John Andrist: Which Candidate Are You Against?
Donald Trump arrives with wife Melania to address the media at Trump Tower in New York after Tuesday's big victory in Indiana. "Who would have thought that I'd be here and we'd be waiting for Hillary?" Trump said, referring to Hillary Clinton's unfinished primary fight. Must credit: Washington Post photo by Ricky Carioti
Has the presidential primary election season seemed inordinately long for you?
Well, it seems to be near an end. And it seems pretty certain now that our choice in November will be between The Donald and Hillary or Bernie.
The most interesting phenomena, I think, is that none of them would have been on the ballot if we chose candidates the old way — thru political party function.
Interesting as well, our next president, more than any other in history, will be a person who we will decide is not as bad as the other.
Polls have repeatedly found about 60 percent of Americans don’t trust Hillary; a number of other polls gives Trump a 64 percent unfavorability rating. Use a clothespin on your nose if you want.
I don’t think anybody could like Donald Trump, even those who will feel he is the best choice. I don’t think anybody can honestly believe Hillary is trustworthy. The polls tell us so.
But to me she is the most likely to be elected. I am not one of her fans, but I can handle that better than the prospect that she is likely to get a Democrat Senate and possibly even the House — and most certainly the Supreme Court, which really holds the power of transforming America.
That said, nobody can really diagnose American thought in today’s world. We are simply too much all over the place.
And we are in a world where everything changes so much and so fast, including us. The older I get the more I seem to change my mind. I hardly recognize my old self.
[mks_pullquote align=”right” width=”300″ size=”24″ bg_color=”#ffffff” txt_color=”#000000″]Polls have repeatedly found about 60 percent of Americans don’t trust Hillary; a number of other polls gives Trump a 64 percent unfavorability rating. Use a clothespin on your nose if you want.[/mks_pullquote]
I’m on the record as predicting Hillary would never get the nomination. Now I’m picking she will win the prize. I was wrong again.
What makes me feel that way? Historically, Republican presidents have been elected by attracting Democrat votes. Democrats win by getting Republican votes.
There is a large body of both firmly entrenched Republicans and Democrats. We know how they vote, but those guys don’t get to decide.
Who does?
Even larger than the political parties is a party of centrists. “I vote for the man!” they boast. Some lean right, some left, and some straight up. They are particularly prevalent in the swing states.
There is also a large body of folks who really don’t care, vote only occasionally, and mostly tune out of political discussion.
But they often vote for president, mostly because we have told them over and over it is a duty of citizenship. Maye they use a dart board.
Between them, these are the groups that pick the winners.
Wow! See the pollution
There’s a lot of smoke in the air resulting from fires in far away northern Alberta.
Think of all that pollution and carbon! Where in the world is the EPA?
When the Exxon Valdez ran aground in Alaska, poisoning millions of fish and wildlife habitat, it was a pretty big deal for the big oil company. It cost billions to remediate, and on top of that EPA stuck them with a huge fine.
Same thing when BPs drilling platform blew up in the Gulf of Mexico. Big fine! Serves ‘em right.
For big corporations there is no such thing as an inadvertent accident.
That’s part of the frustration with wild fires and volcano eruptions. The EPA can’t figure out someone to fine. It must drive them crazy.
Maybe we should fine the EPA for doing such a poor job of catching the folks who have accidents.
Outrageous commercials
Some television commercials are simply outrageous.
I can handle most of them. You know, the stupid ones, the false claims, the over statement.
But one company really got me last week. Lear capital sells gold and silver. They had one commercial that suggested if you are a good American you will buy precious metals.
Then followed another that tries to scare us. We’re facing a certain economic collapse, and the only thing that can save us is if we all buy precious metals.
I came about as close as I’ve ever been to promoting a boycott, which sane men know is pretty stupid.
If precious metals are such a doggone good thing, why are they trying to sell them?
If you like gold, that’s fine. I just hope you won’t buy it from Lear Capital.
