What's a moderate Republican to do in this year's election? For decades, I have supported the Republican platform of reduced spending, gutting the bloated federal government, lower taxes and a strong American defense. This would mean that I cannot vote for Hillary Clinton and her proposals to increase spending, decrease competition and legitimize myriad entitlement programs that discourage hard work and bankrupt the system.
But, on the other hand, issues aside, I cannot vote for Donald Trump either. As Michael Douglas' chief executive said in "The American President," "being president is not, to some extent, about character, it's entirely about character." And neither candidate measures up on that scale.
Nevertheless, I have never shirked my privilege and responsibility to exercise my franchise in four decades of opportunity — until now.
Voting for the Libertarian candidate doesn't send the message I want to convey. I wish there were a choice on the ballot that said "neither candidate," so that I could say, loud and clear, "I'm still voting, but neither candidate meets the gold standard of character." I wonder, really wonder, what percentage of voters would pull that lever this November.
Margaret Collier, Hunt Valley