BOOK REVIEW | NONFICTION
A Document for Permanent Consultation and Reference
By GUILLERMO BRUNO | DEC. 9, 2017
WHAT HAPPENED by Hillary Rodham Clinton (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2017), 494 pp.
In a few months, "What Happened" by Hillary Rodham Clinton has transcended frontiers. This book shows us the facts behind the 2016 United States presidential election. What captivated my attention was both the perspective the author chose to tell "her story" and the existence of strong evidence that supports it. Therefore, in my opinion, this essay constitutes a document for permanent consultation and reference. But, let's consider some of the reasons to come to this conclusion.
When grieving is inevitable, you may write with resentment —what you feel when you do not receive what you deserve, it manifests itself in envy where darkness prevents you to cope with grief and to regain the balance lost— or do it with gratitude. Inspired by "The Return of the Prodigal Son" by Henri Nouwen; Hillary decided to express herself with love, joy, trust, gratitude, and courage. Since "gratitude" is the opposite of resentment, they cannot coexist. Thus, if we practice gratitude every day, it becomes a discipline, "the discipline of gratitude," the way to heal wounds, compatible with the Methodist belief "To do all the good you can…" By assuming this approach, with an unparalleled intelligence, she ensures herself a prominent place in history. So, it is not surprising that Mrs. Clinton extends her thanks to lots of people, including the 65,844,610 fellow Americans who voted for her, the Secret Service agents who protected her life as a presidential candidate, the members of her team, and the professionals who took care of her personal image. Moreover, she expresses her respect to the press corps who used to accompany her on the campaign trail.
The Russians stained the 2016 election in an abnormal interference on the American democracy. They not only used the traditional state-run media, but the internet flooding the web with a vast network of fake Twitter and Facebook accounts —either "trolls" "accounts that real people run" or "bots" "short for robots" this is "automatic accounts"— to place malicious headlines targeted to undecided voters. The author says "… Putin himself had ordered a covert operation with the goal of denigrating and defeating me, electing Trump, and undermining the American people's faith in the democratic process…" Besides, I had never imagined that anger, sexism, discrimination, intolerance, disrespect, brutality and an opponent who would break all the rules of a civilized nation would invade the electoral process. Even though Hillary won 2,864,974 more votes than her adversary and captured nearly as many votes as Barack Obama to win in 2012 (65,915,795), she lost the Electoral College. However, these facts in themselves are historical milestones. Needless to say that President Trump owes his victory in the Electoral College to three states where he won by the smallest number of votes: Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
During the campaign, it seemed that nobody wanted to listen to Mrs. Clinton's proposals. To those who proceeded in that way, let me remind you some of the most relevant ones. She had proposed: a) to modernize America's infrastructure which included roads, bridges, tunnels, ports, airports, and broadband networks; b) to create new incentives to attract manufacturing jobs in hard-hit communities; c) to impose debt-free college: d) to improve training and apprenticeship programs to help people without college degrees get higher-paying jobs; e) to support small business; f) to expand clean energy production; g) to deploy half-a-billion solar panels in four years; h) to invest in scientific research; i) to establish new rules to make it easier for companies to raise wages and share profits with employees; j) to upgrade workforce protection with a higher minimum wage, equal pay for women, paid family and medical leave, and affordable child care; k) to support reproductive rights, women's access to birth control and abortion as defined in Roe v. Wade; l) to protect the rights of LGBT people; and m) to expand access to treatment, improve training for doctors and pharmacists, and reform the Criminal Justice System to help non-violent drug offenders —victims of the opioid and heroin epidemic— end up in rehab instead of prison. These and many other things could have come true with a slight increase in taxes on the wealthiest, which represent 1% of the US population… In spite of the idea that Peter Barnes explores in his book "With Liberty and Dividends for All…" fascinated Hillary, she decided to leave it on the shelf for further studies.
By the way, do not forget that on June 22, 2000, President Bill Clinton announced the "Completion of the First Survey of the Entire Human Genome Project," one of the greatest legacies of his Administration. On that occasion, President Clinton said “… We are here to celebrate the completion of the first survey of the entire human genome. Without a doubt, this is the most important, most wondrous map ever produced by humankind... More than 1,000 researchers across six nations have revealed nearly all 3 billion letters of our miraculous genetic code… Today, we are learning the language in which God created life… With this profound new knowledge, humankind is on the verge of gaining immense, new power to heal. Genome science will have a real impact on all our lives... It will revolutionize the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of most, if not all, human diseases... by attacking their genetic roots…” Unfortunately, little has been done since then.
