Thursday, October 27, 2016

Supporting Trump for Our Daughters

Supporting Trump for Our Daughters
Commentary by Sanford D. Horn
October 26, 2016

Donald Trump is a cad. He is accused of indefensible behavior toward women. He has used racially insensitive invective. He is bombastic and he is pompous. In other words, Donald Trump is a flawed human being, whose life has been in a fishbowl long before declaring himself a candidate for president of the United States by virtue of being a public figure.

Is Trump alone? Not making excuses for Trump, but popular presidents Warren G. Harding, John F. Kennedy, and Bill Clinton committed sexual antics while in the White House. Racially insensitive if not outright bigoted remarks came from presidents Andrew Jackson, James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant, Woodrow Wilson, Harry Truman, and Richard Nixon. President Lyndon Johnson was bombastic, while both Presidents John Adams and Woodrow Wilson were pompous.

Of the 17 Republicans who sought the GOP nomination, Trump ranked 13th on my list above only former New York Governor George Pataki, South Carolina Senator Lindsay Graham, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul. I initially supported former Texas Governor Rick Perry, then Texas Senator Ted Cruz. (I hoped former Ambassador John Bolton would throw his hat into the ring, and I told him as much when I talked with him in January 2015.)

So why am I supporting Trump for president?

Because Trump is running for president of the United States and not Miss Congeniality, as I have reminded myriad people. Because Trump is a no-nonsense businessman who hires, fires, knows how to meet a payroll, and yes, he has declared bankruptcy, but he has taken calculated risks with his own capital and grown his business. (His most recent project, Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC has been completed under budget and ahead of schedule.) Because as a potential president with business acumen Trump will negotiate better trade deals for the United States than his opponent – trade deals that will improve the American economy and help put Americans back to work.

Because Trump supports the Second Amendment of the Constitution which will keep our mothers, daughters, sisters, and all women safer than dialing 9-1-1 and hoping help arrives before becoming the victim of rape, murder, or any other crime.

Because I want my two daughters, and all your daughters to enjoy the rights afforded by the First and Second Amendments to the United States Constitution. Because Trump has provided a list of potential jurists to the Supreme Court and none of their names are Barack Obama or Bill Clinton; because a Trump defeat will tip the balance of the Supreme Court to the far left for generations to come with the possibility of four appointments from the next president. As it is, the Founders would hardly recognize the country today.

Because Donald Trump is NOT Hillary Clinton.

Hillary Clinton repeatedly said on the campaign trail that if she is accused of playing the woman card, “then deal me in!” Here are some of the “woman cards” in Clinton’s deck.

Hillary Clinton has said “we have too many guns,” and “the Supreme Court is wrong on the Second Amendment.” This is not a presidential candidate looking out for the women of the United States. Or the men, for that matter.

While Donald Trump is accused of inappropriate behavior toward women – which I will never defend, but ask, where were these women 10, 20, even 30 years ago when they claim they were victimized, Hillary Clinton is no stranger to such peccadillos. Her selective moral outrage is a big façade. For years she looked the other way while her husband Bill Clinton, as Governor of Arkansas and President of the United States had countless affairs, and worse yet, involved herself in cover ups to protect her husband knowing as long as his career remained on path, her trajectory toward the White House would not be derailed. Hillary Clinton is the opportunist’s opportunist – another student at the knee of Saul Alinsky, akin to her former boss, Barack Obama.

Hillary Clinton not only helped cover up her husband’s affairs, and played a role in "Troopergate" (http://www.wnd.com/2001/07/9914/), but has threatened to destroy the women who accused her husband of inappropriate behavior toward them, including, but not limited to rape. Talk to Juanita Broaddrick, Gennifer Flowers, Paula Jones, Monica Lewinsky, and Kathleen Willey to name just a few. This is not a woman-friendly candidate for president of the United States.

But Hillary Clinton’s betrayal of women started long before reaching the governor’s mansion in Little Rock. More than a half year prior to marrying Bill Clinton in 1975, Hillary Rodham defended an accused rapist of a 12-year-old girl. While all defendants are entitled to a legal defense, Rodham won the rapist a reduced sentence by discrediting the victim, all the while knowing the victim was telling the truth and that her client was guilty.

Hillary Clinton is the hypocrite’s hypocrite calling Trump “sexually predatory,” when she was complicit in her husband’s dalliances and crimes. Worse yet, she has been an enabler for years. And just as tragic, are those women supporting Clinton, knowing the family history dating back 40-plus years, giving her a pass while critical of Trump.

This is the same Hillary Clinton who consistently paid and pays her male staffers more than her female staffers, evidenced most notably when Clinton served as a United States Senator representing New York. Does this sound like a candidate looking out for the economic betterment of women? Trump has highly ranked, well paid women at the upper echelon of his company as well as a very accomplished woman, Kellyanne Conway, serving as campaign manager.

