OPINION — Have we all read the “Donald J. Trump Contract with the American Voter” posted at his campaign website? It lists his first 100 day plan as president. He pledges to clean up the corruption and special interest collusion in Washington, D.C. I especially enjoyed reading “a requirement that for every new federal regulation, two existing regulations must be eliminated” and “a hiring freeze on all federal employees to reduce federal workforce through attrition (exempting military, public safety, and public health).”
Did George W. Bush ever attempt this during his eight years in office (including six years with a Republican controlled House and Senate)? Did John McCain or Mitt Romney propose such measures? Yet the latter both complain that Trump is not a conservative.
The Democrats hate Trump as do many Republicans. Almost the entire national media has dropped the pretense of objectivity and are in the tank for Hillary. So is Hollywood. Trump appears to have all the right enemies! But why?
Follow the money. In my opinion, they are convinced that Trump will be true to his word and drain the swamp that is the corruption of our government. The Wikileaks emails have exposed the dirty tricks and criminal activity associated to the Clinton campaign. Ordinary people would have already been frog-marched to prison for less. If Trump is elected, many of the rich, proud, and powerful will lose their gravy train. Others will also end up in jail.
Yet I hear that many Utahns favor a protest vote for Evan McMullin. McMullin may be a good guy and his ideas for a new party are welcome … next year after the election. He has no chance to win the presidency in 2016. His current role (whether intentional or not) is that of a spoiler, another Ross Perot, to deny Trump the six electoral votes from Utah. Looking at McMullin’s positions on the issues at his website, I see broad agreement with many of Trump’s. Evidently the attraction to McMullin is that he didn’t say mean or lewd things 11 years ago (at least that we know of; the Clinton Machine isn’t focused on him. I don’t give credence to Gloria Allred and her clients’ all too familiar claims. They constitute the usual political dirty tricks.)
To me the election choice is clear. If is not clear to you, I recommend taking advantage of Sunday, Nov. 6 to fast and pray about your course of action.
Submitted by Eric Freden, Parowan.
Editor’s note: Letters to the Editor are not the product or opinion of St. George News and are only lightly edited for news style and formatting. The matters stated and opinions given are those of and the responsibility of the person submitting them.
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Let me suggest that you come to the Dixie Convention Center here in St George at 7:30 pm Saturday Nov 5 and hear from Evan McMullin himself. You might even have the opportunity to ask a question. While very slim, McMullin does have a slim chance to sit in the Oval Office next Jan. Things are looking tight between the two major contenders and Utah’s six electoral votes just might deny either of them getting the needed 270 votes. That puts it to the states each having one vote to decide who will best guide us all though the next four years with it’s many serious issues.
Unfortunately, or because of the corrupt system we now have, there is not a ‘perfect’ candidate for us to choose. Yes even McMullin. The two major parties reek from top to bottom and McMullin represents an opportunity to begin to shake things up. Look, if the donald must have Utah’s 6 votes to win, why is that? Why is it the most corrupt and yes evil politician this country has ever seen is running neck and neck with him despite the mounting evidence coming to light for those that haven’t been convinced yet. I do agree HRC must not, can not be elected President of the United States of America. I believe our difference is you believe the donald is simply the better of two evils. If he were, I still wouldn’t for evil.
How much longer will you and I accept a corrupt and broken system? Both the donkey and the elephant need to be put out to pasture so we can return to the US Constitution and a true representative republic which puts real power back where it belongs, in the individual but united states. Take the time and come to the Dixie Center Saturday Nov 5 at 7:30 pm and listen to a 3rd voice — Evan McMullin.
“fast and pray about your course of action”??? LOL, I’ll get right on that!
Donald Trump makes a lot of promises that are less well founded and less likely to be fulfilled than many of the flimsy promises that other politicians make. In Utah and other states where Clinton cannot win the electoral votes, we can and should show strong support for the movement for quality leadership in the future.
Voting for McMullin is not a protest vote; it is a voice for true reform. It is possibly our last chance to save our society. And Utahans can play a prominent role in that.
“Fast and pray” and then vote for a man who is the antithesis of everything Jesus taught and stood for?
Genius.
You criticize hyperbole, then utilize an even greater example of it? Brilliant!
GREAT OP-ED
Donald Trump has fought an uphill battle from the start taking on the media, DNC, and establishment wing (#NeverTrump’ers) of his own party. Vastly outspent, he is a self-funded ‘outsider’ that the people want, setting a record for most R primary votes in history.
McMullin is a #NeverTrump candidate brought to you by Neocon Bill Kristol and the despicable Rick Wilson, etc. Their unhinged hatred of Trump is so great they’d rather see the most dangerous corrupt candidate in history (Hillary) in the WH!
McMullin is simply their latest trick to con you into helping Hillary: She has no chance of taking the 6 UT electorates so the next best thing is keeping those 6 out of the Trump column-thereby helping her. Enter McMullin; an unvetted, Goldman Sachs globalist RINO, dressed-up as the ‘principled’ (according to who?) ‘true conservative.’
