Hillary is Worse.
It’s Super Tuesday, and the #NeverTrump movement is going strong. If you’re on social media, you’ve surely seen the 22-minute John Oliver video going around, a full on rhetorical assault of the leading GOP candidate.
It was cute.
But what I found most interesting about Oliver’s video (and the thousands of other anti-trump open letters, articles, vlogs, etc that come out daily) is that he didn’t end his show with a call to support another candidate.
It’s just #NeverTrump.
But this thinking doesn’t work with elections, at least not the United States Presidential one. This is a question of options, and the implications are binary, whether you want to admit it or not. I’ve seen many people crying foul on twitter this week over the concept of lesser of two evils.
“A vote against Trump isn’t a vote for Hillary,” they say, “It’s a vote against Trump.”
Sounds heroic, but it’s also wrong. Let me break this down real quick. Let’s say 45% of America have steadfast conservative beliefs; they always vote down GOP lines. We can say 45% of America have steadfast liberal beliefs; they always vote down DNC lines. 10% of America falls in the middle; they could go either way depending on the election.
In a two-party system, third-party candidates are nothing but leeches. They suck votes away from one party and thus help the other party win. Third-party candidates just aren’t viable in 2016. Therefore, if you fall somewhere in the 90% of America that votes traditionally one party, there is no way to philosophically position a breaking from that voting pattern that doesn’t help the other party.
Math
100 people vote in an election. 45 usually vote Republican. 45 usually vote Democrat. 10 go either way.
15 of the Republicans decide to vote third party.
45 of the Democrats vote for their candidate.
5 of the independents go right, 5 go left.
How does that election break down?
Republican: 35 votes
Democrat: 50 votes
Independent: 15 votes
I know you hate it, I know it’s all nihilistic and depressing, but how can you make the argument if you’re a traditional party voter, that staying home or not voting for your party’s candidate doesn’t explicitly benefit the other party?
The answer is you can’t.
Therefore the imperative is left on the self-righteous #NeverTrump’s among us to empirically prove another candidate is superior to Trump. Which should not be that hard, right? I mean after all they think he’s Hitler 2.0, and a vote against him is basically the equivalent of hopping in a time machine and taking out baby Hitler for the sake of humanity.
What’s weird is no one ever does. There are four other viable candidates still in the race today: Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Marco Rubio, and Ted Cruz. So tell us, #NeverTrump’s — if I’m a proud American and I’m voting in November, and you are begging I don’t vote Trump — whom should I support instead?
This is funny because the prevailing narrative about Trump fans is that we’re all 100% in support of everything he’s ever done. We love his rude comments to women, we are all for bankruptcies in Atlantic City, and we see Trump University as an educational equal to Harvard and Yale.
Of course none of this is true. For many of us, we’ve simply researched all five candidates, created a basic value analysis of all their strengths and weaknesses, and concluded Trump is the best available. You hear the moral argument being used against Trump, but let’s look at the weaknesses of every candidate and compare them with the same metric.
NOTICE: This is going to be subjective. There’s no other way to do this. You may very well have totally different reactions to what follows, but I encourage you to make a detailed value analysis of your own when reviewing candidates.
I’m going to go through 3 candidate’s “Red Flags” and assign them a value of 0–10 based on how serious and worrisome each makes me. I’m not going to address Bernie Sanders because he has no chance to win anymore given delegate distribution, and I believe Ted Cruz’s social views could not win a general election, so therefore Ted Cruz to me = Hillary Clinton. Because of that, I’m only going to compare Marco Rubio, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
0 will be “not worried at all” and 10 will be “Makes me seriously question their ability to be president.”
At the end we’ll add up all the numbers to create a single score, and the lowest number will be the most electable. Sound simple enough?
Let’s get it.
Donald J. Trump
Might as well start with the man responsible for all the uproar. Trump is on the receiving end of a ton of ad hominems: racist, fascist, Hitler, demagogue, authoritarian, you name it. But we can’t properly address these attacks. We have to attack the source of all these accusations.
