RATHER THAN KEEP THEM TO OURSELVES, WE THOUGHT YOU WOULD ENJOY THE COLORFUL READER RESPONSES WE RECEIVED TO THE ARTICLE WE PUBLISHED BY BILL BRITTON ENTITLED “CLINTON OR TRUMP, THE IMPENDING VERDICT.”
NOVEMBER 1, 2016 AT 4:44 AM
Mr. Britton is not dealing with all the facts and is obsessed with form over substance.
It would be a travesty to elect Hillary Clinton, the most dishonest, corrupt, unprosecuted criminal ever to seek the Presidency. This nation could not survive the constitutional crisis of a criminal President in office for four years. Neither could it survive Clinton’s selection of Supreme Court justices.
Despite “110 emails in 52 chains” with classified information found by the FBI, Hillary Clinton has the audacity to claim there exists “no evidence of wrongdoing”!
The recent revelation of 650,000 email messages discovered on Huma Abedin’s computer are not really needed to prosecute and convict Hillary Rodham Clinton on charges of espionage against the United States, a crime punishable by imprisonment in a federal penitentiary. If charged and convicted on each count documented by Director James Comey in July, Clinton could spend the rest of her life in prison. That seems a fitting reward for Clinton’s multiple incidents of callous disregard for the national security of the United States.
NOVEMBER 1, 2016 AT 2:49 PM
Good article, Bill. We already voted. We voted for Trump. Hillary should be prosecuted and jailed! She is way worse than President Nixon.
NOVEMBER 2, 2016 AT 12:53 PM
Of all the lies and distortions in this column, the one I must address is the Benghazi statement. Hillary Clinton and Obama knew exactly what was happening during the 13 Hours in Benghazi and did NOTHING to help American citizens on the ground there. We know from Hillary’s emails that she knew full well who and why they were attacking our installations there and that ‘there would be more deaths by morning.” She went to bed.
To suggest that those 4 Americans died for any reason but the truth is thoroughly disgusting but par for the Progressive course. To make matters worse she lied to the families and to the nation – and the world – about the cause and never explained why our Ambassador was there in the first place. If the readers do nothing else, they should see the movie “13 Hours” as an honor to the dead and understand that the heros there that day protected many Americans in the CIA combound with their lives.
Thomas, I’m sorry that you felt compelled to publish this under your masthead. It is not up to your usual standards and reflects badly on your blog publication.
NOVEMBER 3, 2016 AT 12:34 AM
Dear reader,
As always, you are a great inspiration for my writing.
In this case, it seems Vero Communique ranks with the New Yorker, who’s editors spent four pages endorsing Hillary Clinton. But as opposed to the New Yorker, I did not write an endorsement. Mr. Britton wrote his own article. Vero Communique seeks positions of all sorts. As I said in my header, “With regard to politics, mind you that we strive to encourage a free and open exchange of opinions from other contributors. Through discussions like these we can all learn more about the topics themselves and the perspectives of others.” If you wish to write a rebuttal, we would be happy to publish it.
Thank you for your continued support and ideas.
Thomas Hardy
NOVEMBER 3, 2016 AT 11:11 AM
No, Thomas, you didn’t write it, but I do believe that you created this forum so you bear some responsibility for its content. To me, that you chose to enter the fray with this article speaks volumes. We have seen from all of the emails released by the State Depart., FBI and Wikileaks that the MSM and even the Justice Dept have been politicized. The truth has become hard to find and this column doesn’t contribute anything to that search.
As I said in my comment, this column is lies and distortion and does nothing to advance a discussion of the issues facing Americans. I thought you prided yourself on your efforts to get to the truth. It appears you abdicated that effort here.
Here’s some undeniable truths – Hillary Clinton is under investigation by no less than 5 FBI teams, she is the only one to blame for the mess and she should not be a candidate for President of the United States.
I can get Bill’s (Britton) BS every day of the week by turning on MSNBC or CNN. I just don’t expect it from your blog magazine.
