By Tim Baldwin
Most voters have already decided for whom to vote. NBC released a recent poll showing Hillary Clinton ahead of Donald Trump by 11 points. This significant lead exists even with Gary Johnson and Jill Stein taking votes from Clinton. Perhaps nothing will give Trump better momentum because there are too few undecideds remaining.
Clinton’s been in politics for decades. Whatever dirt exists on her can be revealed by many sources. After all, this is not her first run for a powerful national office. Even so, and adding Wikileaks’ revelations of Clinton’s corruption, this hasn’t persuaded Americans to vote Trump.
Apparently, Trump is so unlikeable that even “crooked Hillary” can win. Trump did well in the primaries because he appealed to anti-establishment sentiments in the GOP – a legitimate cause at the time. But Trump never changed his style to attract moderates, independents, libertarians, and mainstream voters. Instead, he continued his divisive approach.
If Trump loses, he will blame anything and everyone but himself. He has set that stage for months. So, what if diehard Trumpers believe him and reject Clinton’s presidency? They will undoubtedly feel cheated – and worse, desperate.
Trump’s prior encouragements of assaulting political dissenters at rallies may create upheaval nationwide. Police will ramp up aggressive tactics to quash them, ironically in keeping with Trump’s mantra, “law and order,” only it will be against Trumpers, not his dissenters.
By Joe Carbonari
It could happen here. More emails are expected to be released by Wikileaks, hacked from computers and Internet traffic involving Hillary Clinton and her campaign. Suppose something fatally damaging is brought to light … something promised perhaps, or a bargain made? Truth or fiction? How would we know? How would we act? Could it swing an election? You bet.
We are continually engaged in cyber warfare, some by nation states, some freelanced and for sale. Russia is bent on restoring itself and diminishing us, destroying democracy. Vladimir Putin has accused us of inciting Russians to go into the streets to oppose him in recent elections. Would he use cyber means, either directly or “for hire” to cast doubt on the validity of our electoral process? You bet.
An unlikely scenario: a Wikileaks shoe drops and Hillary is crippled. Trump wins, but is so damaged that he resigns or effectively abdicates to Mike Pence who has stayed relatively clean and is conventionally acceptable. The GOP is internally at war with itself, and the Democrats at battle over the control of their party, discredited Clintonites versus disillusioned Bernie boosters. Gridlock continues and disorder reigns, both domestically and internationally. Russia, China, and Iran flex their muscles. We are too slow or enfeebled to react. What happens next?
America, democracy, and the world are at risk. If we allow our electoral system to become compromised, our system will fail. There are greater goods and lesser evils. Let’s not be the agents of our own destruction. Choose wisely.