The question starts like this: “Who do you think is going to win the Presidential Election?”
I shrug and point out I am not a prophet and I don’t own a crystal ball.
And when I throw it back at them, they hee and haw, too.
Sometimes I think they are embarrassed to come right out and say they are going to support a particular candidate. Sometimes they are known to be Red or Blue and snap the name of the candidate who will get their vote.
I hope you are “studying the candidates” because in 17 more days you will have to step up to a voting booth and pick the next leader of the greatest country on this planet.
History of Voting
My brothers and I always went with my parents to vote.
Daddy was a military man and mother was Southern Baptist. If you wanted their opinion, you just asked.
Sara and I always carried our boys with us to vote when logistics allowed. We often capped the event with a hamburger and then I headed back to the Courthouse to pick up the vote tally and write a story.
My sons are now adults and live in three different states. I can pretty much tell you how they are going to vote. You see, Sara and I raises them right.
The Candidates
Donald Trump worries me. He probably worries you too, and any many of you are still going to vote for him.
The worst thing I will say about Donald Trump is he is from New York and acts like every New Yorker I have ever known. Please remember I lived in Texas for 10 years and his pride and arrogance out-shines every Texan I have ever known.
The best thing I will say about Donald Trump, is you know who is in charge and who will make the final decision.
Kamala Harris worries me, too. I call her “Comma-la” out of respect for the woman who could be our next president.
The worst thing I will say about Kamala Harris is I don’t think she makes her own decisions. I’ve been married for 36 years and still don’t understand how some women folk make decisions.
Like most, I don’t know a lot about her. I think she is smart and a strong Black woman. I grew up in Mississippi and know a thousand like her.
Party Politics
I will ask you, are you a Democrat or a Republican?
Don’t tell me you vote for the man. That’s an easy answer and quite evasive. And besides, the man (or woman) you vote for President in a little over two weeks is either a member of the Democratic Party or the Republican Party.
The modern Democratic Party emphasizes egalitarianism, social equality, protecting the environment, and strengthening the social safety net through liberalism. And I can buy into that.
It is also the “Party of the Big Tent,” and when you look deeper, it gets sort of muddy for me.
Currently, the Republican Party is identified by classical liberalism, conservatism and right-wing policies. Look those terms up in a dictionary and I will bet most of Clarksdale will agree they support those principles.
But not all Republicans believe in the same things and they are a fractured lot. Democrats tend to believe in everything and smile as they try to convince you of their cause and put their hand in your back pocket.
All politics is local
Clarksdale was fortunate to have Jen Waller-Pearson as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention this year. Now you may not like the party but how can you not like Jen. Most of you know her better than I do and you know she will do what she thinks is best for her community, her state and her country.
Clarksdale is fortunate to have people like Pete Johnson who helped change Mississippi from a Blue state to a Red state.
And, yes, most of you know Mr. Pete better than I do and you know he can still make phone calls for people and causes he believes in.
I’ve never really cared if my elected officials are Democrat or Republican. I do care if they are effective and true to their core convictions.
You see, patriotism is bigger than party politics.
Yes, the Democrats will whip up their voter base this week and we’ll see Kamala Harris’ numbers rise in the polls.
The same thing will happen next week when the Republican twist the Eagle’s tail and talk their rhetoric and dreams for this country. Donald Trumps’ number will then rise.
And then we will all set our sights on Tuesday, November 5, and quietly head to the polls to do our sacred duty and elect our next president. This is truly a great country!
Floyd Ingram is Editor of your Clarksdale Press Register. Neither his politics nor his religion is perfect and he is glad to talk to you about either if you call him at 662-627-2201.
