By Sheldon Adelman
These are turbulent times.
More and more Americans express frustration and disillusionment today with the political institutions that govern the nation. They clamor for an alternative to the incestuous and pernicious atmosphere dominating the capital. They see a vast array of lobbyists, elected officials and entrenched interests manipulating the levers of power for their own enrichment at the expense of ordinary citizens.
The discontent isn’t confined by ideology or political philosophy. As Donald Trump confounded the pundit class in ignoring convention and protocol on his way to securing the Republican presidential nomination, a long-time socialist generated throngs of enthusiastic supporters on the left and almost derailed the Democratic coronation of Hillary Clinton.
“Change is in the air,” activist Marianne Williamson wrote, “as old patterns fall away and new energies are emerging.” And so it is.
History tells us that agents for reform often generate fear and alarm among those intent on preserving their cushy sinecures. It’s hardly a shock, then, that the 2016 campaign has produced a barrage of unceasing vitriol directed toward Mr. Trump. But let us not be distracted by the social media sideshows and carnival clatter. Substantive issues are in play this November.
Our allies on the world stage watch nervously as America retreats from its position of strong leadership leaving strife and conflict rushing to fill the void. The past eight years have pushed us $20 trillion into debt, obligations that will burden our children and grandchildren. The nation’s economy sputters under the growing weight of federal edicts and regulations that smother growth and innovation. Obamacare threatens to crash and burn. The middle class struggles. An administration promising hope and unity instead brought division.
Yet Hillary Clinton promises to lead us down the same path. She’ll cuddle up to the ways and perks of Washington like she would to a cozy old blanket.
Mr. Trump instead brings a corporate sensibility and a steadfast determination to an ossified Beltway culture. He advocates for lower taxes and a simplified tax code, in contrast to his opponent’s plan to extract another $1 trillion from the private economy in order to enlarge the bureaucracy. Mr. Trump understands and appreciates the conditions that lead to prosperity and job creation and would be a friend to small business and entrepreneurship. Mrs. Clinton has spent most of her adult life on the public payroll.
Of particular importance is the U.S. Supreme Court. The next president may be charged with filling multiple vacancies, shaping the court’s direction for a generation. Mr. Trump prefers nominees who recognize the Constitution’s checks on federal authority as a bulwark against tyranny. Mrs. Clinton would be a disaster in this regard.
Protections enshrined in no fewer than five amendments in the Bill of Rights could be eliminated or diminished under a progressive high court. Mrs. Clinton has already expressed support for empowering censors to regulate political speech — and even ban movies and books — by rewriting the First Amendment under the guise of campaign finance reform. Count on this to be a litmus test for her high-court nominees.
Expect the Second Amendment to fare no better. The individual right to bear arms would be a likely casualty of a Clinton presidency. In addition, it’s not hard to envision a liberal court further eroding the Fifth Amendment’s restrictions on government confiscation of private property and simply pulling the plug on the Ninth and 10th amendments, which have long been on life support.
Make no mistake, a Hillary Clinton administration would indulge the worst instincts of the authoritarian left and continue to swell the bloated regulatory state while running the nation deeper into the red in pursuit of “free” college and health care.
Yes, Mr. Trump’s impulsiveness and overheated rhetoric alienate many voters. He has trouble dealing with critics and would be wise to discover the power of humility.
But neither candidate will ever be called to the dais to accept an award for moral probity and character. And we are already distressingly familiar with the Clinton way, which involves turning public service into an orgy of influence peddling and entitlement designed to line their own pockets — precisely what a disgruntled electorate now rises up to protest.
Mr. Trump represents neither the danger his critics claim nor the magic elixir many of his supporters crave. But he promises to be a source of disruption and discomfort to the privileged, back-scratching political elites for whom the nation’s strength and solvency have become subservient to power’s pursuit and preservation
Anyone who thinks Trump would be an “agent of reform” needs their head checked. “Manipulating the levers of power for their own enrichment at the expense of ordinary citizens” is all Trump has ever done. He is one of the most corrupt businessmen in existence and there is no reason to think he would not be a corrupt politician. He already bribed an attorney general to drop a lawsuit against him–what would he do as president? This is a man who constantly brags about abusing his power–from his “grab ’em by the pu**y” boasting, to his claims that he would waltz into women’s dressing rooms at his beauty pageants just because he could get away with it, to his threats against journalists and critics, he has repeatedly announced to the world that he enjoys abusing his power and would continue to do so as president.
Adelson talks about the threats to the first amendment posed by Hillary (falsely claiming that she has endorsed “banning books and movies”), but seems blind to the many documented threats to the first amendment posed by Trump.