NOVEMBER 3, 2016 AT 1:54 PM
PS – Since Bill (Britton) believes that Obama has been holding back the flood waters and a Trump presidency means that Mar a Lago will be underwater, I suggest he next report on this new method of saving the planet from his fellow travelers: “At one end are those who try to use sustainable sex products, or who enjoy skinny-dipping and naked hiking. At the other are “people who roll around in the dirt having an orgasm covered in potting soil,” she said. “There are people who f**k trees, or mast**bate under a waterfall.”
http://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/11/03/bored-of-lgbtqi-try-ecosexuality/
** Our edits.
Bill Britton
NOVEMBER 3, 2016 AT 6:25 PM
Reader (if I may),
Fellow traveler! My goodness. I haven’t heard that term since I was in league with the Rosenbergs in the heady days of the Joe McCarthy era in the 1950’s. But why don’t you let it all out and call me a Commie/Pinko. Just kidding. As I said to the other reader (below), it’s been fun, but I best leave the conversation at this point. But, say, how about lunch sometime?
Bill Britton
NOVEMBER 3, 2016 AT 4:16 PM
To begin with, Vero Communique gives voice to a wide range of opinions. As far as I can determine, Tom Hardy does not filter the content but, rather, allows all voices to be heard.
Given that the Vero Beach area is quite conservative politically, it would be easy to accommodate only that part of the political spectrum and be praised to the hilt for doing so. However, Mr. Hardy has chosen instead to publish a forum that is open to all points of view. The respondents who have taken issue with my comments have expressed opinions, nothing more, just as I have. To revise an old cliché, truth lies in the eyes of the beholder. In other words, there are no absolutes, least of all in politics.
Second, yes, I am a Progressive. Given my ancestral background of chauffeurs, cooks, and other household help beholden to wealthy English landowners, I had no other choice.
Other members were coalminers and common seamen, so I tend to cast a gimlet eye upon wealthy politicians from right or left who claim fidelity with the working class. In addition, the works of Orwell have added to my skewed world view.
As I indicated in my article, I am not enamored of either presidential candidate, to wit, “How did America reach the point where we must choose between two dislikable candidates running for the highest office in the land . . . ?” Certainly, Hillary Clinton has shortcomings, and failings, that have emerged over 30+ years of public service. Her secretive nature led directly to the email controversy, and she and Bill should separate themselves from the Clinton Foundation to remove any conflict of interest (more below).
And now for the list, which will surely raise the hackles of some readers, but which, in total, disqualifies Donald Trump from the Presidency. However, should he win, he will be my president as well as yours. I will not take to the streets and riot, as a few of Trump’s supporters have promised should he lose. I might be a Progressive, but I am not an anarchist:
1. Trump belittled John McCain, who spent 5 years in a North Vietnam prison camp, as not being a hero “because he was captured.” He also mocked army Captain Kahn’s mother, whose Muslim son gave his life in service of his country. As a Marine veteran, I find all of this highly offensive.
2. Donald Trump bragged in vulgar terms about kissing, groping, and trying to have sex with women during a 2005 conversation caught on a hot microphone in an interview with Billy Bush, saying that “when you’re a star, they let you do it.” Twelve women have confirmed this behavior. Indeed, two of his previous wives have confirmed that he cheated on them.
3. In violation of guidelines for charitable organizations, Trump used donor money given to his foundation to pay personal legal fees, fines, and even a life-sized portrait of himself now hung in one of his facilities. The amounts total $285 thousand. By contrast, 87% of funds raised by the much-maligned Clinton Foundation goes to programs, earning a “10” rating by Charity Navigator and an “A” rating by Charity Watch.
4. Trump’s companies have been involved in over 4,000 lawsuits over the years; almost 100 are now pending. In addition, he has refused to pay part or all of services rendered by companies both small and large, even not paying lawyers he has hired to defend him in court. The most publicized instance is Trump University, which had to change its name because it was operating without an education license. New York State brought suit claiming that students were bilked out of $40 million (now pending).
5. Trump’s companies have filed for bankruptcy protection at least six times. In addition he has begun a number of ventures that failed: Trump Steaks, GoTrump (online travel site), Trump Airlines, Trump Vodka, Trump Mortgage, Trump: The Game, Trump Magazine, Trump University (above), Trump Ice (bottled water), The New Jersey Generals (pro football team), Tour de Trump (bicycle race), Trump Network (nutritional supplements), Trumped! (syndicated radio spot). It seems once he wanders from real estate, his business acumen falters.
6. To construct Trump Tower in 1980, 200 undocumented Polish workers were hired by the Trump organization to tear down the existing structure. They were paid $5 per hour, when paid, slept on site, and were threatened with deportation if they complained.
