Charles “Chuck” Trimble. Courtesy photo
Some Facebook views on the campaign
By Charles "Chuck" Trimble
CharlesTrimble.Com Growing more concerned and disgusted about the presidential campaign I thought that I should put my views in writing and post them online to see what other people thought; perhaps I would find some solace in the company of friends and others. First, here is what I posted, followed by some selected but typical responses. My biggest doubt about Hillary Clinton is that the Clintons seem to believe that they are not bound by any laws except maybe gravity, although they may yet challenge that too. I don’t want a Democratic presidency bound up by lawsuits and investigations through eight years because of her obvious sense of immunity or impunity and her carelessness. And as a friend and political strategist recently commented when he ended his relationship with them, the Clintons tend to lie with such ease. But there is no one in the GOP lineup that I would vote for, and I wouldn’t sit out an election and not vote, so Hillary will have my vote if she is the candidate. I like Bernie Sanders for his honesty, the passion of his stance for justice and fairness, and his sense of compassion for the poor. I like the forthright courage of his attacks on Wall Street and the one percent of Americans who own or control the vast wealth of the nation, and their refusal to share the benefits of America’s wealth with the poor and the underserved, something Hillary seems to not even want to address. I agree that he is a dreamer, and to many Americans he is naïve and unrealistic and doesn’t stand a chance of winning against any of the clowns on the GOP stage, but he is a fighter and he is persistent; and he is principled and honest – something that is lacking on both sides. On the GOP slate, Donald Trump is an egotistical, arrogant, overrated windbag and dangerous to America. Ted Cruz is more dangerous than Trump because he is a more “viable” candidate who can make himself appear sane along side Trump. But he is heartless and if it is true, as seemingly shown by the absence of endorsements from his own Senate colleagues, that he is disliked by the people who know him and work with him he is a dangerous wannabee tyrant who sees himself as God’s gift to the world. Marco Rubio is a piñata for Trump and resorts to taunts of the pathetic pecker size of his tormentor. John Kasich appears to be the only one on the GOP slate that appears to be at least sane. All of this highlights the extent of the GOP's desperation and the radical delusion that has been engendered by the so-called Tea Party, and by the cowardice of any sane Republican in not taking on the Tea Partiers and saving themselves and their party. Below, in no particular order, are some of the powerful and salient examples I received from readers of the above post: JAKE LITTLE: “Nice comments, nice post, but I must say Sanders is no dreamer, he is basically a "New Dealer" has they say. FDR style, and then some. I think the latest primary in Michigan shows that if he is a dreamer then 50% or more of the electorate is sharing that dream. Equality matters, its dam near a panacea, it speaks to our ancient value; "wacante ognake", close as it gets this day and age. So vital. He has to be the one.” LAURA GRABHORN: “I'm going to vote Hillary as her experience in D.C. will prove advantageous. There's not one president without or compromise and in my opinion her health plan was better suited for the economical struggling but was bypassed. This and that with connections and "oooh" the emails is nonsense. If she was quick to praise Indians as Clinton, Gore, and Obama had would we be seeing more "at least she cared" and "vote for her" rhetoric as with the democratic males? Her support of BIA funding increases is never mentioned nor her housing support yet the emails is being widely spread and received. If not her then Bernie but I want more than a few mattering marches and great talks such as plans for free college and an answer to where those with these degrees are supposed to work. I also want to see who will support him in stopping and taxing those companies that outsource. He or she will be part of a team. Saying great things but with no course and offering support solely for want seems foolish.” JOHN MARTIN: "Because of her obvious sense of immunity (impunity) and her carelessness" (Hillary) also carries a certain measure of political entitlement. In all probability she will be given the Democratic presidential nomination. The chair of the DNC, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, is an explicit Hillary groupie. The bottom line is Hillary is the lesser of all the evils we commoners are given. Trump is the archetypal pseudo-anti-Christ. Please forgive my religious tone JAKE LITTLE: “Bernie Sanders is not “all talk,” Hillary and Trump are defiantly talk and deception. Trump is a major con artist, Hillary is close. Read up on Sanders, really read up on him. He's been doing what he has been talking about for decades. JAKE LITTLE: “Bernie Sanders has enormous experience in Washington and the whole time he was honest and not deceitful. His vision of stability will create massive employment. The one trillion dollar infrastructure plan alone will create thirteen million jobs. And this is not new money to pay for this, its money already sheltered offshore that needs to be taxed. No tax havens.” BILL YELLOWTAIL: "If the rest of the world can do it, we can do it." Chuck, you are correct that Bernie is passionate about seeing that America delivers the elements of social and economic justice that the enlightened free world takes for granted. Hillary and others claim that his aspirations for this nation are unreachable. But “The Bern” is capable of an ambitious vision and is undaunted about starting the hard work to move towards it. Universal health care? Challenge the economic oligarchy? You bet! I would rather have a leader dedicated to work and vision than one who starts with the attitude that progress is impossible. Go Chuck! GO BERNIE!” BILL YELLOWTAIL: “Trump and Cruz have certainly accomplished an important feat: they have smoked out the true Republican mindset and the people who whisper its ugliness behind closed doors. What is shocking is the vast numbers of them! This bodes poorly for America. Thinking, informed, progressive Americans must acknowledge this cancerous presence and work to heal it. Not just fight them, but heal them.” JAKE LITTLE: “When college is made free then the money saved goes into other purchases, maybe houses, and when that happens more jobs are created. If we make one million PhD's with no work to be had then we still have one million PhD's, the expertise, the creativity, the organizational and leadership skills gained therein is an enormous benefit to society.” NOTE FROM CHARLES TRIMBLE: As it is, I might add, most graduates go out into the job market so deeply in debt that they can afford to add very little to the economy for years. JAKE LITTLE: Sanders is not new to me, since I first heard him in 2004, been looking in on him from time to time and thought that he needed to run. Throughout that time he never wavered. Always respectful. I imagine this is the type of man our ancestors wanted but didn't get to sit across from them in negotiations on the issues they had. I think there would have been a much better outcome. JAKE LITTLE: “….Sanders is the most trustworthy I have come across ever. As a Lakota, if I were to sit across the table with another peoples’ leader, there is none other than Bernie Sanders as it pertains to this round of elections. In fact I have not seen anyone in my lifetime or in history that has his character running for the presidency. Ho……Hectuwelo! Charles Trimble, Oglala Lakota, was born and raised on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, and was principal founder of the American Indian Press Association in 1969 and served as its Executive Director to 1972 when he was elected Executive Director of the National Congress of American Indians. His website is charlestrimble.com and he can be reached at cchuktrim@aol.com.
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