More Pro Hillary, Less Anti Trump Please [View all]

I have a simple desire: I would like to see more pro Hillary campaigning from the left and less anti-Trump. We’ve come to the point where we know Trump is a clown, but all of the noise has made it difficult for me to get a handle on the person I will vote for in November. Who exactly is Hillary Clinton and what does she stand for?

I know that Hillary has been in the spotlight for decades and I should know from her record already everything I need to know, but there is a lack of narrative. Even though public figures should be careful with their emails in today’s world, I’m not moved by this story. I also know that it is across the US government that cybersecurity is lagging behind the times. What I don’t know comes down to what are our values as a nation. Are we just childish predators who are excited that we found someone’s mistake or are we truly concerned about email servers. The only thing I’ve learned from all of this is that my business needs to encrypt my data. I suspect even then, if someone really wanted in, they would get in.

This extends into the realm of the issues that matter to me. Because of the straw men stories out there I have a hard time figuring out if Hillary really is too hawkish for my tastes or if she is merely practical in a hostile world that sometimes requires force. Is her measured approach one that will ultimately lead to more results than being idealistic? I would love to see the campaign and the media explore these subjects, but instead I get a barrage of Trump is a buffoon or Hillary Benghazi!

I for one have grown fatigued at the current state of political discourse and it isn’t merely limited to Fox News. A vapid voice has become the narrator to our nation’s dialogue, so it’s no wonder that most people also discuss issues on a low level or simply tune out. We have more information and education available to us than at anytime in history, yet we are functioning as if we are only allowed to listen to our crazy drunk uncle to find out what’s happening in the world of politics.

And if I ever question a stance Hillary has taken or seems to support, the only response I seem to get is, ‘Would you rather have Trump?’ The answer is obviously ‘no’, but that doesn’t advance the discussion. I would still like to be able to examine the likely next president without a default response. I would like to consider who will lead us without it only being the opposite of obvious disaster. This dynamic doesn’t just avoid criticism. It becomes unnecessary to praise Hillary’s accomplishments, values and character in this climate, because all we need to know is Trump is, well, Donald Trump.

But I am personally excited by the idea that we could have a female president. The optics are incredible for every little girl and young woman out there. This shows that they could actually sit in the world’s most powerful seat. This shows that it’s not just a man’s world. I also hope that a woman president could bring a temperament to the Oval Office that has been lacking in our history of patriarchal leaders. All that said, it feels like we are in a junior high spat as to who the popular kid is leading up to the election. And I hope that just because Trump is an obvious no, doesn’t mean the only choice is a bad one.