There’s a meme floating around the Internet: If Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are in a boat and it capsizes, who wins?
America.
A year ago, it was almost unthinkable that the Republican
Party’s presidential nominee would be the bombastic real-estate mogul,
especially given the party’s deep bench and the strength and talent of
its field.
As many pundits have explained, Trump’s views and past statements belie the claim that he is Republican at all.
The Republican and Democratic parties are both in turmoil, sharply
divided over the candidates who have survived the primary season.
And
come November, American voters will face a choice between two of the
most dishonest, disliked and corrupt candidates in modern political
history.
Which is why the calls for a third-party run are not only
compelling, but such a candidacy may represent the only acceptable
choice for millions of Americans.
While many anti-Trump
conservatives began floating the idea of an independent run after Trump
started collecting delegates, support has increased in recent weeks.
Several
names have been suggested, including an unabashed Trump critic, Sen.
Ben Sasse of Nebraska, and former Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, both
Republicans.
But the most probable candidate for a third-party claim is Mitt Romney.
Criticized for his stiffness and capacity for making politically
tone-deaf comments, Romney did not garner enough enthusiasm in his own
party to defeat a strong incumbent.
But he quickly proved that charisma is not the equivalent of leadership or wisdom.
In
the ensuing years, Romney has become a respected party elder, in part
because, as writer David French explains, he’s been vindicated by
events.
While he was roundly mocked for his declaration that
Russia posed the greatest geopolitical threat to the United States,
Romney correctly predicted the failure of Obama’s “reset” strategy with
Russia and the subsequent rise of Vladimir Putin.
Perhaps more important, Romney possesses integrity, a virtue lacking in both front-runner rivals.
In
March, Romney addressed the Republican Party passionately, detailing
why Trump was not acceptable to represent it in the general election.
(Full article)
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Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article80459627.html#storylink=cpy