The Lesser Of Two Evils -- Is It Time To Elect A President Again?

Opinion

By David Hinz

The last time I voted for a Presidential candidate without any doubts or reservations was 1984, the second time I voted for President Ronald Reagan. Every election since that time, or before 1980, for that matter, I was voting for the lesser of two evils.

Now, before I am pelted about the head and shoulders with rotten fruit and vegetables, the very idea of a President Gore or President Kerry was beyond the imaginable. Had either of those Dimwits been elected as Leader of the Free World, we would all be looking at a world of hurt right now.

On the other hand, both in 2000 and again in 2004, there were things that President Bush had done and said that caused me to scratch my head. In the end, the lesser of two evils won out, and received my vote.

In 1988 there were serious questions about the commitment to conservatism of GHWB. Again, when stacked up against Michael Dukakis and the clown who finished third in that race, it was best to hold the nose and vote for Bush.

By 1992 the "Read My Lips" President had given away the house to Dims, and, although the snake-oil salesman from Arkansas was never in the running for my vote. There was a third alternative that year, and to my undying humiliation, I took it. I considered him, at the time, the lesser of three evils. I know now, all of us realize, that was a mistake many of us made -- a mistake we would all love to take back.

Which brings us now, to the election of 2008. Generally, I believe we will ALL agree that every one of the top five Republican Candidates is superior to anything running on the Democrat ticket. Each and every one of our candidates stands for principles we all support, while lacking, perhaps, in one or two other areas of our concern.

When pitted against the likely Democrat candidate, whether that be Hillary, Obama or Edwards, every single Republican candidate is superior on most of the major issues we all care about.

Still, unfortunately, each and every candidate is lacking...something. Because of their perceived shortcomings, we will all, gnaw and scratch at each other, tearing our eventual candidate apart, through partisan squabbling, and in the end, making it possible for a Democrat victory in November.

OR, as so often happens, come November, we can all go to the polls holding our collective noses, and vote for the flawed Republican nominee. Like so many elections in recent memory, we will not be voting for a great candidate, but instead, for the lesser of two evils.