I froze on my way to Hilary Clinton’s ‘proclamation’

“Win or lose, we go shopping after the election.”

—Imelda Marcos

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

THE 2016 US presidential election was the first official presidential election in the United States that I covered physically as a journalist based in New York.

I did “cover” the 2012 presidential tussle between Democrat’s Barrack Obama and Republican’s Mitt Romney, but it was a virtual reportage from my former base in Toronto, Ontario.

In 2016, I was given accreditation by the New York State Board of Elections (NYSBE) and assigned in Brooklyn.

On election day, accredited journalists from around the world gathered at The Westin New York and given briefings by Board of Election bigwigs. We also attended a series of conferences participated by officials representing different state and federal agencies.

My accreditation gave me access to polling precincts where I managed to take photos and “live” videos of voters while they were casting their votes (I don’t know if this is allowed in the Philippines); I also interviewed some of them as they exited.

 

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Like most journalists and political observers, I thought Clinton, who beat Trump in popularity votes (Clinton 65,853,514 votes; Trump 62,984,828 votes) would handily clinch the presidency and become the first woman in US history to occupy the White House.

I was on my way to Jacob Javits Convention Center on 34th and 38th Avenues in New York City at past six o’clock in the evening on November 8, 2016, where Clinton was supposed to hold her proclamation when I was barred entry in the 11th Avenue.

I froze as I overheard some people invited in the event—and rushing to the center like me—quipped, “The proclamation program might not push through.”

Alas, Trump rolled past Clinton, 304–227, in the electoral votes.

I went straight to the Times Square until midnight where I saw New Yorkers mourned and cried like French and British residents who heard the demise of Princess Diana, 36, in a traffic collision in Paris, France on August 31,1997.

Unlike in the Philippines where all elections are managed and governed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), those responsible for monitoring all aspects of an election in the United States, from ballot access to voting provisions, are state election agencies.

 

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Responsibility for election administration commonly falls to the secretary of state; in 37 states, the secretary of state is involved to some extent in election administration.

In a handful of states, dedicated agencies (usually boards of elections) administer elections. In addition, 20 states have ethics commissions, which are typically involved in the administration and/or enforcement of campaign finance laws.

The federal government plays a limited role in elections, though candidates for federal office must file campaign finance reports with the Federal Election Commission.

The Election Assistance Commission functions in a largely advisory capacity, providing guidance to state and local election officials. In addition, local governments often play a significant role in the election process, though the extent of local government participation varies from state to state.

According to ballotpedia, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) is a federal regulatory agency charged with administering and enforcing the nation's campaign finance laws.

The commission was created by the United States Congress in 1975. The commission comprises six members who serve six-year terms of office. Two seats are appointed every two years. All commissioners are appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the United States Senate.

 

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I WILL never trust the polls, or the public opinion polling especially in the US presidential election after the 2016 presidential election.

The term “poll” originally was a synonym for “head.” Polls counted heads at meetings or political rallies to gauge popular sentiment.

Americans use polls to count heads, too, just a little more scientifically than under the old methods, as the primary way to find out what the public knows, thinks and wants.

In the 2016 presidential election that pitted charismatic Democrat candidate Hilary Clinto against Republican’s Donald Trump, the results came as a surprise to nearly everyone who had been following the national and state election polling, which consistently projected Clinton as defeating Trump.

Relying largely on opinion polls, election forecasters put Clinton’s chance of winning at anywhere from 70 percent to as high as 99 percent, and pegged her as the heavy favorite to win a number of states such as Pennsylvania and Wisconsin that in the end were taken by Trump.

“How could the polls have been so wrong about the state of the election?” asked the Pew Research Center.

There is a great deal of speculation but no clear answers as to the cause of the disconnect, but there is one point of agreement: Across the board, polls underestimated Trump’s level of support, explained the Pew Research Center.

With few exceptions, the final round of public polling showed Clinton with a lead of 1 to 7 percentage points in the national popular vote. State-level polling was more variable, but there were few instances where polls overstated Trump’s support.

The fact that so many forecasts were off-target was particularly notable given the increasingly wide variety of methodologies being tested and reported via the mainstream media and other channels. The traditional telephone polls of recent decades are now joined by increasing numbers of high profile, online probability and nonprobability sample surveys, as well as prediction markets, all of which showed similar errors.

Pollsters reportedly didn’t have a clear diagnosis yet for the misfires, and it will likely be some time before we know for sure what happened. There were, however, several possible explanations for the misstep that many in the polling community would be talking about in upcoming weeks.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)

Humility

“Only a person who has passed through the gate of humility can ascend to the heights of the spirit.”

—Rudolf Steiner

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

ONE of the chief reasons why many famous characters—including public officials—fall in disgrace too soon is because they lack humility.

