So, if you want to hear my take on why I enthusiastically support Ms. Clinton, I will be happy to tell you ... okay it may end up as an OPW post anyway, but let me address the Trump issue.

I understand that the last thing people want is "more of the same" and that is why Mr. Sanders on the left and Mr. Trump on the wrong ... I mean right got a lot of support.

When I watched the debates, I watched the Republicans partially because I like drinking games and partially because I wanted to know which R candidate was the least of the evils, who would I not mind as President, who would I be least scared of. Trump was a possibility - he was not an evangelical like Cruz, he is from New York which has a diverse population, he knows a lot of entertainers (who tend to be liberal or at least socially inclusive), he wasn't anti-teacher like Scott Walker or a train wreck like Carly "HP layoffs" Fiorina.

This is where Trump lost me - when he talks about forcing Muslims to "register", he is talking about discriminating against American citizens based on their religion. As a Jew, I know what that looks like from the other side, and I am not just talking about the Holocaust, I am talking about the Inquisition, about the attacks on synagoges in Paris that happened in either 2015 or 2016 ... recent. Once religious discrimination starts, it doesn't end well, and if "they come for the Muslims and I say nothing", I have no illusions that the Jews will be safe - that's me and my children, that's my family.

Also, I know we vary on gun control, but Mr. Trump has stated that one of his first actions as President will be to eliminate gun free school zones. That's a zero-sum thing for him to say - his children are either too old to be in school or are in private schools and have bodyguards. My children are in public school and while yes, they are in a very safe community, eliminating gun-free zones in schools is a terrifying trend. It makes me think of Elle in lockdown when the Stanford shooting happened, Leah, terrified, texting and praying. No, this man cannot be allowed to lead our country, he cannot be allowed to dictate policy.

Also, last night at the DNC was basically "security/defense" night. Republican military officers spoke and said that they trusted Ms. Clinton as commander in chief and that they were deeply concerned that Mr. Trump bragged that the military would torture people if he told them to - the military is all about order and discipline, about following the rules and being the good guys, and this retired naval officer (a Republican) was so horrified ...

https://www.demconvention.com/speeches/rear-admiral-john-hutson-ret-2016-dnc-speech/

Here's the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9l9uBkoYZg

Also, Michael Bloomberg, who is a self-made billionaire and richer than Mr. Trump, and who was the Republican Mayor of New York City (he took office right after 9/11) when Ms. Clinton was the Senator from New York, he spoke in praise of her. He's now an independent, not a Dem. He ran on his record as a businessman.

Mr. Bloomberg, speech text:
http://www.vox.com/2016/7/27/12302828/michael-bloomberg-dnc-speech-transcript-2016-democratic-convention

Speech video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9n3vuf-rbd8

The speeches blew my mind - these are the guys I used to hate, the party of Ronald Ray-gun, the guys who wanted prayer in schools and women in the kitchen, the don't ask, don't tell guys, the keep women out of the military guys (these are generalizations about the Republican party, not specifics - it's what people like Hutson and Bloomberg represented to me), and they spoke in full-throated support of Ms. Clinton. It's fascinating and a little terrifying - because you know they'd be up at the RNC if the nominee were Jeb Bush or John Kasich.

Republicans think a FEMALE DEMOCRAT will be a better, safer Commander in Chief than Donald Trump. Holy shit.

My friend Olympia, who recently returned to Australia with her American husband (after 15 years away) is also a huge Bernie Sanders fan.

I find American politics is something I am not quite so up with...(at first, I thought Trump running was just a huge gee up...no such luck.) And lately I am so tired of the political climate in my own country that I can barely be bothered to look elsewhere...(Political apathy, I am currently wallowing in it. I will snap out of it, but right now I just done with it all.)

Very brave indeed. But then being a woman and expressing any kind of opinion has always had to be undertaken with courage. I wonder if that will ever change?

Excellent point. I updated the post to use both candidates' full names. I think Ms. Clinton gets called by her first name because her spouse is an ex-POTUS and people associate the last name with him, like they called Bush II "W" to distinguish him from his Papa. Still, Ms. Clinton works nicely and I LOVE that you are calling her Ms. not Mrs.

My mother HATES being called "Mrs. Marvin Klein", and when I was growing up, I didn't quite get it because I am an unashamed over-the-top Daddy's girl, even at age 44. She explained to me that she was her own person, not an appendage of my Dad, and that resonated. I got a card a while ago from my Aunt, Susan and it was addressed to "Ms. Michelle Houser". Houser said, "It should be Mrs. - you're married." I educated him on why "Mrs./Miss" is unacceptable and Ms. = Mr.

So, Ms. Hillary Clinton - HELL YEAH!