It’s not a happy scenario: What if, next November, the choice comes down to voting for Hillary Clinton or for Donald Trump?
It’s almost too late to avoid that fate; but if there is anything that could work, I think this might be it: Marco Rubio and John Kasich could pull out of the race NOW. Ted Cruz could advance toward the presidential nomination, and could unite with Rubio as his vice president. Together, the two could overtake Trump for the Republican nomination.
But let’s consider the alternative, which seems more likely every day:
Trump secures the Republican nomination, despite opposition of party leaders. And unless the investigation of Hillary Clinton’s emails moves quickly to expose fraud or criminal negligence, she vaults ahead to the Democratic nomination.
So in November 2016, Americans go to the polls and choose between a potty-mouthed womanizer and a nasal, self-absorbed abortion rights supporter.
What’s a Christian going to do?
Here’s what I’m thinking: Both are frightfully opposed to my values.
Hillary Clinton is wedded to abortion on demand. In fact, Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards, recognizing Clinton’s inestimable value to that organization, campaigned for Clinton over the weekend in St. Louis.
But Donald Trump is a loose cannon-a vulgar, unpredictable and vindictive man who viciously attacks anyone who has the gumption to disagree with him. He has reinvented himself through this campaign: “You don’t want vulgarity? Okay, I don’t talk like that any more.” “I am pro-life; but Planned Parenthood does many great things.” “You want someone who’s more presidential? Lookie: I’m presidential!”
There is a very real possibility that the 2016 election will force you to choose between two undesirable candidates. What can you do?
- You can stay home. Some on social media are threatening to do just that-thereby shirking their responsibility as citizens and allowing others-perhaps individuals with a very different worldview-to determine the course of our nation.
- You can vote for a third party candidate or a write-in candidate. Some on social media have pledged to do that. Again, throwing away any power they may have had to build society in whatever way they can.
Or, there’s another option. Let me suggest that the best course, if we really end up with that unfortunate scenario, is to vote for Clinton.
The way I figure it, Trump is so outrageous, so dangerously vindictive, that he is not to be trusted with the nuclear pass code. If that other weasel over in North Korea makes a joke about his toupee, we may find ourselves in a trade war or worse, an actual war.
But Clinton, as whiny and pro-abortion as she is, is also sort of lazy and self-absorbed, and she’s not likely to catapult us into World War III. It would be a difficult four years of avoiding her, but she could be a useful placeholder until a conservative statesman emerges in the next election.
As I said, I hope we don’t have to go there. But just in case…. I thought I’d share my battle plan.
What will YOU do?
Images:
Donald Trump, By Gage Skidmore [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Hillary Clinton, By United States Department of State (Official Photo at Department of State page) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
It’s not a choice between Mussolini and Hitler, it’s between Mussolini and Stalin. At least with Mussolini the trains will run on time, no waiting in line for toilet paper, and Il Duce won’t actively be working to further erode what little remains of the Constitution.
I find it hard to imagine that we would be better off electing someone as ethically and morally challenged as Mrs. Clinton has constantly proven herself to be, rather than electing Mr. Trump, who is loud and acerbic but is actually attracting voters who feel disenfranchised by the political establishment in both parties. The idea that Mrs. Clinton would serve as a “placeholder” until, maybe, in four years, the Republicans might find a candidate that voters and the party leadership will like (something they did not manage to do in 2008 or 2012 and do not seem to be doing in 2016 [as voters go for Mr. Trump and party leadership is desperately seeking a candidate who can challenge him]) is foolishness. The foreign and domestic policies of the last seven years (which Mrs. Clinton would continue) should show us that Christians will be in even greater danger, both domestically and overseas than they are now. At least Mr. Trump acknowledges that radical Islam is a problem that must be addressed.
IF the choice is Hillary vs. Trump, there is no choice. It’s a choice between Mussolini and Hitler. No, we don’t vote for either one.
IF that is the choice, it’s just choosing between different genocides. At that point, we imitate Thomas More and retire, we walk away from the entire situation.
As I replied on your “Facebook” page, Kathy, it is unclear exactly what Trump is “against.” We know that Hillary is all about unlimited abortion on demand…heck, it is impossible to be the Democrat candidate with any other stance. But Trump has supported Planned Parenthood in the past; he lauded them publicly, he has given money to them. Just because Cecile Richards isn’t out campaigning for Trump doesn’t mean he isn’t on Planned Parenthood’s side. As a matter of fact, Trump has refused to repudiate Planned Parenthood even for the sake of his campaign…he usually just side-steps the issue. So, yes… To vote for Clinton may be no less odious than to vote for Trump; at least we KNOW what we’re getting and can continue to fight her. But if we put Trump into power and he comes out even more vigorously as an advocate for Planned Parenthood…then what?
It’s not just about Roe. Tell me about the likely Clinton Supreme Court appointees. Will she really keep us out of war? Take a look at her tenure at the State Department — Syria and Libya are disastrous. Does more of that sound like a good idea.
The idea that we can somehow find her acceptable until a “Republican statesman” emerges in four years is a ridiculous, contorted fantasy.
Bill, let’s ask the same questions of Trump… Do you believe that Trump will “keep us out of war?” Let’s look at Trump’s record of how he handles conflict and confrontation; do you feel at all reassured that he will not embroil us in war and conflict unnecessarily? Trump scares me from “top-to-bottom.” And I am no Hillary supporter. I am a Conservative who has found even the GOP to be unsatisfactory because of their ineffectiveness and compromise on principles.
Kathy, it is a difficult scenario. A third party vote is not in line with On Faithful Citizenship. I agree with your analysis. There is no reasonable likelihood that a Trump presidency would change Roe law any more than a Clinton presidency but Clinton is far less dangerous on the international scene.