I have sat down several times the last couple of weeks and tried to think about how to articulate my thoughts on the Presidential Election this year. I have wrote several copies and went back and deleted for various reasons.
I am gravely concerned as an American Citizen regarding our main two political parties and who they have put their weight behind for the candidacy. I realize there are other parties and other candidates, but the reality is this country will elect a new president in November and it will either be Clinton or Trump. I am a social fiscal conservative Republican (and am unashamed of that), and have voted since I turned 18. Fiscal conservatism is a political-economic philosophy regarding fiscal policy and fiscal responsibility advocating low taxes, reduced government spending and minimal government debt. Free trade, deregulation of the economy, lower taxes, and privatization.
I believe it is our right and responsibility as American Citizens to vote at EVERY election. I have voted main party every year except when Dole ran I voted for Perot.
I was talking with a lady today in line waiting to vote and we talked about the "good old days" when you could vote for a candidate and actually believe they would do America a good job as Commander and Chief. We talked of Reagan's presidency and how united the country used to be. We had this candid conversation and guess what, she was voting Democrat today and I was voting Republican. You ask what my point is? That is an uncommon conversation, because we are more divided today as a country than we have ever been.
As I listened to people around me today I clearly heard people say they where registered Republicans but they where voting for Clinton because they hated Trump, and I also heard people say they where registered Democrats that where voting for Trump because they hated Hillary. All I could think of is "is this really why we are voting"? Voting for another part because we hate the personality of a candidate, is this the best way to decide our next president?
I will be the first to tell you that neither candidate has the capability of uniting a country, nor have we had a President that could since Reagan. As an American Citizen I long for unity in our country, but instead the gap gets wider and wider, and it seems as though each side is getting more and more angry at the other. Name calling, threats, bodily harm, and the list goes on and on. All over politics.
Freedom is what makes this country great. Diversity is what makes this country great. You don't have to agree with me, and I don't have to agree with you. It is what makes our country great.
When I voted today, I did not vote based upon a personality or some affluent speech they made. I did not base it upon who called each other the worst name, or who had the sleaziest commercial. I voted based upon who I thought was the most Fiscally Conservative. I voted on who I thought was going to do something about the current financial debt ($19,754,257,061,882.16 as of today). As a socially conservative person, I am not satisfied with either candidate, and morally I know and recognize you can't legislate morals and values.
It bothers me that as a country with our two main political parties that the choices of Clinton or Trump was the best they had to offer. This has been by far the hardest election as a citizen to look at, listen to, and talk about because neither candidate has really convinced me that they can do anything to help America to be America, or that they have the average American's best interest at heart.
In every election I have ever had the privilege to vote in, I have been able to get behind our GOP nominee pretty quickly (with exception of the year I voted Perot). In the race for GOP nominee this year, I had some troubles. My first choice was Huckabee, then Carson, and finally Cruz. Trump was never really my favorite, and I'm not the only Republican that feels that way.
In the end I voted today based on one thing: I picked the person I felt like could do the job of President. I voted GOP. You may disagree with me on that, and guess what its ok. One thing I have learned about me in this process is that I can live with agreeing to disagree. I'm going to love you whether you are Republican or Democrat, and I will respect your decision as long as you respect mine. Just do me a favor and make your voice heard and vote.
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." (preamble to the Constitution of the United States of America.)
I am "We the People" you are "We the People".....
Vote 2016, let your voice be heard.
Chris
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