Please Vote, No Matter What

So this website has always been about an educated discussion. PLEASE, educate yourself and then vote on Tuesday if you haven't already.

If, in fact, after studying everything, you truly believe that Donald Trump is who you need to vote for, then do so. But for a variety of reasons, I am fairly certain that it isn't. If you happen to be someone who is inclined already to vote for a Democrat, then feel free to ignore the rest of this article as it is really more directed at conservatives and Republicans who are considering voting for the GOP nominee.

For them, you can start with the letters I published yesterday. In them I outline my issues with Trump's campaign, but it is not exhaustive. In this I hope to raise issues that I ask you to go look into the specifics at your own pace.

First of all, the man simply is a bully. No matter where you look, that is his modus operandi. And while in some ways this might seem simplistic, think it through - while it might feel good to get some anger of your chest, is that really how the President of the United States should act as it leads us in international politics? There is a lot more to this topic, and we will come back to this.

For me, foreign policy is first and foremost of issues, with economic policy second. I believe pretty strongly that if the President and Congress make sure those are secure, the states, courts and individuals can take care of the rest.

And yet, can you see Ronald Reagan ever talking publicly about foreign heads of state the way Trump does? And as frustrated as we might be about President Obama's passivity, this kind of reaction is simply a bridge too far.

Economic policy - this, frankly, is the one that baffles me the most. If he really is the billionaire businessman he claims to be, surely he can rustle up enough economic experts to come up with a coherent plan. And yet his only main point? Renegotiate everything and tariff the rest. Tariffs? Really?

Immigration. I understand the frustration and fear surrounding illegal immigration and refugees from war torn countries, especially ones that have a pattern of terrorism. And yet most Americans recognize that Trump's religion test is patently unAmerican. There are other ways to protect the US without going to such draconian measures.

A lot of people think a Clinton Presidency would threaten the US Supreme Court. It is not entirely unfounded, but it ignores some key points. First, it is the Senate that actually votes on candidates. The President can only nominate, and if Trump hadn't been making it hard for the GOP to keep the Senate, this would be a completely irrelevant argument. Sadly, because of Trump's inability to be professional, he has attacked a number of key Republicans in ways that undermine the confidence in the party, both from within and from the outside. Second, a cursory review of Trump's positions before 2016 will show that he is anything but a conservative or a Republican on a whole variety of issues.

And that brings up other social issues and policy positions. The only thing Trump is truly "conservative" about is conserving power with people who currently have it within parts of the GOP. He has championed abortion, the assault weapons ban, as well as variety of other social issues.

On the other hand, for you Constitutional Conservatives, look at his statements about suing newspapers and other media outlets over libel and slander. Or his positions about using religion as a litmus test for immigration, etc. There is a reason why many groups who usually vote Republican - like Mormons and Jews - are speaking out against Trump in large part because they have seen this before. It is called persecution, and it is something that is as unAmerican as the Soviet Union.

That brings up another topic - foreign dictators. He has constantly praised people the likes of Vladimir Putin, Saddam Hussien, Kim Jon Un - people who rule their countries with an iron fist. Again, bully. And very unAmerican.

And then, the one thing that a number of people picked up on in the first half of this year, and it fits with all of the other things we have discussed here about him being all and only about power - how he treats women. Sure, there are concerns about Clinton and her enabling of her husband in a variety of situations. But even if true, and clearly there is some truth to it, how does that justify voting for Trump? More to the point, look at him and see that is his true self. That is how he acts with anyone not strong enough to protect themselves - predatory.

And call me crazy, but I thought America was a country designed to protect the powerless from the powerful.

So do your research, and please, educate yourself about what you are voting FOR. Please do not just vote against the Democrat, because while for much of the time I would be right there with you, this is one time where the Republican nominee really is off the spectrum of what should even be considered for the position of President of the United States.