To keep it simple, I'll stick with the Republican side today. Perhaps some other day I'll go over the Democrat side of the ledger, but not today.
Let me start by telling you who I am voting for. I started out almost two years ago being a Scott Walker guy. I stuck with him until two weeks prior to him dropping out when all of a sudden he started talking and acting like someone else. At that time, my #2 candidate was the guy I supported the moment he announced he was going to oppose Charlie Crist for the Senate in Florida, Marco Rubio.
I knew of Rubio from his time in the Florida House where he rose to Speaker. I grew up with the sons of Cuban exiles whose fathers were barbers to heart surgeons. I understood his reference point in life. He ran as an "anti-establishment" candidate and won. Sad to say, he disappointed me once he got in office, and I still cannot get over his lack of judgement in thinking he could in any way trust Schumer. I'm still not over that, but I know in life everyone will disappoint you in some way or another. I'll take 80% good any day. Part of politics in expecting and managing disappointment.
With my primary pick out, I am sticking with my backup. I'm voting for Rubio.
As my ready-spare down the road, there is Ted Cruz. Again, there are things about Cruz that I don't all that much care for, but he is unquestionably the smartest man out there. He is right on most issues, and is young enough and strong enough to be able to handle the job. He is also secure enough in his own skin to survive the curve balls that come with the job.
If you don't like Rubio, you can vote for Cruz and I'll fully understand.
Kasich? No. Just no. First thing, I will never forgive him for being the deciding vote for Clinton's Assault Weapons Ban in the 1990s and the joy he takes in rubbing it in to that part of the conservative base. Also, I detect in him a kind of leader that I have worked for in the past and I have no desire to see that every day as CINC. Oh, and he will never win south of the Mason-Dixon line, so why bother.
Carson? I am for Dr. Carson as my next door neighbor and any medical issues I may have - but not as CINC.
That brings us to Trump. I will keep this as short as possible. I am firmly in the #nevertrump camp. Other nations have oligarchs as their leaders, we do not. We should not. We can not. I have a personal dislike of the man based upon my Southern sensibilities about how a man of wealth and power should comport himself in public. He is, from at least this Old Line Southerner's point of view, is as a caricature of an overbearing New Yorker as Boss Hogg is of a petty Southern criminal boss. He is a carnival barker, holds others he considers below him in contempt, and his word is worthless. He does not have the temperament to be President of the United States. I won't say more, as it is self-evident. His supporters will not listen to reason.
I can understand a lot of the anger and frustration that is driving people in to his camp - and the establishment of both parties are responsible for his rise; 75% Republican 25% Democrat. That does not excuse supporting him.
If he is the Republican nominee, I will not vote for him. I will not support him. I will not. I cannot.
I am under no illusions as to where the tide of the nation is going. I will fight it as long as I can, but I will not join it. I will stand athwart the tracks and yell, "stop" - as vain as it may be. I won't be run over by it though, and I won't hop on either. I will, as my ancestors have done in the past, step to the side and find my own way - leaving what was to what might have been.
So, vote. Vote in a way you can defend to your children and grandchildren.
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