I'm Annoyed with the Internet Today

The internet is an ugly place. People somehow become less intelligent or at least, willfully less intelligent, not to mention rude. This past election continues to show people's true colors. I've already decided I'm longer in the mainstream Republican boat, but without a 'political home',  I've been pondering where I fit, if anywhere. It has become increasingly clear that any doubt I had that I could ever align with the liberal side of things is now completely gone - I definitely could not be a liberal. I don't really feel like going into some sort of attack mode, so I'll just stop here for now. Everyone is bugging me and their willful defiance to try to see anyone else's point of view is at first frustrating, then eventually I get bored because it's the same story. Everyone who is not on a particular side is labeled stupid and ignorant and blah blah blah. Same story, different day. No thanks, internet.

Why Do I Feel Like a Trump Apologist?

If you know me or have had any sort of political discussion with me ever, you would easily know that I am not one of Trump's supporters. From the first day he announced his candidacy, I had major eye rolling at the thought that he was actually in fact seriously running for President. I've never been able to take him, his personality, his seeming lack of any sort of grasp on international politics, or any rational thought as a viable option for President. However, I sit here the past few days with the sure knowledge that Donald Trump has in fact won the election. It's an interesting phenomenon, and I like many others, am still trying to figure out how we got here. But even in light of all this, I have suddenly found myself as a near-apologist for our President-elect, and admittedly it is confusing to even myself.

I've pondered this. Why do I feel the need to defend him? Really, though, I think I'm more defending those who voted for him versus the man himself. Many people I love chose him, and many people who I don't know but who are also conservative did as well, and I see myself in many of them. Eight years of Obama has been tough. Another four with Clinton would have been intolerable. This is why people supported Trump. Discussion after discussion about how they HAD to vote for him, even if he's not a stellar choice, simply because Hillary was worse in their minds. That is seriously why many voted for him. Even Bernie supporters voted for Trump, if that's telling you something.

I can't defend Trump and his personal self, but I do get that people felt like he was their great last hope for a more constitutionally-run country, whether true or not. Now we as conservatives need to stop the alienation of the other side so we can reach across the aisle for peace in our divided country.

Your Worth is Still the Same

This has been an interesting week in the world of social media. The most obvious and all-consuming topic is of course the election of Donald Trump, and as predicted, chaos has ensued. This doesn't really surprise me but one sentiment I have noticed from time to time has been particularly concerning to me - a notion that parents now have to explain to their daughters that they are worth less now than they were on Tuesday.

Not sure if this is overdramatized for maximum effect, but if it is just know - a woman's, or man's, worth is never dependent on what is going on around them. They are always of immense worth, infinite even. If someone is hurting you, your actual worth is not diminished. As a child of our Heavenly Father, that cannot be changed. Life is never going to be perfect. I'm a woman, too. People are concerned about who Donald Trump is but no matter who you are, if you support him or no, that doesn't make you suddenly less. Be YOU. Have confidence in who you are - and that is a beloved and infinitely valuable. Don't forget that. Let's go forward with optimism and faith! People are going to disappoint you, that will never change, but let's lift where we stand, even if it is lifting ourselves.

Tackling the Issues - Dems and Republicans Talk it Out?

How many times a day do we read in the beautiful main stream media about the differences between Republican and Democrat? Do people ever stop to think, 'if we could just sit down and calmly talk about this, we could probably come to sort of consensus?' I think some people do think that, but it's almost nigh to impossible to have it work in any real way with the great and insurmountable divide our great USA has created for itself.

I live in a state this is very conservative, and I too am conservative. I have mentioned before that I typically vote along Republican lines but this year my vote goes to an independent candidate. I read blogs about why people are Democrat and why Jesus would be too, or why Jesus would be a Republican. Honestly, I don't think he would fit either party but rather would be a compromise somewhere in between, with bits and pieces from independent parties. He, after all, sets the standard of what is right and good, and not our political parties even if they feel they are morally superior to others.

I don't want to get too much into the religious side of this - I just brought that up because it just goes to show that we all think we are morally superior to others from time to time, but we seriously need some real chill and a healthy dose of humility to see things as they really are. What if we're wrong in our political leanings? Or mostly wrong? Mostly right?

I'd like to see if I can, at least for myself, bridge the gap between the two major political party platforms and put in my own views as to how we can come to a consensus, or at least an understanding, of how these views play together and integrate into our American governmental system. You with me? Ok, take a deep breath...

Here we go.

Where Have All the Good Men and Women Gone?

In just a few short weeks, America will face the polls to choose the next president. Unfortunately, the pickings are slim and formerly good leaders are falling in lock and step behind our two biggest candidates, instead of standing up and encouraging us to turn our backs on them. A select number of Republican candidates have stood up and spoken out against Trump after having formerly supported him, which is a positive. However, only a few have said they would never support him, such as Mitt Romney, and truthfully that’s the way we all should have been from the beginning.

I think I understand some of the motivation surrounding the begrudging support conservative leaders continue to give Trump – altruistically, it may be that they see no other option, as Hillary Clinton definitely doesn’t stand for what they do. I have heard reasons such as the next president will appoint new Supreme Court Justices, which I agree puts a lot a stake for either side. Trump might have a platform that says he stands for Conservative ideals, but who he is has been shown to be far from the image of integrity and true leadership than right wing voters have been looking for. Why did it get this far? And why are more people in positions of leadership not encouraging the country to vote for someone who they can actually trust, whom we don’t have to do mental gymnastics to defend?

With Hillary, it’s not much different. Although my politics are not left wing, I can see that as a person she has some real deficiencies that should not be overlooked. These are easy to find, and it goes above and beyond recent years of politics, but back to when her husband was president. I am not putting his faults on her – she has a track record that is not worthy of the highest office in the land. And yet there she stands, the standard bearer of the liberal side, giving the liberals a bad option, just as the conservatives have in Trump.

 I ask, where have all the good men and women gone? Where are true leaders, with wisdom and integrity and goodness? Why can’t we say no to following along with the wrong people? Why did we vote them in as our candidates in the first place? We see, we hear the things they do – their incompetence is so blatantly obvious that maybe it’s become par for the course to accept it. It’s sad to watch. Don’t we deserve a true leader? A leader, not a dictator or a person who lies to our face with a sly smile, waiting for us to give them a pass on the shenanigans they fail to acknowledge, or pretend to acknowledge, then move on to the next lie. We as a people are smarter than this but is it fear that causes us to stand up and say no? If we aren’t the gatekeepers, barring the unworthy politicians and nonpoliticians alike to enter the White House, who will be? We are the voters. We must be more responsible in who we allow to be our standard bearer. Trump and Clinton certainly do not represent me. And I won’t follow either of them. Will you?