When I say I will not vote for Donald Trump, Republicans respond that I should change my mind because Hillary Clinton would be much worse. But is that really the case? Would we really be better off with Trump than Clinton? I am not convinced. In fact, I am increasingly persuaded that Trump would be worse than Clinton.

When I voted for the Libertarian candidate for President back in 2008, one could at least make the argument that John McCain was substantively better than Barack Obama on a number of issues: Restraining federal spending, gun control, and abortion. For McCain's many faults, that was true. But is that true with Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton?

I am not convinced that there is any daylight between Trump's ideology and Clinton's ideology. Trump praised ObamaCare and even supports a much more expansive "single payer" system, which would even more dramatically increase the federal government's power. Is this the position of a legitimate conservative?

That's not all. Trump is so radically pro-abortion that he opposes a ban on partial-birth abortion. Trump supported same-sex "marriage" well over a decade before Hillary Clinton "evolved" on the issue and took the same position. Trump supports banning "assault weapons." That is just the tip of the iceberg for Trump's extreme-Left positions on issues, including his indefensible position on eminent domain. Trump has donated mountains of cash to Democratic politicians including Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry, Chuck Schumer... and yes, even Hillary Clinton herself!

But Donald Trump says he is a conservative now. How can anyone with any discernment whatsoever believe that? This is a man who has been a Leftist for decades but suddenly becomes a "conservative" when it is time to run for President as a Republican. It is astounding that so many gullible Republicans have allowed themselves to be deceived.

So given that the two are virtually identical ideologically, would we really be worse off with Hillary Clinton?

Republicans control the House of Representatives and will almost certainly maintain that control after the 2016 election. Republicans control the U.S. Senate and will probably maintain that going into 2017. If for reasons of partisanship alone, Republicans will not cooperate with Clinton, preventing her destructive agenda from being implemented.

If Trump is elected, there will be enormous pressure on Republicans to go along with what Trump wants to do. Republicans in Congress have been timid in opposing Obama, but at least with Obama you have the fact that there is a partisan divide. Do you really think Republicans in Congress are going to show any resolve whatsoever when Donald Trump wants to do something foolish or destructive?

With Hillary Clinton as President, we can at least hope for gridlock, because getting nothing done is better than doing something destructive. We cannot hope for that with Donald Trump, especially since all indications are he will not hesitate to abuse the power of the Presidency. I would never vote for Hillary Clinton, but getting me to vote for Trump will require something a whole lot more convincing than "Clinton would be worse."

ConservaTibbs

Who would be worse: Hillary Clinton or Donald…

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