by Oleg Maslov
The time has come for the country with the largest economy and military in the world will soon go to the polls to choose a new leader for itself. Americans will elect a new president on November 8, 2016. However, the two main candidates running for the office of president in the general election have never been more different from each other. Hillary Clinton has lived in the White House as First Lady for 8 years, served as a senator, ran for president in 2008, and served as Secretary of State during Barack Obama’s first term, during which she oversaw the NATO intervention in Libya and the Benghazi crisis – in other words, a career politician. On the other hand, Donald Trump has never served in public office, instead dedicating his life to many different business ventures, some of which became runaway successes and others short-lived failures.
Both candidates boast considerable strengths and face off against damaging scandals. Clinton has been touted as the ‘most qualified candidate for the job’ and has decades of experience in and around the center of power in Washington. However, she is currently under investigation by the FBI for potentially mishandling classified information after using a private email server to send and receive emails while Secretary of State, faced allegations of corruption relating to donations from foreign entities to the Clinton Foundation in return for political favors, responded to leaked email suggested that the Democratic National Convention colluded with major media companies against Democratic primary rival Bernie Sanders, and dealt with ongoing accusations of husband Bill Clinton’s sexual relations and infidelities. On the other hand, Trump has pointed to his wealth to promote himself as a self-made billionaire capable of hard negotiations and used his status as a political outsider status to make his promise to change to the establishment believable. He has also been the target of sexual harassment allegations, responded to claims that some of his failed businesses may have been scams, battled accusations of involvement with white supremacy groups, and is the only candidate for president from a major party not to release tax information since Gerald Ford.
Comparing the individual factors and history of both candidates gives us considerable information for analysis, but what effect will the policies of the candidates bring to the world once they enter office? In the following sections, we pit Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in a head-to-head comparison, analyzing the likely outcomes of their policies on global conflicts, the world economy, American social and business conditions, the future of Europe, and US relations with Russia and China.
Global Conflicts
Hillary Clinton
The former Secretary of State has been labeled by some analysts as a representative of the ‘hawks’ in Washington, or the group of influencers who are pro-war and closely connected with the American military industrial complex. Hillary Clinton voted for the American interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan as a Senator and spearheaded the American push for the NATO-imposed ‘no-fly zone’ in Libya as well as the US support for ‘moderate rebels’ in Syria as Secretary of State in the Obama administration.
A vote for Hillary is a vote for continuing the foreign policies of the Obama administration, including the expansion of NATO activities in Eastern Europe, intensifying American actions against the government of Bashar al-Assad, ramping up US naval might in the South China Sea, and arming and supporting Saudi Arabia in its military operation against Yemen.
One policy favored by Hillary Clinton adequately sums up the potential effects of a Clinton administration on global security: Hillary Clinton has publicly advocated for the implementation of a ‘no-fly zone’ and ‘safe zones’ within Syria. Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of State, succinctly outlined the consequences of such a policy last month when he explained to the US Senate that carrying out this policy would require the United States to “go to war against Syria and Russia”, something unequivocally negative for both regional and global security and something which will certainly exacerbate tensions in Syria rather than relieve them.
Trump expresses the greatest fear that such a policy may bring when he says that such proposals may start World War III.
Much can be written on the other conflicts mentioned, but the general trend is relatively apparent – a Clinton presidency would continue aggressive American policies which only increase tensions and create the possibility for a spark to light the powder keg of conflict.
Donald Trump
If a Clinton administration would be predictably aggressive, a Trump administration would be an unpredictable wild card for global security. Many point to Trump’s open call for good relations between the US and Russia, even for cooperation between the two countries in tackling the Islamic State, as a sign of a period of peace and stabilization of the global security climate under a Trump administration. However, others react with alarm when they hear Trump criticize the usefulness of NATO or seemingly advocate for the proliferation of nuclear weapons, although these apparent Trump policies are often taken out of context.
Trump has consistently called for an increased ‘sharing of the burden’ from NATO partners and other American partners, notably Japan and South Korea. His campaign claims that the remarks that Trump made about the usefulness NATO and the proliferation of nuclear weapons was an extreme example meant to show the necessity of convincing American partners to pay more for the US military umbrella and that Trump has no intention of disbanding NATO or allowing states like Saudi Arabia or Japan to get nuclear weapons.
However, if Trump’s drive to push more of the financial burden of US military protection onto allies were to fail, he may be forced to carry out his promises, at least to some degree, if only to save face. Trump’s public intentions to mend ties with Russia and pursue cooperation in Syria combined with the potential for a weaker US presence in Europe may in fact encourage Russia to act more aggressively in pursuing their own interests in Europe and the Middle East.
One country has been disproportionately targeted by Trump – China. Trump has campaigned on the idea that China has been playing the United States for a sucker and that the US-Chinese relationship has been beneficial mostly for one side. His promises to renegotiate trade deals with China (which could be potentially quite harmful for China) could well have to be enforced by naval power projection, and Trump may end up following many of the same naval policies in the South China Sea as the Obama administration. This would, of course, raise tensions between the United States and China.
