Got my Antifa membership card today.

Yesterday, an article in PoliticusUSA was published under the headline, “Trump Wasted An Entire White House Meeting Trying To Convince His Aides That He’s Mentally Fit.” I’m of the opinion anyone who studies Trump carefully will have no problem seeing this as a predominant feature of his personality. After all, he really is a malignant narcissist, a sociopath, a man with a complete and total lack of humility, humanity, and empathy . . . among other things. I shared the article on Facebook with the following comments:
This serves to highlight the main problem I have (and most of us have) with him as President. How can he serve the interests of the nation when he’s far more interested in how he looks, the optics, than he is on any accomplishment that benefits the American people . . . and I don’t mean corporate America? Kinda reminds me of the concept I’ve held dear since I first became politically active in the sixties: some people are more interested in “being” right, than in “doing” right. These people, who are intent on winning regardless of the cost, need to be avoided.
This also reminds me of something one of my first year law professors said to me. I’m working on a blog post about it and, recently, I hunted him down. His name is Kenneth Cloke and he’s still living and working in Santa Monica, where he’s a mediator and conflicts resolution systems designer. Lately, I’ve tried to articulate the saying and I have yet to convince myself I’m getting it right. There seems to be some nuance missing that I can’t put my finger on, but I’m going to attempt it here.
During a conversation we were having about leftist politics, Ken said “If I had to choose between someone who had the right politics, but was lacking in humanity, and someone who had the wrong politics, but was a humane person, I would choose the latter.” I suppose this is why, despite my being a Marxist, I am always looking for ways to work with people who don’t share my political philosophy. It’s how I’m able to vote as a Democrat. Everything about the Democratic Party, in my estimation, is far more humane than anything about the Republican Party. Also, I think it’s much easier to find compromise with someone who respects your humanity and hard-ass ideologues generally aren’t inhabiting that space.
I am a Marxist, a lifelong socialist, and a veteran of the peace and justice movement of the late sixties and early seventies. I spent over five years organizing and was associated with the Peace Action Council, Vietnam Veterans Against the War, and the Indochina Peace Campaign. In the last couple of years, I was a member of a group of leftist martial arts enthusiasts who provided security (including armed bodyguard work) for numerous “high profile” activists. Here’s why Bernie activates my alarms.
Bernie is a politician. Anyone thinking of him as a hero is being foolish. Turning anyone into a hero is foolish and Bernie supporters certainly aren’t the only ones to do so. I, personally, am of the mind the real heroes are the people whose labor fuels any, and every, economy. The people Howard Zinn writes about in his “A People’s History of the United States.” As a politician, I find him quite disingenuous and, similar to many of the progressives who scorn Hillary as impure, I suppose I hold him (because of his politics) to a higher standard.
I just can’t shake the feeling he’s really an opportunist because everything about him reminds me of a certain group of guys who wanted to lead, and who were against the war, and who were politically progressive, but who were also quietly manipulative and opportunistic. Ultimately, it was their way or the highway and, functionally, no one was “pure” enough for them. He gives me the heebie jeebies.
I also think believing Bernie would beat either Trump or Cruz is wildly unrealistic. The right is currently helping him, sometimes rather overtly. However, once they turn their venom on him, I’d say all bets are off. So he polls good now, but people are comparing him to a woman who has withstood the scorn of the right for well over two decades. The stupid is strong in the US. If Hillary secures the nomination, the really vicious stuff, in part because it really is no different than what the right is throwing at her, will do her much damage among those who will depend on those things that money can buy, i.e. negative ads. It also really bothers me how strong that stupid is in many so-called progressives . . . from both sides.
OTOH – If Bernie does secure the nomination, I will do everything in my power to help him get elected. To do otherwise would be a dereliction of my duty to others in the country. Believe me, I’m well enough off at almost 69 years old. I could just pull up the ladder and go on my merry way, but I don’t think I could live with myself. I consider it the height of white privilege to sit this (or any) election out.
PS – this is, by no means, a complete listing of my reasons for supporting Ms. Clinton and, if pressed, I’m sure I could go on, but I’ve waited as long as I wish to so I’m putting this up. Comments, whether for or against, are welcome. Attacks, whether directed at me or Hillary, will be laughed at and summarily trashed.