The fact of the matter is, having another Clinton in the White House reminds me of the second Bush we had in office. The presidency seems to have become a big ticket item that the rich and powerful want to put in their portfolio. Think about it: If Hillary wins, four of the last 5 presidents will have been from only two families. That seems a little redundant. I mean, at least the Adams boys had the decency to space it out a little - and that was when the country was much smaller and there weren't many people that wanted the job! Even the Roosevelts didn't run for office so close together, nor were they so closely related. The idea of ANOTHER Clinton after having things run by ANOTHER Bush just rubs people the wrong way. It's not that the other 300 million of us are going to run for the office of President, but it's nice to THINK that we can.
Obama gave us that feeling and made us feel like we were a part of something bigger than ourselves. He wasn't so entrenched in the party politics that we felt like he was just going to roll over and play the game. That's another thing about Clinton - she's basically been in office since the early 1990's at this point. Whether as First Lady, a senator, or Secretary of State, Hillary has been around a LONG time. And she's been playing the game since her husband first took office, so is she really going to shake up the status quo in Washington?
Hillary Clinton is not a lovable character. She's not inspiring like Obama or even likeable in an angry-Jewish-grandpa way like Bernie Sanders. She lacks the charisma of her husband or Trump's ability to grab people's attention (and then strangle them with it). But while HRC may not be likable, I do believe that she is smart and tough as nails. She would have to be to have survived the hellhounds of Washington for this long and still be coming out on top. And her experience in Washington is just that - experience. As Secretary of State I would have to think she's faced a few stressful situations. And in this day and age of a global economy and shared global threats, I think we're in a better position with someone at the desk that has experience working with other countries and is well-developed in the art of diplomacy.
Let's be honest, nobody likes a bully. Unless you are one or you are one of those people who stood beside the bully on the playground either because you figured it was the safest place or you just wanted to be on the "winning" side. In that case, you're a Trump voter. There are not that many insanely rich people in our country that really feel that they will benefit from his policies. If you're a racist or misogynist, then I do see the appeal for you. I get that he uses small words and that may draw you in. But we're talking about a guy who has literally taken a page out of Hitler's book for running for public office. He has been blatant in targeting minorities and playing off the fears and hatred of his followers. Is this really the example we want to set for our children and the world for what America is?
And for me that is really all it comes down to. No matter how much I may not be a fan of Hillary Clinton, no matter how much I liked the ideas that Sanders touts, we will soon have to make a decision about the direction of our country. And make no mistake, there are two very different directions to go. As a mother with daughters, my choice is clear. I can not sit by and let ignorance elect someone who sees women as objects to be admired, used, and disposed of when the mood strikes him. Someone who is leading the party that claims to be "Christian", yet obviously has no respect for the sanctity of marriage. Someone who speaks for the worst of us and provokes them to action. I choose to support the party leader who shares my values, who will show my children that no matter how backward our country may seem at times we are still moving forward. And yes, that girls can do anything. Many other developed countries have gotten there before us and lived to tell the tale, so why can't we?
And for those that think electing Hillary will be another Bill Clinton presidency - were things really all that bad? The country wasn't at war with anyone, the economy was good, gas was $1 a gallon, families and parents were given the FLMA, and a middle class family could afford to send their child to college without either of them going into extreme long term debt.
Given the economic and terrorist crises we've faced as a country over the last 16 years, I would go back to the 90's in a heartbeat. Let's just not resurrect the flannel.