Trump’s proposals and policies have not been thoroughly tested and their success at stabilizing the world situation are far from assured. Although Trump tends to appear more interested in fostering peace and cooling down global conflict, the tensions created by his policies, especially with respect to China, may in fact increase the possibility of conflict, showing just how unpredictable a Trump administration may be.
World Economy
Donald Trump
Trump has positioned himself as a pro-business candidate that will stimulate the US economy, and many of his proposed policies could potentially have positive effects. However, Trump’s heavy criticism of global trade agreements, including the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and the Trans-Pacific-Partnership (TPP), as well as Trump’s intention to force American companies to bring their business operations back from other countries in an attempt to reverse the process of ‘offshorization’ may well benefit the American economy, but may in fact deal some heavy damage to the global economy.
Policies that benefit the United States directly, such as encouraging auto manufacturers to return production to American soil by raising tariffs on autos made by American companies in other countries, will have a negative effect on other countries. Agreements such as the TTIP would certainly raise global economic activity, despite the fact that they benefit one side over the other, and would raise the level of global economic activity. It follows that delaying or disrupting negotiations on these agreements may lead to more negative consequences for the world economy as a whole.
Trump’s public call for better relations with Russia may have the effect of reducing or even removing sanctions thereby restoring former business between Russia and Europe as well as creating new business relationships which compensate for negative effects of other policies on the world economy. Further, if Trump’s promises for peace and stabilization of global conflicts is carried out, economic activity and innovation would continue without any obstacle.
Hillary Clinton
A Clinton administration would continue to develop the economic strategy initiated by the Obama administration, including liberal policies toward corporate offshoring and advancement of global trade deals such as TTIP and TPP. In essence, these policies would produce slow but stable growth for the world economy. Maintaing the sanctions on Russia would restrict global growth but if negotiations on either TTIP or TPP would result in an agreement, the resulting economic activity would more than make up for that lost business.
The Clinton administration may appear to offer better opportunities for the global economy, but one major factor still needs consideration. Clinton’s preference for resolution of conflicts by military means, seen most acutely in her proposals for resolving the Syrian situation, have a high potential to lead to a wider conflict with Russia and Iran, and ultimately may lead to a third global war, a war in which the main adversaries have a vast amount of deliverable nuclear weapons as well as a protocol for using them, should the need arise.
Needless to say, any conflict in which nuclear weapons are used is unequivocally negative for the global economy in the short term, if a global economy even remains after the dust has settled. If a global war remains conventional or if nuclear weapons are used in limited capacity, the prospect for global economic growth in the medium term is quite positive given the need to rebuild the affected countries, but the loss of life, destruction of productive infrastructure and buildings, and long term psychological and social effects far outweigh the economic growth related to rebuilding what was lost.
US Social and Business Conditions
Hillary Clinton
As the status quo candidate, Hillary Clinton represents a future similar to the present conditions with small but noticeable changes. Although controversial, Obama’s healthcare plan, commonly referred to as ‘Obamacare’, did bring healthcare insurance to more Americans. Clinton will most certainly continue developing Obamacare, which may improve the lives of many people. Hillary has also proposed a plan to finance higher education for students whose household earns a combined income of less than $125,000 per year, something seen as positive for standard of living and development of future business conditions.
Clinton’s willingness to accept more refugees from the war torn Middle East may increase already palpable social tensions by increasing competition for low-wage jobs and undermining social cohesion. The liberal policies of allowing companies to seek lower cost labor in other countries will continue to send jobs out of the United States, leaving university graduates, already suffering from low employment rates, with even fewer work opportunities.
Despite meeting with mothers of black teens killed by police, Hillary has no practical solution for addressing the growing issue of perceived racial prejudice by police officers. Neither does Donald Trump for that matter.
Donald Trump
Trump’s strongest potential option for improving the social and business conditions in the US is his promise to force American companies to bring production back to the United States. Fulfilling this promise would create many jobs in the US and alleviate the millennial unemployment problem, all the while raising wages and the overall standard of living. Although xenophobic and perhaps even racially charged in nature, Trump’s intention to limit immigration may also create more low-wage opportunities for American citizens.
Trump has called for an increase in paid maternity leave, something which may quality of life for average people. One of his main campaign promises is to revise and simplify the tax system. If done properly, this policy will make filing taxes easier for normal citizens and businesses as well, improving business conditions and potentially creating more jobs and economic activity.
On the other hand, Trump is widely seen as a candidate who represents white male superiority and the mere fact of a Trump administration may cause an increase in already palpable social tensions, potentially even leading to open protest from Muslim or Hispanic groups among others at his presidency. The Clinton campaign has worked to paint Trump as a white supremacist and misogynist, and often successfully so. Despite the potential economic benefits of a Trump presidency, the potential explosion of social tensions may cause an overall negative social and business situation in the United States. Of course, a Trump administration will recognize this danger and will make every attempt to prevent it.
