JB EXPLAINS ELECTION CHOICES

When these guys show up to help, they help. General John Allen. Image via ijr.com

Baby Boomer Generation Knows Election Choices

Putting a new tenant in the White House is always a roll of the dice, a gamble the entire world hopes goes their way.

If you’re all about hope for better, then you seek ideas and writers who open doors, open windows, knock down walls of fear and doubt.

One of my Facebook friends, and an elected mayor himself, has the sort of insight you hope to find.

I asked JB for permission to share his posts with some BoomerPdx commentary.

He said yes.

I keep trying to figure out why so many people hate Hillary. They call her criminal without any charges, convictions or even criminal findings during $100 million in Republican investigations.

Our Republican law makers use Hillary Clinton as campaign fodder. As long as they’re talking about her their faces show up on television for the folks back home.

If it helped them win more votes, they’d investigate themselves, which might show more fruitful results.

She also doesn’t have 4000+ lawsuits for business dealings. I have come to a partial conclusion. I think many in the holier than thou crowd blame her for Bill’s personal failings. Let’s review Bill’s Presidency. He called the Republican bluff when they shut down the government which helped lead to the economic deals that gave us our last budget surpluses. It also helped get Newt tossed from his short stint as speaker along with his financial, moral and ethical hypocrisy.

JB is not a Newt fan, the onetime voice of an earlier version of Angry White Men go to Washington.

That Newt Gingrich keeps showing up next to important people is a testament to his staying power. Tea Party people take note.

Despite his personal and marital failings, history will show Clinton was a very successful president who achieved an elevation of U.S. Status around the world, a war-less 8 years, deficit reduction, unparalleled job growth and balanced budgets. Yes, he had a stupid but consensual affair with a young woman but what the hell did that personal failure have to do with his Presidency? If you want to consider marital infidelity as a eliminating factor, then look at the Donald or other powerful republicans and their affinity for both men, women, and young boys while married. Part of the reason I will vote for Hillary is that Bill will be there offering his counsel. JB

One of the reasons President Obama does so well is his wife Michelle. Men that marry women who frighten lesser men are called brave. If your wife doesn’t have a killer instinct then you can’t predict how they’d respond in an emergency.

Women who don’t back down from their men and stay married know a few things about emergencies.

Hillary is one of them.

I saw this very powerful testimony on C-SPAN from a Muslim father who lost his son (a Captain), in Iraq in 2004. He talked of the hate and fear towards Muslim Americans by some like Trump. He told of his sacrifice as a father and then accused Trump of sacrificing nothing for his country. I have been thinking about what parents like this go through no matter what their status, race or religion. What have any of us sacrificed that compares unless we also lost someone defending this country? Please don’t get caught up in this type of rhetoric. JB

As a former Pfc, officers were gods. My bootcamp Captain signed up for Vietnam as an enlisted soldier. He came back, went to officer candidate school, then headed back to Vietnam.

Mr. Trump has never seen that Captain, never seen a leader of men in action, the sort of action that leaves people dead. He acts like he has, but he hasn’t. You can’t fake that.

For all the people with their head in the sand, I would ask if this is the America you want to live in? Not me and I don’t plan on going anywhere. To live In a country without Freedom of the Press or 4th Amendment Rights is just like living in his friend Putin’s Russia. I sure hope people get off the couch, turn off FOX News or MSNBC and do a little research for themselves for this election. I understand I am probably annoying many (those that have not already unfriended me), but I feel a calling to get people to think for themselves. This election is just too important not to. Do your research and take an informed stand! To not vote means you abdicate your responsibility and have no right to complain in the future. JB

This is why someone like JB works. It’s about voting, not dragging dirt and flinging mud. Sign up, be voter eligible, and do the deed.

Go ahead and take a stand with your vote. If you have a voice you haven’t used, do it like JB.

When historians like Ken Burns and David McCullough say we should be very alarmed by the possibility of a Trump Presidency – then I am. History is the validated predictor of the future and when we ignore it we pay dearly as we did in Afghanistan and Iraq. Trump is incapable of telling the truth and he himself admits he doesn’t read historical presidential biographies (or anything related). He has learned from the lack of scrutiny that if he repeats a lie often enough, many will start to accept it as fact. Why not since his mentor was Senator Joe McCarthy’s attorney, Roy Cohn, leader of the Commie under every rock crowd.

Roy and Joe Mack share a moment. Image via www.theguardian.com

Yesterday, Trump called Retired 4 Star Marine General, John Allen, a failed General. This was because he spoke against Trump as a potential President and that required a Trump rant because he is undisciplined and unbalanced. General Allen was a deputy to General Petraeus at the Central Command, was the top Commander in Afghanistan and the first Marine Commander of the Naval Academy. This General served his country for 37 years while Trump has not served his country – in any capacity- for even 1 day. I have never heard a politician denigrate our military like this, (while buying 5 deferments himself). Trump does not appreciate our military or anything except himself.

JB is an Army vet from the 70’s. He knows his military.

Mr. Trump disparaging an Army Captain is one thing, even one who died in service, but going after a retired Lt. General? A full general? A Marine Corps General?

On one hand it shows a certain fearlessness on Trump’s side. The bigger load is disrespect. From this Private First Class point of view, you never want anyone to show the cracks in leadership to lesser ranks.

Once you strap on the uniform of the American Armed Forces you give total respect to those in uniforms of a higher rank. You can still hate on the person in the uniform, but you give that officer’s rank its due.

When officers make mistakes in war, people die. When Mr. Trump makes mistakes in his real estate wars, people lose money.

Everyone who has served in uniform knows the drill. You are a commodity filling a hole left by someone else either leaving or dying. Drill Sergeants pound the idea that you are nothing until they tell you who you are.

Mr. Trump exhibits no sign that he’s been driven that far down.

Everyone knows how far Hillary Clinton has been driven. She’s stayed in her lane for everyone to watch. We’ve seen her manage her marriage when others would have walked away.

We’ve seen her take a Senate seat and do something with it for New York. We’ve seen her work at the State Department. She’s been driving America in every phase of her life.

And she wants to do more driving. Bet that she’ll stay on the road.