Why This Conservative Voted McMullin and Not Trump

[corbe]

Why This Conservative Voted McMullin and Not Trump

By David Thornton  |  November 5, 2016, 12:24pm  |  @captainkudzu
http://theresurgent.com/why-this-conservative-voted-mcmullin-and-not-trump/

I’m a lifelong conservative who has voted Republican as long as I can remember. Growing up, I watched President Reagan swing Georgia from a state where a Republican couldn’t get elected dogcatcher to a state that was almost totally red. A defining moment of my political life was when I saw President Reagan live at a campaign rally in Atlanta. I started listening to Rush Limbaugh on talk radio in the 1990s and have been writing my conservative Christian blog since 2007.

This makes it all the more surprising for people when they find out that I’m not voting for Donald Trump. In fact, I voted early last week and cast my ballot for Evan McMullin, the independent conservative.

Why I voted for McMullin and why I didn’t vote for Trump are closely intertwined. The bottom line for me is that I don’t believe that either Trump or Hillary should be president. In fact, I don’t believe that either Trump or Hillary should be allowed anywhere near the White House. Not even on a tour group.

People say that if I don’t want Hillary to be president, I should support Donald Trump. The truth is that I oppose Trump for many of the same reasons that I oppose Hillary Clinton. The two candidates are evenly matched in many areas. Trump and Hillary both have deep character flaws. Both are chronic liars. Both are dishonest. Both are corrupt.

I had always said that I would vote Republican as long as the party supported my beliefs and values. Under Donald Trump, it no longer does.

Hillary’s corruption is well known, but when I looked into Trump’s background, I found a seemingly endless list of scandals even before the revelation of his sexual harassment problem. Not paying workers, using eminent domain to take the homes of less wealthy and connected Americans, and openly bragging about bribing elected officials are only the icing on the cake. His unsatisfied clients say Trump was literally a con man who stole tens of thousands of dollars from hardworking real estate investors through Trump University and then allegedly paid off state attorneys general like Pam Bondi in Florida to cover his tracks.

I’ve been told that Trump’s corruption is less damning because he was in the private sector or that the amounts of money involved were less than the Clinton Foundation payoffs. In truth, corruption is a matter of the heart. If Trump would steal from a guy who has to max out his credit card to pay Trump University tuition, why would he not steal from the taxpayers of the United States or use his position to line his own pockets?

If Christian conservatives like me put aside our ethical problems with Trump to defeat Hillary, what have we won? Trump is a New York liberal who, until he started planning to run for president, held traditional liberal views. Even while running as a Republican he has advocated universal government healthcare and raising the minimum wage, supported federal money for Planned Parenthood, and has even adopted Democrat positions on gun control. You would be hard pressed to find any of Donald Trump’s positions which involve shrinking government or making it less powerful. If we elect Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton, we will only have succeeded in electing a different liberal.

Trump is even worse than Hillary on some issues. Trump bragged that his trade policy was “very similar” to that of Vermont socialist Bernie Sanders. An analysis of Trump’s tariffs and rejection of trade deals found that they would probably cause a recession that might cost as many as 5 million American jobs.

He is no less of an isolationist when it comes to military alliances. He has threatened not to defend NATO allies and called NATO itself “obsolete,” even as Vladimir Putin’s forces carve off pieces of the Ukraine. Trump has said that he is open to proliferation of nuclear weapons and threatened to withdraw American troops from South Korea and Japan where they have stabilized East Asia for the past 60 years.

It was not being too strong that caused the last world war, it was being too deferential to expansionist dictatorships. This is a problem for Trump as well. Trump seems to have a fascination with dictators, but his admiration for Vladimir Putin is particularly troubling, from their bromance last fall to the growing body of evidence that Russia is interfering with the election in a way that benefits Trump. Russia’s investment in Trump may have already paid off. This year’s Republican Party platform dropped a proposal to arm Ukraine against the Russian invaders. The change reportedly came from the Trump campaign. Trump also seems ready to yield America’s role in the Middle East to Russia.

I can find no evidence that Trump is the America-loving conservative that he claims to be. There seems to be no Emmaus road moment that he can point to that led him to change his mind on so many issues. I can find no evidence that he is anything other than an actor playing a role. He is a liberal playing a conservative and occasionally he lapses into his true beliefs or cynically changes positions where he sees a potential benefit.

The character problems, liberal ideology and erratic behavior are red flags that warn about Trump’s lack of judgment. Just as Hillary Clinton’s use of an unapproved private email server and solicitation of donations in exchange for access while Secretary of State are disqualifying, Trump’s many scandals are a warning to voters that he is not to be trusted either.

