McLean County Times

In my last On the Issues op-ed (Why I'm Voting for Trump, Part 1), I began explaining how I support Donald Trump over Kamala Harris in the presidential race. I noted that such a question should not be taken out of context and that there are several philosophical principles that the wise and learned will use to just the worth or value of one thing over the other. The first principle that I referred to was the lesser of two evils. Now, I continue with additional principles such as policy over personality, substance over style, the devil you know, and the test question, “Are you better off now?”

Policy over Personality

As my acquaintance further noted in his message to me, “The cult adores a guy who brags about grabbing women’s genitals and so many other gross criminal immoralities - and a guy who cannot tell the truth about anything. Have you actually listened to Trump on segments the Fake Fox News deletes? We simply cannot allow this awful human to control our country. I now know so many religious people who are ashamed to be categorized as part of the MAGA clan. Our country is being torn apart by this cult of extremism.”

I’ll be the first to admit that Trump carries a lot of personal baggage, and Harris does, too. Consider, for instance, Kamala’s support for sex-change operations that result in double mastectomies and hysterectomies on young girls and amputations of boys’ genitalia. Still, I have learned to judge the sin rather than the sinner as a Christian. “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” I realize I’m voting to elect our nation’s next leader. I’m not voting to elect the next pastor of my congregation. In my opinion, don’t Trump is the best chance for making America great again despite his failings. We have fallen on hard times following three and a half years of the Biden-Harris administration. Americans can’t take any more hardship and suffering caused by Democrats’ pandering to the rich, famous, and various progressive lobbies. Nor do we want leaders who are hypocrites and cheaters. We must remember what fundamental principles and good Trump and the Republican Party advocate.

1. Limited Government: Emphasizes the importance of reducing the size and scope of the federal government, advocating for more power to be vested in state and local governments.
2. Individual Liberty: Supports protecting personal freedoms and rights, including freedom of speech, religion, and the right to bear arms.
3. Economic Freedom: Promotes free-market capitalism, lower taxes, and reduced government regulation, believing this fosters entrepreneurship, economic growth, and job creation.
4. National Security: Focuses on maintaining a powerful military, securing the nation’s borders, and taking a firm stance against global terrorism and threats to U.S. interests.
5. Rule of Law: Advocates for strict law enforcement, supports the police, and ensures that laws are fairly and consistently applied.
6. Traditional Values: Upholds conventional family values, religious freedom, and the sanctity of life, including a strong stance against abortion.
7. Fiscal Responsibility: Stresses the importance of balanced budgets, national debt reduction, and prudent government spending.
8. Constitutionalism: Adheres to the U.S. Constitution, emphasizing originalism in judicial interpretation, particularly in appointing justices to the Supreme Court who will uphold these principles.
9. Energy Independence: Supports policies that make the U.S. energy-independent, including using fossil fuels, nuclear energy, and alternative energy sources.
10. Educational Choice: Advocates for school choice, charter schools, and other alternatives to traditional public education, believing that competition can improve academic outcomes.

Substance over Style

Harris performed better than Trump in the recent presidential debate, and she momentarily received a boost in popularity. But it was a matter of style over substance. As an informed voter, I prefer substance over style. I’m more convinced by facts than emotions.

I valued the depth, practicality, and truth of Trump’s answers over Harris’ superficial and flashy answers. Trump’s more thoughtful, effective statements about policies might be praised as “substance over style,” compared to Harris’ flippant answers focused more on charisma or image without offering meaningful answers and concrete action. Substance is more important than style.

The Devil You Know…

Four years ago, Harris was dropped like a hot potato by the Democrat party. I’m appalled that people who support Harris today cannot say why. More often than not, they will express hatred for Trump somewhere in their answers. When asked what her greatest policy triumph is, they cannot or will not answer. Since announcing her candidacy, she has rarely submitted to an unstructured interview with the press. “Avoid and deflect” seems to be her approach to winning the presidency. The very few interviews she has given, even to the softball press, have shown her answers to be shallow and vacuous. She’s not prepared for prime time.

It’s often said, “Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.” The statement means that it is usually preferable to deal with a known situation or person, even if they are problematic than to take a risk on something or someone unfamiliar, which could turn out to be worse. This phrase expresses caution about change, implying that the unknown carries uncertainty that might lead to more significant difficulties than the current, imperfect situation. In my opinion, what little we know about Harris (in addition to what we do know) should make voters pause and reconsider their vote for this veritable unknown.

Are We Better Off Now?

Finally, we must ask ourselves, “Are we better off now than four years ago?” I think the rich and the famous and certain progressive lobbyists would say assuredly so. Interestingly, Kamala Harris refuses to answer this question with a definitive yes or no.

But the answer is a resounding NO for most of us. And we have many reasons for saying so, from economic struggles to political discontent to health and safety concerns. These are worth remembering when choosing whether you vote and, if you do, for whom you vote.

Hate for a candidate (e.g., Trump derangement syndrome, which is common on the progressive Left) is not a rational basis for deciding who the next president of the United States should be. We will be better off if reason and evidence—not fear and loathing—prevail.