The Case for Hillary

Perhaps no US politician is hated as much by both the far-left and far-right in Germany as Hillary Clinton. I've already written about how a book highly critical of Hillary - or "Killary" as she in known on the left - became a best-seller in Germany.  The leader of the far-right party Alternative for Germany - Frauke Petry - came out for Donald Trump in a recent interview in the New Yorker Magazine:

“My impression is that Trump may become the American President, because the alternative to him, Hillary Clinton, is just so unconvincing. She is almost like a copy of someone like Merkel—someone who just keeps on with the same policies that led to the trouble in the first place.” She admired the American willingness to take risks: “It might not be better under Trump, but at least with him there is the chance to change.”

Likewise Jakob Augstein, the left-wing commentator for Der Spiegel, is hoping for a Trump victory, since Hillary is too much of a "security risk" (Sicherheitsrisiko):

Hillary Clinton ist genau das Produkt des amerikanischen Polit-Establishments, das Trump und seine Anhänger in ihr sehen. Sie genießt in Europa den Ruf, für außenpolitische Berechenbarkeit und Kontinuität zu stehen. Aber das bedeutet eben auch, dass sie die im wahrsten Wortsinne verheerende amerikanische Außenpolitik militärischer Interventionen fortsetzen würde.

But not everyone on the German left is in the pocket of Vladimir Putin.  Jörn Schulz, writing in Jungle World, makes the progressive case for President Hillary Clinton (H/T reader KR):

Clintons Einzug ins Weiße Haus ist nicht nur notwendig, um die Trumpocalypse abzuwenden. Ihre Präsidentschaft böte die Chance, den Sozialstaat auszubauen und eine nachfrage­orien­tierte Wirtschaftspolitik zu beginnen, die auch internationale Wirkung hätte. Nur die Chance – eine Gewissheit ist das nicht, denn jede Reform muss gegen die Republikaner durchgesetzt werden und bedarf eines ausreichenden Drucks von links.

Clintons Programm ist recht fortschrittlich: Stärkung der Gewerkschaftsrechte und des Arbeitsschutzes, Erhöhung des Mindestlohns auf 15 Dollar – umgerechnet 13,68 Euro, die Linkspartei fordert in Deutschland »schnellstmöglich« zwölf Euro –, ein Konjunkturprogramm, Stärkung der staatlichen Kranken- und Rentenversicherung, keine Erhöhung des Rentenalters, gleicher Lohn für gleiche Arbeit, bezahlte Elternzeit, neue Freihandelsverträge nur, wenn sie »hohe Standards« erfüllen, und ein sozial gerechteres Steuersystem inklusive einer Abgabe von vier Prozent auf Einkommen von über fünf Millionen Dollar pro Jahr.

("Clinton's move to White House is not just necessary in order to avoid a Tumpocalypse.  Her presidency would offer the chance to build out the social state and start a demand-oriented economic policy, which would also have a global impact. Just the chance, to be sure, for every reform would have to implemented against the Republican opposition and require sufficient pressure from the left. Clinton's policies are actually quire progressive: strengthening the rights of labor unions and workplace protections, increasing the minimum wage to 15 dollars (13.68 euros) - even the Left Party is asking for only 12 euros - a government stimulus program, strengthening health insurance and social security, no increase in the retirement age, equal pay for equal work, paid maternity/paternity leave, new trade agreements only if they meet the "high standards" and a fair tax system including a 4% tax on annual incomes over $5 million )

I realize these domestic US initiatives mean little to those in Germany who get their "news" from Sputnik and RT Deutsch, but they do mean something to the majority of American voters.  Here is Boston Globe columnist Michael Cohent: 

It’s not easy to find reasons for optimism about the 16-month slog that has been the 2016 presidential campaign. But here goes: this election, for all its ugliness, unpleasantness, and downright nastiness, has done something truly unexpected — it’s highlighted the nation’s extraordinary social progress.

Indeed, Hillary Clinton has run the most progressive presidential campaign in the history of the United States.

 

Comments

[James]

:joy: :laughing:

[Zyme]

Indeed James!
To put in a British way: The witch is dead! :-)

I will say only three words:
Lock her up!
;-)

[David]

@zyme - your wish is being realized. A global fascist movement is underway.

[James]

Good, good. Let the butthurt flow through you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNi1hKi9Z5c
"Social Justice Warriors React To Donald Trump Victory #2"

[sol1]

Jakob Augstein backpedaling:

http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/us-wahl-donald-trumps-wahl-ist-das-ende-des-westens-a-1120608.html

[Hattie]

I thought Germans were ever so smart. At least that was what they always told me when I lived there. Seems that is not the case.