In fact, almost everything about both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton seems to resonate as a warning against making them president. I cannot think of two people that I believe are less equipped to handle presidential authority and responsibility than the Terrible Two.

Some argue that Trump would surround himself with good people who would keep him in line. I think the reverse is true. One need only watch Mike Pence’s debate performance to see the corrupting influence of Trump on the Republican Party. Pence made excuses for Donald Trump and transparently denied that Trump said things that everyone has seen him say on video. What would four years with Trump as leader of the GOP do to the America’s conservative party?

http://theresurgent.com/why-this-conservative-voted-mcmullin-and-not-trump/
    Entire Article at Link Above

[sinkspur]

Trump has never managed to get above 88% of Republican support.  Romney got 93% support and lost.

It's been fun for the Trumpkins, but he is going to fall short.  The results will resemble 2012.

[Vulcan]

Avatar.

[GAJohnnie]

Because your neither Conservative nor principled.

Trump or Hillary will be President. Voting for anyone but Trump is defacto voting for the most criminal corrupt Political candidate in History, Hillary Clinton. . It is a vote for the Clinton, the politicans  most radically opposed to every single item of your supposed "Conservative" political values.

It was a vote of petulance and ego devoid of any rational reasonable justification.

[corbe]

It was a vote of petulance and ego devoid of any rational reasonable justification.

   I liked your theory on Space and Time, better @GAJohnnie

[GAJohnnie]

Trump has never managed to get above 88% of Republican support.  Romney got 93% support and lost.

It's been fun for the Trumpkins, but he is going to fall short.  The results will resemble 2012.

Could you people simply finally stop lying to yourselves? There is NOTHING in your anti Trump rants other then petulance and ego. Any rational person cannot look at Trump vrs Clinton and see any equivalence of corruption and criminality. You merely rationalize your spite by lying rabidly to yourselves over and over and over.

You all are neither wise nor rational. You have not thought for even an instant about the consequences of your votes. All you are doing is mindlessly venting your spleen over and over and over to convince yourself you actions are not ego driven childishness because your candidate of choice lost the Primary.

[sinkspur]

 
Frida GhitisVerified account
‏@FridaGhitis

Político writer tells MSNBC that Trump has stopped polling - because he refuses to pay his pollster. May explain campaigning in odd places.

[sinkspur]

Could you people simply finally stop lying to yourselves? There is NOTHING in your anti Trump rants other then petulance and ego. Any rational person cannot look at Trump vrs Clinton and see any equivalence of corruption and criminality. You merely rationalize your spite by lying rabidly to yourselves over and over and over.

You all are neither wise nor rational. You have not thought for even an instant about the consequences of your votes. All you are doing is mindlessly venting your spleen over and over and over to convince yourself you actions are not ego driven childishness because your candidate of choice lost the Primary.

Petulance.

[INVAR]

Thornton sums up my views on this circus of a so-called 'election' perfectly.

I've voted for Castle.

Because your neither Conservative nor principled.

Says the one pimping a lifelong NYC Liberal Democrat who not only funded the Clintons for Pay-To-Play cronyism, and praised his opponent very publicly for her tenures of office - but funded, endorsed and campaigned for an avowed Communist for NYC mayor just three years ago.

You possess no trust to declare what is or is not Conservative or Principled given your own failure to uphold either in your pimping of a Liberal Democrat as your prince and our salvation.

Trump or Hillary will be President. Voting for anyone but Trump is defacto voting for the most criminal corrupt Political candidate in History, Hillary Clinton.

I'm tired of that bullshite lie.  Fine.  Our refusal to vote for Trump is defacto voting for Hildabeast according to you.

What do you intend to do about it?

Not a damn thing.

So suck it up buttercup.  You own Trump and all the consequences that come from your making him your king.

It was a vote of petulance and ego devoid of any rational reasonable justification.

I can say the same of your support for Trump.

Any rational person cannot look at Trump vrs Clinton and see any equivalence of corruption and criminality. You merely rationalize your spite by lying rabidly to yourselves over and over and over.

None so blind and all that chump.

You all are neither wise nor rational. You have not thought for even an instant about the consequences of your votes. All you are doing is mindlessly venting your spleen over and over and over to convince yourself you actions are not ego driven childishness because your candidate of choice lost the Primary.

I'll say it again - what do you intend to do about it?  Bitch, moan, threaten?

