Decision Time
Over the next two months we will be bombarded by electronic messages delivered by social media or television that tell how bad Trump or Clinton is and why a selection of one or the other will lead to the destruction of America. While I have a preference for one of the candidates, the truth is neither candidate is perfect.
The bombastic Trump has a record of speaking without thinking. He has consistently said things that are shocking and easily cast him as a person who is very insensitive. From his questioning of Obama’s citizenship, to his questioning the courage of prisoners of war, his plan to banish Mexicans and build a wall, his distrust of judges who are not “American”, his professing not knowing David Duke, his inspiration for his followers to attack those who disagree, his relying upon trash media to form his views – all of these situations have created a political campaign unlike one we have seen before. It is perplexing that many voters consistently support a person who was born to wealth and who is a billionaire as a person who can represent the aspirations of the “average” American. Maybe there are things more important than experience but except for being a businessman who has made a lot of money (sometimes exploiting others and the law) the Donald doesn’t seem to have it.
Hillary, on the other hand, has quite a record of governmental accomplishment. Her services as First Lady, US Senator from NY, and Secretary of State have been stellar. She is not responsible for the “sins” of Bill - governing is about doing the right thing for the people of America, even if the person is flawed. Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush and even Barack Obama are not perfect people. That being said, it is troubling that the email controversy lingers. It can also be said that granting access to donors and capitalizing on prominence for big pay days lead to questions about integrity that continue to dog a record of achievement. It seems that Hillary has some ‘splaining to do.
It is up to us to sort this out and choose who is best for everybody in this country. Does “making America great again” ring true for you? Or, do you believe we are on course for improvement as we continue the policies of Obama? Can America be made better by retuning to principles of yesteryear or must we continue to make it better through inclusion and fairness for all. It is often said that this election is the most important one in American history. It may be true that the most important election is the next one. The 4-H club has a motto “to make the best better”. That seems a fitting direction for the country.
As we seek in the next few weeks to make a decision on which candidate is best to cast our vote for, I hope we will consider the candidate that can make us a better country.