I know neither of them will ever read this (nor will anyone else, I presume…) but I needed to get this off my chest. But before I do, all of you need to understand a few things..
- This isn’t partisan. Although I am what most would consider a Republican, when it comes to the Presidency, however, all bets are off. I will vote for the best candidate, regardless of party. And I have.
- I will not disclose who I am voting for – if I vote at all. Frankly, they both disgust me. And as of two days before the election, I have no idea what I am doing on Tuesday.
So this letter is written to both them. Regardless of who wins. Because whoever wins is going to have greater impact on my kids and their eventual progeny than it will me. I can always move to Australia.
So in that spirit, here goes..
Dear Mr./Ms. President (Order unimportant)
I am disappointed in both you. It is shameful the way you and your surrogates have acted during the entire campaign (primaries included) and the lack of actual substance discussed by either of you. Pandering to your base is not attractive to those of us who consider themselves “middle of the road” politically (regardless of party) that make up the largest share of the citizenry. It is truly shameful when Greek and Italian newspapers are making fun of OUR elections
Nevertheless, I sit here today trying to figure out which one of you I may vote for on Tuesday. I am still undecided. Please do not take offense to this, but it really comes down to one thing – which one of you is likely to cause less long term damage to this country. That’s it.
I am not deciding who has the better political agenda (neither). Not determining who has inspired me to hope for a better tomorrow under their leadership (neither again). Not deciding who I can be proud to call my President (are you kidding?) Nope. It is simply deciding who can inflict the least irreversible damage over the next four years until the country wakes up out of our “24 hour news/Twitter/Facebook” haze and gets a chance to do this right next time.
So, until then, I hope you contemplate the following during the next four years. They are simple and truly bipartisan in nature.
- Accept the results of this election. Regardless of who wins. Not only does the Republic deserve a continued peaceful transfer of power, but being a sore loser is not a characteristic of the most powerful person on earth.
- Lay off religious leaders and people of faith. They are not crazy if they oppose a woman’s right to choose or gay marriage. They are not nuts if they condemn a wall to keep out the poor or efforts to prevent the weakest amongst us from escaping the terrible atrocities of this world. They are not elected officials in a secular world – they are priests, ministers, imans, rabbis and others defending beliefs that have existed for thousands of years unaffected by changes in social norms. So leave them alone. Unless they act like politicians or elected officials and espouse violence or intolerance towards others. Then they are fair game.
- It is important to protect a person’s right to choose who they will marry. Its a personal matter, period.
- It is important that one should not have to guess who is using the public restroom with them. That is ALSO personal matter, period.
- Entitlements are for those who CAN’T. Not just because of who they are.
- We can’t spend what we don’t have. Stop it.
- Decorum and how you present yourself DOES matter. Ask your Mom.
- McDonalds was never meant to be a full time job for someone to support and feed a family. Unless you want $15 cheeseburgers. And ultimately, no McDonalds.
- If I am required to prove who I am and show an ID before I get on an airplane, why is it wrong to require me to have an ID to vote?
- Learn what the word “compromise” means. Otherwise you will experience what the word “stalemate” means.
- The Supreme Court is comprised of NINE Justices. NOT eight. And when selecting them, see above.
- DO NOT make idle threats. Its up to you to decide if and when you pull out the pencil. But if you do, it better be real. Or you will cease to be.
- Finally, compassion is NOT a sign of weakness. Setting unrealistic expectations is.
That’s it. Got to go and start packing just in case. At least its summer in December down under..