Building Sustainable Earth Community

A Commentary by Former Missouri State Representative Lloyd Daniel

7 Reasons Why I’m Not Voting for Hillary Clinton

1) After the 2000 and 2004 Presidential elections, Congress chose not to question whether or not the Democratic vote, particularly the Black Democratic vote, had been illegally targeted and suppressed. The failure to do so resulted in the theft of both elections by Bush. It would have taken only one Senator, with courage, to stop the process in its tracks and call for the appropriate investigations and/or recounts. In January ‘05 Hillary Clinton was unable to heed the call of history, rise to her feet and stand for the principle of “one person, one vote,” not in somebody else’s country, but right here in the United States. In failing to do so, she proved herself, along with Kerry and Gore, to be an unreliable ally of people who still, despite the drunken pirate logic of King George “The Torturer” and the junta he heads, believe that the Constitution and the Voting Rights Act are part of federal law, a set of laws that no one should pretend to be above. We must remember that the President is not the law, the Constitution is. If it’s unconstitutional, it’s illegal.

2) Bush is known for his macho cowboy talk and actions. But it’s all been counterproductive. Clinton seems burdened with the need to be seen as tough enough, macho enough to be President. As a result she failed to stop and fully consider whether or not the White House’s illegal, it’s in violation of the Geneva Conventions, and murderous plan to preemptively invade Iraq was based on need and facts or on greed and lies. Millions of people here and around the globe saw through the war propaganda, disinformation and corporate media spin. Unfortunately, she was not in that number. She felt she didn’t need to come out against the aggression until opposing it was popular and safe to do. Since then she has gone on to enable the administration strategy for war in Iran. Her behavior has not been that of a leader or a change agent, but that of a typical politician waiting to see which way the wind is going to blow.

3) Everybody makes mistakes. It’s part of being human. But when Clinton’s wrong, she finds it far too difficult to climb down and admit having been incorrect or fooled. For almost 8 years, we’ve endured a simple-minded President with that same problem. There’s no good reason to put another person in office with that attitude. America needs a thoughtful President, who understands the difference between being committed and being stubborn, an intelligent President who when presented with new information is able to adapt, improvise and move accordingly, a confident President who doesn’t fear that others might see the ability to change an incorrect course as a sign of weakness.

4) The Clintons, who are running in tandem, also brought us the NAFTA disaster, the failure to establish universal health care, extraordinary rendition (the kidnap and torture program), welfare de-form, mandatory minimums, lying to Congress and the general public, disparate drug sentencing, don’t ask, don’t tell, 3 strikes you’re out and the decision not to move during the Rwanda genocide have had their run. They’re not the Roosevelts. But Hillary continues to act as though she has a sense of entitlement to the nomination and many influential, but weak, Democrats cower before her threats. Behind the scenes, the Clintons have declared that, “You’re either with us or against us!” That’s the same thing Bush said once he started his war in Iraq. Unfortunately, many so-called leaders have allowed themselves to be bullied by such threats to their personal “piece of the pie.” I must admit though that I’m not quite sure whom she means by “us.” I guess you could say I don’t really know who “us” is. But that’s not as bad as when her husband couldn’t say exactly what “is” was.

5) There’s a political tactic called “pushing off.” Sometimes politicians use it as a way to criticize a group while still courting that same group’s favor. It tells others who are not in the group being courted, at the time, “Yes, our hero does deal with (those people), but our champion is not under their thumb.” The Clintons use the push off regularly because it allows them to look tough and independent at somebody else’s expense, usually somebody with a limited ability to retaliate. We should not forget how they used it at the national convention of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition in an attempt to lash another invited guest Sista Souljah and hip-hop in general. Sista Souljah, the then 28 year old Bronx born author, activist and rapper, whose birth name is Lisa Williamson, counter- punched almost immediately with a brilliantly orchestrated press conference that aired on C-SPAN. During the live broadcast she compared Bill Clinton to a philandering slave master full of himself. The Clinton’s had acted as if being able to play a sax and quote a few African proverbs licensed them to back hand, without consequence, the diminutive artist and hero to many young people across the country and around the world. How many white artists have the Clinton’s seen fit to verbally chastise in an attempt to gain African American support? Of course the answer is none. People say to me, “Oh Lloyd, let that go!” I choose not to.

6) For one reason or another, many Americans like Bill Clinton. They feel they know him. In some ways he reminds them of members of their own family. And like it or not, many people feel they know Hillary Clinton. And what they know is Hillary Clinton is no Bill Clinton. It’s not just what you do. It’s also how you do what you do. Another way of saying it is that Clinton’s husband is an amiable, smooth, wily and silver-tongued con artist, and she’s not. She’s clearly smart, but charismatically challenged and often clumsily evasive. She’s absolutely transparent when she’s attempting to not answer a question or trying to change the subject. And many people who’ve worked for her perceive her as having what they call “a mean streak.” The race for the White House should not be a popularity or likeability contest. But in the real world of American electoral politics, in many real ways, it is just that. For better or worse, there are more than a few people, who are not notorious sexists, who actually hate Hillary Clinton. And some are not Republicans. This cannot be said of any other Democrat in the race. So in fact, making her the nominee is not “the safe strategy”. It’s one of the most risky. Hillary Clinton, if she does becomes the nominee, will find it much more difficult to win a national election against a strong “moderate” Republican than most Democratic Party strategists realize or are prepared to publicly acknowledge.