The Future of Europe
Donald Trump
A Trump presidency would entail a major reversal of policies for many Eastern European countries, including the Baltic States, Poland, and Ukraine, when it comes to European relations with Russia. Trump has not only publicly questioned the utility of NATO, but has also called for better relations with Russia, both concepts which are anathema to many Eastern European nations. If Trump were to decrease the American footprint in Europe and to attempt to build better relations with Russia, many European nations would be forced to rethink some of their main strategic objectives at the very least. The current government of Ukraine would be one of the biggest losers in Europe should Trump become president and may even be pushed out of power, either peacefully or forcefully, should Trump choose to sacrifice American support for Ukraine in exchange for better relations with Russia, including recognition of Crimea as Russian territory.
A decrease in US forces on mainland Europe as well as American engineered political obstacles to cooperation between Europe and Russia would naturally lead to a blossoming of relations between Europe and Russia. Under a Trump presidency, one may expect a significant rollback of European sanctions on Russia and significant growth in Russia-Europe trade and relations. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Parliamentary Assembly for the Council of Europe (PACE) would regain influence in regulating Europe-Russia relations. European-Chinese relations would also grow dynamically as ‘Silk Road’ projects through Russia would take on new relevance.
Many so-called ‘Euroskeptic’ movements and otherwise ‘right of center’ political groups would gain influence and perhaps even become part of the mainstream political configuration. Parties like Marine Le Pen’s Front National, Alternative fuer Deutschland, Austria’s Freedom Party, and Golden Dawn in Greece could make a grand entrance into mainstream politics while ruling parties in Hungary and Italy could become even more entrenched. Pushed forward by Brexit, this trend would bring considerable momentum behind the a drive for the dissolution of the European Union, at least for the monetary union, but this remains unlikely.
A Trump presidency may even allow for the start of negotiations between Europe and Russia on a comprehensive trade and political agreement to regulate relations. Numerous politicians, including Francois Mitterand and Vladimir Putin, have spoken about a free trade zone stretching from Lisbon to Vladivostock, but if China has any say in the matter, the zone will extend to Singapore and cover the entire supercontinent of Eurasia. If this concept were to ever become reality, European nations would gain influence over developing nations and receive access to valuable and profitable investment opportunities.
Further, any major agreement between the United States and Russia on Middle Eastern policy would entail a significant slowdown of the current migration crisis as well as a noticeable reduction in terrorist related activity. Europe may even join a coalition of the US and Russia to fight terrorism. Lastly, US missile defense systems in Poland and Romania are likely to be dismantled.
Hillary Clinton
A Hillary Clinton presidency would entail business as usual with Europe and a continuation of the current trends and policies initiated by the Obama administration. The major features of a Clinton presidency would include continued military build-up in Baltic states, continuation of European sanctions against Russia, increased support for the Ukrainian government, increased media hype about the Russian military threat, and a further break-down in the systems that govern Europe-Russia relations, such as the OSCE and PACE.
A Clinton presidency would entail an increase in the number of American troops in mainland Europe as well as an increase in joint US-European defense projects, including expansions of the missile defense project. More US-led NATO troops, groupings, and exercises would take place in the Baltic countries and a Clinton administration would push for Sweden and Finland closer to NATO, with the ultimate purpose to convince the Scandinavian countries to join the military block. Expect increased media reports about air force interceptions and Russian submarine scandals.
Any European Union political party that has a neutral or favorable position to Russia will come under increased scrutiny and will face attacks on multiple fronts, mostly through the media. The EU will work to make examples of governments such as Hungary, Greece, and Italy that actively resist sanctions against Russia and attempt to circumvent sanctions by making their own economic arrangements with Russia.
Europe will be pressured to sign TTIP and will most likely become more and more dependent on the United States for economic and political policy. More LNG terminals will be built on the European mainland so that European countries can import natural gas from America and Qatar so that dependence on Russia is decreased. China will place less of an effort on the Silk Road overland trade route and will have to make a different trade arrangement with Europe.
Middle East migration numbers will continue in full force as US policy in the Middle East will continue to favor interventionist hawks, forcing reluctant European nations to accept more and more refugees from Middle Eastern nations. The threat of terrorism will remain high and terrorist attacks are likely to occur again on European soil.
US Relations with Russia and China
Hillary Clinton
A Clinton administration will continue to play a double game with China, continuing the liberal policies of offshoring production to Chinese companies and maintaining a strong trade relationship on the one hand, but encircling China militarily with naval hardware and trade partnerships with local Chinese rivals. China will have a difficult time trying to push its goods to Europe through the Eurasian continent as the US will actively block attempts to create a Silk Road structure leading either through Russia or through Iran. However, on the surface, the US will continue to maintain a careful policy of wary respect toward China, never making overt insults or provocations and maintaining an air of pretentious respect.
Relations with Russia will be characterized by increased support to Russia’s enemies in Ukraine and Syria, as well as attempts to undermine the governments in Belarus and Central Asian countries. President Clinton will push European allies to increase economic pressure on Russia and media coverage of Russia from all ideological sides of American media will turn increasingly negative. All of this will take place while the United States will continue to do business with Russia as usual, buying rocket engines, space transport services, grain, and even certain types of weapons as if there was no issue in bilateral relations.