NOVEMBER 3, 2016 AT 5:08 PM
You conveniently overlook REAL issues:
Obamacare: Trump wants to repeal and replace with a fiscally sustainable program that addresses the truly needy and gives choice to those who want to preserve their right to choose their health care. Clinton wants to double-down on stupid.
Border security: Trump wants our border laws enfoced and an end to Sanctuary Cities. Clinton wants open borders and is willing to ignore Sanctuary Cities.
National security: Trump wants to bring our defense capabilities up to standard after eight years of decline. Clinton has committed espionage against the United States by violating U.S. Code (Title 18, Part I, Chapter 37, § 793 and § 798) at least 110 times by her intentional use of nonsecure email servers and devices that the FBI has determined were 99% certain to have been hacked by at least five foreign intelligence agencies.
Those criminal offenses are sufficient to put Clinton in jail for the rest of her life. Only the corrupt intervention of the DOJ to block warrants and empanelment of a Grand Jury has kept this from being resolved much earlier. Now the “pay to play” scandal is breaking with new information, including a video, that was found in the recent trove of undisclosed email documents.
Jobs: Trump knows how to create REAL jobs, not public works jobs that merely spin tax dollars. Trump knows how to get things done and hold people responsible for failures and reward those who succeed. Clinton has never created a single job in her life (other than work for her attorneys).
Executive capability: Trump has demonstrated superb executive skills. Clinton has a lifetime of corruption and scandal as her only “experience”.
Character: Trump has helped bring out the best in many of his minority and female employees who constitute a greater portion of his executive employees than Clinton had as her staff when she was in public office (Senate, Secy. of State).
Trump has quietly helped many ordinary people whose misfortune he learned about (example: the couple whose farm mortgage was paid by Trump when he learned they were about to lose their ancestral farm).
Clinton’s career is rife with corruption and criminal activity. She has ample experience at corruption, helped by her background as a mediocre attorney. Whitewater Development scheme that defrauded middle-class/lower-middle-class Arkansans; her impossible Cattle futures “trade” that turned someone else’s $1000 into a $100,000 windfall for her; her project to defame all the women who came forward in the 1990s with concrete evidence of her husband’s unwanted sexual advances and sexual assaults, including rape; her lifetime of lies and deceit, including every one of her statements about her illegal nonsecure email servers and devices used to compromise US National Security as evidenced by the FBI investigation that found “110 emails in 52 email chains have been determined by the owning agency to contain classified information at the time they were sent or received.
Eight of those chains contained information that was Top Secret at the time they were sent. Thirty-six of those chains contained Secret information at the time, and eight [chains] contained Confidential information at the time.” Each one of those 110 findings violates either U.S. Code, Title 18, Part I, Chapter 37, § 793 or § 798 or both, any of which constitutes (according to U.S. Code, Title 18 – Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Part II, Chapter 204, § 3077) an act of espionage against the United States for which “intent” is NOT required.
You get the picture.
There is no comparison between the magnitude of Clinton’s corrupt criminal history and her unabashed and incessant lies with your litany of conerns about Mr. Trump.
Bill Britton
NOVEMBER 3, 2016 AT 6:18 PM
Reader, (if I may),
We could go round ad infinitum, but at this point, I think I’ll leave the discussion. However, I must admit, it’s been fun.
NOVEMBER 3, 2016 AT 6:24 PM
Bill,
Yes, it has.
Two parting questions (rhetorical, need not respond):
If a Grand Jury is empaneled (“pay to play” and/or espionage), would you then lean toward Trump?
Can this nation endure another round of Clinton Fatigue?
Best regards,
Reader
Bill Britton
NOVEMBER 3, 2016 AT 6:35 PM
Reader,
No matter who wins, we will become fatigued. The middle ground has been hollowed out and civil discourse obliterated. Once upon a time, there were both moderate Republicans and Democrats, who reached for common ground. Now we only know extremes, with both political parties catering to a base irrepresentative of their (onetime?) majorities. As my hero Kurt Vonnegut would say, “And so it goes . . .”
Your first question only leaves me more fatigued.
Best,
NOVEMBER 3, 2016 AT 7:13 PM
“Your first question only leaves me more fatigued.”
:o)
I very much appreciate your civility, Bill.
Best regards,
Bill Britton
NOVEMBER 5, 2016 AT 5:34 PM
This article explain a lot about the rise of Trump, at least among lower-income white Americans. http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/08/trump-white-blue-collar-supporters
Vero Communiqué 