By Sal Bommarito
Some Republicans are greatly concerned about the dysfunctional primary process.
The contenders for the nomination have not behaved well at all. The amount of trash talking, lies, distortions and name-calling has become a serious concern and has diverted us from important issues. Instead of focusing on the things that affect America, the final four are attacking each other and barely even mentioning Hillary Clinton. Many think this could hurt the party in the general election and for years to come.
What did Republicans expect? Just look at the remaining contenders.
Mitt Romney stated without equivocation that Donald Trump is not fit to serve as president. Some people feel Romney’s assessment was a bit odd considering his performance in 2012, and the fact that he shied away from the 2016 election. But, setting aside any emotional reactions you have towards Romney, he is right in many of his observations.
Trump has not been willing, or able, to articulate how he will deliver the many promises made. He often out-shouts his critics whenever they challenge him thus avoiding details. The plans he has “outlined” for immigration, Mexico, Obamacare, the military, national defense and so much more frequently don’t make sense and don’t add up. Take immigration. He’s says he’s going to essentially round up 11 million undocumented aliens and send them back to their countries of origin. It’s absurd, yet Trump’s groupies believe him. On a related note, Trump says that he will make Mexico pay for a 60-foot wall. One Mexican former Mexican president said his country would not pay for the “f—ing wall.”
The Republican establishment is coming out en masse against Trump; it’s too bad they waited so long. Many congressmen have denounced Trump. Despite this outcry, voters are still flocking to polls to pull Trump’s lever.
Ted Cruz is an eloquent speaker. He has a sharp tongue, which he honed over the years as an attorney. But, he’s made few friends and hasn’t had one Senate colleague endorse his candidacy. Isn’t this a bit disconcerting given that a president must interact with many people to do the job effectively? Most important is that Cruz’s supporters represent mostly one group, the religious right. His perspectives are so conservative that he has little chance to defeat Clinton because Americans want a more moderate approach from their leaders.
Marco Rubio is also a great speaker. With more seasoning, he will be a more viable candidate in the future. But, to this point, his experiences are nowhere near what America needs. The world is far too complex for a one-term senator to parachute into the White House. Additionally, his short tenure has resulted in many flip-flops on critical issues. This tendency could be because of his inexperience or because he says what he must to attract voters. Both disqualify Rubio for president in my mind.
I really like John Kasich. He’s done many things as a public servant. Kasich’s been a congressman deeply engaged in the national budget controversy and security issues. And now, he’s governor of one of the most important swing states. As governor, he’s distinguished himself as a facilitator uniting the parties and effectively managing Ohio’s financial situation. The only problem is that he is not well known nation-wide.
I would like to suggest seven things to improve our political process. These items will never be adopted in the current environment or ever, probably.
- All candidates should publish platforms on their website and give detailed information about how promises will be implemented.
- Voters should demand all candidates be experienced to some extent in government, business and diplomacy.
- During debates, the principal way Americans get to know the candidates, the participants must abide by the rules including time limits and refraining from interrupting other debaters and moderators.
- Vulgarity, sexual metaphors and name-calling should be prohibited at all times.
- Candidates may not lie about each other or inflate their own qualifications.
- Candidates must discuss all the major issues impacting America and provide substantive insight into their plans to deal with problems.
- Political ads on TV should be banned. It’s the place where distortions and lies are most prevalent.
These suggestions will never happen, and politicians will continue to twist the truth. I just though I would throw them out because they would dramatically improve the election process and the quality of our political candidates.