Red Flag #1: Trump said, “When Mexicans send us their people. They’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists, and some I assume are good people.”
Level of Concern: 2
This is the source of the main Trump racism claim. Now it’s pretty clear from the quote above that Trump was not implying all 11 million illegal immigrants are rapists. He was acknowledging a not insignificant number are committing crimes in America. This initial speech started an eight-month, important conversation on illegal immigration. Had he not said this, there’s a good chance immigration wouldn’t have been a major topic in the 2016 election.
Left-leaning The Atlantic seems to agree with Trump’s assertions on immigrant crime: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/07/the-problem-with-downplaying-immigrant-crime/399905/
Upon further review, it looks to me like mincing of words. I’ll give it a 2 based on poor articulation and vagueness.
Red Flag #2: Trump called for a total, temporary ban on Muslim Immigration.
Level of Concern: 7
On its surface, I don’t like this policy proposal at all. It’s fundamentally against the constitution of the United States, and I don’t think we could ever actually enforce it.
But with Donald Trump, everything is negotiable. I know he’s taking hard lined stances in the primary to start the negotiation. I don’t believe he actually thinks this could be implemented.
The rhetoric is aggressive, to be sure. That’s why I give it a 7.
Since Trump’s comments, an important national discussion has taken place, the Head of the DHS has said we have no proper means of vetting refugees, and ISIS has openly called for jihadists to sneak into America through lax refugee policies.
I hate the rhetoric on the page, but I understand the reasoning behind it. Trump paints himself in stark contrast to the likes of Barack Obama, who says “99.99% of Muslims” are great people.
Here’s Ben Shapiro on that:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7TAAw3oQvg
Red Flag #3: Trump has called Rosie O’Donnell a pig, said Megyn Kelly had blood coming out of her wherever, possibly mocked a disabled reporter, has called Jeb Bush a weakling, said John McCain wasn’t a hero because he got captured, and various other insults.
Level of Concern: 6
Each of these by themselves I give a one. Together, we can bump it up to five, but honestly I’m not all that concerned by any of these. I think politics are ugly, I think hardly any of these people are virtuous figures, and thus I don’t put a ton of weight on this specific issue.
The media in my opinion overblows most of it. I don’t love Trump’s criticism of McCain, and I think a 5 on a scale of 1–10 is more than just.
Red Flag #4: Trump is bad at business for various reasons: bankruptcies, failed real estate ventures, inheritance, and possibility of not being worth $10B.
Level of Concern: 4
Donald Trump is a very wealthy man. That we’re trying to take him down for being worth only a few billion dollars should say it all.
I know the real estate business is volatile, and anyone that’s an entrepreneur like Trump will have his fair share of failures. I look at the net, and see a major positive.
Trump has created more jobs than anyone else in this race, he has more executive experience than the rest of them combined, and he’s been enormously successful over the course of his career in most of his ventures.
I don’t think the guy is a bad businessman, plain and simple.
Red Flag #5: Trump has Fascist Rhetoric! Things he’s said about silencing the press, love for Putin, etc. etc. etc.
Level of Concern: 6
The US is uniquely designed to distribute power on the federal level, and our democracy is just about impervious to the sort of fascist dictator critics like to paint him as — Mussolini could not have risen to power in the United States.
Furthermore, I look at the policies Trump is advocating and compare them to the other GOP candidates, and find few differences. Trump is a blowhard, and he’s definitely a “tough guy,” but I do not think he’s fascist. In fact, I think comparing him to such is an insult to all those who lived under actual fascist regimes. Either way, some of these things he says I don’t appreciate, so I’ll give him a 6.
Red Flag #6: Trump University was a scam!
Level of Concern: 4
I don’t like what I’ve read about this. I really don’t. But more of an onus needs to be put on the individual here. The horror stories from negative ads talk about people throwing tens of thousands of dollars into this venture… what were they thinking?
