Impossible Choice

I recently joked about the possibility of writing in the name of Vermin Supreme or Harry Truman for President. It may have been amusing then, but I'm not laughing now.

I heard on the radio yesterday that Donald Trump had the number of delegates he needed to secure the Republican nomination, and that he had accepted a challenge to debate from Senator Sanders. Secretary Clinton (or perhaps her staff) had miscalculated the significance of a similar challenge from the Senator and had dismissed it, viewing her dominant position in the quest for the Democratic nomination as more important, and not wishing to be placed in a situation where an error might threaten her lead. And by ignoring his bid she also indicated a view that she didn't see him as a serious contender for the nomination, one on whom she wished to waste her time.

Her decision was a mistake. She'll still win the nomination, but in the interim he will have had a national pulpit on which to air his views to the American people. Both of the debaters will be populists with large, loyal, and fanatical followings, with throngs ready to cheer at anything they say. I consider the Senator's views as both irresponsible and unworkable, but in contrast to Mr. Trump, whose ideas (at least the very few he's seen to have) are even more reprehensible, he's likely to earn increased support from the mob he's already attracted, as well as some who have not yet settled on a candidate.

That means that the ideological gap among our voters is likely to increase. Secretary Clinton will be forced to move her positions – at least those she's willing to express, whether truthfully or not – to the left, as a sop to those who have rallied behind the Senator. Similarly, the Democratic platform will be pushed in that direction. That's not necessarily the choice of all Democrats, but it's the reality of a polarized election.

Meanwhile, Mr. Trump, who is not viewed as conservative enough by many in the constituency he hopes to attract, will probably move rightward. And it's likely that he'll become more stentorian as he does so, but he'll also try to sound more presidential, if his handlers can convince him to do so. It's also likely that backing off a little will ease the concerns of the leaders of our allies and adversaries, many of whom are baffled by someone who seems to utter decisions without thought (perhaps that's the way he got into a debate with Senator Sanders).

It's a little late for a third party, and they never do well anyway, so we're stuck with a choice of extremes – a (n ex-) Secretary of who has been accused of exposing state secrets to those who might hack her secret computer, and a reality-show host who probably couldn't keep a secret if tried – he'd rather shout it out; two egotists whose goal is to win, irrespective of the effects on the country and Constitution to which they swear loyalty. It's a lose-lose situation. And we're the big losers.

It's time to look ahead with our 2020 vision. Let's hope America survives. At least with Vermin Supreme I'd get a pony to ride off into the sunset.