Thursday, October 26, 2017
Political Mayhem Thursday: The Dossier
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: In 2008, we had two excellent choices for president running against one another. John McCain and Barack Obama would have been very different presidents, but there is no doubt that either one would have been principled, dedicated, scandal-free and fair. Obama was all of those things; McCain would have been if he had won.
2016 was kind of the opposite situation. Yes, I thought Clinton was the better choice, but my enthusiasm was dampened by the sad history of both of the Clintons hiding things, manipulating, enriching themselves through political machinations, and (over time) becoming increasingly entitled and over-confident in their own abilities-- all things that affected decisions on issues from clemency to their relationship with big money on Wall Street. The latest news-- that the Clinton campaign financed (in part) the secret dossier about Donald Trump-- is another example of Clinton behavior that was probably legal but definitely icky.
Is that kind of "campaigning" ok? It seems to be a dark part of the system, and one that drives many people away from the idea of running for public office.
2016 was kind of the opposite situation. Yes, I thought Clinton was the better choice, but my enthusiasm was dampened by the sad history of both of the Clintons hiding things, manipulating, enriching themselves through political machinations, and (over time) becoming increasingly entitled and over-confident in their own abilities-- all things that affected decisions on issues from clemency to their relationship with big money on Wall Street. The latest news-- that the Clinton campaign financed (in part) the secret dossier about Donald Trump-- is another example of Clinton behavior that was probably legal but definitely icky.
Is that kind of "campaigning" ok? It seems to be a dark part of the system, and one that drives many people away from the idea of running for public office.
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All campaigns do "opposition research". Whether either of the Clintons were aware of the specifics of that activity has not been shared, nor is it relevant. The only issue about this one is that the campaign staffer who did the hiring hired a British ex-spy to do the digging that is a part of every campaign.
When I ran for re-election to a city council after having been appointed to fill the last year or so following resignation of my predecessor who moved out of the jurisdiction, I found that the opposition candidates had looked into my first marriage and the circumstances of that break up, even though it had been years before and close to two years before I met my wife in church one Sunday! This in a town of less than 10,000 people.
When I ran for re-election to a city council after having been appointed to fill the last year or so following resignation of my predecessor who moved out of the jurisdiction, I found that the opposition candidates had looked into my first marriage and the circumstances of that break up, even though it had been years before and close to two years before I met my wife in church one Sunday! This in a town of less than 10,000 people.
# posted by 
: 8:27 AM
: 8:27 AM
it was OK.
If the dossier proves to have some truth it will maybe be a positive document and then we should thank the unknown Republican who initially funded the documentation. The Clinton campaign's failure to make it public during the campaign was surely inept but doesn't rise to icky. It does rise to distraction.
THIS WEEK'S REALLY ICKY STUFF
Icky party unity to do real harm with politics trumping citizen protections.
What is truly icky is the rolling back of consumer protections to allow powerful financial corporations to inflict icky practices to rip off the public without consequences. Veterans are particularly vulnerable.
What is truly icky is Betsy Devos looking to pull back from special education programs that go back to Bush #1.
What is most icky is a tax plan mostly serving the donor class and the powerful that is dishonestly billed as a middle tax cut.
What is dangerously icky is that that the military is determining our foreign policy.
No, old campaign financing of the dossier by both parties is not an equivalent icky.
It is however a chance to divert attention back to a convenient old target, Hillary Clinton, a clever but sort of icky move.
If the dossier proves to have some truth it will maybe be a positive document and then we should thank the unknown Republican who initially funded the documentation. The Clinton campaign's failure to make it public during the campaign was surely inept but doesn't rise to icky. It does rise to distraction.
THIS WEEK'S REALLY ICKY STUFF
Icky party unity to do real harm with politics trumping citizen protections.
What is truly icky is the rolling back of consumer protections to allow powerful financial corporations to inflict icky practices to rip off the public without consequences. Veterans are particularly vulnerable.
What is truly icky is Betsy Devos looking to pull back from special education programs that go back to Bush #1.
What is most icky is a tax plan mostly serving the donor class and the powerful that is dishonestly billed as a middle tax cut.
What is dangerously icky is that that the military is determining our foreign policy.
No, old campaign financing of the dossier by both parties is not an equivalent icky.
It is however a chance to divert attention back to a convenient old target, Hillary Clinton, a clever but sort of icky move.
Yes, John... the reemergence of the dossier is only a diversion. The ICKY stuff you highlighted is where our attention should be focused. Let me add one more Icky thing - the powers that be would like to privatize the VA healthcare system. I see nothing good coming from such a move.
Noticed we haven't talked about Russia or N. Vietnam in almost two weeks. We have been wrapped up in the empathy lacking 45 toward Gold Star families and then the constant in fighting between 45 and those involved. Or the twitter war of words between 45 and Senators Corker, Flake and McCain. He is worse than a 5 year old.
Noticed we haven't talked about Russia or N. Vietnam in almost two weeks. We have been wrapped up in the empathy lacking 45 toward Gold Star families and then the constant in fighting between 45 and those involved. Or the twitter war of words between 45 and Senators Corker, Flake and McCain. He is worse than a 5 year old.
Christine-- I really really hope that you meant North Korea, because is there is some current conflict with North Vietnam we are really in big trouble!
"Oppo," as it's known among the campaign class, is a perfectly valid tool when conducted by the right means and used for the right ends. Knowing which candidate doesn't pay their taxes or who's in the pocket of some special interest is invaluable voter information. But when it veers into who's seen a marriage counselor or, as here, into something more akin to a clandestine agitprop campaign, it has probably gone off the rails. But the fact that no one is shocked by the Clinton campaign's hand in "the Dossier," and the fact that its claims--that Trump is an egomaniac with very particular taste in showers--are believable, says a lot about the choice voters faced in 2016.
2008 John McCain an excellent choice?!? Sarah Palin still sends shivers down my spine (the part that survived the paralyzing trauma of 2016).
Mark, sorry - I meant N. Korea. I have been watching the Ken Burns documentary trying to better understand the Vietnam War.
Burns starts a little late. American involvement (CIA, etc.) began in 1954. And the U.S. had an opportunity to get Ho Chi Minh as an ally but booted it, sending him into the arms of the Soviets, because the Dulles brothers did not understand that the Vietnamese hated the Chinese as much as or more than they hated the French, due to their enslavement and Chinese brutality as slave holders of the Vietnamese.
# posted by : 9:46 PM
: 9:46 PM
Waco Friend - I watched episode one a few times. He gave the entire history of the french colonization starting prior to WW2; then touched on Roosevelt and then went into the 50's. I know so little about the history I found it fascinating.
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