The best ‘man’ for the job?

Iam a registered Democrat. My parents and grandparents were registered Democrats. In fact, my dad was a “yellow dog Democrat.” That means that he would vote for a yellow dog before he would vote for a Republican.

I do not share my father’s convictions. I vote for the person, not the party.

I have voted for some Republicans in my lifetime: Bill Thomas, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and John McCain. I truly believed that these men put country before party.

I even voted for Donald Trump in 2016. I believed him when he said he was going to bring a breath of fresh air into stale Washington. He was going to “drain the swamp.” He was going to put us working-class Americans first. Well, everyone has a right to be a fool once in their life.

Now we come to 2024. Americans will go to the polls in November. Who will they vote for? Who will they decide is the better man to lead our country?

The kindly old gentleman who takes his walk every afternoon and always greets those he sees along the way? The fellow who is always ready to stop and talk and, more importantly, listen? Who always says hello to the neighborhood kids though he can’t remember their names?

Or, will it be the 77-year-old man who sits on his front porch and screams at everyone to stay off his lawn? The old guy who really does believe the the Earth is flat, the moon landings were faked and Jewish space lasers started the California wildfires?

I cannot say that I am overly thrilled about either one. Maybe, it is time for a change. A new way of thinking.

I have seen some very effective women in government over the years. Shirley Chisholm, Dianne Feinstein, Condoleezza Rice, Michelle Obama,

MICHAEL CARIKER

Claire McCaskill, Margaret Thatcher and Golda Meir. I was particularly impressed with former Gov. Nikki Haley. I like what she said and where she stands. This is someone who looks to the future rather than dwelling in the past. She spoke about making my life better. No revenge, no retribution, no “lock ’em up!” No payback. No “it was rigged!” I could have voted for this woman.

I was taught to evaluate someone by who they are rather than what they are. No race, no gender, no ethnicity, religion, sexual preference or political affiliation. Judge people by their words and their actions. By what they say and do or what they don’t say and don’t do.

Maybe the idea of a female president isn’t as far-fetched as some would believe. Maybe it’s time. Maybe it is time to consider that the best man for the job could possibly be a woman. Maybe it’s time for us to sit back and let momma drive.