It’s hard to keep pace with the news because it changes on an hourly basis. Can you remember when headline news only changed daily?
During an election in years past, headlines were full of plans being offered to change the way we were living. On a given day, one party would offer a plan and the next day, the opposing party would suggest a better plan. Name calling was rarely heard as each party’s plans were challenged and our country’s greatness was never questioned. That’s not to say presidential candidates did not make undesirable comments and I’m sure some were certainly accused of lying.
As election time drew near in past years, I don’t recall hearing news of nuclear attacks being imminent and I’m certain there was no discussion regarding hacking by Russia to disrupt our election outcome.
We can only speculate about why Russia would want to manipulate our election, especially since everyone else here in our country seems to be hard at work doing that.
The 2016 election is the first presidential election with a female at the top of a ticket, which has provided opportunities for controversy because of genders having very opposite views. Each of the candidates have spent much of their time attacking the other and very little time providing a clear picture of what they will do for our country. This election would have been a good chance for the third party candidate to be elected, but both Libertarian Gary Johnson and Green Party candidate Joy Stein have proven to be woefully lacking in presidential preparedness.
The popular opinion by most of the electorate is: “We really have no good choice.”
Both candidates insist a vote for the third party will simply give their opponent a vote. The bashing and trash talk that has been done by both Clinton and Trump provides ample justification to withhold voting for either of them.
Attempts are being made to encourage the electorate to choose the higher, moral ground and vote based upon beliefs that applied in years past. What’s difficult about this option is neither of the candidates display the traits displayed by presidential hopefuls in years past. We are left with determining which of the evils being presented is worse.
I suggest if offensive language is a vice you deplore, take a walk in a mall and listen to the, always loud, language coming out of the mouths of both sexes. You will likely hear conversations, freely displayed, that will make you blush. I always wish I had a bar of Fels-Naptha I could use on all of them. Sadly, the females keep up with the males in offensiveness scores.
As the father of four daughters all raising their own families, that include three additional females, I am disappointed in the lack of decency displayed by all members of the entire election process.
There seems to be a lack of role models for anyone to follow. Young people wish to emulate sports, music, movie and TV celebrities, most of which are very tarnished. How does anyone judge right from wrong? The character flaws being displayed by both people running for the highest office in our land sets a really poor example. Again, how do we judge?
As I see it, I would expect my president to tell the truth, show intelligence, civility, and consideration: simply put, some class. I would want them to have the ability to address any and all domestic and foreign confrontations that may arise. I don’t want a president who cannot admit to faults: we all have them. I want a president who is trustworthy and levelheaded, displaying a temperament that prohibits them from outbursts that could harm our country. I do not want a president who looks backward, 12 to 20 years, but one who is looking forward toward our future.
It would also be great if they could display humility and dignity — if those qualities still exist.
The debate this week gave both candidates their final opportunity to appeal to the American electorate. The pundits all weighed in with opinions regarding who was the winner. Most were for one or the other. My opinion is, neither.
Too bad there is no possibility of a “do over.” As we look back, would we have made a different choice in the primaries?