Evan McMullin & Mindy Finn sound like folks I would trust

I am one of those who has been tearing his hair out of late over the depressing choice of presidential hopefuls we face.  I have decided that I cannot in good conscience cast a vote for Clinton (due to the continuous whirlwind of uncertainty around her ethics), Trump (due to his unstable temperament and lack of understanding of any and all things Presidential), Johnson (due to his libertarianism, which I oppose--although Bill Weld seems like a sensible guy), or Stein (too, too, too liberal for a down-home conservative like me).  So, I am now throwing my support behind a guy who seems to me like a genuine straight-shooter and a real conservative (but a compassionate one):  Evan McMullin.

You no doubt have heard little or nothing about him.  So, let me share with you a brief email I received from his campaign.  I hope you will have a look at their credentials and see if you don't find McMullin and his running mate Mindy Finn to be the most appealing pair in the race:

Friend,

Americans want candidates they can vote for: principled, patriotic, with a positive vision for the future.

Those candidates are Evan McMullin and Mindy Finn.

Evan's entire career — from CIA operative, to investment banker, to chief policy director of the House GOP — has been in service to this nation and the institutions that drive it.

 Mindy is the founder and president of Empowered Women, a bi-partisan organization that gives voice to a bold, new generation of American women in civic life. She has served as an advisor to the Republican National Committee, President George W. Bush, and Governor Mitt Romney; and developed business partnerships for Twitter. She has spent her career in service to the conservative movement and expanding it so it works for every American.

 When Americans were faced with two of the least qualified presidential candidates in modern history, Evan and Mindy knew they couldn't stand on the sidelines anymore. They stepped up and decided to pursue the cause of American renewal and to give Americans leaders who will put country over power, selflessness over worship of self, and principle over popularity.

But they can't do it alone — your support is what powers this campaign.

There is a better path, a better ticket, and a better future for America — and it starts with you. Elections are won by those who stand up. You can help us win by organizing your community.

Thank you for stepping up!
Joel Searby
 Chief Strategist
 McMullin for President

In wake of election, it's up to sensible Americans to repair our nation's fabric

Now that it looks fairly certain that our next president will be Hillary, it is time to rise above all the political hostilities and silliness and get to work making American even greater. Some of you are bound to keep right on spewing hatred and anger and indulging in childish name-calling and disregard for civility. And, much as we love you, you are not helping. You are part of the problem, not the solution.

As I see it, this is the perfect time for sensible, rational moderates (including both moderate progressives and moderate conservatives), the ones with cool heads, wisdom and understanding, to take back our country. If we don't like what the new president stands for, let's mount a reasonable effort against those policies; but let's do it peaceably, methodically and with smiles on our faces. Our attitude adjustment goes like this:

(1) We must concede that neither the current president nor the newly elected one is a crook, or evil, or a liar...but rather a decent, patriotic American who may have blatant character flaws (as we all do) and lots of ideas we disagree with, but is nonetheless bent on doing what they earnestly believe is best for the country--and, if we truly believe in our nation, we will be respectful of the president, our democratic process, and the office of POTUS;

 (2) We must kick to the curb and shut off the mic on any extremist or big-mouth who continues to talk hatred, bigotry, hubris, or unproven, unsubstantiated nonsense--whether on the airwaves, in Washington DC, on social media, or in our own communities--and remind them that badmouthing our system or our leaders is badmouthng the USA and helping our enemies;

 (3) We must hold the news media's feet to the fire, make them understand that the times we live in are too complicated to have everything reduced to the level of a reaility show, and force them to get back to honest, unbiased, professional journalism; and

 (4) We must fix the two-party system, even if it means abandoning the old dysfunctional Republican and Democrat parties and forming some new ones that are more in tune with the needs of ordinary disgruntled working-class people.

I am eager to join with anyone who agrees with me on this...and I will fight back against anyone who plans to keep right on being obstructive and dragging our country down with obnoxious bs. Just sayin'...

 [---Join me each week for a 15-minute audio podcast with music & light-hearted commentary---]

..and by the way: Enough about Bill Clinton's past already. Not relevant!

I'm a little tired of hearing Bill Clinton being portrayed by the right as a predator and rapist (i.e. one guilty of sexual assault). I was around back then and paying attention to the impeachment stuff. And I came away with the idea that what was going on with Paula Jones, Kathleen Willey, Monika Lewinski and others was sexual hanky panky between consenting adults...and nothing more. Evidence, as I remember it, suggested that these women eagerly pursued a relationship with Clinton. If there was proof to the contrary, I don't remember it. Moreover, Hillary Clinton was a victim of spousal infidelity; so who could blame her for lashing out against the women who played hanky panky with her husband? She was NOT an enabler. So give it a rest, Trump. Enough of trying to play the Bill Clinton card in this election. Won't work! Just saying...

Did the manly Donald just admit in the townhall that he was lying about being manly?

Are we Trumped out yet? Thank God there are only a little over three weeks left of this charade.

DT is a braggard and a bully, and he fits that profile to a T: Braggards and bullies invariably have been plagued throughout life with an inferior complex and a need to build themselves up into something bigger than life. I don't know what brought on this psychology in Trump, but it is clear that he struggles constantly to "be a man". That's why, in last night's debate, he was really caught up in a very painful conundrum when Anderson Cooper forced him to answer the question, "Have you actually done those things to women that you talked about in the video?" Trump tried to evade it, but Cooper asked it twice more, and Trump eventually had to mumble an answer ("No, I have not").

So look at the dilemma he faced. Remember, he is a guy who absolutely has to build himself up into "being a man". So, how was he to answer? I'm sure this was as tough as they get for him. Politically, he knew he almost had to deny doing those things in order to make his "it was just locker room talk" argument hold up...and keep himself from being further outed as a proud card-carrying creeper. But he was also, simultaneously, admitting that, in the tape, he was just blowing hot air--essentially lying--.AND (even worse) he was admitting that he actually had NOT ever kissed and groped and romanced all those beautiful women. And there goes his image, his cherished manliness, the most important part of his persona, right out the window. If he didn't do those things, he comes off looking like an inadequate wimp to his tough-guy locker room fans and supporters.

Anyway, that was one of the things I took away from that townhall meeting. Who won? I agree with the pundits; it was a tie on substance. But on style and temperment, Trump did little more than prove to his base that he is still the Trump they love and is still in this race. That may not be good enough to win in November, however.

I get into a lot of these matters on my new weekly podcast called "Reedo in the Meadow".  Happens on Sunday night about 11:00 or so.  Look for the link on my audio-video page:   https://vimeo.com/reedw