One more vote for Cruz. Well, tonight I’m going to hold my nose and vote for Sen. Ted Cruz. I didn’t want to, but I believe it’s the best way to prevent Donald Trump from winning a majority of delegates at the national GOP convention. It’s the Romney strategy.
I don’t like Cruz and I don’t believe he’s anywhere close to being ready to become president of the greatest and most powerful nation on earth. I would much prefer to vote for Gov. John Kasich, who has the experience, temperament, integrity and agenda to make a very fine president.
But, alas, a vote for Kasich gives Trump a better chance of winning some Utah delegates, and I’d like to see him shut out in Utah. A Trump shut-out improves the chances of a contested convention, when any number of things could happen (most of them admittedly bad, but perhaps something good).
Cruz is going to win Utah, and he’s close to 50 percent, the number needed to take all the delegates. If Cruz doesn’t get 50 percent, Trump likely wins some delegates.
So, like it or not, I’m voting for Cruz. Then I hope something good happens in the convention and we eventually get a candidate we don’t have to be embarrassed about.
Why I really don’t like Trump. Trump supporters ask me why I’m so down on their guy. When I give them my list, they say something like, well, he really is more reasonable than the way he comes across. Once he gets the nomination he’ll show he can work with both sides; he really isn’t racist or profane; he’s really a good man, blah, blah, blah.
I admit it’s easy to get pulled into the Trump mystique. It’s easy to think, he’s really strong; he’ll get things done; he’ll stand up to anyone; Washington needs to be shaken up; he really will make our country great again. And so forth.
But I only know two ways to accurately judge a person: By what he says and by what he does. I can’t make the leap of faith that Trump is anything different than what he says and what he’s done. And he fails miserably on both counts.
Based on what he says, Trump is crude, bombastic, racist, lacks any understanding of foreign affairs or national defense policy, makes totally unrealistic claims and assertions on domestic issues, has no bedrock principles or political moorings, and has authoritarian strongman tendencies.
Based on what he’s done, Trump is a bully, an entertainer, a questionable businessman, a flip-flopping candidate, and so forth.
I’ve heard people say, well, yes, he’s unpredictable, but I’m betting his strength and good characteristics will make him a terrific president.
Sorry, I’m just not willing to make that bet. If we can’t be certain what sort of president a candidate will be, we ought not elect him. We can’t gamble on the presidency of the United States.