In the grand scheme of this election, I find this attack to be disinteresting. I don’t think it points to Trump being a massive con man. I think it points to Trump overstretching his brand in a few ventures, and those businesses failing. You see a similar story with his Mexico resort.
I don’t like it, I’ll give it a 4, but I don’t think it deserves more than that.
Red Flag #7: Trump is a STRONGMAN out for only himself
Level of Concern: 7
I don’t like some of the big government things Trump has called for, I really don’t. I want the federal government to be smaller. I do think he’s an egomaniac. I think this election has been so competitive and nasty that the strongman instincts have been ratcheted up.
As President, I see Trump assembling strong policy advisers. I see him toning it down. And while I’m concerned about these tendencies (7), I have good reason to think this is overblown.
Red Flag #8: Supports Eminent Domain.
Level of Concern: 1
Would be -1 if I could. I don’t think this is a big deal in the least. I will not be deciding on the next President based on their Eminent Domain Stance.
Red Flag #9: Doesn’t Have Specific Policy Answers
Level of Concern: 4
The policies Trump has laid out on his website are detailed enough for me and align with my views the most of any candidate.
His answer on healthcare is GREATLY LACKING, and I readily admit he’s not a policy wonk. But he’s got great instincts when it comes to politics. I think he’s done a good job of surrounding himself with smart people.
I’m concerned about his tendency to speak in vague generalities, but not terrified.
Red Flag #10: Supported Democrats in the Past!
Level of Concern: 3
Donald Trump is a NYC real estate mogul. He needs to go through about 15 government agencies for each of his projects. I have no qualms with a man schmoozing both sides of the aisle for business reasons. Doesn’t worry me in the slightest.
Red Flag #11: Flip Flops All The Time!
Level of Concern: 4
Since he announced his campaign, Donald Trump has been consistent on the major issues. He’s flip flopped a lot in the past on other things, and I don’t like that, but when up against a Democrat, I’m far less concerned with the notion that he might be liberal. MIGHT BE will always be better than DEFINITELY IS in a head to head.
Furthermore, his naming of two great SCOTUS possibilities give me confidence he will be conservatively sound as President. I also think he will institute the most free market policies.
TOTAL NUMBER: 48/110 or 43%
Marco Rubio
Red Flag #1: Pushed Gang of 8 Bill
Level of Concern: 10
Honestly, this is a major issue to me, because it says so much about who Marco Rubio is as a politician. He will say anything to get elected, and we have concrete proof that he’s stabbed constituents in the back before.
I think Rubio is totally beholden to special interests and donors, and I have no faith he will put up a fight in the future about immigration.
Major problem for me.
Red Flag #2: First Term Senator
Level of Concern: 7
Marco Rubio to me is Barack Obama 2.0. We’ve seen for the last eight years what a first term senator does as POTUS.
I don’t think he’s prepared, I don’t think he’s tested enough, and I don’t think he’s demonstrated a trustable history of legislation.
Red Flag #3: One of Worst Voting Records in Congress
Level of Concern: 5
I don’t like how Marco is never around actually doing his job. He seems opportunistic and more concerned about his own career than actually helping the people of this country.
Specifically, his avoidance of voting on the omnibus bill is a clear sign to me that he lacks the courage to stand up for what he believes in, even if that means going against the party elites.
Red Flag #4: Sold House to Lobbyist, Passed Lobbyist’s Legislation Soon After
Level of Concern: 8
Marco Rubio’s knock is that he’s an establishment puppet that’s owned by special interests. The story — http://observer.com/2016/01/poor-little-rich-boy/ — of his shady dealing with real estate in Florida, specifically with lobbyists, gives me a lot of pause. Rubio is not a transformational figure. He’s more of the same, corrupt DC politics where the people are left behind and the party elites dictate the future of our country.
