My Choice for President

I still struggle to believe I am faced with this choice. Even last year, when I broke with the GOP and wrote that the President should be removed from office, I held out hope that a repudiation of this President would come from the ranks of conservatives, either through his removal from office by the Senate, a primary challenge, or a removal from the ticket by the party.

Nearly a year later, that has clearly not happened. Despite a global pandemic raging, our economy on the precipice of disaster, and behavior totally unbefitting the office of President, the self-declared conservative party remains firmly behind this Commander-in-chief.

I have always considered myself a Republican.

Twelve years ago I was truly introduced to politics for the first time, during the contest between Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama for President. Despite my young age I was enamored with Senator McCain’s commitment to his country, his trust in the power of the American people, and his willingness to stand on principle.

Four years later my views were reinforced – not out of any animosity toward President Obama, but from my belief that Governor Romney was a better choice. In both of those contests, our nation was faced with a choice between two well-intentioned, thoughtful leaders for President, and we were free to choose based on their qualifications, principles, and views on pressing issues facing our country.

The choice we face today could hardly be more different. Our President today is not neither well-intentioned or thoughtful. He has shown us time and time again that he is the archetype of what an American president should not be. My views on policy and governing principles have not changed during the course of this administration – I still believe that government closest to the people is both more effective and accountable than a national government. I still believe free markets are the best way to improve people’s lives. I still believe that our nation needs fiscal discipline. I still believe that all life is worthy of protection. I still believe that the rule of law and the sanctity of the Constitution is paramount.

Sadly, the GOP ticket for President cannot consistently live up to those standards, and, beyond even that, there is something more important on the ballot this year than a bundle of policy positions.

The President is the Head of State – the single greatest representation of our nation on the world stage. It is important, then, that the person representing the people of the United States be a reflection of our decency, our hard-working nature, our resilience, and our ability to lead both one another and the nations of the world. Donald Trump’s behavior throughout his life and in office, on that mark, is disqualifying.

His dodging of the draft and calling his avoidance of venereal disease “his own personal Vietnam” is disqualifying.

His description of John McCain as not a war hero because he was captured by the Viet Cong is disgraceful and disqualifying.

His flirtation with and, at times, tacit acceptance of, white supremacist ideology is disqualifying.

His constant lying is disqualifying.

His inability to follow even the simplest public health guidance during a pandemic that has killed almost a quarter-million Americans is disqualifying.

His capitulation to autocrats like Vladimir Putin is disqualifying.

His withholding of urgently needed support from an ally in an attempt to extort political favors is disqualifying.

More so than anything outlined so far, his consistent refusal to accept the results of this election and commit to a peaceful transfer of power is wholly disqualifying.

Since John Adams took the helm following George Washington in 1797, our nation has followed a clear transfer of leadership for 223 years. While I have full faith that we will see that same transition in 2021, the President’s refusal to commit to following the rules of our republic means that he must be defeated at the ballot box. Whether his actions stem from a fear of failure and humiliation or from a desire to truly supplant the election, the American people must deliver a simple message: such tampering with our most sacred national institution must not be tolerated, and must be met with clear defeat.

Which is why, when I vote, I will be casting my ballot for former Vice President Joe Biden.

I still struggle to believe I am faced with this choice, but I know it is the right one. I disagree on a great number of truly important issues with Vice President Biden, and I expect to be disappointed by a great number of his decisions as President, if he is elected. I believe that a hypothetical Biden presidency will need to be checked by an independent Congress and strong, active state and local governments. However, I do not expect that I will ever be disappointed by his character, his willingness to learn, or his desire to unite America. Joe Biden as President will be an able steward of our nation’s highest office.

I have never considered myself a Democrat. The daylight between their views, institutionally, and mine remains large, and I do not wish to see our nation captured by the totality of their ideology for years into the future. However, I fear that the damage done by President Trump to conservatism as an ideology will be extreme and lasting, and it is clear to me that four more years of him as our national leader will result in terrible damage to the viability of those principles for decades.

Despite the efforts to redefine the word, I still believe I am a conservative.

I’ve given a great deal of thought as to what that term means, and how it applies to American political life today. It is clear to me that neither major party in America today can be truly described as conservative. The driving principles I outlined last year – respect for our constitution, rule of law, and the belief that the President should be held to the highest ethical standards – do not appear to be close at heart for most leaders in our nation today, but I do believe they are shared between myself and Joe Biden. I believe that if we share that common ground, we can return to the fights over the choices of our nation’s federal government without the existential challenge over what kind of nation we are that we see today.

In this election, I will be making what I believe is the conservative choice. Not to conserve any single policy position, as important as those are, or a single party’s control of the White House, but rather to conserve the sanctity of our laws, our decency as a people, and our position in the world as the shining city on a hill that we know America is.

I hope you’ll join me.