My whole family is Republican. I myself have voted Republican on almost everything for almost my entire life. I could be characterized as being a member of the "libertarian wing of the Republican party". So I have some knowledge of the long-standing core principles of being a Republican. Perhaps these virtues are obsolete; we had lost some of them even before Trump. But perhaps these principles are not obsolete. If not, then a review is in order, at this critical moment as the election draws nigh. Let me describe the party I belong to.
I belong to the party of Abraham Lincoln, who freed the slaves.
I belong to the party of Ronald Reagan, who championed the idea of a big tent, to be shared by everyone regardless of race religion or creed, who believed in smaller, more limited, less suffocating, less intrusive government.
I know that calling someone "Miss Piggy" is the behavior of a spiteful four year old who needs discipline, not the behavior of a superb international diplomat. I did not fully understand this was a core Republican principle until this year, but in fact it always was. I naively thought it was too obvious to need mentioning.
I know that stiffing all your associates, vendors, and creditors is the action of a weasel, not the action of a skillful negotiator.
I know that declaring bankruptcy over and over again is proof of business incompetence, not business acumen.
I grasp that Vladimir Putin is a tyrant to be opposed, not a role model to be emulated.
I realize that a person who cannot govern himself cannot govern a nation.
I realize that since most of the greatness of America is embedded in the people, not the government, no ordinary off-the-shelf politician can destroy us merely by promising 4 more years of the same old stuff we've put up with for the last 8 years.
I appreciate that if we wait 4 years, we can nominate someone with the discipline and dignity demanded of the leader of the free world.
I understand that America's ongoing greatness is the result of allowing each individual to pursue his own goals by making his own choices. It is not the result of some character at the top, however noble or ignoble, grasping so much power and abolishing so many choices that he can drive 49.9% of us into narrow channels that some key subset of the winning 50.1% of us wanted imposed.
Finally, I understand that America reaches its highest pinnacles of greatness, not by building walls, but by building bridges.
So, my Republican friends, as you can see, I am a Republican. And that is why I cannot and will not vote for Donald Trump.
>> All Blog Posts <<
I belong to the party of Abraham Lincoln, who freed the slaves.
I belong to the party of Ronald Reagan, who championed the idea of a big tent, to be shared by everyone regardless of race religion or creed, who believed in smaller, more limited, less suffocating, less intrusive government.
I know that calling someone "Miss Piggy" is the behavior of a spiteful four year old who needs discipline, not the behavior of a superb international diplomat. I did not fully understand this was a core Republican principle until this year, but in fact it always was. I naively thought it was too obvious to need mentioning.
I know that stiffing all your associates, vendors, and creditors is the action of a weasel, not the action of a skillful negotiator.
I know that declaring bankruptcy over and over again is proof of business incompetence, not business acumen.
I grasp that Vladimir Putin is a tyrant to be opposed, not a role model to be emulated.
I realize that a person who cannot govern himself cannot govern a nation.
I realize that since most of the greatness of America is embedded in the people, not the government, no ordinary off-the-shelf politician can destroy us merely by promising 4 more years of the same old stuff we've put up with for the last 8 years.
I appreciate that if we wait 4 years, we can nominate someone with the discipline and dignity demanded of the leader of the free world.
I understand that America's ongoing greatness is the result of allowing each individual to pursue his own goals by making his own choices. It is not the result of some character at the top, however noble or ignoble, grasping so much power and abolishing so many choices that he can drive 49.9% of us into narrow channels that some key subset of the winning 50.1% of us wanted imposed.
Finally, I understand that America reaches its highest pinnacles of greatness, not by building walls, but by building bridges.
So, my Republican friends, as you can see, I am a Republican. And that is why I cannot and will not vote for Donald Trump.
>> All Blog Posts <<