With humor and candor, the author reveals what she and her team used to eat during the campaign trail. The "Mothers of the Movement" and the "Flint Water Crisis" moved me very much. It is true that we have to study "the long-term effects of automation and artificial intelligence, both on employment and national security." There are also some relevant quotes to take into account such as "in the twenty-first century, wars will be increasingly fought in cyberspace…," "…we need to get serious about cyberwar" where "government and the private sector need to work together to improve our defenses…" "… The United States should declare that a cyber attack on the American vital infrastructure constitutes an act of war and that it should receive a proportional response." Finally, "…the point of modern propaganda isn't only to misinform or push an agenda; it is to exhaust your critical thinking to annihilate truth…"
It is no good trying to disregard the dangerous forces that shaped the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. Understanding the facts that threatened the democratic process is a must. Amid the darkness of today, this woman –undoubtedly a fighter– becomes the moral reserve of our time, an inspiration for millions of people all over the world to get involved, to raise our voices, to defend our rights, and to fight for the values we believe in and care for. To sum up, these are some of the reasons that lead me to recommend this masterpiece, and as the Gershwin brothers say "Who Could Ask for Anything More."
Guillermo Bruno
Guillermo Bruno was born in Argentina. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from the School of Legal Sciences, Universidad del Salvador (USAL), and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Air and Space Law from the Instituto Nacional de Derecho Aeronáutico y Espacial (INDAE). He has been a professor of law, a legal writer, a defender of animal rights, and a songwriter.
RECENSIÓN DE LIBRO | NO FICCIÓN | ESPAÑOL
Un documento de referencia y consulta permanente
Por GUILLERMO BRUNO | DIC. 9, 2017
QUÉ PASÓ de Hillary Rodham Clinton (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2017), 494 pp.
En unos meses, "Qué pasó" de Hillary Rodham Clinton ha trascendido las fronteras. Este libro nos muestra los hechos detrás de las elecciones presidenciales de Estados Unidos de 2016. Lo que cautivó mi atención fue tanto la perspectiva que la autora eligió para contar "su historia" como la existencia de pruebas sólidas que la avalan. Por lo tanto, en mi opinión, este ensayo constituye un documento de referencia y consulta permanente. Pero, consideremos algunas de las razones para llegar a esta conclusión.
Cuando el duelo es inevitable, puedes escribir con resentimiento –lo que sientes cuando no recibes lo que mereces, se manifiesta en envidia donde la oscuridad te impide elaborar el duelo y recuperar el equilibrio perdido– o hacerlo con gratitud. Inspirada en "El regreso del hijo pródigo" de Henri Nouwen; Hillary decidió expresarse con amor, alegría, confianza, gratitud y coraje. Como la "gratitud" es lo opuesto al resentimiento, no pueden coexistir. En consecuencia, si practicamos la gratitud todos los días, se convierte en una disciplina, "la disciplina de la gratitud", la forma de sanar heridas, compatible con la creencia Metodista que expresa: "Haz todo el bien que puedas…” Al asumir esta postura, con una inteligencia incomparable, se asegura un lugar prominente en la historia. Por lo tanto, no sorprende que la Sra. Clinton extienda su agradecimiento a muchas personas, incluidos los 65.844.610 de estadounidenses que votaron por ella, los agentes del Servicio Secreto que protegieron su vida como candidata presidencial, los miembros de su equipo y los profesionales que se ocuparon de su imagen personal. Además, expresa su respeto por los cuerpos de prensa que solían acompañarla en la campaña electoral.
Los rusos mancharon las elecciones de 2016 con una interferencia anormal en la democracia estadounidense. No solo usaron los medios estatales tradicionales, sino Internet inundándolo con una vasta red de cuentas falsas de Twitter y Facebook –sea con "trolls" “cuentas que las personas reales ejecutan” o con “bots” “abreviatura de robots”, esto es, "cuentas automáticas"– para colocar titulares maliciosos dirigidos a votantes indecisos. La autora dice: "... el mismo Putin había ordenado una operación encubierta con el objeto de denigrarme y derrotarme, elegir a Trump y socavar la fe del pueblo estadounidense en el proceso democrático..." Además, nunca imaginé que la ira, el sexismo, la discriminación, la intolerancia, la falta de respeto, la brutalidad y un oponente que quebrantaría todas las reglas de una nación civilizada invadirían el proceso electoral. Pese a que Hillary ganó 2.864.974 de votos más que su adversario y obtuvo casi la misma cantidad de votos que Barack Obama en 2012 (65.915.795), perdió en el Colegio Electoral. Sin embargo, estos hechos en sí mismos son hitos históricos. Huelga decir que el presidente Trump debe su victoria en el Colegio Electoral a tres estados donde ganó por el menor número de votos: Pennsylvania, Wisconsin y Michigan.
