I haven’t done politics much for a while on this blog, and I think that’s probably a good thing.
But I have a cri de coeur for all my conservative friends. If I post it here, it’ll show up on Visagebook too, so this is probably the place to place it.
Background: I am recovering well from my hip surgery. A little ahead of schedule, I’m guessing. I’m taking it easy at an undisclosed location, the home of a longsuffering friend.
Due to both the disability and the distance, I’m unable to go to my caucus tonight. I’ve never been to a caucus, I’d have done this one if I could have.
So I call on you, my fellow conservatives, to act in my place. Not out of patriotism, or principle, but simply as a favor to me. Because I know you’ve been looking for a way to thank me all these years. This will be it.
I don’t want to have to choose between Trump and Hillary in the November election.
I’m an American. I was promised better than this.
I’ve been arguing with the #NeverTrump people, because I’ve never believed in third parties. I’ve always believed that an imperfect Republican is far, far to be preferred to the best of Democrats. And third parties accomplish nothing except to make their voters feel morally superior while throwing the levers of power over to the advocates of ever bigger government.
But I have a hard time calling Donald Trump an imperfect Republican. He’s a self-promoter, liar, adulterer, exploiter, con man, and hypocrite. He claims to be a Christian but says he’s never asked for forgiveness. He has memorized about five things that make angry people cheer, and used that list to leverage rage into fascism.
We should not be asked to vote for a demagogue like this, in order to forestall socialism.
It’s a choice we shouldn’t have to make. Not in America.
So when you vote or caucus tonight, think of me, and end this nonsense.
Thank you.
This is the first election season where I will be seriously wondering if there isn’t another option, should I be forced to choose between Clinton and Trump. With Dole, McCain, and Romney, I didn’t want to vote for them, but I didn’t want the country to be burdened by Clinton and Obama.
But we aren’t there yet. I voted for Cruz today and will continue to hope for good results tonight.
Congress, like it or not, is a fairly accurate reflection of the division and ambivalence of the American Electorate. The Senate will continue to shift from one election to another, and the House will change very slowly. There is very little that Trump and Sanders can do to change that reality. Having said that, Trump and Sanders are bringing independent voters into the primaries. If they can get the nomination, they will no doubt bring even more independent voters into the General Election just like Obama did for different reasons. I don’t think rank and file Republicans will allow Trump to take the Party’s nomination since he has been a member of both parties over the years, but maybe that is wishful thinking on my part.
The current turbulence and warfare throughout Asia and the Middle East would normally make it very difficult for a socialist pacifist to be elected as they do better in peacetime as the European experience reveals. However, the FBI investigation of Hillary’s email and foundation activities is like a wild card in this year’s election. If Hillary is formally charged with jaywalking or worse that could be a gift to Sanders even if VP Biden decides to throw his hat into the ring as an alternative candidate at the party convention. Of course, Obama could legally pardon Hillary and has nothing to lose politically as he will be on a lifetime presidential pension. Obama could argue that there is a serious disagreement of what was and is classified and top secret information. 2016 is turning out to be the most unique election year I have ever seen during my lifetime. Obama’s under performance and his aloof detachment from international affairs has created a lot of uncertainty, anxiety, and anger among the American electorate that is playing into Trump and Sanders campaigns with Independent voters and wavering party members. It may be that the Congress will be the last safeguard from extremism at the end of this year.
Electing any President that can’t work with a divided Congress will make the future very volatile nationally as well as throughout the world. For the very first time I am actually see the makings of a coming apocalypse where governmental institutions are unable to cope with regional instability and warfare. Pax Americana gets a lot of criticism, which oftentimes is justified, but when it collapses what is there to take its place? The UN? Europe? Russia? China?