Loving America these days is like being in a relationship with an abusive boyfriend. As a private citizen, it doesn't matter how hard you try, how much you love your country, every once in a while it's going to turn around and punch you in the head.
Donald Trump is the presumptive Republican candidate for President.
Donald Trump. The Trumpsicle. The man who has single-handedly brought the tone of American politics down to a level I never thought I'd see in my lifetime. A self-avowed misogynist and bigot. A hypocrite of the highest order, who touts his business success, while having no less than four bankruptcies in his business holdings. A classless goon, who urged his half-witted followers to physical violence in support of their candidate. He's tone-deaf, entitled, privileged, and rude. And most importantly, he's completely and utterly unqualified to hold the office of the President of the Untied States.
And he's the presumptive Republican candidate for the Presidency.
It's my opinion that this coup is exactly what the Republican Party has earned and deserves. They let the whackadoos and the bigots run away with their party, and this is the natural outcome. They sowed, and this is what they're reaping. The Tea Party idiots and bigoted scared white dudes brought them to this impasse, and I have no sympathy for them. Boo-hoo, you're now the party of unserious ass-clowns. You did it to yourselves, with your updated Southern strategy and appealing to the lowest common denominator.
Unfortunately, that leaves the rest of us a paucity of choices when it comes to the leader of free world.
I know a lot of people feel as strongly about Hillary Clinton as I do about Donald Trump. Some of these concerns are legitimate in my opinion, but many of them are the direct result of a concerted smear campaign by the Republicans that has lasted decades. People have the right to vote as their conscious dictates, and many people really, really don't want to vote for Hillary. I get that.
But at least she's a
serious candidate. She's
qualified. She understands international diplomacy. She has policy positions, and members on staff who are experts in their field, not inchoate ramblings about how "great" she's going to be.
For me, most presidential elections are a matter of holding my nose and selecting the candidate that makes me want to vomit the least. I've already made my decision, and it's a pretty safe bet that I'm going to judge harshly any citizen who chooses to hand the reins of our Republic over to Donald Trump. It says something about us, something that doesn't bear a close examination, that so many Americans think
this is the best we can do on the world stage.
Populism makes my teeth hurt. Angels and Ministers of Grace, defend us.