Who is funding Mr. McMullin?
If McMullin is the ‘true conservative’ then why isn’t TED CRUZ supporting him? Last I checked, Cruz was endorsing and campaigning for TRUMP/PENCE.
Can we be realistic here?
It sounds like we have broad support for the notion that something is seriously “broken”……
In particular, the Republican Party appears to be in disarray, from an outside observers standpoint. After two successive losses, in a row, by seemingly solid candidates, with minimal “baggage”, the Republican Party has failed to adapt to a changing electorate.
While a majority of voters have low opinions of both major party candidates, it is certain that at least one of these folks will win on Tuesday. The real question is: When do we start taking Libertarian, or Green Party, candidates seriously? I vote for starting Tuesday.
You mention that Evan McMullin is no different than Perot. McMullin, unlike Perot, can win electoral votes where Perot did not win any. Let’s think of the possibilities. A. Hillary beats Trump outright. She gets 270 or more, he doesn’t. B. Trump beats Hillary outright. He gets 270 or more, she doesn’t. C. Hillary and Trump are both held to under 270 and McMullin wins at least 6 electoral votes from Utah. The House of Representatives now can choose from among the top 3 candidates that received the most electoral votes. The House of Representatives is Republican controlled so Hillary won’t win. That leaves it down to McMullin or Trump. So, Trump can beat Hillary outright (it could happen, but the majority of the polls have shown her winning), or he can beat her with option c too. So doesn’t it actually increase Trump’s odds of beating Clinton? If he can’t beat her outright, if it goes to the House, now he has a shot of beating her. Clinton will not win Utah. There is no risk in Utah for voting for McMullin. (Read this article for more in depth look https://www.utahpoliticohub.com/no-risk-vote-mcmullin/). Also, did this writer not watch any of the primary debates? He makes it sound like the only flaw with Trump (or the only thing McMullin has going for him that Trump doesn’t) is that he said something crude 11 years ago. Trump has said offensive things recently and personally attacked and insulted Megyn Kelly, John McCain, a disabled reporter, Carly Fiorina, Heidi Cruz, etc. Also, let’s get the facts straight. Trump didn’t just say something crude in 2005, he said that he sexually violated women. He said that. Not anyone accusing him falsely of it, he said he did it. He said he violated women by touching them without their permission. The writer suggests that McMullin’s stance on the issues is similar to Trump’s. Well, it’s interested how Trump has changed his position on virtually everything since he decided he would run for president as a Republican. He used to say he identified more as a democrat. He said he was pro choice and even agreed with partial birth abortion. He said that he hates guns. During his own campaign he has said that he is for single payer (government) healthcare. He also said that he would consider suggesting his very liberal sister for the Supreme Court. He is for bigger government. He is not going to defend the constitution. He has suggested silencing media if they say anything negative about him. He is suggesting a ban on people because of their religious beliefs. (A similar ban was also suggested in the mid 1800’s against Mormon immigrants). Maybe Donald Trump has changed ALL his liberal views to conservative ones over the past 5 or so years. Maybe after he supported Hillary Clinton in 2008, he saw the light. Or maybe he is just saying whatever he needs to say to get votes and he has no intention of actually keeping his promises. If Trump represents the Republican party, then I want no part in it. If Kasich or Cruz or Rubio had won the Republican primaries, than I would be voting for a Republican president. I watched all the Republican primary debates and I was disgusted by Trump’s behavior and attacks and insults. I don’t believe he has the character to be president and I believe he’s a liberal. I also don’t align with Hillary. So when these two people became the nominees. I said well, I’m not voting for either of them so I will probably write in Rubio or Cruz. Then I heard about Evan McMullin. I researched him and the thing that sold me most was his campaign of unity. I don’t support presidential candidates that divide us with rhetoric or insults about Americans. Evan didn’t steal my vote because it was never Trump’s or Clinton’s to begin with. The founding fathers never wanted there to be 2 major political parties that would divide our nation. In fact, I believe the 12th amendment was written just in case 2 candidates were ever unfavorable enough that neither could secure more than 270 electoral votes. Please Utah. You can make a difference in this election and be the moral compass, the light on the hill that reminds Americans about the values that we treasure. Please elect leaders that are good, honest, and wise. Please join with me in voting Evan McMullin. And by the way, I am fasting as well this weekend and regardless of the outcome on Tuesday, I hope you join with me in praying for our nation and for our leaders.
You’re right, “McMullin, unlike Perot, can win electoral votes” – from only Utah. In 1992, Perot won almost 20 million votes (19% of the national vote). McMullin’s votes will almost entirely come from Utah; he would probably win with 400,000 votes – Obama and Romney combined didn’t even reach 1 million. Utah would be like a lone island in the ocean.
So what MESSAGE does Utah send to America if it selects McMullin? That Utah “voted it’s conscience”, that it selected “the real conservative”, that it “made a statement”? Or that Utah is still dominated by Mormons who petulantly selected one of their own, despite his lack of qualifications, in order to sabotage their dominant national party’s nominee?