By Judy Reiss
I am having a hard time today deciding what to write about. I have always made it my policy not to write about anything that is just too controversial to put on paper. It isn’t that I am afraid that the paper might explode, it is more that I am afraid that I might explode! However, I am so weak that I can no longer help myself, so today we are going to discuss what is happening in our “race” for president. And not just president of a local club. Nope we are talking about President of the United States.

Now I don’t care if you are an ardent Republican or Democrat. What I hope it is that you put any strong feelings you might have on the shelf and think about who will be a decent and well behaved representative of our country when he or she has to meet with representatives from every country from around the world. The only one that I can remember was Kruschev who got so mad while in the United Nations that he took off his shoe and banged it on his desk. You know how many years ago that was? Well, I don’t either, but I find it interesting that in my long life, that is the only example of misbehavior I can remember. And you and I both know that there are probably many examples of men and women who get so angry at those meetings that they could blow the top of their heads off. However, they don’t! They take their responsibilities to represent their countries seriously and while in public, they behave.

Am I wrong or is this the way we not only expect but demand our representatives and especially our president to behave when they are in office and going to meet both men and women from around the world. Think about it, how horrible would it be if our president went to one of the world’s summit meetings and got crazy (like one of our candidates has done many times before) and called the woman who represents one of our allies a pig, a slob, or God only knows what else. Or even almost worse, he just might see a woman who had big breasts and looked inviting to him, although she was happily married, and he grabbed her in a very private place! Can you actually imagine such a thing? Unfortunately it has happened before just not with a woman who is in high places. I don’t know any man who behaves like such an ignorant moron! I do know men who make inappropriate remarks about women, but I assure you they only do it in front of me once! And I am sure that we all knew some men who find it appropriate and even funny to abuse their wives and women. But I like to think that all of us are more educated these days and we are teaching our sons how to behave towards any and all women. And if we let those who haven’t gotten the message know what they are doing is wrong and that there will be a punishment if they misbehave, and abuse towards women will be a thing of the past.

But let’s go back to our candidates for President of the United States. I am sure you obviously know where I stand when we discuss Donald Trump. If you are a Trump supporter I think that as long as you know the truth about his background and his financial dealings and you approve of them, you can just go for it. And if you think that his abuse of women is acceptable and even funny, you had better keep your opinion to yourself. The days of accepting abuse of women and men who think that they have a license to do so and it is acceptable is OVER! But if you not only approve of his behavior and you understand that his financial dealings are either on the line of what is acceptable, I guess that is OK as long as you know what is actually true. However, I would caution you not to try and emulate his dealings because my friend, you will end up in prison!

Now to be fair I should mention Hillary Clinton. Unfortunately, I really like her and always have. And I know in this type of elections, truth is not always available. And it seems that whatever is said, regardless of how outrageous it is, no one demands the truth. Isn’t that interesting? And many people won’t vote for her because she is a woman! Well folks, those days are over, too. It makes no difference to me if you don’t like her, especially if you have a reason and that you can back your reason up with true facts. But I also think that she has the experience with world leaders and knows how to behave and be a representative that we can be proud of. I have never heard of her being sleazy enough during a world conference to grab Putin’s crotch!

I don’t think that I will probably live to see such an election again. Believe me I have enjoyed and watched a lot of presidential elections. I always thought that Nixon was a crook but my father loved him, so you can imagine our dinner table discussions. And I have witnessed lots of elections that kept the truth about the president if not secret but at least private. No one I knew ever discussed FDR’s wheelchair or the fact that his mistress lived right in the White House with him. Or Eisenhower’s mistress or even more flagrant, John Kennedy and his women who came and went to the White House. I actually think that no one really cared. It is only when the press decides what is interesting and possibly scandalous that we hear about it. And it would appear that men (especially) who become so powerful often have mistresses that appear to be kept private almost everywhere except the U.S.

Fortunately it seems that right after November 8 we will go back to being able to watch any TV we want. And even more importantly, as American citizens you will be able to vote for any and all elections. Vote for governor of Vermont and anyone else you find honest and available. And I hope you have taken the time to figure out who you want to be your president and to represent your values throughout the world. It is really not my business who you vote for but it certainly is the business of our state and our country. If you don’t vote you are giving up one of the most important gifts we are actually guaranteed by our constitution. So, think, study a bit and be sure to VOTE!