Americans know a lot about both Trump and Clinton. It shouldn’t be hard to make a good choice. This is what we know about Donald Trump. He was born into wealth and privilege that gave him an edge on nearly everyone else who might pursue power and fame and fortune. He used his position of privilege to bully, lie, cheat, steal, and abuse and demean others.
The evidence is clear — hundreds of lawsuits against him by people he cheated, bankruptcies, insults and put-downs against anyone who disagrees with him, hatred and bigotry toward people who are different, abuse of women, silly false promises one after another (“I’ll fix that” — as though he has any ideas that would be good for this nation). I ask any sensible American, can you imagine how tragic it would be to have a president like that!
But, you may say, Hillary Clinton would be a disaster, too. I beg to differ. Hillary’s faults, by any measure, do not compare with Trump’s. As one who has been disappointed with Clinton in the past and who believed that Bernie Sanders showed a better way, I know that now all Americans have to think seriously about Clinton. I believe she has done some good things in advocating for health care and education and the rights of women and children and she helped maintain America’s alliances with other nations.
When I have been disappointed with Clinton, I felt that she was being a political opportunist who allowed herself to be pushed this way and that. Now she knows that she owes a lot to Bernie’s supporters who demand action on environmental issues, issues of economic fairness, and more. So, now is the time to elect Hillary Clinton and to keep on pushing her toward ways that serve all the people and save the environment for future generations. We should know that, if Trump is elected, it could very well be game over for any of our hopes and dreams for our world. Here in Vermont I am glad that no Republican who is running for state-wide office has endorsed Donald Trump.
I believe we are very blessed to have candidates of both parties who are of good character and who really want to serve the people. Having said that, I am hoping Sue Minter will be our new governor, David Zuckerman our lieutenant governor, and T.J. Donovan our attorney general. Having listened to them and their opponents, I believe they will do better in working for what citizens in Vermont want and need our government to do for us.
Rev. George Klohck
Middlebury