Patterns, Trajectories & Restless Cat Ladies
A THREE MINUTE READ
From all the mud that keeps flying across our screens of every type, one could be led to believe that we have only terrible candidates running for US president and vice president - again! But let’s step back, clear the glass, and get a less clouded view.
When we first encounter a politician, we humans have a tendency to cling to deficits or attributes that align with our biases and agendas. Imagine if we were to lean into glaring patterns and trajectories instead of focusing on isolated attributes or missteps? What would a rational, unbiased person think of these candidates?
If literally hundreds of highly motivated investigators were to set out with magnifying glasses looking for dirt on any one of us, they would no doubt be rewarded! The more influential we have been, the more likely we would have made mistakes with larger implications, especially if we have served over the course of decades. Having said that, there is a big difference between dirt and filth.
What we should be looking for in candidates are basically decent, well-rounded, human beings with a proven record of honorable and proficient leadership. We’re basically hunting for a symphonic conductor with the skills to select the finest musicians who can then play his or her music to the best of their ability. Notice the conspicuous absence of the word “perfect” here.
Glaring patterns and trajectories should matter for both Us AND Them
In the case of Kamala Harris, the current vice-president has an established record of supporting President Biden’s progressive agenda. This notably includes leading the US through one of the best post-covid economic recoveries of any country in the world. PLEASE FACT CHECK ME!
As the Attorney General of California from 2011 to 2017 she aggressively prosecuted countless cases against criminals of every ilk and I’m sure she made mistakes and has her regrets. The biggest question regarding her track record here should be - were there glaring patterns of self-serving behavior or fact-based trails of bad judgement? I’m not aware of any but no prosecutor bats a thousand.
Her demeanor is refreshing as she emanates enthusiasm for America’s future and is demonstrably level-headed. Though clearly liberal, few of the documented words or actions of her campaign seem extreme except for things like $6K tax credits for children or aspiring to build three million housing units to address the US housing shortage. She thinks big while always erring on the side of helping middle-class Americans.
Tim Walz, her VP pick, certainly appears to be a stalwart guy. A notable exception is his false reference to the use of his assault rifle “in war,” back at a town hall meeting in 2018. Though he served honorably for 24 years in the Army National Guard before retiring to become a US Congressman, he’s never fought in combat. He is a former teacher, and an accomplished football coach. According to Politico, he spent a year teaching in China after college and subsequently returned with “one of the first government- sanctioned groups of American educators.”
Donald Trump has been in the public eye for probably fifty years which means patterns are well established - for better or worse. From business mogul to television celebrity to a twice impeached United States President, he’s a billionaire who’s “done it all.” In fact, according to multiple juries and judges, he’s done too much - as evidenced by 34 felony convictions for business fraud and another conviction for sexual assault.
In spite of retaining the best lawyers money could buy, he’s never testified in any of his criminal cases. He didn’t even testify at his own impeachment proceedings after a violent mob, under his direction, stormed the capital.
His modus-operandi appears to be endless whining, lying, and spewing of negativity. More recently he’s exhibited evidence of advanced dementia and has openly declared that he wants to be a dictator “on day one.”
The republican candidate he chose for VP is freshman Senator J.D. Vance from Ohio. He’s an honorably discharged Marine, a proud Iraq veteran, and previously a “never Trump guy. That changed when Vance started his campaign for senate. The Yale graduate, venture capitalist, and best-selling author is also notorious for previously referring to Trump as “a moral disaster, an idiot, and maybe America’s Hitler.”
He is obviously intelligent but has raised many eyebrows over his hypocrisy, his disrespect for fellow veterans, and even disdain for “childless cat ladies.” Never having seen combat himself, he’s been on a soapbox about Tim Walz and his supposed “stolen valor.” At the same time, he sees no problem with draft-deferred Donald Trump denigrating US veterans on multiple occasions.
Are there any patterns here that have my readers concerned?
The more important question I ask is - Could the patterns that we admire or overlook in others be a reflection of the buried patterns within ourselves?
As always, please feel free to fact-check me based on primary sources.
Sorry, but with all due respect I'm not going to go down a line of rabbit holes here. Complex problems require complex solutions and a foundation of facts, not agenda driven talking points. The first line of a string of comments I removed was the latter.
The more important question I ask myself and others is - Could the patterns that we admire or overlook in others be a reflection of the buried patterns within ourselves?