This is the same Hillary Clinton who filled the coffers of the Clinton Foundation with millions and millions of dollars from a cadre of countries more than just unfriendly toward the United States. Countries such as, but not limited to Algeria, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, have funneled money into the Clinton Foundation for quid pro quo deals garnering them access to Clinton, the State Department, and to what classified information, remains to be seen. These are countries where marital rape is not a crime. These are countries who deny women independence – they are prohibited from driving vehicles, prohibited from walking in public without the accompaniment of a male family member as chaperone, even stoned to death for extramarital affairs, or killed if the victim of rape. These are countries where honor killings still occur – Medieval, to be sure, the same word the Clinton campaign used to describe Catholics. These are countries prohibiting religious freedom for Christians and Jews – if they are even allowed residence there. Is this a champion of women running for president?

And where religious freedom is concerned, that great oasis in the desert, literally the desert, is Israel, affording the world’s major faiths Judaism, Christianity, and Islam freedoms not found in any of the countries from which Clinton accepts money. Fighting for its survival on a daily basis, Israel will have the support of Donald Trump, who has a personal relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Clinton, on the other hand, never a friend to Israel for her years in public service, and prior, having written about her support of a Palestinian state. This from the candidate who is either unable or unwilling to identify the enemy ISIS, as what they are – radical Islamic terrorists, while Trump has announced his goal to destroy ISIS and move the US embassy to its rightful home in Jerusalem.

This is the same Hillary Clinton who said “I spent my life fighting for kids and families,” yet continues to rake in millions of dollars from the aforementioned countries who permit children as young as nine years old to be married off to adult men legally able to consummate their marriages. The same Hillary Clinton purporting to protect children yet continues to support government funding of the abortion-mill Planned Parenthood and partial birth abortion that murders the child just prior to exiting the womb into the world as a living, breathing human being. Is this a woman fighting for children and families?

Hillary Clinton accuses Trump of racially incendiary comments that he has made publically. Clinton has made racially charged remarks against Hispanics, Catholics, Evangelicals, and whites in private, while glad-handing all of the same in public. She even has as a major surrogate Vice President Joe Biden who has been recorded denigrating Indian-Americans. Both Biden and Bill Clinton have made disparaging remarks about Barack Obama. And in general, Clinton, calling for civility, defied her own request by saying half of Trump’s supporters are in a “basket of deplorables.” Hillary Clinton is a hypocrite for her public words contradicting her private words.

Clinton’s lack of transparency is on full display with regard to her Wall Street speeches. Paid hundreds of thousands of dollars per speech – which I don’t begrudge – if someone is willing to pay her price, collect that money while you can, but it is her opaqueness to which I object. Clinton is unwilling to share the content of her speeches, no doubt because it will upset the Bernie Sanders’ wing of the Democrat Party. And let’s not forget Clinton’s private remarks mocking Sanders and his supporters – calling Sanders a doofus – and now calling on them for support.

Unfortunately, for far too many voters, salaciousness trumps security, and they are not giving the serious thought that should convince them to vote against Hillary Clinton on November 8th. There are myriad issues that should keep Clinton from returning to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on January 20.

Hillary Clinton outright lied, as she has done countless times in her career, about the cause of the attack at Benghazi. Telling the families of the victims, the cause was an internet video, when in reality it was a terrorist attack that she could have prevented, had she responded to the dire pleas for help. Slaughtered on September 11, 2012 were US Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, US Foreign Service Officer Sean Smith, and CIA contractors Glen Doherty and Tyrone S. Woods. This is a quintessential example of Clinton’s unfitness for the presidency.

Additionally, Clinton risked national security with her irresponsible handling and management of both her private e-mail server as well as her State Department e-mails. FBI Director James Comey, while wrong to not recommend indictment of Clinton, said 110 of her carelessly handled e-mails contained classified information. Clinton lied repeatedly about security breaches, the use of multiple servers, and the disposition of more than a dozen electronic devices, many of which fell victim to a hammer’s blow.

Further, Clinton risks national security having called, privately, for open borders, which would destroy the American economy with countless foreign invaders seeking jobs at lower than minimum wage rates. Trump still calls for a wall to be built on the southern border, which still makes sense. If the borders of the United States are not secure, the rest of the country’s safety is in serious jeopardy, making all other issues moot. And yet, Clinton continues supporting sanctuary cities while Trump has called for federal defunding of those locales.

Clinton’s support of sanctuary cities is demonstrative of her willingness to play fast and loose with the law, as if her myriad scandals has not already proven that. Take it to the next level and consider the damage Clinton will do to the Supreme Court and the American way of life. First, the late, brilliant jurist Antonin Scalia will be replaced. Then there is the distinct possibility that three additional justices will retire – Ruth Bader Ginsburg, age 83, Anthony Kennedy, 80, and Stephen Breyer, 78. A Democrat controlled Senate coupled with a Clinton administration will attempt to render both the First and Second Amendments to the Constitution powerless. I shudder to think of the nightmare produced by a Justice Barack Obama or Justice Bill Clinton. 