Donald Trump
The strategic economic goals of a Trump presidency would almost immediately begin to cause problems for Chinese-American relations. If Trump acts on his promises to raise tariffs for American companies producing goods in foreign countries and then shipping them to the US, many businesses with manufacturing operations in China will be forced to shut down their Chinese subsidiaries, causing significant losses for China. China would potentially experience a major economic downturn as many of its factories and industrial centers would be forced out of business. China would not leave such an unkind gesture unanswered and would most likely sell a significant portion of its US Treasury bills and bonds on the market, or simply demand early payment, leading to a period of financial troubles for the US.
American-Russian relations would potentially enter into a new and unprecedented period of mutual understanding and cooperation. President Trump would work to open Russia’s massive market even further to American companies and would deepen partnerships between the US and Russia in areas like space exploration and development, energy distribution and marketing, and perhaps even reopen programs focusing on purchase and delivery of Russian military hardware to groups supported by the Pentagon, including the program to arm and train the Afghan military with Russian helicopters.
In all, both candidates offer substantially different visions of the future, and it is up to individual voters to decide which vision appears more rational and beneficial for both the United States and the world at large.
Thanks, very interesting read. Another question is what will Trump do if he loses? Will he give up or start a grassroots opposition and continue the fight or will he even stage a coup. There are many within the USA intelligence and military structures that does not desire the destruction Hillary will wreak on America and the world.
The choice looked pretty clear. Trump or war ahead.
Very true.
Its hard to take attempts to be ‘balanced’ seriously and in fact be suspicious of it.
Kilary means war with Russia and China, which sort-of is already happening at a low level and over a decade of escalation. Its the only issue that matters, since American Presidents have little direct power over domestic affairs compared to their powers over foreign policy.
http://harvardkennedyschoolreview.com/presumptions-prerogatives-and-power-why-foreign-policy-is-too-easy-for-presidents-and-domestic-policy-is-too-hard/
The only difference between escalated proxy wars and total war is that more people will be alive to suffer the harsh consequences of losing human rights and freedoms and to endure economic empoverishment.
in the two cases you will have more wars freind
imho the US is inextricably locked into a constant state of warfare simply because thats the ONLY thing that is holding it from TOTAL collapse.
Contrary to the shit spewed everyday by jewllywod, the americans are NOT exceptionals. Your way of life is NOT the result of your excepionality, but just the biggest economic scam in the history of mankind.
are peoples seriously think that trump is going to stop the foreigns wars and “bring back” the soldiers home and make “peace & love” with the Sino-russian bloc??? this is just wishfull thinking without any coherent fact behind it, Russia is rejecting the very fact that is holding the USA together, the Petro $, so unless Mr Putin plan to back off and return Russia to its 90’s era western colony statut, it cant happen. The US will never have stable and peacefull relations with such “turbulents” nations like Russia, Iran, China
…
Hillary, Trump, Barack …. those are just puppets meant to distract the herd while the “powers that be” decide who live and who die. the US citizens are just the usefull idiots of the moment and i’m afraid that your usefullness is slowly runing out in the eyes of the “elites”
FBI clears Clinton emails just in time for election….what a surprise.w hat a set up?….despite someone else saying she should be shot by a firing squad……sighs
I will not be voting tomorrow (11/8/2016). I will stay home and pray to the Lord that he gives me the strength to do what is right for America and to encourage others to do the same.
The federal republic was originally created as a system of three branches of a central government with limited powers shared between itself, the States, and the people. The framers of the U.S. Constitution choose a representative democracy granting the people the right to self-governance through their elected spokespersons who were believed to be of moral character whose sole charge was to serve the interests of their constituency.
Over the decades the republic has been systematically dismantled and replaced with what can only be described as an overt criminal syndicate of unbridled authority on a global scale. Washington reeks of perfidy, avarice and lust for all things hedonism offers to humanity. It is an amoral house of turpitude that derives its power from a carefully stitched program of mendacity to manipulate the citizenry into believing the plutocrats’ words speak to truth, their acts are just, only they are imbued with divine greatness to lead the people who would perish without them in control of the country.
I can no longer allow myself to be deluded that Washington, DC is worth my consent, my permission or pledge a fealty of obedience to whomever. To vote in the corrupt electoral process is to legitimize the machinations of a vile imperium that cannot be turned to good anymore than Satan can be brought back into the bosom of God’s love. It is futile gesture and we mock ourselves when we participate in the deception.
I reject this government as it is not an institution of the people; it is hell on earth and only the flames of patriotic fire can destroy it.
That is foolishly something I hear a lot. Sure you and the others may make a “moral point” by doing that. But big deal on “moral points”. That means another vote for the warmonger Clinton when people do that.I think when war comes, that making “a moral point” won’t be much comfort when the body bags come flooding in. Or while hiding in a bomb shelter,on the fat chance that any actually can be found in time.This election, we have the two most flawed candidates since…huh…maybe ever in US history. And that includes some really bad previous ones. But one of them is an arrogant clown,while the other is a mega-crooked warmonger. We need to hold our nose and vote Trump. Not voting,voting third party,or voting for Clinton is a vote for war. It can’t be much clearer than that.
My Dear Uncle, I respectfully disagree.