When we don’t have humility, we tend to be haughty, egoistic, arrogant, and even dominant. We don’t have respect for others, first and foremost.

The primary hallmark of being “too big for our breaches” is pride—excessive lordliness and irrational sense of entitlement and superiority: we don’t listen; we have this myopic thinking we are bigger than life and we are better and mightier than most people.

Because we stand ten feet taller, we have this uncanny and putrid belief we are beyond snooping and scrutiny.

We hate criticism; we loathe dissection and inquiry. Accountability and transparency have no place in our glossary of terms.

In our thoughts, we operate as a one-man army; we know everything—deeper and more detailed than what Google and AI combined can dish out.

Egos over bloated, we become vexatious to others; and the saddest apart is we think our truculence and sullenness don’t harm others and our being superior and scrappy are something ordained by the ghosts in heaven.

 

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Abraham Cho reminds us that by all accounts, humility ranks as one of the most important virtues of the Christian life. In his classic book Humility: The Beauty of Holiness, Andrew Murray famously referred to it as “the first duty and the highest virtue of the creature, and the root of every virtue.”

As scholar F. S. Fitzsimmonds put it, “The importance of this virtue springs from the fact that it is found as a part of the character of God.” Stunningly, humility is an attribute of the biblical God himself. C.S. Lewis’: “True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” Tim Keller built on this idea when he wrote, “True gospel-humility means I stop connecting every experience, every conversation, with myself. In fact, I stop thinking about myself. The freedom of self-forgetfulness.”

And more recently, David Brooks’ book How to Know a Person quotes a biographer of E.M. Forster who wrote that “to speak with him (Forster) was to be seduced by an inverse charisma, a sense of being listened to with such intensity that you had to be your most honest, sharpest, and best self.”

“Inverse charisma” seems like a great description of what humility feels like when we encounter it in someone else. But do these definitions, wonderful as they are, capture the full essence of humility as we see it in the Bible?

 

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In about four weeks, the filing of certificates of candidacy (CoC) by candidates in the 2025 Philippine midterm elections will bump off the major issues that have been dominating the headlines these past weeks.

Whether Apollo Quiboloy will be finally dug up from the bunker, Arnulfo Teves and Alice Guo will be extradited, Gerald Bantag will be arrested, among other developments in the various sensational crimes, media will be buzzing with stories about who’s who in local and national politics competing for elective positions in the local government units (LGUs) and Congress—both the Upper and Lower Houses.

Interesting rivalries for mayor, governor, congressman and woman involving former allies, friends and relatives will occupy the front seats in the media coverage.

Some of the hotly contested areas in the Philippines are expected to grab the bulk of publicity both in the mainstream and the social media especially in Metro Manila, Iloilo, Cebu, and many parts in Mindanao now divided between the warring bandwagons of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Vice President “Inday Sara” Duterte-Carpio.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)

 

 

Iloilo eco zone brings Marcos Jr. closer to hearts of Ilonggos

“I couldn't stand back and watch the strong economy that my father envisioned go to ruins.”

—Park Geun-hye

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

THE Ilonggos soundly rejected President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in favor of former Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo in the 2022 presidential election, but after two years, the relationship may have ameliorated and no longer frosty.

This became apparent after the Ilocos-based President Marcos Jr. has declared an area in Iloilo City that comprised a building and parcels of land as a special economic zone.

After successfully wooing the support of local elective officials and hitherto Robredo allies led by Iloilo City Mayor Geronimo “Jerry” Trenas and Iloilo Governor Arthur “Toto” Defensor Jr. one after the other, Mr. Marcos Jr. now totally believes there is a need to also rev up Iloilo’s viable economic domain through a presidential fiat.

While the president’s “stowaway” enemies embarked on a wide scale and counterproductive vilification campaign to smear his name, he was busy helping shore up economic prosperity in the countryside.

Proclamation 668 seeks to create and designate a building and parcels of land in Barangay San Rafael, Mandurriao district as an information technology center.

The edifice will be known as “The Grid” and is located in Iloilo City on the island of Panay, with an area of approximately 7,021 square meters.

 

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Mr. Marcos had also expanded the Lima Technology Center-Special Economic Zone in Batangas to attract more foreign investors.

Signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin dated August 27, 2024, the declaration and expansion of the special economic zones were based upon the recommendations of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) board of directors and contained in separate proclamations.

PEZA reportedly plans to establish the legal framework and mechanisms in integrating, coordinating, plan ning and monitoring industrial estates, parks, export processing zones and other economic zones.

PEZA also wishes to promote the flow of investors into these special economic zones, which in turn will create jobs and establish linkages among industries.

Now that Mr. Marcos Jr.’s trust and confidence level among Ilonggos appeared to have accelerated over the past months, it isn’t far-fetched he will soon be able to consolidate the Luzon and Visayas political forces before going full blast for annexation of the Mindanao bandwagon.