You got nothing but a Trojan Stalking Horse that played you like a fiddle whom you have made your prince and savior.

We want nothing to do with him, or you.  You made your own bed, and we're moving on.

[roamer_1]

It is a vote for the Clinton, the politicans  most radically opposed to every single item of your supposed "Conservative" political values.

Soooo... Vote for the guy who is 'most radically opposed to every single item of your supposed "Conservative" political values,' in order to stop the gal who is 'most radically opposed to every single item of your supposed "Conservative" political values.'

[DagnyT]

traitor supporting cia globalist

[roamer_1]

I don't like McMullin much, but Trumpsters have no room to talk.  Their guy is the most hideous candidate ever.

That's right. I am voting Castle... But I COULD vote McMuffin - I could be talked into that a heck of a lot sooner than Trump. I'd still think about it if he looked like he was catching fire here in MT. ... But he ain't.

[Silver Pines]

traitor supporting cia globalist

@DagnyT

I don't know if your nominee has CIA connections, but it looks like he's a globalist traitor himself.  Whoops!

Trump in his own words, only three years ago:


“We will have to leave borders behind and go for global unity when it comes to financial stability,” Trump wrote — 1,250 days ago.

“The future of Europe, as well as the United States, depends on a cohesive global economy.” Trump declared. “All of us must work toward together toward that very significant common goal.”

http://dailycaller.com/2016/06/25/before-the-brexit-donald-trump-was-a-transnationalist-who-wanted-to-leave-borders-behind/

[Silver Pines]

[NavyCanDo]

Because your neither Conservative nor principled.

This principled conservative voted early for Evan McMullin, thank you very much.

[txradioguy]

Because your neither Conservative nor principled.

Trump or Hillary will be President. Voting for anyone but Trump is defacto voting for the most criminal corrupt Political candidate in History, Hillary Clinton. . It is a vote for the Clinton, the politicans  most radically opposed to every single item of your supposed "Conservative" political values.

It was a vote of petulance and ego devoid of any rational reasonable justification.

Bull

[Silver Pines]

To be principled, you have to vote for the pathological liar with a history of sexual assault.  It's just so 2016!

[Silver Pines]

    Well stated.

Tuesday, I write in McMullin, as a few others in my family did in early voting. He is not without flaws, but I prefer him to leaving the spot blank.

Thank you.  I'm going with McMullin, too.

@cuky

[Chosen Daughter]

Could you people simply finally stop lying to yourselves? There is NOTHING in your anti Trump rants other then petulance and ego. Any rational person cannot look at Trump vrs Clinton and see any equivalence of corruption and criminality. You merely rationalize your spite by lying rabidly to yourselves over and over and over.

You all are neither wise nor rational. You have not thought for even an instant about the consequences of your votes. All you are doing is mindlessly venting your spleen over and over and over to convince yourself you actions are not ego driven childishness because your candidate of choice lost the Primary.

When I was reading your post I thought of the little boxes where you have to type the letters you see to prove to the computer you are not a robot.

Here is my little box to you.  Type in what you know about Trump that isn't Conservative.

[roamer_1]

When I was reading your post I thought of the little boxes where you have to type the letters you see to prove to the computer you are not a robot.

Here is my little box to you.  Type in what you know about Trump that isn't Conservative.

Would be much shorter to type in everything known about Trump that IS Conservative... But then, captcha doesn't work if you leave the box blank.

[Chosen Daughter]

Would be much shorter to type in everything known about Trump that IS Conservative... But then, captcha doesn't work if you leave the box blank.

 

[sneakypete]

He did it because he is a Prima Donna that puts the alleged Republican Party ahead of America in importance.

[txradioguy]

He did it because he is a Prima Donna that puts the alleged Republican Party ahead of America in importance.

The people that support him and put him in that position are just as much to blame.

[sneakypete]

Bull

@txradioguy

Ok,since you seem so certain of this,why not tell us who YOU think will be the next president,if not Trump or Clinton?

[sneakypete]

To be principled, you have to vote for the pathological liar with a history of sexual assault.  It's just so 2016!

@CatherineofAragon

Let's keep Bubba out of this. He's not running this time,his baglady is.

You know,the woman who hired Craig Livingstone to be the enforcement arm of her "Bimbo Eruption Squad" to intimidate women into silence who claimed Bubba had actually raped them, NOT "groped" them. The woman behind such charming intimidation methods as stealing family pets and then having the family come home one day to discover their missing cat nailed to their front door.

You must be SOOO proud of helping her get back into the WH!