Confessions of a Deplorable

Dear America, 

As we near election day I can not help but second guess myself....

I am starting to think that perhaps my decision concerning how I cast my ballot this Tuesday is going to the worst decision of my life...

No, I am not becoming a Hillary supporter. 

I want to vote for Trump, I really do, but with all the dissenters out there - people who I respect and admire - I can not help but think that perhaps my vote for Donald Trump this Tuesday is not only a calculated mistake, but - to quote a man whom I consider a friend - "an expression at some level of association with, or at least unwillingness to disassociate from, a candidate’s character, values, and beliefs". 

In other words, I fear that perhaps he is right, and I am wrong. Indeed, my vote for Doanld Trump, assuming he is correct, is in some sort of way associating me with Donald Trumps non moral behavior, or worse...

In other words, If I vote for Trump, I am deplorable.

In a recent article, conservative commentator Mark Steyn pointed to the fact that in contrast to Hillary, Trumps rise to power was driven by how he invited voters to vote for something, he acomplished this through the reiteration of highly specific policies: 

• Stop Illegal Immigration/ "Build the wall".
• End mass Muslim immigration.
• Make health insurance purchasable across state lines.
• [and to add another, rebuilt the Military]

Can the same be said about Ted Cruze, or John Kasich? Clearly (as History told us) the majority of primary voters did not feel so, and this was either because both candidates did not perpetuate such ideas, or they did so too late. 

As put so perfectly by liberal pollster Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight:

Whereas Cruz offered a mix of anti-establishment-ism and movement conservatism — and whereas Marco Rubio offered movement conservatism plus a strong claim to electability — Trump’s main differentiator, was doubling down on cultural grievance: grievances against immigrants, against Muslims, against political correctness, against the media, [...] - And the strategy worked.

You want to know why it worked? 

Because with all the banter of the politicians, the base has been continuously suffering, and thus dying to hear his message more then anything else -  for a very long time. 

I said it once, I said it twice, I wish Cruze would have said what Trump said, in a way that Ted Cruze would say it.

I wish Ted was not afraid to talk the talk, to speak his mind, to not go down to the border with Glenn Beck and give out teddy bears to illegals crossing the border. 

If Ted would have taken that course of action, combining his conservative values with a populist message then perhaps I would have supported him. 

But in the end I simply could not, perhaps it was because of his pretentious personality, muddled with political correctness that held me back, prevented me from being able to vote for him. bottom line, whatever it may have been, my gut told me, something was off. And Instead, like many Americans, I voted for the man who represented the voice of the people, becasue being a part of the hurting middle class -  like many others - I share a certain set of  concerns and fears . 

But I digress, to quote Melissa Mackaenzie, it boils down to this. If "nearly 50%, possibly more, of the country will vote for Donald Trump. [...] are they all vengeful, unthinking, “roaring drunks” beheld by “blind madness?” and if so, why is the republic worth saving at all? 

Like Mackaenzie, I’m sick and tired of being reduced to an unthinking zombie for taking Trump and his phenomenon seriously. 

I am sick and tired of being called an Amoral person, for doing hat I think is right for me and my people...

Whether you agree or not, fact is, people support Trump for valid reasons. 

And like I said before, it was his policy positions which won him his support - not his making fun of Rosie O'donnell. 

As Mackaenzie points out, choosing Trump, as is the case with any candidate, is a mix of policy, personality, philosophy and gut decision- making believe this is not the case is folly. 

And for argument sake, I’m going to list the reasons, of why people are voting for Trump, as she presented on American Spectator here, and I ask you my conservative readers to challenge these positions.

Personality:

1. Donald Trump is energetic and cheerful. After years of morose droning, it’s refreshing to see a guy with a spry step. For all the negative Nancy talk, he seems to believe something can be done.
2. Donald Trump is not condescending. He talks to voters (and not at them) like he knows them and is relatable. The Obama and media who love him have been so tired of the stupid people they must deign to govern. The people get the message loud and clear. Trump actually seems to like people and interact with them.
3. Donald Trump is bombastic and funny. He’s impolitic. He’s a happy warrior. His style is a tonic to the focus-grouped politico-speak that passes for communication.

