那英有一首歌叫“愿赌服输“,唱得荡气回肠。我觉得“愿赌服输”这四个字,很好地表达了大选后我的心情。
Clinton 的总统竞选失败和民主党参众两院的全军覆没,值得每一个democrat 进行深刻反思。
从整体来说,Clinton是一个weak candidate, 代表status quo,很多baggage. 如果民主党从一开始就让Bernie Sanders 和 Joe Biden公平竞选,也许今天的结果就会不同。然而民主党和Clinton对Sanders 无论从辩论,题目,媒体控制还是到最后选举的不公平对待,激怒了很多democrats, 最后导致millions of democrats 弃选。 I strongly believe, because of the Democratic Party's cherry pick of Hilary Clinton, 民主党自己击败了自己。 This election in my eyes, is nothing about Trump, but a referendum to Hilary Clinton and the Democratic Party.
她的问题:character issues, 她与Wall Street 的cozy 关系,Clinton Foundation 的外国资金来源问题,她的failure to take responsibility for Benghazi attack, 她的email issue, 她的elite status ( calling Trump supporters deplorable), 她的transparency issue 包括她本人的健康问题,等等。
However, 我一直identify自己是个liberal, a democrat, 曾经在2008和2012年狂热支持Obama(虽然当时还没有选举权),赞同他和她的很多政治主张,包括tax reform, education, global warming, immigration, universal healthcare, human rights, abortion 等。虽然担心她在Iraq, Egypt, Libya 和Syria 的强硬而危险的中东政策,而且一度考虑放弃选举,但最后以党派为重,我和我先生还是投票选了她。
美国的民主在于,vote决定一切,高于一切,不管被选之人是皇孙贵族还是平民百姓, 也不管您喜不喜欢。it's a fair game, it's democracy.
Clinton 在她的concession speech 中说:
Our constitutional democracy enshrines the peaceful transfer of power and we don't just respect that, we cherish it. It also enshrines other things; the rule of law, the principle that we are all equal in rights and dignity, freedom of worship and expression. We respect and cherish these values too and we must defend them.
并且说:We owe him(Trump) an open mind and the chance to lead.
Out of respect and grace, 我愿赌服输。
PS: 至于如何改善Democratic Party, 那是后话。CNN有一篇专论“Let the Democratic Party burn" 很好地表达了一个普通democrat 的愤怒和期望。http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/09/opinions/democratic-party-burn-tasini/index.html