[ExI] Nobody can say we weren't warned

[Chris Hibbert]

John Clark blathered:
> If [... Trump ...]  why the hell did you vote for Mr. What Is
> Aleppo?

I'd rather have a president who has a policy position on the Middle
East that doesn't call for military intervention at every turn than
someone who's carefully tracking the details of which faction is
currently in control of which region. There are more important things
to get right.

My vote isn't going to change the outcome, so arguing that I *must*
vote for one with a certifiable chance of winning doesn't carry water
with me. AFAICT, the main consequences of my actions are results of my
speaking to acquaintances about what I believe. The main effect of my
vote is in the vote totals the day after the election. One more vote
for a demopublican is completely unnoticeable (no politician ever read
votes in his/her column as a vote against the other candidate), while
another vote for a third party candidate who broadly represents my
views is worth the time it takes.

> if [... Trump ...] And yet you voted for Mr. I Can't Name A Single
> Foreign Leader because you wanted to make a principled stand.

The question wasn't "Can you name a foreign leader?", it was "Please
name a foreign leader you respect", and as Gary Johnson pointed out,
if anyone you name has any warts, those become your warts. These days,
it isn't safe for a politician to profess respect for Thomas Jefferson
or George Washington. Do you think Bishop Tutu is safe? Maggie
Thatcher?

Can you name a foreign leader that you wouldn't be pilloried for in
some circles? I'd have expressed limited respect for some things that
Thatcher or Mandela did, and point out that Germany's Merkel has been
welcoming to refugees.


And John, as far as your subject line goes, I've been warned about the
dangers of voting for Johnson, Trump, Clinton, of staying home, and
many other things. So, yes you've added to the din, but the incessant
harping on a single candidate you find unacceptable doesn't make this
a better place to have a conversation related to positive futures. I 
wish you'd stop.

Chris
   --
It is easy to turn an aquarium into fish soup, but not so
easy to turn fish soup back into an aquarium.
-- Lech Walesa on reverting to a market economy.

Chris Hibbert
hibbert at mydruthers.com
Blog:   http://www.pancrit.org
http://mydruthers.com