Hillary did not win me over
Last edited Wed Oct 21, 2015, 12:38 AM - Edit history (1)
Politicians vs. Leaders
I woke up unusually early this morning with a realization - something about Hillary at the democratic debate bothered me. There had been something naggling at me and I couldn't put my finger on it.
It was the moment she named republicans as the enemies she is proud to have. While I'm no fan of republicans and their positions, not by a long shot, I appreciate authentic leadership. Disregarding half the population she wishes to lead signals to me, though she's on my side of the divide, that she is no leader. It unsettled me, like she's in it more for the game than she is for the people. Snarkiness is not a leadership quality. At some point we are going to realize the difference between leadership and politicking, hopefully sooner rather than later.
Hillary proudly, and with humor I found kind of disturbing, effectively told many Americans that she holds them in very low regard. What kind of governance can a person expect from someone with such flaunted biases? I get that she has survived years of an incessant onslaught of attacks from the GOP, few could, but I'd be more inspired to vote for her if she rose above it instead.
I realize that by "republicans" she meant the GOP politicians and the conservative press, but do you really think regular, every day republicans outside the beltway, who make up the vast majority of the party, are going to make that distinction? An effective leader would recognize that she would be their president too, and would refrain from making such a statement. It's one thing to naively hold on to the idea that there can be consensus or compromise, it's quite another to openly alienate half the the country.
Hillary is not a leader, she is a politician and I am thoroughly sick and tired of politicians. Whether our legislators "get things done" or not, voters don't show up in substantial numbers for politicians. She claims to be a pragmatic progressive, which is arguably true, but I can't help but to wonder what goes on deep in her core. This is a public service position she is vying for, or it should be anyway. Not only do I question her integrity, but I now question her judgment - she may not get republican votes, but if she wins, she will be their president. Is she committed to leading everyone or just the people she likes?
We have a disengagement problem in our nation, too many tune out and opt out. The wisdom of doing so is not exactly sound, but washing your hands of the whole thing and taking your chances, letting the chips fall where they may, is an understandable reaction. You have to give people something to vote for, only giving them things to vote against is never good and policies alone are not enough. The abysmal voter turn out in 2014 makes this point clear, especially in comparison to the voter turn out of 2008 & even 2012.
I will begrudgingly and painfully vote for Secretary Clinton if she wins the primary, I will drag myself, internally kicking and screaming, to keep the republicans out of the white house. But for primary season, my vote was already going to Bernie and now I am even further entrenched in the Bernie camp.
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I'd bet my home that shoe is comfortable, too.
