I completely agree on both counts which is why I'll never understand your thinking here!
I wish we had a Calvin Coolidge to vote FOR but we don't and that's the way it is!
If wishes were horses beggars would ride!
It's simple
@Bigun , really... The Republican party is stuffed to the rim with RINOs. Feckless, insipid men who are easily swayed to collude with the PTB, namely GOP leadership, which is largely in collusion with the liberals in the Democrat party.
That happened because Republicans have been taught to demand nothing from their representatives, with Republicans voting for the brand instead of looking to see if the man was worthy.
A valid criteria has been replaced by 'He's better than a Democrat', leaving the GOP leadership the credit card and the keys to the car. Nothing else matters.
I think that is not true. I think the government is always the problem, regardless of stripe. I am always and forever opposed to big government, which is Conservative 101, and the culmination of
A feckless party
A leadership in collusion with Democrats
and a horrid last Republican president, not to mention the candidates that failed years before him....
... has left me with an ongoing conclusion:
Having a criteria matters.
Mine is foremost... Belief in Yah specifically - YHWH is not Allah - and in the saving grace of Yeshua.
Next, call it the 'Stations of a Noble Heart' from Medieval times - He must be of strong and noble character, according to and displaying those things.
And finally, standard Conservative Reaganism, through Goldwater Conservatism, at the very least and most important.
If the candidate cannot meet that criteria, or at least can be shown to have done it no damage I will vote for him. If he does not, I will not vote for him.
We need statesmen, not politicians, and the way you get there is to start electing statesmen, and stop electing politicians. Period.
My criteria above is my attempt to do just that.
And Tumpy is far away from my vote. There is only one that qualifies, by the numbers, and I bet you know who. That guy will have my endorsement.