From bimbo eruptions to yearbook photos

In a short time, we’ve gone from keeping track of the candidate’s personal adventures – e.g., bimbo eruptions – to remembering yearbook photos.  What’s next?

Frankly, I have no sympathy for Governor Northam.  I understand that this is a 1984 photo, and we all did something stupid 35 years ago.

My problems with him are twofold:

1. His comments on late-term abortions were so bizarre that it makes you wonder how this guy went into politics.  His description of keeping an infant comfortable until someone decides his fate may go down as one of the biggest “foot in mouth” statements in history.  What was the man thinking?

2. Back in the 2017 election, the Northam campaign ran some TV ads that suggested that Mr. Gillispie, his GOP opponent, was a racist.  It also made clear that Virginians who supported Mr. Gillespie were full of hatred for racial minorities.  I understand that it was a PAC who ran the ads, but Mr. Northam could have disavowed its message.  He didn’t, and the ad may have put him over the top.

Again, I have no sympathy for Governor Northam.

At the same time, do we really want to go back 35 years and argue over photos?  Or accusations of “he touched me,” as we saw with Roy Moore in Alabama?  I am not a fan of Mr. Moore, but is it fair to go back and dig up charges from 1979 in 2017?

As Bill Bennett said, Governor Northam will go soon, and his situation is not comparable to Judge Kavanaugh.  Northam was a grown man, whereas Kavanaugh was a teenager.

I wonder how many Democrats now regret bringing up all those stupid questions about a teenager’s yearbook!

PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.

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1994 and a few lessons from lifting the Vietnam trade embargo

(MY NEW BABALU BLOG POST)

It was 21 years ago today that President Clinton and the US Congress lifted the Vietnam trade embargo:

"President Clinton lifted the embargo primarily to encourage cooperative efforts between the U.S. and Vietnam to discover the fate of American prisoners of war (POWs) and missing in action (MIA) who had remained unaccounted for after the war.
He also believed that improved business relations between the U.S. and Vietnam would benefit the economies of both nations."

It's a mixed record on the MIAs and terrible on the economy.

Vietnam is still a very poor country.   It is a basically a destination for large companies looking for very cheap labor.  "Made in Vietnam" means something made by a poor soul earning nothing while some party leader "wines & dines" with a foreign CEO!

Vietnam's human rights record is dismal, as reported by the US State Department: 

"The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is an authoritarian state ruled by a single party,the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), led by General Secretary Nguyen PhuTrong, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, and President Truong Tan Sang. The most recent National Assembly elections, held in 2011, were neither free nor fair.
Authorities maintained effective control over the security forces. Security forces committed human rights abuses.
The most significant human rights problems in the country continued to be severe
government restrictions on citizens’ political rights, particularly their right to
change their government; increased measures to limit citizens’ civil liberties; and
corruption in the judicial system and police.
Specific human rights abuses included continued police mistreatment of suspects
during arrest and detention, including the use of lethal force as well as austere
prison conditions; arbitrary arrest and detention for political activities; and denial
of the right to a fair and expeditious trial.
Political influence, endemic corruption, and inefficiency continued to distort the judicial system significantly.
The government limited freedoms of speech and press and suppressed dissent;
increasingly restricted internet freedom; reportedly continued to be involved in
attacks against websites containing criticism; maintained surveillance of dissidents;
and continued to limit privacy rights and freedoms of assembly, association, and
movement."

How do you say "Comite de la Defensa de la Revolucion" in Vietnamese?

The Vietnam experience confirms one thing.  You won't bring freedom or prosperity as long as you maintain a communist party elite running the country or doing business with foreign investors.

Lifting the Vietnam embargo was great for the few in power in that country.   It has not helped or been very helpful for the people in that enslaved country.

Let's remember that when we hear that "tourists" and "dollars" are going to help the people of Cuba.

P.S. You can hear my show:  CantoTalk  or  follow me on Twitter   

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Tags: Vietnam, US-Cuba talks  To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the My View by Silvio Canto, Jr. Thanks!