My political memory goes back to the 1950s.
I remember when Ike was president and I remember the Kennedy- Nixon debates of 1960.
I remember where I was when I learmed Kennedy was dead, I remember Nixon resigning and I remember the national pessimism when Jimmy Carter was president.
I remember Reagan’s two terms and the upbeat “Morning in America” mood of the country while he was in the Oval Office. I remember LBJ, Ford, Clinton, both Bushes and Obama.
That’s more than six decades of presidential memories and I have to say: I’ve never seen anything like what we have before us today.
During the debate the other night, we had one man who seemed to have trouble remembering where he was and what he was doing and another who batted the truth around like a cat playing with its supper.
One man who may be senile and another who is a criminal, convicted by a jury and awaiting sentencing.
Unless something changes, one of them will raise his hand in January and take the oath of office for the second time.
And I have to ask: this is the best we can do? Close to 350 million people live in the country and we have to choose between Biden and Trump? Again?
I haven’t missed voting since I registered the first time and I’ll cast my ballot again.
But for whom? If Biden wins, I am pretty sure his staff will send him off for frequent naps and make the important decisions while he’s out of the room. What if, heaven forbid, he can’t finish his term as president?
If Trump wins, we’ll have a replay of his first term. Or worse. A narcissist who lies like wornout linoleum and who leaves chaos and anarchy swirling in his wake. A convicted felon. Think of that. A real criminal in the White House.
I don’t want it on my conscience that I voted for either of those guys.
There have been times in the past when I have voted for candidates I thought had the least potential for causing harm.
This year, I can’t tell which one of them is the least bad.
I hope that a viable third-party or independent candidate emerges between now and Election Day.
If one does - and if that someone is of sound mind and not a felon - he or she will get my vote.
At the national level, the Democrats and Republicans are non-entities for me. They place political posturing and pandering ahead of the country’s best interests and what’s good for you and for me.
I’ll be up-front right here. I registered as a Democrat when I came home from theAir Force because I wanted to vote for county commissioner.
Oklahoma was dominated by the Democrats in the 1970s as strongly as it is by the Republicans now. County commissioner elections were settled in the Democrat primary and runoff.
Once that election was over and my guy was a winner, I registered as a Republican and have been since.
I have been stalwart in the 40 years since, but the party hasn’t. It’s gone from Reaganism and its emphasis on self-reliance and limited government to Trumpism and in-your-face “If I don’t get my way, I’ll break your country into tiny pieces.”
What the Civil War couldn’t do, Trump might. I don’t want to be any part of that. So here’s hoping a miracle happens between now and November and an electable alternative arises and leads us out of this nightmare.
A person with something we don’t have right now: fully functioning faculties, good character and a desire to do what’s best for the country as a whole.