Many of us meet the simple requirements to run for public office, even the highest office in the land, the Presidency of the United States. However, all things considered, I do not want me or anyone like me to be President of the United States. Why? Surely you jest! I am not intelligent enough, educated enough, experienced enough, or any of that long laundry list of things we expect a president to have mastered and achieved.
Actually, no one has. Therefore, we have to judge each candidate separately on their own merits and decide if they come closer to what we want in a president than anyone else. To compound that selection, we have to filter in party affiliation because we do not just elect the man, we elect his party as well. Therefore we have to judge if the party’s stated objectives for the future of the country are consistent with our own.
Do we actually believe the party platform’s stated principles? Are there major areas of disagreement? If so, are they deal-breakers or can we live with them? Do we stick with the status quo or gamble that the other party will not repeat their mistakes of the past.
Making a selection is not easy and it is made immensely more difficult when we consider personalities, stupid campaign rhetoric (appeasing the base) and likeability factors. Many of us try to vote for the individual. Then the party does something dumb that upsets us. If we cannot vote for the man or the party, where does that leave us? Undecided? I hate to be undecided.
So, what do I do? Hold my nose and vote for the less objectionable of the two candidates?
Ray Singer