I have no idea who will win tomorrow’s US presidential election. The character of the candidates, the Electoral College system, voluntary voting and the division within American society itself make it a difficult race to call. Whilst Clinton is the favourite according to the polls and the media, Trump could just pull off an extraordinary victory – or he could get thrashed!
However, there has been real value in being in the USA to observe the election contest up close. It has highlighted to me the weaknesses in modern politics and provided an insight into just how damaged the system has become.
Notwithstanding the personality traits of the two main players which seem to polarise voters, there is a stark contrast in many aspects of the policy platforms.
Trump wants to slash taxes; Clinton wants to increase them by $1.3 trillion. Trump wants stronger borders; Clinton has privately stated her support for an open border hemispheric trading block. Trump wants to reform the political system whilst both are publicly opposed to free trade. Clearly there are major differences between the agendas but that is not the most striking thing about observing this election.
In spite of the failings of the Republican candidate, the past six weeks have demonstrated just how crooked the Left’s political machine is.
We have seen video evidence of Democratic operatives boasting of their ability to incite violence at Republican rallies. We have read their candidate profess one thing in private whilst claiming another in public. Clinton’s campaign team has privately disparaged Catholics as ‘severely backwards’. They were prepared to delete 33,000 emails that they were legally required to provide to investigators. One Democrat governor pardoned 60,000 prisoners in a single day just so they could enrol to vote. Allegations of voter fraud and dodgy practices linked to the Democratic Party have been exposed. They have lied again and again and again.
I could go on but suffice to say that for the Democrat campaign machine the ends justify the means, no matter how sleazy, unethical or dishonest those means may be.
The exposure of these scandals has been largely due to non-mainstream media organisations because the major networks have become more cheerleaders than news reporters. As an outside observer, it is very difficult to rely on almost any television or online news service because the presentation of the story is so skewed. This is true for both candidates and major political parties.
It is no surprise to see that the machinations of the Left and their apparatchiks aren’t limited to the USA. In Australia the parliamentary cheer squad for Hillary Clinton has been busy too. The likes of Penny Wong are outraged that I am supporting Trump. Apparently it is inappropriate because I am in the USA but it is okay for her leader, Bill Shorten, to disparage Trump as ‘barking mad’ from Australia. We will now have to add ‘location bias’ as justification for Labor hypocrisy.
Wong was joined in her seemingly perpetual outrage by Federal parliamentary newcomer Linda Burney. She too was incensed that I dare tweet support for Trump. Burney mustered all her intellectual capacity to claim that Labor ‘tweets’ in support of Clinton are ‘free’ whilst mine are somehow ‘taxpayer funded’. She used Twitter to make this wise pronouncement, seemingly immune to the fatuity of her own position.
Sections of the media use these inane statements as the basis for stories skewed to support the Labor case. One newspaper even claimed a clearly labelled satirical piece from a little known website as a real statement. But it’s not just what’s reported that becomes a problem. Sometimes it is what’s not reported that tells the tale.
Whilst media networks in Australia are quick to highlight the flaws of the Republican candidate they seemingly are less interested in the myriad scandals plaguing the Democratic nominee. During one radio interview I did with the ABC last week, every time I tried to give an alternative view, I was interrupted so egregiously by the reporter that it was more him answering his own questions than allowing me to.
It’s clear to me that what has become overwhelmingly evident in America is starting to play out in Australia too. The Left’s political machine will say and do anything to get the result they want. They are untroubled by truth or consistency and will attack anyone not signed up to their agenda. For them, it is not the principle but the side that matters. They are prepared to do whatever it takes to fulfil their own ambition and it doesn’t matter what price you and I (or our nation) have to pay to make it happen.
It’s not just the swamp in Washington that needs to be drained. We have a bit of cleaning up to do at home as well.
Cory Bernardi is the author of seven books and has been a member of the Australian rowing team, a publican, an investment portfolio manager and spent nearly 14 years as an Australian Senator.
