Holding your nose to vote …

I’ll admit I haven’t been wowed by the last two Republican candidates for President.

McCain was a hero from the war in Vietnam – and for that he deserved our gratitude and respect. But that alone didn’t mean he deserved our vote.  When you’re running for President I think you need to bring more to the table that shows you have ideas for moving the country forward. McCain never did that for me – he seemed like an old guy from the nursing home who tells you the same stories you’ve heard a thousand times before.

If anything, McCain came across as the poster child for term limits.  Still, I voted for him, almost entirely because Obama was a far worse alternative.    

Then came Romney – super nice guy, super smart, super successful, super honest, but way, way too nice to compete against the smear machine of the Democrats and left-leaning media. Talk about bringing a knife to a gunfight. He didn’t appear to have the stomach for rough and tumble politics.  He believed that being honest and telling the truth alone would carry the day – which, while admirable, also made him seem hopelessly naïve.

I always had the impression he saw some virtue in ignoring the often vicious attacks.  Christians facing lions in the Coliseum probably had the same misconception.  And we know how that turned out. The same happened to Romney. I didn’t think he’d win, but I voted for him. 

Now I am faced with the increasingly likely prospect of Donald Trump as the Republican candidate for President, with Hillary Clinton as the Democrat candidate. 

I absolutely cannot, under any circumstances, vote for Hillary. She really is a pathological liar. She’s also a dishonest, money-grubbing whore willing to sell out anything or anybody – including herself – for the right price. This makes her incredibly dangerous.

Unlike Obama, who was a self-aggrandizing, narcissistic ideologue who set about to transform America into his own image, Hillary is far more venal. She’s willing to do and say whatever is necessary to enrich herself, her family and her friends.

For those who have forgotten her history, remember that Hillary and Bill essentially sold overnights in the White House to the highest bidder. As First Lady – and I use the term “Lady” loosely -- Hillary tried to get the White House travel staff fired so she could hand over their operations to a major Clinton campaign supporter. When Bill was about to leave office, her brother made money by acting as a broker for Presidential pardons, which were also sold to the highest bidder. When she was Secretary of State her “foundation” took in millions from foreign governments and corporations involved in deals over which she had some influence. 

Benghazi and her private e-mail server may get the most publicity now, but Hillary’s history is far more damning.  If Hillary becomes President everything will be up for sale.   

So that leaves Trump in all likelihood. Honestly, I’m dreading the prospect of Trump being the Republican candidate for President.  I’m terrified of the prospect of Trump actually becoming the President. He’s the Jesse Ventura of candidates – promising to kick ass and take names, as if running the government is a simple matter of beating up your opponents in a cage match. 

He’s as arrogant as Obama. He’s as dismissive of the Constitution as Obama. He talks about things he’s going to do – not try to do – for which the President has no authority, on his or her own, to do legally.  He doesn’t seem to understand that we elect a President, not a king or emperor – his every desire will not be a fulfilled simply because he’s President. 

What bothers me most is that he refuses to accept responsibility for his mistakes and when challenged simply lashes out.  I’ve often thought of Obama as a small man in a big job; he always tries to shift blame for his mistakes to others, and resorts to intimidation and personal attacks when things aren’t going his way. I thought of Nixon the same way.  I see too much of the same in Trump.   

Like Obama and Nixon, there’s also a lot of pettiness and vindictiveness in Trump. Obama and Nixon used their office to “get even” with anyone who opposed them. Obama has cut off access to him for some reporters or networks, and his administration even filed a criminal indictment against one reporter they thought had gone too far. Nixon famously maintained an “enemies list” and used the IRS to harass people he didn’t like.  Trump could be even worse. 

Trump likes to point out that he’s so rich he can’t be bought by anyone. He is rich, but he also has an enormous ego and apparently an infinite capacity to absorb flattery. Money may not be the lever to manipulate Trump, but it’s easy to see that feeding his ego might be.

That’s dangerous in a world full of duplicitous political leaders.  Does the phrase “Peace in our time” bring anything to mind?

So here I am. Once again thinking I might have to hold my nose to vote for someone – Trump – who’s only positive attribute is that he isn’t Hillary. 

How sad.