Philosophy:

1. Donald Trump believes that political correctness is killing our culture. Without invoking “free speech” as a concept, he embraces it in action and is pushing back the boundaries of what can and cannot be said. He’s exasperated at the mealy mouthed b.s. that no one in real life–except the most insufferable social justice warriors, by the way–talks like. His frustration mirrors an electorate frustrated not just with moral rules about how to act but how to speak and worst, how to think.
2. Donald Trump believes that the American culture is worth building and saving. His buildings are a monument to American greatness. He believes in bigger, better, faster, more awesome. This is a quintessentially American phenomenon. It’s Times Square and Hollywood and the St. Louis Arch and the Hoover Dam and skyscrapers and the moon and going to Mars. Apologize for America? No.
3. Donald Trump believes in people. Read his books, look at old interviews. He’s like a white Oprah–encouraging people to follow their dreams, dream big, and work hard. Gild your house in gold and screw anyone who says you should do different. It’s your life–go out and make it great.

Policies:

1. Donald Trump wants to put up a wall. It’s pretty simple. Many may disagree with the implementation, but it IS a policy. It’s just a policy that a lot of people don’t like. Unfortunately for them, lots of people do like the policy which accounts for Trump’s success.
2. Donald Trump wants to keep Americans safe in more concrete ways: stem the tide of Muslim immigration, for one. Again, people may not like it, but it IS a policy.
3. Donald Trump wants to rebuild infrastructure. This is not the Barack Obama-enrich-your-Solyndra-buddies-to-redistribute-funds plan. When Trump says that he wants to rebuild airports and make them look beautiful, it’s difficult to argue with him that it’s necessary. Fly through LAX or LaGuardia - I was just there the other week, good grief.
4. Donald Trump is for less hectoring, more freedom: This is less tangible, but it’s difficult to argue a negative. There’s all sorts of things Trump doesn’t want to do–regulate everything to death. in other words, think religious freedom, bathrooms, gun, speech etc. He's all about letting people be.
5. Repeal and replace Obamacare. This policy is harming nearly every American in some form or fashion.
6. Donald Trump wants America to be respected abroad and that means countries pulling their own weight. He believes that a weak and obsequious America makes an unstable world.

And finally, when it comes to my Gut Decision I feel the following: While he can be obnoxious, he’s not a polished politician, I never expected him to be. He's the only write in that remotely has my best interests in mind (Evan Mcmulin admits he's there  block Trump nothing else), so in contrast Hillary, can you truly say that he is as horrible as she is - that you won't vote for him!?! Lets face it, worse case scenario, he is not worse then she would be, and probably not only could he be a lot better, but he will probably be better...

So when I am presented with such a choice, am I deplorable if I feel, like Mackaenzie and other "Republican voters that we have had it, [that] if Trump only does half of what he says it will be better than all of what Hillary does"?

Apparently, many of you my readers, would indeed think so...

After all, if Ben Shapiro is right and "[a] vote is  not only an instrument of policy, but a moral imprimatur […]" then he is correct to assert that placing the imprimatur of legitimacy on a bad human being […] is sure to stain you". 

Then God am I one disgusting human being. To quote Fareed Zakaria I (like Trump) am a cancer on American democracy. To quote Liberal constitutional law prof Sanford Levinson - who is currently teaching at Harvard - I (like Trump) am  a “sociopath,” which if indeed elected, might necessitate the staging of a military coup to take him, [and I guess his supporters, like me] out - the list goes on, good grief.

In summary, if choosing to save this country means nothing other then "an expression at some level of association with, or at least unwillingness to disassociate from, a candidate’s character, values, and beliefs"... then by God, am I nothing but deplorable. 

But Hell, if that's the case, so be it, I shall proudly remain in the basket of the deplorables and do what I can to save this country.