A Trump presidency will not stop the militarists at all. Their agenda may be delayed but the regional war(s) will intensify and go on in Syria and Donbass with a possible escalation in Asia. If President Trump tries a foreign policy of non-aggression, he will be stonewalled by the Pentagon and the U.S. Congress and his life will be threatened as well. He is no hero and will have to capitulate to the plutocrats. The only way Trump could stop the neocon’s agenda for global domination is to do what Recep Erdogan did in Turkey but on a larger scale. I wrote about such a scenario in other posts on this web site, so no need to repeat the details of what he would have to do. He hasn’t even hinted such a plan is being considered so it’s not going to happen. It also appears that Trump will fill his cabinet with Washington insiders who lean towards the status quo as Obama has done for the last 8 years.
If the militarists deploy battlefield tactical nukes in Eastern Europe justified by some deception, Russia has to unleash hell on the eastern seaboard of the U.S. and destroy as much of the the war-making ability of the American military as possible. President Putin cannot allow the U.S.- NATO to go unpunished, he must do this without hesitation or remorse otherwise the sovereignty of the Russian Federation will be at catastrophic risk, militarily, economically and politically..
With Clinton at the helm events will move along the timeline at a faster pace. It is inevitable war will come to pass and I’m preparing for the worst. The republic is lost and can only be purified by fire.
Possibly. I just think that “rolling the dice” with a new person. Is better than rolling them with someone we know has rigged them to come up “snake-eyes”. And since one or the other is sure to win. I’d rather take the chance on Trump to avoid war even if I fail. Than to embrace a certain war with Clinton.
Strange how so many who would otherwise hope to stand tall with the angels in the armies of Heaven are willing to do so little on Earth.
You still have the duty to stand against the greater evil. Revolution by ballot is so easy, yet still there are those who refuse to do even that much.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-07/i-just-lost-all-faith-our-deeply-corrupt-legal-system-and-rule-law-us
Even Michael Snyder gets it; vote Trump or stand in judgement for having done nothing to stop Hilary.
(Also, check your Trump vote to make sure it wasn’t flipped by the machine…)
The math is simple as it always was.
Only Trump = never Hilary
Never Trump + Never Hilary = Only Hilary.
Stay Home = Only Hilary
Only an overwhelming landslide Trump turnout stands chance of defeating the rigging.
http://blog.dilbert.com/post/152747601271/trump-the-closer
Voting is not standing against the greater evil. Voting by today’s standard is consenting to the continuance of the evil that has already usurped the republic as I alluded to in my response to Uncle Bob.
What government has ever been overthrown by voting? It’s never happened in modern times because the incumbent regime would ultimately make war on it’s own people to retain its power. Just look at Donbass, do you think the Kiev Nazi’s are going to accept the authority of the ballot over dispensing the lethality of a bullet?
The people of Crimea voted to secede from the Ukraine but if it wasn’t for Russia, blood would have flowed throughout the peninsula. If you want to talk about revolution then bring a gun to the discussion table, even Gandhi recognized the right of others to use violent force to defend oneself.
Bye the way, stay home = prepare for the revolution that is coming. Be ready, be steady, aim true.
Uh-huh. You sound like one of those militia types.
Remember the Revolution of 1800. That’s how Americans got things done. The election is the revolution, and challenging the results legally is far more effective than firing the first shot in some insurrection by amateur light infantry.
http://www.historynet.com/the-revolution-of-1800-the-presidential-election-that-tested-the-united-states.htm?PageSpeed=noscript
Also, remember the Political Question Doctrine.
Any attempt by soldiers or law enforcement to arrest high officials for ‘Constitutional Crimes’ is under the law, unlawful. Arrests imply court adjudication, and the courts won’t rule on matters properly belonging to the Legislative branch, meaining, there are no grounds for arrest. Forcing the issue means full-on revolt. You could not count on any intelligent military or LEO support for your little revolution because they are oath-bound to defend the Constitutuion and most won’t fall for the’destroy it to save it’ line.
https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R43834.pdf
Any populist militia-based attempt to revolt, will be also be legally in the wrong because of the close ties between the Constitution and the government; the government cannot be overthrown extra-electorally while still in keeping with the constitution.
The Uniformed Services Oath in fact designates the President (and/or State Governor) as being owed fealty by the National Guard in addition to defending the Constitution.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Uniformed_Services_Oath_of_Office
On the other hand, the government and military, facing armed revolt, would then be justified in doing whatever they had to do, to ‘defend’ the Constitution even if it means suspending it. The vector is the Constitutionally valid suspension of habeus corpus. You can’t easily defend you rights if you’re legally locked up. Oh, and don’t forget hammered into poverty by ‘civil forfeiture’ for good measure.
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/j/jala/2629860.0029.205/–lincoln-s-suspension-of-the-writ-of-habeas-corpus?rgn=main;view=fulltext
Attempting extra-electoral revolt is not unlike the discredited ‘burn the village to save it’ mentality of the Vietnam war. If successful you would be destroying the 200-year-old Constitutional order in a misguided attempt to save it, an attempt likely easily forseen by the Deep State.
Seems like you’re blind to the getting yourselves Erdoganed in a staged failed coup, which conveniently would become a pretext for the suspension of everyone’s rights and freedoms.
