by Rod Williams - I never was quite a never-Trumper but was never a Trump enthusiast either.
In 2016, my Republican Party primary choice was Marco Rubio. I described Trump as a carnival barker and thought his candidacy a joke. When Rubio's campaign fizzled out, I supported Ted Cruze. When Trump became the Party's nominee, I did not vote for him, instead voting for the third party candidate Evan McCullin. My reasoning at the time was that since Tennessee's eleven electoral votes were never at risk and I had the luxury of casting a protest vote, I would. I said, at the time, that if I lived in a battleground state, however, I would have cast my vote for Trump.
In 2020, I did vote for Trump. I liked most of his policies and accomplishments and detested the policies of the Democrat Party. Prior to the pandemic, the economy was roaring, Black unemployment was the lowest in history and shrinking and the income gap was narrowing. We were at peace and for the first time since the Carter administration there had been progress in mid-East peace, we had confronted and calmed North Korea, destroyed Isis, were standing up to China, and our NATO allies were paying more for their own defense. We had reduced illegal immigration. We had achieved energy independence for the first time in seventy years. We had drastically cut red tape and rolled back regulations. Most importantly, we had put three originalist jurist on the Supreme Court.
I disagreed with some of Trump's policies such as some of his curtailment of legal immigration and his trade policy such as banning steel imports from Canada, and was concerned about the growing deficit, but on balance, I was pleased with the Trump accomplishments.
As much as I was pleased with Trump's accomplishments, I detested Democrat policy proposals. The Green New Deal, Medicare for all, defunding the police, statehood for D. C. and Puerto Rico, and packing the Supreme Court would destroy our country.
I overlooked Trump's personality, style and character. He often made me cringe by things he would say and he often seemed not to have a clear understanding of the constitution and was too friendly with dictatorial regimes, and insufficiently concerned with human rights. I hated his constant tweets and picking unnecessary fights and his thin skin and vast ego and lack of empathy. I chose to overlook these things, however. I reasoned that supporting a flawed candidate who was a jerk and bully was more important than handing the country over to Democrats. By this time, I could not understand the never-Trumpers and thought they were somewhat elitist who were too fastidious about manners and decorum. Too much was at stake to let Trump's personality cause one to let the Democrats win, I reasoned. I could not understand how conservative thinkers like George Will, Bill Kristol, and David Brooks could not reach the same conclusion. These were people whose books I had read and whose opinions I valued. That had advocated tirelessly for conservative policies for years. I was mystified that they could turn their back on all they had believed.
As it turns out, I was wrong and the never-Trumpers were right. Knowing what I know now, I would not have voted for Trump in 2020. Since the events of January 6th, I have thought that if I would have known what was going to happen, I simply would have abstained from voting in 2020. Giving it more thought, however, I think I would have had to vote for Joe Biden. With a Democrat victory we still have a chance to win the next election and change course. Trump committed, what in my view, was an act of treason. There is no overlooking it.
Trump instigated insurrection, unleashed violence that resulted in the death of five people and a mob that would have killed the Vice President because the Vice President would not trample the Constitution. Some are making the argument that a close reading of Trumps words of January 6, show he said to peaceable march to the capitol. I am not absolving Trump of responsibility. His purpose in calling the mass of people to Washington was to stop Congress from accepting the results of the election and carrying out their constitutional duty. He riled up a mob and then threw gasoline on a smoldering fire. If I was to be generous, I might be persuaded that Trump did not want the actual attack on the capitol to occur and did not realized how volatile the situation was. That would take some persuading. He had encouraged the crazies from day one. He set the stage. When offered opportunities to denounce groups like Q-anon he did not do so.
Some will excuse Trumps failure to condemn the crazies on the right and the riot by pointing out that Democrats supported the violence of BLM and Antifa. Even if that is true, we should condemn that tolerance for violence instead of justifying more violence.
Should Trump run again and be the Parties nominee in 2024, no matter how far to the left the Democrats have become, I will not vote for Trump. The never-Trumpers were right I was wrong.
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