Showing posts with label Rhetoric. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rhetoric. Show all posts

September 27, 2016

Left or Right?

This sign from yesterday reminded me of the debates last night. 

Arguments, attacks, and counterpunchs between the candidates (and the parties they represent).

But in the end, the sign is pointing us in the wrong direction anyway. 

While we keep hitting each other up for getting and maintaining the awesome scepter of American power, our competitors on the international stage are moving on with their personal and national agendas, and we are in seemingly perpetual gridlock. 

The big problems that we face are not going away, and declaring who is the winner of the showtime debates, daily rallies, and witty sound bites, may feel good from the standpoint of whether our candidate is winning or not, but frankly is not solving any of our problems either.

A good fight is spectacular to watch, but we can be our own worst enemies as we are lost in shallow policy and rhetoric debates amidst leadership confusion, indecision, and (un)popularity contests, and even the winner may take home nothing but the rights to hoist another upside down sign.

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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August 15, 2016

Mean WORDS Over Crooked DEEDS

Nicholas Kristof wrote in the New York Times Sunday Review that "Donald Trump is Making America Meaner."

And yes, anything that a Presidential candidate does that is bigoted or racist is wrong and should be utterly condemned. 

But what is concerning about Kristof and the liberal media's coverage of the election has been it's wholly one-sided nature and what that means in terms of election rigging. 

In fact, CNN recently admitted on the air that "We [CNN] could not help her [Hillary] any more than we have...we're the biggest ones promoting her campaign"

Similarly, in this case, Kristof hammers Trump's "harsh rhetoric" for things like wanting to build a border wall for Homeland Security, having a big loose mouth (too often), and not distancing himself from toxic advisers or followers. 

But interestingly enough, Kristof is silent about Clinton's numerous acts of (alleged) debauchery, corruption, and scandal and what that means in terms of that candidate's meanness! 

Some examples:

- Getting child rapists off the hook and laughing about it is not mean. 

- Protecting husband Bill in the face of 17 allegations of rape and affairs is not mean. 

- Endangering national security with secret email servers and the habitual lies to cover it up with a rating of "Four Pinocchios" is not mean.

- (Soft) Intimidation of the Attorney General and telling the Director of the FBI that he is full of "bull" is not mean. 

- DNC Collusion to rig the election against Bernie Sanders is not mean. 

- Money laundering, "pay to play" and cronyism through the Clinton Foundation is not mean. 

- Enabling racial divisiveness in America and the killing of civilians and police officers is not mean. 

- Not protecting those Americans murdered in Benghazi and making up a phony story about it being because of a video that is not mean. 

- 47 people associated with the Clintons involved in murder-suicides that is not mean. 

- Allowing Chemical Weapons use against civilians in Syria and not enforcing the "red line" is not mean.

- Making dangerous nuke deals with Axis of Evil, Iran, the #1 state sponsor of terrorism and human rights abuses is not mean. 

- Sowing terrorism, war, refugees, and crises around the globe that is not mean. 

I suppose what is most amazing is that while Trump has sharp words with and for people, Hillary stands accused of actually doing many absolutely horrible ("mean") deeds affecting all of America and much of the world. 

Interestingly, someone posted on Facebook yesterday the following:
"I'm voting for the candidate who got people killed, covered sexual assaults, and threatened national security, because the other one said mean things."

Yes the liberal media are themselves so biased and mean by not holding wrongdoers like the Clintons accountable and not treating the candidates equally and the election in a fair and balanced manner...we should all be very concerned by this mind-numbing brainwashing and absolute treachery by those that are supposed to be looking out for us. 

Maybe Kristof and others in the liberal media need to look at themselves in the mirror at what meanness and corruption they are creating and how dangerous that is to America. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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June 24, 2012

It's The Right Thing To Do

In election season, there is a lot of confusing messaging and as citizens, we are left trying to figure out where to go with our country's leadership next. 

The rhetoric is heating up as each side tries to outdo the other on why they are right and the other side is wrong on the issues and who will be better at leading us into the future. 

- But where is the negotiation, balance, compromise, and win-win for all the people? 

Then of course, there is the blame game that seems to go on too, with politicians saying things aren't getting done because of partisanship or this administration or that's mistakes--this is the finger-pointing. 

- What ever happened to the buck stops here? 

Related, we have others that won't even admit what they've said or where they stand on the issues--first, they may just try to deny it and say they never said it, and perhaps later, they admit they said it, but they didn't mean it quite that way--like, it's a sound bit taken out of context. 

- Is this conviction or just playing to the audience? 

Finally, what are candidates even trying to sell us when they are electioneering--slogans, potshots, sleight-of-hands, political publicists or genuine direction for how to make this country great.

- Is it a person, a party, or a platform that we are even voting for and how does race, ethnicity, sex, religion and so forth factor in to the votes? 

Some commentators, like Peggy Noonan, have rightfully said (Wall Street Journal, 18-19 June 2012) that candidates must find a theme that people can sensibly grasp unto--something that gives a "sense of meaning" for their run.

Ultimately, we need to know who the candidates are as human beings--what is in their soul--what do they really think--and most important, what will they actually do, if they have the power. 

A few weeks ago the Wall Street Journal ran an editorial called "Four Words that Moved The World: 'Tear Down This Wall'"--those where the words uttered by then President Ronald Reagan on June 12, 1987 in a speech in front of the Berlin Wall. 

Reagan told his deputy chief of staff that even though some would be mad at him for saying it, "it's the right thing to do." 

Those six words are even more powerful than the four in his speech, because, especially as a leader, doing--not just saying--the right thing, is everything!

The hard part, as voters, is figuring out who will do what the right thing when they are called on. 

(Source Photo: here with attribution to Randy Robertson)

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