Global Security, Privacy, & Risk Management

Why I am still voting for Trump…and you should, as well. October 10, 2016

The last 48 hours has been tough for me.  I have waffled in my already reluctant support of Trump and I have even gone so far as to claim I will “not vote for either idiot”!  This is only half true.  I want to thank those Recondos and Snipers, and numerous others who passionately debated with me on the topic over the past day.  In particular JJ Brown of the Recon and Sniper Foundation who had particularly insightful comments.

Let me be clear.  I do not like Trump.  I am quite sure I would not like him as a person.  I was initially angered by his latest comments.  In reflection, I was angered by the fact that he allowed yet another comment to get out of control.  Have I said vulgar things in private? Of course.  Name a Marine who hasn’t and I would say you have not met a Marine.  As Eleanor Roosevelt said: “The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps!”.  So why am I still voting for Trump?  Easy.  It is all about what economist and Nobel Prize recipient Herbert Simon called Satisficing.  In this election we only have 2 real choices.  Granted I feel like the options are akin to being ask whether you prefer stepping on a Lego in the middle of the night or hitting your little toe on a table as you walk to the bathroom at night…but those are our options.  We have to select the best of the two available options.

I have been reminded (often in no so polite terms) Hillary Clinton is simply an untrustworthy person who has allowed Americans to die under her watch in Benghazi and has supported groups by selling them weapons that have killed Americans. This was further supported in recently disclosed documentation around her support of Libyan and Syrian rebels.  In addition to TravelGate, her laughingly defending a child rapist, her compromise of national security, and numerous other transgressions, I simply cannot and will not ever vote for her. As I have said before, I would vote for my Rottweiller Bo before I would vote for Hillary Clinton.  She represents the worst of politics.

Is Donald Trump a perfect human? No.  Is he likable?  Probably not to a lot of people.  Is he crass and vulgar? Yes.  Has he said stupid things?  Of course.  All of these things describe me and my own friends.  Putting emotion aside, I am willing to overlook personal flaws but cannot overlook calculated actions that result in the destruction of Constitutional rights, the compromise of national security, and the death of Americans.  This particular election has greater implications than simply bragging rights.  The next president will get to nominate at least 1 Supreme Court Justice.  This Justice is going to likely be the ‘tie breaker’ on numerous Constitutional issues to include the 2nd Amendment.  For these reasons, I must put aside my personal feelings and vote for the party that represents the platform I support as opposed to not supporting a person that I do not like.

This election will likely be one of the most important in our lifetimes.  We have two intensely flawed candidates.  One is personally flawed, the other is personally and professionally flawed.  One has said rude and crass things while the other has allowed Americans to die under her watch and compromised national security for her own purposes.  To me, the answer is now clear.  While I do not ‘support Trump’, I support the Republican party platform and I will NEVER support Hillary Clinton who has allowed my own brothers to die on her watch.  Thanks for reading!