I don’t like it. I don’t want it. 8.
Red Flag #5: WaterBottleGate
Level of Concern: 3
Honestly, this is a silly one, but I think it’s revealing of Rubio’s ability to handle this job. Rubio had weeks to prepare for a response to Obama’s State of the Union, and when the bright lights turned on, I’ve never seen someone look so uncomfortable. It doesn’t cause me a TON of concern, but it definitely gives me pause when thinking about leadership and poise. Watch for yourself:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=19ZxJVnM5Gs
Red Flag #6: Has Never Managed a Team of More than 12 People
Level of Concern: 6
President is the head executive of our nation. He needs to have leadership ability and a demonstrated history of that in action. Marco Rubio has never been responsible or accountable for anything in his political career. It’s very important. There’s a reason governors tend to be presidents. They’ve been groomed for the job.
Marco Rubio simply has little to no executive experience. It gives me great pause.
Red Flag #7: Personal Money Issues
Level of Concern: 6
Marco Rubio’s personal money issues have been well documented: houses going into foreclosure, credit cards maxing out, campaign funds being misappropriated, retirement funds being liquidated… it shows a clear history of being bad with money.
If Marco Rubio cannot balance his own budget, how’s he going to handle the US economy? Sometimes these lines sound like lame campaign zingers, but this one is spot on. It’s a major issue.
TOTAL NUMBER: 45/70 or 64%
I could go on with Marco, but it’s clear where this is going. His top 7 red flags are far worse than Trump’s percentage-wise.
Further, My biggest issue with Rubio is that I don’t believe he would actually beat Hillary, so that’s further reason I can’t support him.
Hillary Clinton
Red Flag #1: Currently Under 3 Separate Federal Investigations
Level of Concern: 10
How can this not be a 10? She showed at the very least an extremely poor lack of judgment with the email scandal. She endangered the life of at least one CIA informant in Afghanistan, and the other classified information she sent over non-secure networks posed a grave national security threat.
In comparison to the likes of General David Petraeus, her violations seem way worse. Because of his punishment, I believe Hillary is fundamentally unfit to run for office, and I truly believe she should be in a court of law advocating for her freedom instead of on the campaign stump advocating for our votes.
Red Flag #2: Lied to the Families of Benghazi Victims
Level of Concern: 9
Emails show Hillary Clinton knew the exact cause of the Benghazi attacks when she told the families of victims that a YouTube video was to blame:
I find this downright deplorable. It speaks to her innate tendency to duck from responsibility, her pursuit of power over everything else, and the lengths she will go to attain or maintain her political ambitions.
It’s awful and repugnant.
Red Flag #3: Claims to be a women’s rights advocate, but led a Bimbo Squad silencing Bill Clinton’s Sexual Assault Victims
Level of Concern: 10
How could this not be a 10?
Read this: http://thefederalist.com/2015/09/21/hillary-clinton-is-no-friend-to-sexual-assault-survivors/
I find this behavior to also be repugnant, and think it’s telling of her and Bill’s insatiable appetite for power. They will do anything to gain and maintain it. I think everyone knows her marriage to Bill since his affair with Monica Lewinsky has been a sham, and that they’re only together for political optics.
Because of that — in light of all we know about Bill and in light of everything that’s come out about Hillary’s involvement — I think she’s unfit to be President, for the third time.
Red Flag #4: Got Rich in Office and Richer When She Left
Level of Concern: 7
Hillary is a clear symbol of all that is wrong with our current political machine. She’s an elitist whose made millions off paid speeches yet professes to be for the common man. I find this all to be emblematic of our bureaucratic, corrupt political system, and don’t want to support that.
Red Flag #5: Her Resume as Secretary of State
Level of Concern: 9
Hillary oversaw the expansion of ISIS by 4400%, she helped in the downfall of Libya, she’s complicit in the rise of Russian aggression, she was secretary of state when Benghazi happened, she supported the Iran Nuclear Deal that gave them $150B, and she oversaw the fall of Iraq, Syria, and Egypt.
