You should probably sit down… This is gonna take a minute…
Originally, I said I wanted to start writing about Election 2016 at the beginning of 2016 because our general election cycles have started running together – They just start too early and drone on and on and on…
At some point, we’ll finish a general election in November, take the holiday’s off, then begin the campaign all over again in January of the very next year. Get used to it…
So when January, 2016 arrived and we were faced with 17 Republican candidates insulting each other via debate, I was unmotivated. I decided to wait until the Grand Old Party made a decision about their nominee and THEN start writing.
Donald Trump is a capitalist, Hillary Clinton is a public servant. Since I don’t take sides in politics, my argument about the Presidency being the #1 public service job in the country stands. For this, Hillary Clinton should have been the right choice. But, voters just didn’t trust her not to be a career politician… There’s a difference…
The GOP nominated Donald Trump. I decided the post I wrote about the value of electing people who are public servants was more important than re-hashing the shenanigans of our nominees for President. This now includes Hillary Clinton and team.
Then Donald Trump won. No one – including Team Trump – was sure how it happened, but, it did. So now, I have the luxury of hindsight with which to speak and I’m still a bit stunned. But, the reality is here and there were just a few details worth discussion. Here goes:
Tax Returns: Every Presidential nominee in modern times has released their tax returns. Donald Trump should not have been given a pass on this. As a private citizen, he has the right to privacy. As a candidate for President, he’s obligated to answer to the people who are putting their trust in him at the voting booth.
POTUS is not his next television role. He’s not getting an Emmy or an Oscar for his portrayal. He’s actually going to be The President of the United States. The secret service is protecting him. We’re paying for that. He should have released his taxes.
Health and Fitness for the office: Once the nominees are confirmed for the Presidency, the Surgeon General’s office should conduct independent health exams of both.
Here’s why: Donald Trump spend months attempting to poke holes in Hillary Clinton’s health. He submitted a letter of good health from his personal physician that we shortly thereafter found out was typed in 5 minutes and not completely accurate.
Hillary Clinton had a run-in with Pneumonia during the campaign. Instead of taking a few days off, recovering and then getting back on the trail, she kept campaigning and made the news day by almost passing out in public. Not smart.
And while Donald Trump was gracious and wished her a speedy recovery, it opened a can of worms that only added to her unfavorables.
The fact is that both candidates are senior citizens, as-in over the age of 65. People get sick and the older we get, the less spritely we are. Neither were in a position to judge, but, the Surgeon General is…
The Foundations: As it turns out, both candidates have foundations. Hillary Clinton likely spent less time connected to the Clinton Foundation, but, because of her position as Secretary of State and her other indiscretions, it didn’t seem believable.
Donald Trump used his foundation inappropriately at times. But, it got less coverage than her mis-steps between the State Department and the Clinton Foundation. Less egregious because he was a private citizen? Not really, but, again, neither was in a position to judge the other on their foundations.
The Debates: Hillary Clinton had a lot of facts and figures. She used her years as a public servant to her advantage. It turned out to be less of an advantage and more of a confirmation that she would perpetuate the type of government we’ve had for all of the years she has been a public servant.
Donald Trump had no public service experience with which to speak. He spoke in repetition, using glittering generalities and platitudes defining his vision to “Make America Great Again.” Turns out this resonated with all of the voters in middle America who think politicians are liars.
And none of that ended up being the take-away. Their childishness with each other is what stuck with voters. He survived the judgement, likely because voters were used to him in that role; She did not.
In the end, she appeared to have won the debates and capture the talk about the results, but, he actually won in silence. This was clearly reflected on election night…
The insults: Hillary Clinton called Donald Trump’s voters, “A basket of deplorables.” This alienated voters. Donald Trump said to black voters, “What do you have to lose,” mocked a disabled reporter, made off-color comments about female reporters and entertainers, and continued to be linear in thinking about muslims in relation to terrorists.
Voters were accustomed to Donald Trump being insulting/childish; Hillary Clinton just became a worse version of herself in the eyes of voters…
The media: I’ll try to tread lightly here because I am a member of the media, but, this is likely the biggest affront of the entire campaign…
Both campaigns were at war with the media, which, isn’t necessarily new, but, this time it was different. This is where hindsight is 20/20…
Reporters, writers, pundits spent a year giving us their “expert” opinions of what’s going to happen. If you were watching the news election night, I’ll just say this: DEER IN THE HEADLIGHTS. They were all wrong.
And it’s not that there’s a liberal bias in the media, it’s more of an arrogance. So many of my colleagues think they have the answers to everything. They do more talking than listening, and continue to talk to the same people, speaking in the same voice. This gets them further and further away from perspective, I.E. ELECTION NIGHT!
They continue to agree with each other and validate each other and realize no connection to people outside their circle. Hillary Clinton stayed inside the circle like the media; Donald Trump capitalized on all of those people outside the circle…
I’m gonna wrap this us like so: We’re still allowing bias in the process. It’s the common denominator in all of the above. Fact is, Donald Trump didn’t win and Hillary Clinton didn’t lose – this election was voter against voter. Every underrepresented group didn’t line up behind Hillary Clinton and that’s how the majority won…
The candidates were insignificant bystanders. Believe it…
Is it over yet? Hmmmm… Stay tuned…
FOOTNOTE:
The language in The Constitution currently speaks only to requirements to BE President. NOMINATION should be contingent upon certain requirements:
Natural born U.S. citizen
35 years of age
U. S. residency for minimum 14 years
Add:
Release 10 years of tax returns
Pass Surgeon General supervised health exam
No conflicts of interest – business or personal
What do you think?
