By Stephen Lendman.
Trump and Clinton represent dirty business as usual. She’s far more ruthless and dangerous, world peace threatened under her leadership, an emotionally unstable war goddess/she devil.
Jill Stein is the only people’s candidate, a true anti-war progressive, supporting democratic governance of, by and for everyone equitably – entirely absent under duopoly rule, serving privileged interests exclusively.
Hillary is ruthlessly pro-war, pro-Wall Street, pro-corporate predation, anti-democratic, anti-rule of law principles, anti-labor, anti-fundamental freedoms.
Her deplorable public record speaks for itself. Trump can only be judged by his rhetoric and business history as an indication of how he’d govern.
At a time of protracted Main Street Depression, neither duopoly candidate offers a program resembling badly needed progressive policies.
FDR’s first 100 days were historic, a unique post-electoral period in America. Landmark laws were passed, including the Bank Act of 1933 – Glass-Steagall, insuring deposits up to $5,000 and separating commercial from investment banks and insurance companies, among other provisions to curb speculation.
The Homeowners Refinancing Act stopped most foreclosures, preventing the loss of over a million homes.
The Emergency Conservation Work Act put unemployed people to work building roads, bridges, dams, state parks and various other projects.
The Civil Works Administration, Works Progress Administration and Public Works Administration created millions of full and part-time jobs.
Roosevelt called the National Recovery Administration “the most important and far-reaching (measure) ever” established in America – an initiative to revive economic growth, encourage collective bargaining, set maximum work hours, minimum wages, at times prices, and forbid child labor in industry.
The Tennessee Valley Authority provided navigation, flood control, electricity generation, economic development, and promoted agriculture in the depression-impacted Tennessee Valley area, covering most of Tennessee as well as parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia.
The Agricultural Adjustment Act restricted production by paying farmers to reduce or destroy crops and livestock – a plan to raise prices at the worst time, when people were impoverished and hungry.
The Farm Credit Act let farmers refinance mortgages over an extended period at below-market rates. The Emergency Farm Mortgage Act provided refinancing for farmers facing foreclosure.
Despite its flaws and failures, New Deal measures helped millions of desperate Americans in need. Post-100 days included the Wagner Act letting labor bargain collectively on equal terms with management for the first time.
The Social Security Act to this day remains the most important federal program helping retirees and other eligible recipients financially.
Other social legislation throughout the decade helped millions of Americans in need – polar opposite bipartisan anti-populist policies today.
Militarism, corporate favoritism and the greatest ever wealth transfer from most people to its privileged few reflects how the nation is now run.
Trump’s 8-point first 100 days plan includes:
1. Appointing judges who’ll “uphold the Constitution” – code language for supporting conservative, anti-progressive policies.
2. Restricting immigration on the phony pretext of helping Americans get “good-paying jobs.”
3. Holding countries “cheat(ing) on trade” accountable – how isn’t explained, if by imposing stiff tariffs, they’ll be countered by similar ones on US products, the way trade wars begin.
4. “Cancel(ing) rules and regulations that send jobs overseas.” Companies need incentives to keep jobs at home. As private enterprises, they’re free to operate anywhere.
5. Lifting restrictions on energy production – nothing in his plan shifts from greenhouse-producing fossil fuels and dangerous nuclear power to renewable green sources.
6. “Repeal(ing) and replac(ing) jobs-killing Obamacare.” What’s vitally needed Trump and Hillary oppose – universal healthcare, everyone in, no one left out, assuring all Americans have the most important human right along with food, shelter, clothing and true democratic governance at peace with all other nations.
7. “Passing massive tax reform to create millions of new jobs and lower taxes for everyone.” Economic growth creates jobs, not tax cuts, largely benefitting high-income earners, most ordinary people getting little or nothing.
8. “Impos(ing) tough new ethics rules…to the office of Secretary of State.”
Trump said nothing about strictly observing international laws, nor ending illegal US wars of aggression. Stressing “America first” ignores its responsibility to respect the sovereign rights of all other nations.
On November 8, Americans get to choose between the two most widely reviled presidential aspirants in US history.
Trump’s most redeeming feature is he’s unlikely to attack Russia. He’d rather normalize relations than disrupt them further – based on what he’s said.
Hillary’s ascension to power makes nuclear war on Russia possible, even likely – a risk too great to permit.
