My View on the Presidential Race

This year’s presidential race has revealed two political parties and their candidates at odds. Both sides are using wildly different approaches in their quest for power. Both sides have a lot at stake.

When it comes to Hillary Clinton, Republicans and Bernie bros alike have called for us all to judge her. The Republicans want us to judge her on lies some of them have circulated for years, plus a few imperfections. Bernie just asked us to fault her participation in standard, big-money politics.

Let’s judge on accomplishments, commitments, ability to speak and reason

There’s an alternative to judging based on disproved accusations and implications. We could judge candidates on their accomplishments, commitments and ability to speak and reason. On these, Hillary gets high marks.

Obama did pretty well in these areas, I think. Especially given how the Republican party opposed and slandered him from the day he won the Democratic election to today. Those same Republicans won’t even do their constitutional duty to consider his Supreme Court nominee now. Instead of working with him to improve his policies and decisions, they simply demonized him.

Trump is doing poorly

In these areas, Trumps not doing well. Of these, his highest marks are a C, and they’re for his ability to speak glibly, if not articulately, and his commitment to a “great” America. When I look for details on his website, there are some. But most don’t seem workable. Perhaps they’re like his businesses- grandiose ideas, but poorly thought out. A significant fraction fail.

To me, the Republican choice to support Trump shows their willingness to sacrifice morality. They seem to be willing to win at any cost. Many have opposed him, but now many are willing to back him- anything to gain power. It’s not about discourse. It’s not about good governance. It’s not about morality. It’s certainly not about what the people want.

What’s strangest to me is that this immoral Republican leadership is leading a party of people who believe they are, by and large, committed to morality. 

There Could Be Another Bush

My take on Trump’s success thus far is that the other candidates failed. It’s not that Trump was good. He rallied the most emotive people of the party with empty promises.

This is the same party that gave us George Bush, a guy who failed school and couldn’t make it on his own. He ended up being absent on 9/11 after ignoring the signs because of his people’s beliefs. Then he erred and lied our country into Iraq. That move has caused trillions of dollars of debt, torn apart millions of lives, and destabilized a region. Trump would probably be just as bad if not worse. But like Bush, people are opting for hype and emotion over substance.

To me, Hillary seems a bit ill at ease. Yes, she fibbed about being fired upon as she stepped out of a plane. And she opted for questionable practices with her email server. But she’s competent and, especially with our support, she’ll be a wise and careful leader.

Without our support, just like Obama without Republican support, she’ll have a hard time. But she’s infinitely more suited for the presidency than Trump.

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About Rand Strauss

Rand Strauss is the Founder of PeopleCount.org, a nonpartisan plan to enable the public to communicate constructively with each other and government by taking stands on crucial political issues. It will enable us to hold government accountable and have it be an expression of our will. Connect with Rand and PeopleCount.org on Facebook. Or leave a comment on an article (they won't display until approved.)

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