Clinton Looks Like Toast to Me

Studies show that election results depend mostly on the economy. When the economy is good, the ruling party usually retains power. When the economy is bad, the ruling party is apt to be voted out.

If the economy goes into recession between now and the election, as I suspect it will, that will favor the Republicans. So what matters is who gets the Republican nomination.

But I agree with Ian that Hillary is stumbling. She never had anything going for her in the first place other than name recognition.

Vas is das MOTU?

Mark of the Unicorn?

Hilary does not look to me to want it badly enough anymore, but that just the theatre review.

The first problem with the email scandal is that the Republicans, underneath all the cynical hypocrisy, are right on the substance. She should never have conducted government business on a private email server. Yes, Bush admin operatives did so, too, but they were wrong to do so, too. Someone somewhere has to do better, show some respect for the job . . .

The second big problem is that this is a reminder that the Clintons lack the politically vital capacity to shut down the scandal machine. There is no point in having 8 years of whitewater redux.

The third big problem is that John Kerry, to my surprise, is accomplishing things as Secretary of State, highlighting the reality that Hillary’s time in office was one prolonged junket.

The Republicans have managed a generational change that the Democrats have not. Labour is facing the same problem in the UK, but Labour is at its core — not the PLP establishment, but the electoral and activist and identity support — a similar Party to what it was 50 or 60 years ago. Look at a map of Labour-majority and you have a map of steel and coal circa 1960. The U.S. Dems are little like they were in 1960; if anything, the 21st century blue states map Republican support circa 1960. In the game of identity politics, the Dems have shallow roots, and an aging leadership.

The damage Obama did to Party organization is showing, as is his failure to nurture the cadre of the Democratic Presidential Party, that group of 4000 or so, who can show up to fill the Cabinet and sub-cabinet and staff jobs, and pull the levers of power and policy, when a Democrat gets in. Whole swaths of the defense and security state haven’t seen a Democrat in a generation. Way to lose control of the deep state!

“The third big problem is that John Kerry, to my surprise, is accomplishing things as Secretary of State, highlighting the reality that Hillary’s time in office was one prolonged junket.”

Yeah, she played it ultra safe, while for Kerry this is likely the capstone on his career. Something to be said for appointing people who don’t (or no longer) aspire to higher office.

As usual, The Onion was on point:
http://www.theonion.com/article/hillary-clinton-to-nation-do-not-fuck-this-up-for–38416

One comment I found humorous [& tragic] another tragically perceptive.

To the first, In fact, the destruction Hillary has wreaked upon the earth, the madness of Obama/Hillary’s adoption of, Cheney’s “regime change” policy, in combination with their idea of funding/training/arming terrorists, instead of “boots on the ground” in “wars of aggression” has produced death in numbers large enough to earn Hillary and Obama a place at a Nuremberg trial along side any of Pol Pot’s remaining henchmen.

To the second; I too feared Hillary was so inoculated, but it appears not and that is to the good. The email inquiry had it’s genesis in the aftermath of the Hillary’s Libyan war…it’s only fitting that she finds herself fatally wounded by her own petard.

[1] “I wouldn’t vote for Hillary if the GOP candidate were Pol Pot” – jcapan August 19, 2015

[2] “Her favourabilities have taken a real hit, I am surprised, I thought decades of being in the right’s 5 most hated list had immunized her to further harm – I figured she has a low ceiling of support, but also thick armour, well immunized by endless scandal mongering.” – The Tragically Flip August 20, 2015

Way too early to declare Hillary done, but it is a near certainty the the Rethug nominee will be weak.

Only if she uses this:

http://www.incrediblethings.com/food/this-toaster-toasts-your-selfie-onto-bread/

These comments about wishing for a weak Republican nominee make me wonder why many people can’t remove their blinders and view our reality as it is. Our multi billion dollar PR extravaganzas we call elections don’t lead to fundamental changes in our system and never will. They do not represent democracy in action only manufactured consent to keep the rubes pacified and maintain the status quo. Winning becomes the only objective and the lies and excrement offered by sociopath politicians becomes the rallying cries of the True Believers.

There are few tools available in our age to even resist the Beast but a growing segment of our citizens are at least rejecting this undemocratic manipulation and shunning the election system that only encourages and grants consent for the depredations of the Ruling Class.