By Nick Riebel || Staff Writer
Each election, as it comes up, becomes the most important election ever. Usually, elections, although it can be said that they are important, are often overblown due to the melodramatic rhetoric of both parties. This year, though, I may say without hyperbole, may just be the most important election in not only American history, but human history. Trump can not become president.
Without belaboring the points of this excellent article: ( http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/03/opinion/campaign-stops/trump-is-an-existential-threat.html?_r=1 ) I honestly don’t know what more I can say about that alleged human being. Despite whatever he says or does, he rebounds in the polls, and as I type this, he seems to be inching dangerously close to a victory in the electoral college. I am not the only one who is worried. Despite the worries of the elite often not being of concern to the masses, and their conventional wisdom often ridiculed or ignored, I think for once they should be acknowledged. They rightly fear a Trump presidency. Retired generals and admirals, almost every major economist, and prominent Republican politicians argue and ardently believe that a Trump administration would be disastrous for the world. Their warnings are going unheeded by far too many.
Hillary Clinton was not my first choice for president. Or second. Or third. (I think I preferred her over former Senator Jim Webb). I think Bernie Sanders would have done (and would be doing) better in the campaign against Trump, and I think he would be a far better president than Hillary Clinton would attempt to be. Hillary Clinton is not perfect. Her conservative, pro-Wall Street record concerns me, the fact that she views the wealthy and powerful as her benefactors and looks down on those who wish to reform our politics, and her hawkishness (such as in regard to a no-fly zone over Syria, which would prompt Russian retaliation) anger me. But I would vote for even someone like Ted Cruz or Dick Cheney before I would vote for Donald Trump.
The argument against Trump has been made by me, and by others far more eloquently, extensively, and effectively. But I will add: decent, patriotic Americans should not vote for this person, whom probably could not be more flawed in each and every single imaginable way. The only way to describe Trump and his personality is just a long stream of (perfectly accurate) insults, which I will spare you here.
I want to warn the people, holier-than-thou, who want to vote for a third party, on either side. Gary Johnson is a con-artist in his own way, and Jill Stein would not be a good president. I will not go into more detail on either side, except to say that Gary Johnson is proof that “ordinary” Americans should not always be in positions of power, and Jill Stein is not a true progressive: she attempts to win fame and notoriety, and aspires to be like Ralph Nader (who helped give us the disastrous George W. Bush presidency, who was a far better president than Trump could ever conceive of being, if he was a good person in any way).
Donald Trump would be a horrible president. How could he not be? His already innumerable scandals mount by the day, he treats even his friends and family like garbage, and he is only running in the first place to promote his brand (stay tuned, literally, for a Trump news network when he loses). He may launch a nuclear war because of a Twitter war, his “wall” and xenophobic attitude toward immigrants would risk conflict with not only Mexico and Latin America, but much of the world, and he would jail his defeated political opponent, just like a Third World tyrant. He doesn’t understand policy of any sort, he thinks that a trade war with China is a brilliant idea, and he lies about being able to bring back manufacturing jobs. He lusts over one of his own daughters, publicly doubted the legitimacy and Americanism of our first black president, and would appoint Supreme Court justices (such as the current empty one) with judges like him. His administration would promote open racism with stop and frisk nationwide, he would violate the Constitution on demand, he continues to flirt with Vladimir Putin, and would likely be in the Russian dictator’s debt if he were to be elected. A man who does not respect women would be our president, representing us overseas. A man who demonizes Mexicans and Muslims would be our commander-in-chief, threatening Latin America and the Middle East with destruction if they do not control refugees fleeing conflict and hardship from impoverished and war-torn nations. A man who made his billions fraudulently would have a great influence over our budget, and, given his own record with debts, may decide that letting us default would be good. This man wants to personally profit from running for the presidency, and would likely not even take the office seriously if he were to be elected. All he would accomplish would be to make us more divided, hateful, xenophobic, and intolerant of others.
Donald Trump would not make America great again. He would make it a reflection of himself. And guess what? With Trump as president, who would stand up to him? Surely not the media. The Republicans, if they control Congress, certainly wouldn’t. He would get to appoint Supreme Court justices, and he would likely ignore the Court anyways if he felt like it. He would be commander-in-chief, and the military would be at his utter command: I seriously doubt they would mutiny. And, as commander-in-chief, even of a Democratic Congress (or perhaps only Senate) objected to him, maybe he would just ignore them too. The people may object, but he controls the military, and thus he controls them. He doesn’t seem like a big fan of the Constitution: he will take away our rights if he deems them inconvenient to his rule. And why would he stop with us? If he is elected, he would be poised to become the world’s most powerful tyrant: unchallengeable both at home and abroad. If you vote this man for president of the United States, you should know that you may as well be electing him to be King of Earth.
Vote Democratic, vote liberal, vote progressive; above all vote for the best candidate. This may very well be a lesser of two evils election. Hillary Clinton is the lesser of those two evils. She will have my vote, and I hope she has yours. Only the morally bankrupt, or foolish, or both will vote for the Republican candidate this November.
Trump can not become president. Trump must not be president. Trump can never be president.
He would be our last: we would either not exist anymore, or he would assume control over everything.
Senior Nick Riebel is a staff writer. His email is nriebel@fandm.edu.