After all, the Deep State needs the Constitution; they can’t abuse rule of law unless rule of law is at least nominally in place.
Vote Trump 2016. Join the real revolution.
So you believe the courts (federal or State) would not prosecute Hillary Clinton’s numerous criminal acts of lying under oath, multiple counts of financial and electoral fraud and violating the national security of the United States because of the “Political Question Doctrine”? Such an argument is not only misunderstood by you but is weak as an affirmative defense on its face. The reason Clinton has gotten away with her crimes is because the Department of Justice no longer serves the American people as its authority has been barred by the Criminal-In-Chief who ordered his Attorney General lackey to squash any and all attempts by the FBI to seek indictment through the Grand Jury process.
Crimes committed under statutes of law supersede any all issues dealing with the political process. There is no legal relief from prosecution unless under pardon by a governor of a State that has jurisdiction or the sitting chief executive.
You refer to the U.S. Military adherence to its oath of service to the the U.S. Constitution. The reality is the Department of War and its numerous mercenaries carry out the murders of innocent people with impunity on every mission the Criminal-In-Chief orders them to do without a formal declaration of war authorized by the toadies of the U.S. Congress. Just look at how Libya, Syria and Yemen are being destroyed to further the globalists’ agenda.
The Pentagon, the U.S. Congress, the president and the federal judiciary have all debased and violated the tenets of the U.S. Constitution and for you to suggest with sanctimonious piffle they ‘defend it’ not only mocks the citizenry of this country but the honored dead as well.
You reveal yourself to be the typical coddled citizen who would not lift one finger to protect your family, friends or neighbors, who would willingly give up your property to ‘civil asset forfeiture’ without a fight to allow these monsters to strip you bare of every thread of material possession along with your dignity and self-respect.
“Land of the free, home of the brave” still has meaning for many patriots but for you, they’re just words of a lyrical song to be sung in servile obedience to tyranny.
The corrupt, computerized Diebold voting system in the US will certainly *not* “leave it up to the voters” tomorrow. It’s who that counts the votes that will decide.
Actually, the Electoral College decides.
Again, an overwhelming Trump turnout (with aggressive ballot checking to thwart flipped votes) can defeat rigging.
Trump beat the corrupt and rigged Republican primaries because of overwhelming Trump votes that overwhelmed the cheating process.
Its every patriot’s job to storm the ramparts once more.
Trump 2016!
in re not voting.
imagine ship making 25 kts in mist and light fog. no radar, watch blind drunk…
cap asleep awakens and runs to bridge. through mist he sees an iceberg and a shoal-reef.
would you have captain return to his bunk and pout?
would you advise captain to ram iceberg – ship will probably sink, deep water.
would you advise cap to run ship on the shoal?
Obviously not voting is stupid.
You left out one option; man the lifeboats!
Abandon ship!
you have evidently never been at the helm, two options, sink or run aground, left or right, 5 seconds…or go back to sleep and wait for death.
“you have evidently never been at the helm”
That’s right mate, the captain goes down with the ship. I am going for the lifeboats, but women and children first.
I have no idea who Oleg Maslov is, but he just wrote the most sober and objective comparison of the two candidates that I have read.
Of course not voting is an option.
I feel for the people here who know better, but still think we can vote our way out of this; the dictionary definition of Cognitive Dissonance. Representative Democracy is not popular rule; it is not even democracy (except for five minutes every 3-4 years). All we do is choose the faction we wish to rule us, then we are rocked gently back to sleep until next time. It serves to focus popular movements into parliamentary activity, where people’s passion and principle is worn down via factional infighting, and the resultant loss of collective action through the election of individuals. All it does is give the illusion of control, so the sheeple don’t break out the torches and pitchforks from cold storage. The best slave is the one who does not know they are even enslaved.
As much as I want a Trump victory, this will not lead to any kind of utopia. Regardless of who is elected, the currents of geopolitics will not divert much, the momentum is too great. Clinton is WWIII, but also will start as the weakest President in US history. Regardless of who is elected out of the Clown and the Crook, the future will look very similar, just the theatrics will differ.
The best vote you can make is a no-vote; a vote against this terrible system. If the voter turnout is low (sub-50%), this de-legitimises whoever is elected. If the voter turnout tanks in the 20%-30% range, the elected can claim no mandate. Remember, whoever you vote for will change nothing; a no-vote could start an avalanche which brings down their rotten house of cards.
Never again in our name, vote against the system.
“Once upon a time, a man stood in line with other men who sadly marched with heavy legs into the black void of tyranny. Bravely the man struck a match, a thought, a challenge to reject the darkness. He touched the match to the wick of a candle he drew from his pocket and dared to hold in his hand. The flame shone brightly and could be seen by everyone.
The crowd gasped and turns themselves toward the man, ‘What is that?’, they said. He responded, ‘The Lamp of Liberty. It will guide us away from the black, into the light of freedom. Let us follow it for it shows us the way out of our misery, a new path we must choose for ourselves and break from the yoke and chain of despotism.’ The crowd followed the man for the illumination gave them courage and hope; its warmth comforted them to know there is another way to a better life.”
