The Race is On - in America

Who has not watched the American primaries over the past year?  Only someone in deepest, darkest . . . nowhere!

The comparison of the two parties throughout has been one of starkest contrast.  The one side civilized and respectful even when things became heated or contentious while the other side was staggeringly disrespectful, obnoxious and childish.  I don’t understand the American style of politics and history has shown that the system is not ideal and in fact can be very dysfunctional.  I recall learning in our Canadian history class that when our founding fathers deliberated during Confederation they examined the American system (fresh off their Civil War) and decided that a centralized government was the way to go rather than adhering to “states’ rights”.  As evidenced by President Obama’s very difficult tenure with both the Congress and the Senate loaded with Republicans the method seems really very peculiar.

All that analysis aside one next must wonder what would motivate any rational person to trust Donald Trump.  The key word being “rational”.  Superficially one could perhaps hear words that sound appealing but can anyone possibly believe that he could fulfill any of the things he says he will do?  One question popped up over the weekend by some of the “sharpest minds” in politics and that is “why is he even running for president?”  His whole career has been on of, shall we say, self-aggrandizement so it is quite a stretch to think that at his time of life he feels he is ready to do public service.  One also has to have amnesia in order to forget all the abusive things that have spewed out of his mouth over the years (and is that possible?)

By contrast we have the Democratic candidate having lived her whole adult life in the service of the public cause.  I have always liked and even admired Hillary Clinton as a person, speaker and public figure.  I cannot understand it when people say “I don’t like her”.  Plain and simple, I don’t understand.  Watching the Democratic convention and hearing her husband speak so highly of her, as well as so many other admired and loved Democrats I believe that this party has put everything together and will run an excellent campaign.

But, in the end, the media will skew the news to favour the party they want to win and unfortunately people are led in ways they may afterwards regret. 

So here is something to think about media folks, when you paint a politician a certain way understand where that path will lead.  I will say this on behalf of Mr. Trump, creating a cartoon character and making him into a buffoon (with or without his help) – you are not doing the country any favours and you are diminishing his credibility.  It’s time to bring responsible reporting into the campaign and ignore all the stupidity.  Maybe he will grow up and stop backlash tweeting. 

One can always hope.