This will leave the president’s critics and adversaries mostly based in Davao City in Mindanao eat the dust and help baffle those who agitate for Mr. Marcos Jr.’s detractors.  

 

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US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION UPDATE. Vice President Harris widened the gap with former President Trump among women in a new poll that highlights a notable boost from a major voting group that could be a key for the Democratic nominee in November, The Hill has reported

The ABC News/Ipsos poll, released August 31, found Harris leading Trump 54 percent to 41 percent among women. Before last month’s Democratic National Convention, Harris edged Trump out by 6 points among this demographic.

Trump, who has struggled with female voters, led Harris 51 percent to 46 percent among men in the new survey.

Pollsters noted the gender gap between Harris and Trump is now more aligned with recent elections. The gap has typically been about 19 points in exit polls since 1996.

The movement among women and men in the new survey occurred the most among white voters, pollsters found. Trump had a 13-point advantage among white women before the Democratic convention and now has a 2-point edge.

By comparison, the former president had a 13-point advantage among white men prior to the convention and now has a 21-point edge.

Women are seen as a key voting bloc that has powered Harris’s successful presidential campaign rollout.

 

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No man is worth much more than a dollar or two a day from the chin down. Even what we do with our hands depends for its value on the amount of sense we use.

We can train and improve our mind as well as our fingers. Mental laziness is the most common disease.

Let's put in a certain amount of time every day at making our brain more efficient.

Let’s read. Let’s study. Let’s think. Let’s not fritter away all our spare time. It’s all habit. We can get used to hard study as well as to hard work. And it pays. Let’s improve ourselves from the chin up.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)

We condemn, they attack

“I believe that if you treat China as an enemy, then it is likely to become one.”

—Peter Mandelson

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

WE have been assaulted, harassed, threatened, chased, bullied many times in the West Philippine Sea. China has been repeating, perpetuating, stepping up the bullying in the disputed sea multiple times.

It’s an open sesame. And it appears there is no end in sight. Nothing and no one can stop China.

It’s a never-ending story. It’s been a rewind and reenactment. And it’s been in the news all these years.

In terms of volume of condemnation, the Philippines is a runaway winner. In terms of number of harassment and bullying, China is the gold medalist. It’s a veritable Punch and Judy show.

While Chinese navy ships torture Philippine vessels, Filipino diplomats and those from “concerned” and sympathetic countries condemn.

What does it tell us?

Well, it tells the world we are actually doing what the Holy Bible is telling us what to do: “If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.” (Matthew 5:38-48)

When will the bullying stop? Hell, hello. No one knows. In fact, no one believes it will end.

 

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SOME politicians or political wannabes planning to file their certificates of candidacy (CoC) for the Philippine midterm elections on October 1-8, 2024 have become active in the social media.

They think they needed to be noticed and heard not only in the mainstream but also in the social media as the campaign period approaches.

Many of them were even impelled to pay a certain pre-conditioned amount arranged by the social media platforms to “boost” (this is the exact word written in one social media platform) their posts or messages which are being treated as forms of advertisement.

In many social media platforms nowadays, users who opt not to pay a certain amount get only a limited number of audience or those who can see what they post.

If you are an ordinary social media user, you don’t normally give a damn about paying a certain amount for every post you make, especially if you don’t compete in a popularity contest.

But if you are someone hankering for public attention and recognition in aid of your candidacy in the forthcoming elections, you will be compelled to shell out a certain amount to deliver your messages via the commercialized social media.

   

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"Happy is the man who can make a living by his hobby!"--Higgins, Act I

Another interesting book on sale (only at $5) at the Barnes and Noble Bookseller in Manhattan is Pygmalion, a king of Cyprus who could find nothing good in women.

As a result, he resolved to live out his life unmarried.

He fell in love with his own creation when he carved a statue out of ivory that was so beautiful and so perfect that no living being could possibly be its equal.

At a festival, he consequently prayed to the goddess of love, Aphrodite, that he might have the statue come to life.

To his amazement, he found that his wish had been fulfilled when he reached home, and he proceeded to marry the statue he named Galatea.

Author George Bernard Shaw used several aspects of the legend and most prominently one of the names in the title, viewers, writers, critics, and audiences have consistently insisted upon there being some truth attached to every analogy in the myth.

 

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For the first time in many years, I skipped this year’s tennis US Open due to conflict in my schedule in school.

As of this writing, the US Open continued with the Round of 16. By this time, most of us already knew that world No. 3 and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz suffered a shocking defeat in the second round, falling to Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets. Novak Djokovic was also stunned in the third round by Alexei Popyrin, and Frances Tiafoe won a five-set thriller over fellow American Ben Shelton.

Perhaps, there’s indeed a reason for me to miss the actions this year.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)