I mean…
People say Donald Trump would start World War III, but our country wouldn’t even be at a point where that was even possible without Hillary Clinton’s Foreign Policy.
She’s dangerous.
Red Flag #5: Puppet of Wall Street
Level of Concern: 6
Hillary Clinton made over $650k in paid speeches to Goldman Sachs, had her photo taken at the ground breaking of their building on Wall Street, and yet says she’s going to help bring reform to our financial system.
Give me a break. She won’t even release the transcripts of her speeches. Hillary Clinton is a shining example of an elitist politician owned by special interests who thinks she knows what’s best for us more than we do.
This concerns me.
Red Flag #6: Laughed when Madeline Albright made a joke at her rally about women going to hell for not supporting other women
Level of Concern: 2
It’s not that big of a deal, but it does tell you something about Hillary’s view of feminism, which is to say it’s somehow virtuous to be a woman. We shouldn’t vote for Hillary because of her gender, but I don’t think this was totally alarming.
It’s on par with other Trump controversies for sure, though.
Red Flag #7: Foreign Governments have given Millions to Clinton Foundation
Level of Concern: 5
See previous statements about elitist, corrupt, etc.
Red Flag #8: Won’t Denounce Partial-Birth Abortion
Level of Concern: 6
Hillary Clinton’s refusal to denounce partial birth abortion is a window into her character. Most of Americans understand this procedure is horrifying. The act of pulling a baby partially out of the mother’s uterus, only to suck the brains out of the fetus is truly monstrous.
The vast majority of Americans don’t support it, and yet there is Hillary defending it on the Senate floor.
I don’t think the President has a ton of influence on abortion laws, but in this instance I think it says so much about who she is… I can’t support this woman.
Red Flag #9: Essentially Every One of Her Policies
Level of Concern: 8
I disagree with Hillary Clinton on almost every one of her policy prescriptions. I think 4–8 years of her after Barack Obama will move our country dangerously close to the Socialist Democracies of Europe. I don’t want that.
Most importantly, I know the next President will nominate 2–3 SCOTUS Justices. For the sake of our constitution, I cannot support a leftist candidate because of how much sway they will have over the SCOTUS.
Red Flag #10: Everything Else
Level of Concern: 8
Read these scandals: http://www.wnd.com/2015/05/here-they-are-hillarys-22-biggest-scandals-ever/
I mean it goes on forever! I think in totality, they all speak to Hillary Clinton feeling above everyone else. She is a corrupt, evil woman who desperately wants power to expand the federal government and her own legacy. I find her to be so dangerous.
TOTAL NUMBER: 80/100 or 80%
CONCLUSION
As much as you want to make this #NeverTrump, as much as you want to virtue signal to the world that the Donald is dangerous and you won’t support him, how on GOD’S GREEN EARTH can you possibly do anything to support Hillary Clinton if she’s his opponent?
The analysis is plain and simple. Trump has flaws. Many of them. But you have one vote this election, and if it’s Trump v Hillary, I cannot fathom the argument for voting HRC.
Don’t tell me she’s status quo. I don’t think the last 8 years of our foreign policy have been “safe,” or “status quo.” I won’t accept that as our normal. I think her brand of STRONGMAN is so much worse than Trump’s, because it’s entrenched in DC corruption, elitism, and a level of evil unseen in other candidates.
Yes, Trump says some awful things. He’s really nasty at times. I won’t criticize you for holding your nose in the voting booth, but please, please, stop lecturing me that you’re doing God’s work by not voting Trump.
You’re not.
Give us a more noble, better candidate to support. Give us a clearer, more actionable option than staying home, voting third party or switching to the democratic side. Because no matter how you slice it, no matter how you try to position it philosophically, you’re paving the way to a Hillary presidency.
And that’s the most shameful thing of all.