There is a reason almost no other newspapers save for Adelson’s have endorsed Trump. Even many newspapers who have endorsed Republicans for decades have said they cannot endorse the Republican candidate this year. Adelson will be on the wrong side of history along with anyone else who backs this gigantic loser.
Tommy (Chris) “He is one of the most corrupt businessmen in existence”
Oh really? So you would place him on an equal footing with Dennis Koslowski, Robert Rubin, Jeffry Skilling, Bernie Madoff and others?
I’d put Bill and Hill in that category.
Accusations of bribery are being made against Trump. I have yet to see evidence.
“Adelson talks about the threats to the first amendment posed by Hillary (falsely claiming that she has endorsed “banning books and movies”)”
Breitbart:
The Citizen United case came about over a movie that was critical of Hillary Clinton during the 2008 election cycle. You bet she wants an amendment to limit speech…including movies, books, radio commentators and conservative 501c4 .
Of course no such objections were ever made when movies about GWB were made.
Your party has tried to silence conservative radio before through FCC Regulation…there is a pattern of abuses aimed at silencing opposing voices.
Your party is filled to the brim with hypocrisy and criminality.
I don’t suppose anybody caught Maureen Dowd on Trump yesterday on “City Arts”. No, you all don’t listen to stuff like that, and more’s the pity.
She was on the road with him during his tentative run in 1999, has covered him since, and had lots to say. You should download it … if you can bring yourselves to.
And then, I go: “Who the hell is Sheldon Adelman?”
My God in Heaven.
Do you have no shame at all?
Good catch, Libby–there is no such person as “Sheldon Adelman.” His name is Sheldon Adelson.
The Benghazi article was plagiarized, and now we see that even when they try to give proper citation, they can’t do it.
Just sad.
So someone misspelled a name. Big deal. So far all I have seen or heard from Democrats is the same old tired out fear mongering, racist hypocrisy, or the “We’re all gonna die, war against women and everyone’s a bigot or homophobe rhetoric. I have never ever witnessed in my life all the millions of Democrats that have all been suddenly given the ability to see into the future. I’ll bet the crystal ball industry is doing great business and God’s getting scared.
What is not so fascinating is in all the 31 years of many, so many you can’t count them all of conspiracies and investigations that have been alleged, accused, or charged against the Clinton’s due to their blatant public dishonesty and governmental corruption.
And yet the Clinton’s alway fire back that it is or was a Republican conspiracy. It’s ALWAYS someone else’s fault, never theirs. Clinton has gotten so confident of her and Bill’s ability to con all the Democrats to taking their side, she now blatantly and openly lies to the American public. She has already beaten out Obama, who, as having been recorded as the biggest serial liar and King at covering up all the laws he has broken as President of the United States. Clinton, who hasn’t even taken the Oath of Office yet, will have topped Obama’s 8 year record on day one of her Presidency if there is one.
Yes Trump has a big mouth, but there is not one fingerprint of his left on any governmental corruption scandal ever. Hillary’s are all over every governmental department of the US government.
Actually, I didn’t catch. I just did some reading up on the man … who would seem to be a moral imbecile … this one thankfully too ill to attempt the Presidency … and positively not someone from which an honorable person takes instruction of any kind.
Sadder still are the many piles of evidence showing corruption, dirty tricks, lies, deception, lewdness, inciting violence, bribery, and criminality anyone must climb over to find unfounded, unsubstantiated suspicions about Trump.
How many people that haven’t endorsed Trump have done so because they fear repercussions should this vindictive shrew win the presidency?
How many voters plan to vote for trump but fear being thrown out of the liberal club if they disclose their preference?
How many people have chosen to refrain from posting signs in their yards or on their bumpers for fear of vandalism and violent harassment?
You’re smug and arrogant…what else is new?
I’m afraid it is true. You put a Trump sign on your lawn and the least you’ll get are dirty looks.
We are kinda disgusted with you. That there should be so many people willing to flush the country down the toilet to appease their racial and economic resentments … this is not good.
You must grow brains that work, and you must do it now.
“Well, pilgrims, decide. Do you want the Borg Queen and her neocon/R2P pals to run our relations with Russia? Do you want to gamble on the controllability of an escalatory ladder process if a Russia/US war breaks out in Syria, the Ukraine or the Baltic States?”
Link—
http://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/2016/10/httpobservercom201610syrias-civil-war-is-over-russia-won.html
If Pooty decides to move on Estonia, do you think he should be allowed to do so?