By Dawn M. Sanders
A viper is more outright dangerous and deadly, a common snake isn’t venomous, but more cunning in its defence.
The differentiation between the two US candidates for president is easy to define: the level of venom delivered by Donald Trump, versus the slither strategy coyly choreographed by Hillary Clinton.
The Atlantic puts both camps neatly into a nutshell, from Trump’s self-serving financial exploits to sexual escapades; versus the Clinton’s Whitewater scandal to mishandling of State Department e-mails – not to mention blatant voter fraud.
The publication rightly points out how Trump’s long list of sins is outright and fully documented, while Clinton’s collection of investigations and controversies inevitably dissolve into secrecy, as footprints in the sand leading to the truth, consistently disappear.
Between a business tycoon billionaire, resembling a pit viper with receptors to single out warm-blooded pray; To long standing insider, with a public and private face – personifying the snake of deception, it’s easy to see how they have both accomplished the degree of support they have – buying their ways to the top, it’s a bewildering circus.
No other presidential election is adorned with the level of grandiosity and drawn out drama, as the US presidential elections.
From the primary/caucus season to the inaugural parade – spanning nearly a year in length – coupled with the fact, anyone can run for president – well that is, if they’re 35 and resident for 14 years – leaving a carefully constructed democratic system wide open for abuse…
Even Bernie Sanders repeating the mantra: “The system is broken” in the end, had an agenda – albeit legitimate compared to the two nominees.
For those who supported Sanders, a vessel of coherent change from the grassroots – ‘feeling the burn’ of betrayal was real, as an expat observing from afar, the cries for “Bernie!” outside the televised Democratic Convention resonated with Democrats and supporters abroad – shattering the dream of peace and stability.
Sanders’ instantaneous switch from repeatedly condemning Clinton’s Wall Street ties, to sloganning: “Stronger together” was a head-spinning turn around.
Jill Stein, a side-lined alternative yet still in the running, who has my vote, speaks sensibly of “lesser evilism” stressing the desperate need for a third party in an either/or stalemate. As the American electorate fends for itself, self-educating on policy (or the lack of), weighing up principles (in which candidate has any) or the façade of poise and what lurks behind it.
So, who is the lesser of two evils? Well, I won’t be voting for Clinton, who does nothing to defend alleged voter fraud, which inevitably meant a raw deal for Bernie Sanders.
It was painful to observe – Bernie not defecting to his Independent roots – reclaiming his hard-earned campaign before the nomination.
That said, I don’t quite comprehend the preoccupation of leaked classified e-mails, it’s a sin among sins, yet I have heard on at least two occasions, Clinton apologise gracefully for the carelessness of the fiasco.
The fiasco not only supplies Trump with ammunition, as he has built a campaign on public insults, personal digs – covering up his lack of knowledge/experience in governance, domestic/foreign policy with an arsenal of shock-and-awe tactics; thus, giving Clinton a degree of credibility, acknowledging one mistake out of countless dishonesties – dishonesties which discount her being a female candidate. Generally, women are viewed as naturally honest and nobler of the sexes. This may not be true of Clinton, but she has the upper-hand with reason and rationale.
Trump? With storm after storm of controversy and craziness – who can keep up with it?
Clinton doesn’t need venom as, like a Python, she uses her strength and muscle to crush opponents…
If the democratic machine is rigged or Americans have a momentary lapse of consciousness, with a Trump victory on November 8th – prepare for an early apocalypse, as his unsteady, unpredictable hand will be on the button, as we all choke on the unleashed venom…
© 2016