Who should we vote for?

May 2nd 2016 was the last day that I had complete clarity in regards to the current race for President.  That was the day before Ted Cruz suspended his campaign.  For more than 5 months now I have struggled with what to do on election day.  For much of the summer I was beyond any doubt never Trump.  The way he treated Ted Cruz absolutely turned my stomach.  As time passed and those fresh wounds began to heal I have started to exam my position.  That does not mean that I will end up voting for Trump but it does mean that the last month has been an agonizing evaluation of all sides of the argument for and against voting for Trump.  As a born again believer what should I expect from a non christian political candidate?  Should it surprise me that they do not live up to my "christian" standards?  It shouldn't but yet too often I think it does.  Should I then just give them a free pass?  Absolutely not.  At the same time however I cannot have the same expectations from them that I would my Pastor or someone that is claiming to be a born again christian.  I think this has to be the main reason that this years campaign has been so difficult for so many evangelicals.

So who are our alternatives other than Hillary and Trump?  Gary Johnson?  No thank you.  I didn't like him when he ran in 2012 and he hasn't improved since then.  Jill Stein?  Absolutely not.  She is ultra left wing on almost everything.  What about Darrell Castle?  Who?  That is probably one of the biggest problems with him, no one knows who he is.  His domestic agenda is solid but his thoughts on foreign affairs seems to be a bit too isolationist.  What about Evan McMullin?  Much like Castle nobody knows McMullin.  He is the Independent Party candidate.  Unlike Castle, McMullin's background of being in the CIA in counter terrorism gives him a far different view of the world.  He is not an isolationist and his domestic agenda seems pretty solid so overall he is probably a little better than Castle.  So there are the alternatives in a very quick nutshell.

So now what?  What do we do with all this?  I believe any honest person will admit that only Trump and Hillary have a chance to win.  But should that stop us from voting for someone else?  That is one of the questions that makes everything so complicated this time around.  If both candidates are awful and no one else really has a chance to win what do we do?  Its painful, its agonizing, it just down right stinks!  This isn't Romney vs Obama or McCain vs Obama.  I didn't really care for Romney or McCain but I had no doubt they would be better than Obama.  While I was not a huge fan of either man, I did not have the moral questions and doubts about McCain and Romney that I do about Trump.  What about Trump?  Will he be better than Hillary?  I think he will but I am not 100% sure, not like I was with Romney and McCain.  I held my nose and voted for both of them because they were the lesser of two evils.  I have so many doubts about Trump, not to mention all the baggage and junk that comes along with him.

So what to do?  I can understand those that are choosing to vote for Trump.  I can also understand those that are voting for someone else.  Its been a difficult decision process for me and I have not completed it yet.  If I vote for Trump it will come down to 2 main issues.  First there is a current vacancy on the Supreme Court and I know for certain that Hillary would appoint a left wing justice for that vacancy and any future one.  Second I believe that Hillary would be a danger to the 2nd Amendment.  Would Trump be better for the country in those areas?  I am reasonable certain that he would.  The rest of Trumps "agenda" I am not as confident in.

Obviously to many people Trump is not the ideal candidate.  He is a flawed man as we all are.  At the same time he has created shock waves in the media and he managed to overcome 16 primary opponents and the establishment of the Republican Party in order to win the nomination.  He is neck and neck with Hillary in the polls despite the "scandals" that have come to light.  We may sit back and say "if only so and so had been the nominee", I know I do that from time to time, I salivate at the thought of Ted Cruz debating Hillary Clinton.  Unfortunately that is not going to happen.  Like it or not we are stuck with Trump.  Now it is just a matter of diligently praying and thoughtfully considering what we should do.  I think there has been a bit of a divide created in evangelical circles because of Trump.  Some are and have been ardent supporters of his from the beginning.  Others have been dead set against him and it has created tension and hard feelings.  It is almost as if the family of Christ had to choose sides between Ohio State and Michigan, yes it has gotten that bad!  If the last 5 months have taught me anything it is that I am responsible before God for my own decisions.  It is not up to me to smack down someone that has decided that Trump is the way to go.  If someone is feeling lead to vote for Trump than so be it.  Secular political candidates do not have to be the next Charles Spurgeon or D.L. Moody.  Paraphrasing Ravi Zacharias who might have said it best, "we should look for the candidate that will provide us access to the most fertile soil in which our christian values can grow".

So we are about 3 months away from the Presidential Election and its been almost a year since I last posted.  I don't know where to begin so I will just fire away.

Is it better to elect a woman under investigation who is likely a felon?  Or is it better to elect a man who says "mean things"?  I keep seeing this kind of question posted online and frankly I am tired of it.  I know there are strong feelings on both sides and my frustrations have grown as I have listened and watched several well known "conservatives" that I admired and respected jump on the Trump train.  Rush Limbaugh, Allen West and Sean Hannity just to name a few big ones.

What do we know about Donald Trump really?  For every video clip that exists with him declaring conservatives principles there are just as many clips with him saying the opposite.  I was not always anti-Trump, when he first got in the race I was interested.  I listened to him and watched him, I gave him a chance but it became clear before too long that he would not have my support.  It was not because I "hated" Trump, it was because there was a candidate in the race that embodied everything, and I do mean everything, that a conservative such as myself is looking for.  My problem with Trump is that I do not trust him.  I do not have any proof that he is what he claims to be.  He has flip flopped so many times in the past and he continues to flip flop now.  The name calling and personal attacks on his opponents are ridiculous but they are not what has turned me off to him.  He has been on practically every side of every major issue of any importance.  When the field included a candidate that was the real deal, who not only said the right things but actually followed through on his promises, how can you settle for a candidate that is as faulty as Trump?

Is Trump worse than Hillary?  I would like to think he is not but how can I really tell?  I do not believe for a minute that he is socially conservative.  Would he appoint conservative Supreme Court justices?  I would like to believe he would but even Republican Presidents that had far more conservative chops haven't even always gotten it right.  Ronald Reagan gave us the squishy middle of the roaders Anthony Kennedy and Sandra Day O'Connor.  George H.W. Bush gave us liberal David Souter and George W. gave us John Roberts who sold out on Obamacare and is becoming more suspect all the time.  What expectation do we have that Trump will appoint another Thomas, Alito or Scalia?   Because he says he will?  I have no confidence that Trump will do anything he has promised.  If there is one area that Trump has provided us with plenty of evidence, it is that words mean nothing to him.  He will say whatever he has to in order to advance himself and hurt his opponent.  Far too many of his tactics are what Republicans and conservatives have for years complained about from the Democrats.

I understand the thought process for those that will be voting for Trump.  I get it, I really do.  I only wish that the Republicans nominee was a little easier on the digestion.  I also wish that the true blue Trump supporters that get angry at those that have some BIG issues with their guy, might be a little less snotty.