For a while now, we’ve seen a constant stream of concerned diaries regarding Hillary Clinton’s connections to Wall Street, the DNC, Kroll, and stepping a bit further out the people that those people are connected with. And who they are connected with. And some of those people they are connected with aren’t very nice people.

Truly, people are concerned. But how legitimate are these concerns? it’s a truism that once you deal with a notable people, you can’t help but to be connected to other notable people. Six degrees of separation isn’t very far in the real world after all. Just one example: I’ve been in negotiations with Tony Pennikett. Tony is the father of Tamoh, which means I am a grand total of three steps away from the cast and crew of Battlestar Galactica, Dollhouse, Castle, Criminal Minds, Smallville, Arrow, and which means I am only four steps away from The Flash, The Avengers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, Firefly, Commander Shepard, James Bond, and John-117 aka the Master Chief. Five steps? Pretty much everyone who works in TV and film these days. Batman. The Powerpuff Girls. Darth Vader. Scooby Doo. The Doctor.

I would hope despite all that people don’t assume I have deep Hollywood connections, superpowers, use of The Force, or can expect some meddling kids to show up to help me out. Although Batman and I might have an understanding. I’m not really at liberty to say.

On a more practical level, I’m on speaking terms with two different federal cabinet ministers and a senator, which put me one person away from the current Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau and former Prime Minister Harper (through different people) and every current provincial premier in the country, which puts me two people away from Queen Elizabeth II, Presidents Carter, Bush and Obama, Fidel Castro and due to a recent conferences, a good chunk of the leadership of the world. And if I didn’t know those cabinet ministers, I could go through a completely different cabinet minister to Harper. Said minister was a guest at my sister’s wedding before he went to Parliament.

I would hope despite that people don’t assume I wield a great deal of political influence.

I’m an acquaintance of an award-winning performer who is between me and Björk etc etc

I would hope, yadda yadda yadda.

And don’t even get me started in business, where I am one or two steps from the leadership of some of the biggest corporations on the planet and some of the most well-known environmentalists.

Ah, but people argue, I’m not running in those circles, so any contacts I have are purely incidental. Well, except for the business ones, but I digress. Not like Hillary! She’s close to all these Big (insert industry) and Wall Street types! Worked with them! Thus, the connection is much deeper and that makes it inherently more untrustworthy and potentially corrupt.

Okay, fair enough. But what happens when we look at the other podium on that debate stage?

Tad Devine: campaign adviser for Bernie Sanders. Worked at Winston & Strawn LLP, the law firm that has represented Microsoft, Verizon, Phillip Morris, Pfizer and, my favourite because of the magical effect the name has, MONSANTO! Yes, indeed, Bernie’s advisor worked at a law firm that has represented MONSANTO!

But wait, there’s more!

Devine also worked for Jon Corzine. As in “found liable for stealing clients’ money” Jon Corzine, although admittedly he’s appealing that. The Jon Corzine who got the $400 million golden parachute when he was forced out as CEO of Goldman Sachs. Member of the Bilderberg Group. That Jon Corzine.

He worked for deposed Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych (the guy forced out by the Orange Revolution). You know, the guy who had a ridiculously expensive personal mansion which was sort of hard to explain how he could afford on his official salary and that he really hadn’t brought in ostriches to his private petting zoo, they “just happened to be there”. Somehow, magically.

Let’s see...Devine also advised Alejandro Toledo, the president of Peru who was good buddies with George Bush and signed a free trade agreement with the US that has received much criticism in Peru.

Oh, there’s a good one. He worked for Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada, former president of Bolivia now living in exile in the US and fighting extradition to face trial in Bolivia for the massacre of protesters by government troops.

Hmm. Also worked for Bertie Ahern, who had to resign as Taoiseach of Ireland after a report documenting him having received money from developers and lying about it.

So, one of Bernie’s closest advisers has worked directly with corrupt and criminal politicians, and has worked for a firm that represents Big Pharma, Big Tobacco, Big Telecom, MONSANTO! and is just a step away from Big Wall Street and the 1%. Clearly, then, Bernie cannot be trusted due to his close association through Devine to all those people.

See, isn’t this fun?!

The fact is, once you get in more stratified circles, you can’t help but deal with others in those circles and in those circles are people who most people won’t like. Hell, as mentioned I’m a single step away from the former Conservative government of Canada and I sure as hell didn’t like them, however much I actually do like, on a personal level, the people who I knew there.

Devine became well known as an excellent political consultant and was hired by some people that later turned out to be problematic. Should that be held against Sanders? One would hope not.

So people at Kroll donated money to Clinton in the past and had clients who later turned out to be crooks? Does that mean Clinton is that much closer to power and corruption than Bernie? Perhaps.

On the other hand, MONSANTO!