Voting is a sham, a stage play the people are forced by lies to participate in to serve at the pleasure of the plutocrats. The third act of the play is always the same outcome, they win, we lose.
We must follow the Lamp of Liberty and shun the electoral system we have been falsely led to believe is the foundation of self-governance. We must demand a new way of representative government that is fair to the electorate, not the fraud we are faced with today.
inspirational
Super agree.
Those people here expecting any change with “The Donald” are or delusional or they have not been/are not sincere. Some yes, have been sincere since the beginning, but to others have fault them time to turn to accept “The Donald” as the world saviour, when these previous days they were keeping more or less leftist positions. Flippant but clarifying, if more were needed, of what is going on here, at least in certain sections.
Since here I suppose the people to be intelligent enough, I have not but conclude that what they have supported and expected is a continuation of the status quo perhaps with a slight, or not so slight, inclination towards “far right populism” the kind of that of Marine Le Pen or Nigel Farage, dangerously resembling what we do not want to remember, at least in Europe.
Must we recall here that the far right never is going to show its real face till they have the power secured?
So, beware with these populisms.
Obvioulsy, Hillary was no an option and so there you have.
What has been obtained for sure for starters is a deep division in the US society by throwing a enough enraged part against the one who has been marked as a scape goat. I hope that these angered white supremacists will not feel as if they were free now to return to the darkest ages of the US history, but I fear that you will have to see increasingly attacks against US people of foreign origins. Never mind The Donald talks now about “together” and all that, he, and those behind him, knows very well what kind of beast he has released.
I hope those supporters of Trump will not have to regret, more than nothing for my own well being.
We’ve been played like a Stradivarius.
What occurred
FBI Director Comey came out just days before the election and just days after declaring there would be no indictment of Clinton, and once again opened up an investigation of Hillary and her new found emails on Weiner’s laptop. Immediately he became on the one hand, forgiven by conservatives for giving them a new hope that justice would be served. On the other hand he was attacked by the left for daring to threaten Clinton just a few days before the election. Both sides were unaware as to the real reason why he did this.
What less obvious occurred
Opening up a second investigation silenced the revolt within the ranks of the FBI as they along with the rest of the country would now have to wait and see what resulted from the new investigation. This second Comey investigation became the major news story of the week pushing all others off the front page and out of many voter’s minds…stories like Podesta being a pedophile and the possibility that Hillary was also one.
He played us like a Stradivarius
True to form and flying in the face of credulity, Comey declared the more than 600,000 emails vetted in impossible record time and Hillary innocent of any wrongdoing. Comey played his part perfectly and according to the script written by Hillary. He effectively shut down all other accusations and revelations that could hurt Clinton and at the same time assured the many fence sitters, not sure they wanted to vote a possible criminal into the White House, that Clinton was free of criminal activity.
Brilliant move James, I’m sure there is a place reserved for you in a Clinton administration.
That could very well be. I know some people suspected as much. You are certainly right on the time to check “650,000” emails being too short (in my opinion at least).
Or, you escaped being suicided by a nail gun or 3 shots in the back of your head or … Good for you, James.
Or, once Hillary is elected, he may find that after all, and re-reading (!) these 650K or so emails, there’s enough evidence to do something.
I fell like I’m watching a live version of “House of Cards”.
Its incredible that the author thinks TTIP and TPP ‘will be good for the global economy’. Good for whom in particular? Is he aware for instance that most Germans (86%) are vehemently opposed to TTIP? I don’t think Germans are that ignorant, do you? Nope! Those agreements are meant to benefit western multinationals at the expense of ordinary people and their jobs, health and security.
Indeed, TTIP and TPP are malevolent schemes meant to undermine both China and Russia and isolate them economically in Europe and Asia, while seeking to neuter and stillbirth the development of the Eurasian Economic Union and the massive Silk road project, both of which are set to up-end and replace the current hegemonic and exploitative western controlled international economic order.
TTIP and TPP are in reality desperate rearguard actions to preserve the global economic status quo and western dominance, not boost global trade. Either the author is naive about western ‘leadership’ and their capacity for subterfuge and sheer evil, or is yet another 5th columnist.
Happy voting day people.
Regarding voting or not voting, that is a personal choice. But telling others they shouldn’t vote amounts to support for the status quo many of these people claim they oppose. Since it is obvious even to a knuckledragger that non involvment will effect no changes whatsoever, I think that support for the status quo is intentional. IE: a psywar strategy by those who support the current order, whatever it is, to get those who don’t support it to do nothing substantial to oppose it.
Sit at home and watch tv, yeah, that’ll be sure make the oligarchs and hired minions quake with fear about their coming ousting from power. :D
The electoral system is a swindle, there is no difference in the outcome of the election for the plutocrats will remain in power. They will stay in control until the people completely reject the corrupted mechanism that installs the puppets that serve the Deep State.
Voting is exactly what these evil men want you to do as it gives them the mandate to continue abusing the nation. To vote with the expectation that government will change is insane.
No, to vote and do nothing else other than complain and “expect the government to change” is insane.