7) I’m tired of moderate Republicans posing as Democrats, Demopublicans you might call them, playing one side against the other, using, triangulating, “pimpin” our votes to win elections, then once in office, not even attempting to defend our most fundamental interests. What ever happened to full voting rights for the citizens of DC? These tendencies help to undercut all Americans’ ability to create a strong political force to oppose the corporate/military juggernaut that’s smashing the lives of everyday people both here and abroad. Riding the momentum of the ‘06 Congressional victories, a potent party, with any heart, would have, win or lose, filed Articles of Impeachment against Bush and Cheney. Now put that, on the table. Why I’m Voting for Barack Obama On Tuesday, February 5th, the Democratic Party will hold Presidential primaries across the nation. In that election I plan on voting for Barack Obama, regardless of what all the Democratic Party’s, “glad to go along, just to get alongs” have to say. Now is the time, for a different direction in this country! Barack Obama’s the only person running with the intellect, vision, and persona necessary to excite and mobilize broad, deep and diverse cross sections of the American people, especially the young and Independents. He has proven not be the typical politician, but candid and his own man, a man not beholden to anyone. Obama has a better grasp of the realities of the current domestic/global environment than anyone else who has a chance of winning the nomination. The Pentagon has now admitted that Iraq had nothing to do with 911. But before it began, when it wasn’t popular to do so, Obama spoke in opposition to the United States’ illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq, which was started based on a set of Big Lies, which has so far cost over half a trillion dollars, over 3,800 American lives, over 25,000 American wounded, as well as no less than 20,000 U.S. troops with previously unreported severe brain injuries. The war has resulted in hundreds of thousands of Iraqi dead, wounded and widowed. The Bush administration has publicly stated that it does not count Iraqi dead and wounded. So much for passionate conservatism. It has forced over 3 million Iraqis to flee their homes, thousands upon thousands have been forced to immigrate to other countries, because of the nightmare we triggered. Obama was right about what would happen if the United States armed forces, and its mercenaries, did arrogantly and greedily invade and try to maintain an occupation of that ancient land for its oil and strategic position. Yes, it’s a matter of judgment. Overall, Obama’s associated foreign policy positions and his lines on other important issues including: universal health care, education, job training, the environment, support for small business development in distressed areas and community service projects are thoughtful, workable and would easily compliment our own efforts to raise our quality of life. But even more importantly, he’s the only leader running who has earned the right to lead the acceleration of not just a campaign, but a movement to capture the Presidency, a movement which has already mobilized well over a quarter of a million donors, the largest number of contributors, at this point, in any election in US history, a movement that potentially could bring out the enthusiastic tidal wave of voters that will be necessary to prevent a Presidential election from being, once again, stolen by the neo-fascists and their lawless cohorts. Today, we must recognize and admit that a struggle for basic democratic civil and humans rights rages in this country. Barack Obama is not perfect, no one is. To the disappointment of some, he’s also no radical. But he is the best and brightest candidate running for the office of President. He represents the American people’s best chance to take the White House and begin the process of changing this country’s doomed course. And it must be said that refusing to talk with competitors or even adversaries is no measure of a leader’s or a nation’s level of political maturity or diplomatic and strategic wherewithal. Plus, the “I have more experience than you” argument cannot be used effectively as a weapon against those with a fresher and clearer understanding of the world outside the D.C. beltway. Too much experience, experience with corruption, double talk, unprincipled behavior, plastic smiles and the same old unsuccessful approaches to solving real and long standing problems are often run-of-the-mill politicians’ trademarks and crowns. Obama’s not burdened with that kind of baggage. Now is not the time to “play it safe” and go down to defeat for the third time in a row with an approach whose time has come and gone. God and the Ancestors have placed us all in The Valley of Decision. In this crucial era, in this urgent moment, let us not be afraid! America needs bold, articulate and audacious leadership. America needs Barack Obama. Every February African American history is commemorated, and rightfully so. On Tuesday, February 5th, let’s “turn the page” and make some history, by casting our ballots for the next President of the United States, Barack H. Obama! You can logon to Barack’s website at www.BarackObama.com Editor’s Note: Lloyd Daniel is a writer, educator and former member of Missouri’s House of Representatives. He lives in Kansas City. You can read, watch and listen to more of his work on his website. The address is www.lloyddaniel.info