Clinton continues to double down on her support of the Syrian refugee program, allowing thousands upon thousands of Syrian nationals, who cannot possibly be appropriately vetted, entry into the US to disappear amongst the unsuspecting citizenry. Trump has wisely called for a moratorium of not just Syrian refugees, but much of the immigration derived from countries considered unfriendly to the United States. While many liberals call this heartless, they should remember that the United States is the last best beacon of hope for freedom. Should American security be compromised there will be no safe haven or refuge for Americans to seek out. Once America’s borders can be secured, an improved vetting system employed, and an immigration system that is pro-American, then, and only then, should the US consider lifting a moratorium.

Another area where Clinton doubles down is the so-called Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. Obamacare. Obama just announced that premiums are about to rise by about 25 percent next year. Imagine what the real; true figure will be if Obama is willing to admit to 25 percent. Trump has called for the dismantling of Obamacare in favor of a system that provides real options for Americans for insurance that will cross state lines – in other words, competition, the bellwether of American business and economics.

Trump will also grow the economy through public-private infrastructure improvements – again, competition, a business concept, not a government concept, will win the day. Trump also supports the Keystone Pipeline, which can help reduce American reliance upon foreign oil, which Clinton opposes. Such reliance is neither beneficial to the economy nor the security of the country. Not only does Clinton oppose the Keystone Pipeline, but domestic coal as well, as she has often said, “we’re gonna put a lot of coal miners out of business.”

Hillary Clinton said something that should give all her potential voters cause for pause. “If you’re gonna run for president you need to be judged on what you have done, and I think the evidence is clear.”

Considering past scandals heretofore unmentioned, Whitewater, cattle futures, and Travel-gate, as well as a history as a “congenital liar,” according to William Safire, late of the New York Times, yes, Mrs. Clinton, the evidence is clear. The culture of corruption will be the dark cloud enveloping a Clinton administration from before day one. Join me in voting against Hillary Clinton and for Donald Trump on Tuesday, November 8. May G-d continue to Bless these United States.


Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN.

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Pence Trumps Kaine in VP Debate

Pence Trumps Kaine in VP Debate
Commentary by Sanford D. Horn
October 5, 2016

Indiana Republican Governor Mike Pence did both himself and fellow Hoosiers proud during last night’s vice presidential debate in trumping Democrat opponent Virginia Senator Tim Kaine.

Had it been a boxing match it would have been stopped in the fifth round as Kaine was flailing wildly, swinging and missing with insults, barbs, canned one-liners, and often deviating off topic. Pence remained calm, even-tempered, mostly on point, with stinging rebukes and well-placed jabs in a battle that clearly had him pitted against two opponents – Kaine, as well as the overtly biased moderator Elaine Quijano, a digital news anchor with CBSN, who maintained little control over the debate.

Governor Pence did such an exemplary job, two schools of thought emerged from the results of the debate: why isn’t Pence at the top of the GOP ticket, and this is what Trump needs to do during the next two debates if he has any hope of winning the presidency. Pence demonstrated why a vice presidential debate is important – his poise and cool-headed knowledgeable responses ought to assuage voters that Trump wisely chose a running mate capable of rising to the top should the need require. Trump needs to emulate Pence and take the high road while dodging the slings and arrows destined to be heading his way during both debates as well as on the campaign trail.

Kaine, conversely, demonstrated yet another reason why Hillary Clinton must not be elected president with his petulant behavior interrupting Pence more than 70 times, not to mention the myriad interruptions of Quijano. Kaine referred to the Trump campaign as the campaign of insults. Hello? Pot? Kettle? Who’s black? This coming from the Clinton nominee for vice president? The same Clinton who called half of Trump’s supporters residents of “a basket of deplorables.” And for good measure, Clinton called Trump supporters “irredeemable.” That’s the tip of the insult iceberg when considering the constant insulting of the American people by Clinton as a “congenital liar,” to borrow from the late New York Times columnist William Safire, who called Clinton that as far back as 1996. Safire certainly knew.

Returning to the irascible Kaine, he was as hypocritical as he was obnoxious. While purportedly pro-life in his private life, Kaine supports the party line as pro-choice on abortion, and supportive of Clinton who has yet to reject the barbaric partial-birth abortion procedure. Pence remains a man of faith and principle as fervently pro-life in his private life and as a candidate.

In addition to protecting the unborn, Pence, along with Trump, reject the open borders, amnesty, catch and release, and sanctuary cities policies pertaining to illegal aliens as is vigorously supported by Clinton and Kaine. The GOP ticket, as Pence effectively stated, is looking out for American citizens and legal residents of the United States regarding both immigration as well as terrorism. At the very least Pence and Trump are able to identify the enemy by name – radical Islam – words the Clinton-Kaine ticket are apparently unable to utter – following the same path Barack Obama has fecklessly taken lo these past seven and one half years.

As a former Virginian and current Hoosier, I voted against Kaine in 2005, and for Pence in 2012, both winning governorships. Having had several conversations with Pence, he is not only a man of faith and humility, but a believer in the greatness of America now and its ability to continue achieving greatness in the future. This he demonstrated in his debate victory over Kaine. Indiana Governor Mike Pence will prove to be a solid anchor supporting Trump as well as guiding him as needed which should give voters greater confidence to vote for the GOP ticket in five weeks.


Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN.