Election choices

Election choices

It was a toss-up for me: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz or Donald Trump?

Cruz helped me decide. I was on my way home one afternoon and heard Cruz being interviewed by Megyn Kelly of Fox News. She asked, “Senator, are you prepared to deport 11 million illegal aliens?”

Cruz didn’t hesitate for a second and launched into his well-rehearsed talking points.

Kelly’s retort: “Senator, all that’s fine but you didn’t answer my question.”

He took a breath and started with those well-rehearsed talking points again … verbatim.

Right then I decided to vote for Trump. I’m so tired of the old slip ’n slide proffered by politicians.

At the Republican National Convention, Cruz confirmed my choice. He violated his word of honor. He had signed a pledge to support the Republican candidate for president and reneged on his word.

A scornful display — likely the end of any chance he might have had for another run for the presidency.

When I think of a leader, I think of someone my kids and grandchildren can look up to — someone who has good judgment and integrity.

They should set an example of what it means to be a good person and devote themselves to building a world in which men and women are truly equal and treated as such.

Donald Trump is a vulgar bully who insists upon demeaning and belittling others, whether women or people of color, or discriminating against an entire religion.

These are not the values I was taught, and they are not the values I want my grandchildren to see a leader promote. My grandchildren deserve better and so does America.

For these reasons, along with the fact he is unfit and poses a real threat to the country and the world, I will not vote for Trump.

For those of us who find it impossible to vote for either of the major party candidates for president, would your political reporters do an in-depth assessment of Gary Johnson, the Libertarian Party candidate?

We hear little about him, and it would be a real help.

The media have been questioning how Donald Trump will fulfill some of his promises should he become president.

That’s fine, but Hillary Clinton also needs to explain how she intends to fulfill some of her promises.

I’d like to know where she’ll get the funds to pay tuition for college students from families with less than $125,000 in annual income.

Internet info says there are 629 public, four-year universities or colleges, with an enrollment of nearly 7 million students, and 1,070 public, two-year colleges with an enrollment of 6 million students.

Tuition for four-year universities averages about $9,000 for resident students and $31,000 for out-of-state students. Tuition for two-year colleges is about half the cost of a four-year school.

Do the math. Where’s the money to pay for this?

The only solution she presents is taxing the rich. She has no concern for balancing the budget or the nation’s economy. I’ve voted in many presidential elections, but none with a poorer choice of candidates.

My refusal to support Hillary Clinton isn’t a vote for Donald Trump. It’s a vote for democracy.

I’m not doing it to “make a point.” The enabling of corruption and the usurpation of democracy isn’t a trivial matter.

My fellow liberal friends fail to fully comprehend that Clinton silenced millions of voices by rigging the Democratic primary.

They simply shrug their shoulders while refusing to consider the larger implications.

Anyone who supports Clinton has adopted a “by-any-means-necessary” route to power — antithetical to ideals I hold most dear and everything for which America stands.

Liberals talk about Trump as if he’s the next fascist dictator, yet they turn a blind eye to the fact that Clinton usurped democracy by rigging the Democratic primary.

Rigged elections and their corrupt riggers should never be rewarded.

This story was originally published July 29, 2016 at 6:11 PM with the headline "Election choices."