For Whom to Vote?

 

The Sensible Conservative will admit that I have struggled with the answer to that question for a long time.

That may seem odd given my political perspective, but the thought of voting for Trump’s re-election makes me blanch on a personal, emotional level.  Our President is so self-centered, so uninterested in observing social mores which a conservative views as essential to a healthy democratic society: politeness, courtesy, respect for those with opinion differing from one’s own, and displaying good character as one lives his life.

Whether Donald Trump’s disagreeable conduct is the result of a flawed  upbringing and or is calculated to be an assault on such mores matters not.  I don’t like him.

A candidate’s likeability is reputed to be more important for electability than the popularity of his political positions. That is true.

Think of Ronald Reagan.  His warm personality allowed him to win despite being on the “wrong side” of many issues.

 [The Trump’s campaign’s effort to have voters focus on policies                                    and not personality will fail accordingly.]

Trump’s many deficiencies have persuaded some on the so-called Moderate Right to disown the President and pledge their support to Joe Biden.  Their announcements highlight their belief that the Democratic nominee will be a soothing, unifying chief executive unlike the divisive incumbent.

But such former GOP stalwarts do not note is that Joe Biden only won his party’s nomination after promising fidelity to its far left faction, and his lengthy political history shows a close attention to the direction of the weather vane.

Policies do matter.  The leftwing push will dominate a Biden Administration (and will become even more forceful if Kamila Harris assumes the presidency).

So who will be getting the vote of The Sensible Conservative?

An easy choice is, for instance, a third party or a pass.  But a long-time friend recently pointed out that hard choices call for courage.  I will not disappoint him by choosing, although the choice certainly will.

The morning after the election has finally been decided, I will be sorely disappointed in myself if my vote added to the totals of a candidate whose policies will ill-serve the nation I so dearly love.

I cast my vote for Donald Trump.

I confess that this decision , too, involves wishful thinking of the sort for which I have criticized disaffected Republicans backing Biden.  But I am confident that Biden and crew will do the unintended harm to America they have promised.  And the damage will likely be largely irreparable.  Will Trump improve his conduct?  (I may be hopeful but I am not a fool.)  Of course not.  So I hope with considerable trepidation that the USA will survive the next four years without too much more “wear and tear”.

The feeling of having made a choice between the lesser of two evils is not a pleasant one.