Attribute to L. Neil Smith's The Libertarian Enterprise

Monday I watched the first Presidential debate with Bruce and Knew right then it was going to be the topic of my next article.

First off I have to say I admire Mr Trump for courageously saying what no republican would dare say in regard to what is wrong with the nation. It was a breath of fresh air after watching Mitt Romney “The Severe Conservative” founder in the debates with Obama 4 years ago. He laid out the painful ugly truth and was reasonable and civil about it. This debate was the polar opposite of Romney vs Obama in which both contestants were piss poor and neither put up much of a fight. Which is what you are supposed to do in a debate. That’s why it’s called a debate. Right?

This time around Donald Trump actually attacked the policies of the other party and the nation in general. He talked about how America has made bad decisions and deals with other nations that literally have been giving our country away ever since World War II. And even brought up that Bill Clinton signed NAFTA.

Trump outlined a narrative that very populist and protectionist in nature. Perhaps too populist and protectionist for a Libertarian purist. After what has happened to the Libertarian Party which has fielded a duo with some very unlibertarian views on things like guns and life choices I’m beginning to wonder if such a creature exists anymore? If you really think about it; Donald Trump is stepping in to fill a void and address an issue that in a historical sense was once the hallmark of the Democratic Party; champions of the blue collar working class who have in recent decades become MIA. And that’s going to be one of The Donald’s more appealing policy points—not just for pulling votes from democrats that have been abandoned ; to their party.

There is also a sound fiscal reasoning behind it.

In my travels last week I missed the golden opportunity for a picture of what looked like a Hillary campaign HQ with the faded “H” sign in the window on a blighted street front in Altoona. Right next to the place pictured at the head of the article. And a lot of others like it. If only I had been able to snap a picture as the light was changing but I didn’t tap the button hard enough.

It would have been priceless.
But I digress.

Protectionism aside; America is notorious for making bad trade deals. And Donald Trump once again hit that one out of the park. The nation literally gives away its sweat and treasure to the rest of the world—making its potential enemies into favored trading partners, forgiving debts and picking up the tab for the defense of its allies in order to buy their friendship. Uncle Sam is pretty much Uncle Sap. Trump articulated that we cannot go on doing this when our country is a mess with crumbling infrastructure and trillions in debt. Hillary Clinton on the other hand parroted the progressive party line that the solution to the human condition is to just go on throwing money at problems and partisan pet issues. I wish I could have been on that stage to respond to her accusation that Donald Trump believes that climate change is a conspiracy hatched by China. No Mrs Clinton. It is a conspiracy hatched by environmentalist ideologues that has been embraced by your party and the Chinese are just pursuing their national interest taking advantage of the situation to profit from our national stupidity.

It is interesting to note that Clinton was riding Trump about not paying taxes. I like the way he shamelessly pushed back by saying essentially that he followed the law and if people are indignant about him taking advantage of loopholes; then it is incumbent on the Congress to change the law.

And it was a good comeback where Trump says he will release his tax returns when Clinton comes clean on Benghazi! A polite way of saying: Liar! Liar! Red Pantsuit on Fire! She could have chosen a better color.

In comparison to 2012; Foreign policy talking point were a lot better this time around. It was lackluster when Romney pretty much agreed with Obama. Trump says he wants to crack ISIS quickly and get out. I’m a little apprehensive of that one because wars are notorious for their unintended consequences and mission creep. Trump brought up a little known factoid when he was accused of being for the Iraq War. He insisted that he opposed it in the beginning and even argued with Sean Hanity in the early days. I did some research on that issue and found a lot of potentially damaging allegations that Mr Trump may have been for that war before the onset and his views evolved as the fighting commenced and things started going badly. To be fair—most of the democrats jumped on the bandwagon right after 9/11 and many of them also “voted for the war before they voted against it”.

Prog media sycophants were sure to spin the debate in favor of Hillary Clinton who either flat out won—or else Donald Trump enjoyed a mediocre victory. They have also been hitting hard with some nasty commercials. I took a pulse of the public sentiment in the days that followed from people I know and it is also a mixed bag. Quite a few women seemed put off by his roughness. Some who were ardent supporters felt let down because they also felt he was too over the top. Yet many—even democrats don’t trust Hillary. Others on both sides are disgusted and would rather sit it out. The whole thing may ultimately be decided by people voting along party lines for the sake of pet issues or protecting entitlements. Or their pocketbooks. Or for national security. Or to put asunder someone who wants to control them. And the stakes being that high; it could end up like the 2000 Election again where the vote was hotly contested in Florida.

That was when we learned about such arcane things as the difference between hanging, dimpled and pregnant chads! Only in America. And only in America could it have been Donald Trump. Who’d of ever thunk it?

Then again they blew off Reagan—a cowboy movie actor of all things. Until he actually got elected twice.

Right now I’m just happy it didn’t turn out to be the Alien vs Predator scenario of Clinton vs Christie. Or how about Gingrich? Now that one would really have been an amusing spectacle of Retread vs Retread! And I’d probably stay home.