Thursday, March 10, 2016

How do you decide to vote?

This crazy election which ‘SUCKS’ according to my older son (I agree) has seen wild gyrations of sentiment and thought on the candidates so here is an effort from my point of view.
Lets rate these people as of today, March 10, 8 months to go
A-Trump
B-Cruz
C-Rubio
D-Kasich
E-HRC
F-Bernie
What’s important to me? These are not necessarily in order given any day.

Physical safety

A, C, B, D, F, E
We are talking here about enemies who cannot be deterred (ISIS, Al Nusra, AQ etc - AND PROBABLY IRAN)
Enemies who can be deterred (Russia, China)
Enemies on a rapid expansion course which MIGHT put us on a collision course (Russia, China, Iran)
Strong diplomatic actions backing up an effective military which is matched by good planning to the missions previously IMAGINED

Economy

A, B, F, TIE among the rest - Anyone in favor of the TPP is in favor of the economy we have seen developing since the 70′s. Little manufacturing (where the GP is, folks), lower paying service jobs growing, huge growth in gov employment

Kasich wants to reduce social security, and when this was objected to at a town hall, told the person so objecting to ‘get over it’. Once a president farts with changing social security to those already in it, or anywhere NEAR retirement, all bets are off.  He did find a UNIQUE way to expand Medicaid and put the expansion into private hands.
Bernie is a unique case because he is accurate in assessing so many of the problems (including TBTF), and in sensing how pissed off Americans are, but as far as I can see he will address the jobs situation after ending free trade by building highways and bridges? Hard to fathom. And in his single payer health insurance, while this is a tempting financial relief, Britain is a mess, the VA is a worse and corrupt mess, and what do you think will happen to medical research when there is no real profit anymore for the great risks to be taken, and the federal govt essentially dictates pricing? I was in that field before retiring, and in Britain, there was a VERY scarce market (comparatively) for the equipment and software needed to conduct research.
The key to the second half of the economy, FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY is a growing economy, More people, chasing fewer and fewer resources is not even a zero sum game. If we can’t grow rapidly, we will never have anything but more debt.
NEVER.

Inherent desire to be faithful to the Constitution in spirit as well as in law

They are all tied for last. I trust NO ONE.
Cruz has been trumpeted as being Mr. Constitution but has exhibited the spirit of freedom of religion ONLY as it exists for his NARROW view of that (Bickle). I don’t believe in him. As a religious minority, his apparent views are at the level of anathema. Many good people disagree with me on this. But as an American who happens to be Jewish .. he’s OUT.
Trump’s ideas on Eminent Domain are ATROCIOUS and scary. If you even CONSIDER the idea of seizing someone’s property and REMOVING their way of life, it had better be for STRONG and unavoidable national need. He values it as tool to achieve an expedient end, justifying it as a way to make the target wealthier. He looks pretty authoritarian to me, as well.
Bernie is an outright socialist who has no idea of anything but that eventually community property is destiny
HRC will do whatever expedient need and desire dictate while seeking inventive ways to frame her illegal wants and needs.
Rubio wants to kill the bad guys wherever they are and one can certainly see the good side to that, but war outside the Constitution means the people will abandon support all to soon. This has been true as far back as LINCOLN. I have not heard Rubio talk about a declaration of war.
Kasich wants executive authority. That’s the prime reason why none of them can be trusted.

SOCIAL ISSUES

This go round, boy I really have little care for this.

So far, a very, very uncomfortable vote for Trump. It seems he has the best chance of the 6 to grow the economy, is aggressive but realistic on security, SUCKS on restraint of federal authority but is no worse than any of them (Cruz’s desire for a small govt being balanced by his religious freedom faults - a personal issue), but will have to be watched carefully once he takes the oath (don’t they all?).

Trump ‘University’ issues look and sound PRETTY BAD, I look forward to hearing the other side of that, but it points to the worry he MAY BE charlatan. That such a person is being considered and favored is measure of the rest of the field.

In a few days, I might reorder this farce. How could we have started with so many and now it sucks?

I might ‘like’ Trump the least personally, but you know….

13 comments:

Always On Watch said...

8 months to go?

My stress-induced colitis may kill me before then. Seriously.

Always On Watch said...

Isn't there another GOP debate tonight?

If so, I ain't watchin'.

Pastorius said...

I agree with your assessment the whole way through on this, Epa.

And, as a total package, taking this assessment into consideration, the best pick to me is Rubio.

Of course, your assessment also makes the point that TPP is a pretty much a deal killer because it is for the economy as it has been, and that means Rubio means more debt, ever expanding at an expanding rate, forever into the future.

We have to grow the economy.

THAT and the fact that I hate the GOP for having done the same thing over and over even in the face of the outrage of the American people and I AM BACK TO TRUMP.

it's like a vicious circle

Every time I try to think this stuff through, I am back to Trump.

That's my two cents.

I admire you for continuing to analyze this. The endless merry go round of nonsense has reduced me to feeling like an idiot, and feeling like I have nothing to say and might as well not try anymore.

Always On Watch said...

Not so long ago, I believed that Marco Rubio was the future of the GOP -- but 8 years down the line.

Damn Karl Rove et al for pulling Rubio into their shit and hurting Rubio's chances of ever being the future of the GOP.

Anonymous said...

I distill it down to...no good choices.

I am convinced that the only GOP candidate capable of getting the EV count to defeat Hillary is Trump. He does it by flipping states where the Democratic party margin of victory is white blue collar voters. However, can he overcome the urban fraud to actually win any of those?

I expect the Dems to go all out in the fraud department. They won't even bother to try to hide it. They will just dare the GOP to do anything about it. They won't.

The GOPe doesn't even want white blue collar voters. They talk endlessly about inroads into Hispanics and women and that ain't gonna happen. The key to victory is in their hands and they want nothing to do with it.


Always On Watch said...

Anonymous,
You're spot on about flipping states.

Which states could be flipped?

Always On Watch said...

And I can't imagine that Trump hasn't done that math about flipping states.

Anonymous said...

NONE of the candidates is perfect. My primary criteria is addressing the threat Islam poses to us and the world. It's reports like this which have me leaning towards Trump:
Donald Trump: ‘I Think Islam Hates Us”

I don't get the impression he fully comprehends the Pandora's box he is opening but at least he isn't victim to politically correct evasions. Lacking skills which use a soft diplomatic brush on this issue - Trump at least opens the window to examination of this concern.

Always On Watch said...

Anonymous,
And that statement by Trump absolutely infuriates the GOP management.

Anonymous said...

Flipping states:

I would expect to see Trump concentrating on Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Nevada. In that order. If Sanders can beat Hillary in Michigan, Trump can beat Hillary in Michigan. I am convinced that is what has the DNC worried enough to explore common cause with the GOPe.

Anonymous said...

Look, the GOP, including the Tea Party, have been infiltrated by Islam, courtesy of Karl Rove. They will hate anything that attacks Islam. They have sold themselves long ago.

But talking about flipping, have you seen Camille Paglia's article in Salon? WOW! The Clinton mafia must be in true panic mode ... And hopefully they will keep making mistakes, like sending the creep to voting stations ...

http://www.salon.com/2016/03/10/i_was_wrong_about_donald_trump_camille_paglia_on_the_gop_front_runners_refreshing_candor_and_his_impetuousness_too/

Anonymous said...

" ... but will have to be watched carefully once he takes the oath (don’t they all?)." Don't mean to be negative, but what's the use after they are elected? What's been the use of watching Obama. We all know what's happening, and the last drop was the Iranian deal, and he has not been impeached yet. So, I repeat, what's the use?

Epaminondas said...

There is always a use.

Without a VIGILANT people there is no use, and I think the reaction of the GOP rank and file and the people this year shows we ARE vigilant, R&D (finally).

My hope is that the morons who wish to stay in office will LISTEN, or we perform at the state and district level precisely what we are in the midst of doing at the national level -- with the result that if a president steps out of line, constitutional redress occurs, and if not, a 4 year limit is always the answer.

There is simply no alternative except another form of govt