst performance in the history of debates as seen in Donald Trump’s meltdown or some other such term so used by alt-prog liberals.
A candidate with even a shred of decency, nay, with even a shred of believable paternalistic “concern” would have clinched the election by now as the leaves turn color and we are within 6 weeks of the general election. Yet here is Donald Trump, a noxious dogwhistling billionaire (or maybe just millionaire as the alt-prog media shames him over) who is attracting white supremacists in record numbers, chugging along and smashing the predictions of pundits who said he wouldn’t run, then wouldn’t make it out of the first round of primaries, then wouldn’t win the primary, then wouldn’t survive the convention, then wouldn’t stay relevant past early September. Here is Trump. Trump is America as I said last December.
Hillary could bring us Trump. You, the voters, could bring us Trump. And yet, why should any of us be that concerned for the alternative is Hillary whose rhetoric and history has, like Trump, been par for the course for American history – one marinated in racism and elitism.
For America was never egalitarian either domestically or internationally. It raped the natives and led genocide against them as it bided its time and grew its domestic economy. And the mid-1800s hit and imperial America began with the brutal expansionist theft of Mexico. The Invasion of Mexico was followed by the later Spanish-American War which was not a battle in the United States or Spain but a battle in Cuba and the Philippines – a battle that was the logical extension of the Monroe Doctrine. So the US expanded its realm, colonizing and subjugating peoples in the name of liberalism. All this followed by domestic repression of the Palmer Raids and the continued Black Codes.
And all in the name of liberalism and Americanism, this country expanded domestic repression and international conquest. Hillary could bring us Trump. But both are quintessentially American.
Hillary preaches to the preachers in Black churches and feigns concern for Miss Machado, the pageant queen, who The Donald said gained weight. So we find Hillary one with minorities. That Hillary. The Jekyll to her own Hyde. That Hillary. The one of “superpredator” fame. That Hillary who backed fascist militants that murdered Berta Caceres. That Hillary who backed undemocratic coups against Latin American leaders. That Hillary. That Hillary who led smear attacks against rape victims. Hillary – her history – normalizes what Trump politically incorrectly speaks. He dogwhistles. She acts.
Hillary could end Trump if she opposed neoliberal trade deals. She could end Trump if she had a conscience. But as she said, late in the game, Trump’s schtick isn’t funny anymore. Last December she noted on NBC’s “Late Night With Seth Meyers”: “I have to say, Seth, I no longer think he’s funny.” Really Hillary? When was he funny? Was his months of racist abuse towards Latinos every “funny”? Apparently it was to her when it was brought up on late night shows. She could laugh about it. As if racist abuse can be funny in some form at some point.
Liberals and Hillary do not mind racism or they can accommodate it if it’s “funniness” can be parodied for shits and giggles. That is, they can, until it gains traction – for it is part and parcel of historical Americanism – and threaten their own political sinecures, which ironically are based on the twin form of racism – subjugation via paternalism.
When Trump chalked up his support for the recession and millions of lost jobs as being good for “business” and nothing worse than an opportunity for vultures as himself, Hillary didn’t bat an eyelash and continued with critiques of his demeanor and crude statements about individuals. Millions of lost jobs being an opportunity for business wasn’t a crass demonic cynicism that meant anything to her. For all her self-serving paens to her little man father, she has no concern for the little man or woman. After all, for Hillary, she lives that life. Her existence is precarious. Who can forget her claim that she and her husband were “dead broke” when they left the White House? Apparently many have forgotten or it is simply selective amnesia.
Hillary could give us Trump.
Nader gave us Bush?
Hillary could give us Trump.
And would there be any difference?