No rest for the wicked, no rest for the good. Work, work, work. Ye shall know them by their works. Not their gripes. I agree with Auslander. Time to buy his literary work.
It doesn’t matter what anybody writes about either candidate – they are both controlled by the deep state, they are just puppets. Same coin, different sides.
I am sitting here and to be honest I am appalled at the numbers on this forum and others that say ‘I won’t vote because….’. What is wrong with you? Therein is the main problem in US and Europe. ‘My vote means nothing’. ‘My vote will never count so why bother?’ ‘I don’t like any of the candidates so I won’t vote.’. If you don’t vote then you get what you deserve. If you do vote and your candidate loses then at least you tried and your voice was heard. If nothing else voting and losing, or winning for that matter, gives you the right to complain for the next four years about the idiot that was voted in to office. If you didn’t vote then kindly shut up, your voice means nothing to you so why should it mean anything to the rest of us.
As an aside I can’t vote this time, ‘they’ won’t allow it.
“For lack of a nail a shoe was lost, for lack of a shoe a horse was lost…..”
Auslander”
Your metaphor would have merit if the American electoral system was operated fairly in compliance with election laws but the reality is it is a sham, a cheat at a national level. What little difference the electorate sees between the candidates is for show, for amusement, an overt degradation of the principles of self-governance. Why would anyone grant any credibility to such a vile process? When the government no longer serves the nation it must be replaced otherwise tyranny fills the void.
If Russia did not offer any assistance, what would the Crimean people have done after they overwhelmingly voted to secede from Kiev and the Nazis marched their troops into the peninsula to restore their illegal authority?
I’m guessing you would have held a firearm and defended yourself, family, friends, neighbors and property because your vote is your supreme authority to decide your fate, even if it meant facing death. Such is the core of a patriot and I believe you and many, many others would resolve themselves to fight for their freedoms. We here in America must do the same else the full bloom of despotism will be upon us and spread its evil throughout the world.
Your arguments hold no water. The right to vote is not only a right but a duty. Your subtle propaganda to not vote ‘because the system is broken’ means nothing and but says all.
As an aside your question about Krimu is totally off subject and shows what you are.
/trolls-101-how-to-identify-trolls-and-forum-spies/
Auslander, I do not agree with you. If the candidates do not represent my value, It is my duty not to vote for them.
Then, J, write in a candidate that does appeal to you. But, vote! As I stated, I can not this time and you have no concept of how that little foible annoys me. This is the first election I have not voted in since ’67.
I am very likely to vote today. I was very dutiful at earlier years, and now it is getting very bad. There is almost no point to vote except primaries.
The duty you wrote of resides in the unalienable rights of the people to decide for themselves how they are to be governed, not by an edict of a corrupt system of government. To cast a vote in this vile environment of electoral graft is to give support to the perpetual tyranny that only grants the privilege of wearing their favored yoke of oppression around your neck.
The analogy of the alternate Crimean outcome fits perfectly, you just refuse to consider to it. What would you have done if the Nazis invaded the peninsula: hide, run or fight? I believe you would’ve fought; why not admit it?
As far as your reference to a hidden agenda, such insults are wasted. I have none other then to present the reality that a time has come for we Americans to either stand up against the plutocrats or wind up like the Palestinian people who have resigned themselves to wear the shackles of occupation for nearly 70 years at the hands of the Zionists of Israel.
C.G. Jung somewhere mentions, that democracy is a mellowed form of the latent permanant civil war. Not to vote is in consequence the vote for the open form of it.
I have said it before. Voting is a way to fool people into think the revolution is not longer needed, to fool people in to believing they are making a difference. In reality, people are not decision makers, the elite are, just like any other system. Democracy like any form of system, need to be renewed periodically. Renewing of a system usually through revolution.
Was that article premature?
As these lines are being written, desperation reigns in Clinton camp (www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-09/meanwhile-hillary-clintons-headquarters-tragedy) and Trump’s probabilities to win are soaring (http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-08/hillary-clinton-winning-odds-tumble-nyt-livetracker).
Oooops! Wrong article…
My previous comment was meant for /why-hillary-clinton-will-appoint-old-world-nationalists-to-cabinet-positions-and-the-quasi-legal-coup-hillary-clinton-information-operations-in-election-2016/
We came, we saw, she lost…
I would have voted that up……….
So Trump has now been elected by the American people to be their next US President, no thanks to all the naysayers here that refused to get off their self-righteous backsides and lift a finger to vote insane warmonger Hillary out.
The ‘Left’ have had their candidate for eight years, but were unable to back it up with a successful ground game. Now it is the ‘Right’s turn to see if they can back up this victory with eight solid years fighting against our many enemies. Trump has no power structure, he is a small dog in a yard full of pit bulls. All Trump has is your support, his power is in the ballot box.
I fought with the ‘Left’ against Bush and Howard, to no avail. I think we might be at a stage where the battle lines have shifted from left-right to national-global. I am considering supporting that effort here in Australia, groups I would of considered my opponents not very long ago. We have allowed control of our economy, environment and trade to be taken from us; and for my country our military and foreign policy to the Empire. Time for government policy to be in our favour, the elite have enough.