Durante la campaña, parecía que nadie quería escuchar las propuestas de la Sra. Clinton. Para aquellos que procedieron de esa manera, permítanme recordarles algunas de las más relevantes. Había propuesto: a) modernizar la infraestructura de Estados Unidos, que incluía carreteras, puentes, túneles, puertos, aeropuertos y redes de banda ancha; b) crear nuevos incentivos para atraer puestos de trabajo de manufactura en las comunidades más afectadas; c) imponer una universidad sin deudas: d) mejorar los programas de capacitación y aprendizaje para ayudar a las personas sin títulos universitarios a obtener mejores empleos remunerados; e) apoyar a las pequeñas empresas; f) expandir la producción de energía limpia; g) desplegar medio billón de paneles solares en cuatro años; h) invertir en investigación científica; i) establecer nuevas reglas para facilitar que las empresas eleven los salarios y compartan los beneficios con sus empleados; j) mejorar la protección de la fuerza de trabajo con un salario mínimo más elevado, el mismo salario para las mujeres, licencia familiar y médica pagada y cuidado infantil asequible; k) apoyar los derechos reproductivos, el acceso de las mujeres al control de la natalidad y al aborto como se define en Roe v. Wade; l) proteger los derechos de las personas LGBT; y ll) expandir el acceso al tratamiento, mejorar la capacitación de médicos y farmacéuticos y reformar el Sistema de Justicia Criminal para ayudar a que los infractores por drogas no violentos –víctimas de la epidemia del opio y la heroína– terminen en lugares de rehabilitación, no en la prisión. Estas y muchas otras cosas podrían haberse hecho realidad con un ligero aumento en los impuestos a los más ricos, que representan el 1% de la población de EE.UU… A pesar de la idea que Peter Barnes explora en su libro "Con libertad y dividendos para todos..." que fascinó a Hillary, decidió dejarlo para estudios más detallados.
Por cierto, no olviden que el 22 de junio de 2000, el presidente Bill Clinton anunció la "Finalización del Proyecto Genoma Humano", uno de los mayores legados de su administración. En esa ocasión, el presidente Clinton dijo: "... Estamos aquí para celebrar la finalización del Proyecto Genoma Humano... Sin lugar a dudas, este es el mapa más importante y maravilloso jamás producido por la humanidad... Más de 1.000 investigadores en seis naciones han revelado casi 3.000 millones de letras de nuestro código genético milagroso... Hoy, estamos aprendiendo el lenguaje en el que Dios creó la vida... Con este nuevo y profundo conocimiento, la humanidad está a punto de ganar un inmenso y nuevo poder para sanar. La ciencia del genoma tendrá un impacto real en todas nuestras vidas... Revolucionará el diagnóstico, la prevención y el tratamiento de la mayoría de las enfermedades humanas, si no todas... atacando sus raíces genéticas..." Desafortunadamente, poco se ha hecho desde entonces.
Con humor y sinceridad, la autora revela lo que ella y su equipo solían comer durante la campaña electoral. Las "Madres del Movimiento" y la "Crisis del Agua en Flint" me conmovieron en grado sumo. Es cierto que tenemos que estudiar "los efectos a largo plazo de la automatización y la inteligencia artificial, tanto en el empleo como en la seguridad nacional". También hay algunas citas relevantes para tener en cuenta como: "en el siglo XXI, las guerras se librarán cada vez más en el ciberespacio...", "...debemos tomarnos en serio la ciberguerra", donde "el gobierno y el sector privado deben trabajar juntos para mejorar nuestras defensas...” “...Estados Unidos debería declarar que un ciberataque a la infraestructura vital estadounidense constituye un acto de guerra y recibir una respuesta proporcional". Finalmente, "...el objetivo de la propaganda moderna no es solo desinformar o impulsar una agenda, es agotar el pensamiento crítico para aniquilar la verdad..."
Es inútil tratar de ignorar las fuerzas peligrosas que dieron forma al resultado de la elección presidencial de 2016. Hay que comprender los hechos que amenazaron al proceso democrático. En medio de la oscuridad del hoy, esta mujer –sin dudas una luchadora– se convierte en la reserva moral de nuestro tiempo, una inspiración para que millones de personas de todo el mundo nos involucremos, alcemos nuestras voces, defendamos nuestros derechos y luchemos por los valores y principios en los que creemos. En suma, estas son algunas de las razones que me llevan a recomendar esta obra maestra y como dicen los hermanos Gershwin: "¿Quién podría pedir algo más?".
Guillermo Bruno
Guillermo Bruno nació en Argentina. Es abogado, egresado de la Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas de la USAL (Universidad del Salvador) y realizó un posgrado en la Especialización en Derecho Aeronáutico y Espacial en el INDAE (Instituto Nacional de Derecho Aeronáutico y Espacial). Es profesor de derecho, escritor, defensor del derecho de los animales y autor y compositor.
What Happened
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Get the Message: Not the Messenger: Clean the Mess!!!
Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2017
I was excited to get a copy of this book because yes I am a woman, an admirer of HRC but above all a global citizen interested in political science and curious to know ‘what happens’. By virtue of my profession as a lawyer, and all other work I do for human, women and mental health rights, I will proceed to review this book which was a cathartic read to be honest. Not being an American (nor involved in any gerrymandering or etc) gives me the audacity to title my review as I do. I have therefore divided my review into three sections respectively and I will conclude with a probably more audacious stance. Spoiler: Message not in any EMAILS!!!1) Get the MessageI would have been disappointed if the only message I got from this book was about what happened during the 2016 sagacious presidential election in the USA. I am therefore appreciative of the fact that the book is about what happened before, during and after not only the elections but also what happened and happens to HRC – and well the USA. The book is not titled say ‘what happened that I lost in 2016’ …The message or should I say messages HRC share in her book are therefore about her, the campaign and elections saga, and the country as a whole. I keep likening what I think of the US now to a person who has fallen from such Grace to Grass. HRC in her usual candour which I have appreciated all along reading her various books, sounds the clarion call, pointing fingers to all including herself. Putin may not like her, Trump may not (obviously), ‘Little Rocket Man’ too, the Republicans without doubt, even some Democrats presumably, but the message has to be given and just like other great messengers in the world (Start maybe from Jesus, Mahatma Ghandi, MLK, Malcom X, Mandela, you name them I mean even Barack Obama), HRC ( a brave woman for a change) had no choice but to follow that inner nudge and deliver the message (s) in this book.Not the MessengerI think the world or to be more honest the US, has held HRC to an unreasonably terrifying standard while at the same time expecting her to just ‘disappear’. No doubt HRC was the candidate and should, and in my candid opinion does take a lot of responsibility, she is not the reason the country is in such chaos. She is a messenger sent bearing a torch under a scorching scrutiny, and facing immense challenges and sabotage from different angles it could only take Amazing Grace to see her through it all (had she ended up in an asylum or in Jail maybe there would have been more ‘celebration’?).Yet truth be told, the records she has set not only as the first female presidential nominee of one of the great parties in that country, but also in her long and impact full public service to the country and the world at large, will in another country probably grant her immunity from whatever, for life, period. It is therefore shameful and dare say embarrassing that several other reviews I have read, and some media outlets take pleasure in trying further ‘character or emotional assassination’ of HRC. Hold up USA, you seem not to know the gem you have in HRC the messenger. She is just a human being for crying out loud but the choices she has made and the message she delivering in this book should not be overlooked because someone in the Oval office or somewhere doesn’t like her face, voice, shape, sight etc.Clean the MessIn this book, I gather and undeniably think that the country is in a mess. I mean blame it on HRC and the Clintons if you want, blame on Barrack and the Obamas, on the democrats maybe, blame it on Russia if you are bold enough to follow through with your investigations – that is if it is already obvious blaming the Republicans too right?, I can even blame my US Buddy who keeps putting up those blogs posts with such alien like updates! The bottom line is: The great Super Duper US of A is currently in a mess and I recently said they had become “a global embarrassment and case study”. Seriously some real cleaning has to be done because it ain’t wrong to fall, but it’s appalling to stay down when you know how to get up!!!In conclusionRead this book and think about the solutions HRC proposes, take it or leave she has painfully and graciously delivered the message. Take it or leave she deserves a medal (the highest honour that exists in your country). Take it or leave HRC is your modern day Eleanor Rooselvelt (No doubt she finds such inspiration from this exceptional icon). I am glad that HRC did not choose to FOLD IT ALL AND RUN but to FACE IT ALL AND RISE after she lost the presidential elections (that may have deprived Charlotte and Aidan of their awesome grandma just too soon), and that she has pulled herself back together and is continuing to do all the good she can as seen in the creation of ‘Onward Together’. Thank you so much HRC you have inspired so many young girls and women the world over you can’t imagine. I was hoping you’ll be the Ellen Sirleaf of the US but I think the country wasn’t ready for you. You were not angry enough, resentful enough, nasty enough, persistent enough, bashful enough, elite enough, middle class enough, poor enough; you were over educated, over composed, dreamt too much, nodded too much, spoke too much, spoke too little, smiled too much, wore blank suits all the time, had friends from Kindergarten and couldn’t even fire a single campaign manager… I can go on and on and on… In the meantime, I cling on to the T-Shirt of Madame President which I bought and had dhl-ed to me. One day hopefully before my time here below is up, I’ll clap when that utmost glass ceiling is shattered once and for all. HRC didn’t let me down, she showed me the way and she keeps striving with humility, persistence, modesty and love. Americans do yourself some service and read this book – I give it a 5 star without reservation!!!
Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2017
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Mrs L J
Repetitive and self pitying
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