To vote or not to vote will be on the minds of many Americans this November. The nominees of both major political parties are a bit shocking and not what has been the “normal” for decades. For someone who has voted in presidential elections for over 50 years, the decision to cast a vote this year will be both a quandary and a challenge. One candidate is very rich and one was “dead broke” when she and her husband left the White House. And now she is apparently involved in a “pay and play” scheme as Secretary of State. The last Secretary of State who was elected was James Buchannan. Not the greatest of presidents in the American pantheon of presidents.
Hillary Clinton has finagled her way through the morass of the Democratic Party. From Arkansas to the White House to the United States Senate, she has built a political machine and throng of liberal supporters. From purchasing a mansion in upstate New York—just to qualify for a Senate seat—to making a deal with her arch political rival, her sole objective has been get to the White House. No matter that she has been subsidized by the American public while engaging in several nefarious scandals that extend into her presidential campaign.
The most prominent scandals are the email saga and the Clinton Foundation’s international misdeeds. There one really has to pay to play. This is the background and record of the Democratic nominee whose coronation took place in Philadelphia.

Then there is the Republican Party nominee. Donald Trump is in no way the typical presidential candidate of a major political party.

Never a politician, Trump has tapped into the swath of angst and frustration found in the American electorate. The width and depth of this component may well decide the result of this election.
Trump is brash, bombastic, and highly opinioned. Perhaps more opinioned than informed. His views scare some Americans and inspire others. Generally, those who feel inspired, have in the past felt overlooked, let down, and not capable of finding a job in the 21st-century economy. And they totally abhor the federal government, the bureaucracy, and the gridlock we have all witnessed in our nation’s Capitol.

Many Americans of both parties feel that gridlock has harmed the United States for years now. Trump is seizing this emotion and hoping to make his way to the White House. Upon entering the political fray, Trump has been tough, and perhaps has evolved into an even tougher brawler who is always striving to win. He and his opponent are very much alike in this way.

Trump may not have the ground game and, at this point, Clinton has spent a projected $70 million on paid TV advertising for September and October. Trump may be the most controversial and intriguing candidate in modern American history. Clinton may be the most dishonest and conniving candidate for the highest position in the land. The election this year will be a real duel to the end.

Each day seems to produce new revelation that may prove damning to one of the candidates.

Voting for the best candidate for president this year may well be a leap of faith. Recent revelations have caused more dilemmas for Clinton. Clinton hopes these too shall pass. There will probably be no special prosecutors before the election. Americans will have to make their own decisions as to the lesser of two dubious candidates. As for me, I am confused and undecided.

Perhaps for the first time, the vast majority of American voters are waiting and watching. The three presidential debates may be a decisive factor in making our national collective decision.

To quote the late, great Yogi Berra, “It ain’t over till it’s over.”

America is at a crossroads. Will the rule of law and the exercise of authority remain tenets of American democracy? Our system is being challenged and tested. The current divides in the United States are wider, perhaps than anytime in the history of this nation.

The tragedy in Dallas, the demonstrations in several cities, economic unrest, failed educational systems, race relations, fears about immigration, and external threats such as ISIS have spread both fear and hate throughout the land. Challenging and factual realities. Issues, unfortunately, not new to the U.S.

In 1968 the Kerner Report was released. This report was the result of a National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders.

Reading the Kerner Report today, some 48 years after it was issued, vividly demonstrates the same root causes of lawlessness remain and the rebellion against authority has been acerbated. The assassination of five Dallas officers threatens the rule of law and may lead to a road of anarchy. The thin blue line is the primary division between democracy, freedom, and anarchy.

Perhaps the starkest finding emanating from the Kerner Report was, “Our nation is moving toward two societies, one black, one white—separate and unequal.” This fact is even more prevalent in America over four decades later.

In 1967, there were riots in Newark and Detroit primarily in July. In 2016 the unrest and violence appear more pervasive on a national basis. Baltimore has had and continued to have its spate of violence and homicide. The Kerner Report stated, “Violence cannot build a better society. Disruption and disorder nourish repression, not justice. They strike at the freedom of every citizen.”

The patterns of disorder in 1967 were very much like the patterns of disorder today. This fact is disturbing considering the money and efforts spent over some 40 years to address the root causes of the unrest then and now. The most deeply held grievances then were police practices, unemployment and underemployment, and inadequate housing. Also listed were the inadequacy of municipal services and discriminatory consumer and credit practices. The

Kerner Report noted that “Race prejudice has shaped our history decisively; it now threatens to affect our future.” The report continued, “A new mood has sprung up among Negroes, particularly among the young, in which self-esteem and enhanced racial pride has replaced apathy and submission to ‘the system.’”

Today, empowerment must be added to this list. The racial divide has certainly grown in the U.S. It is disturbing that foreign countries are now issuing travel warnings to citizens planning to visit the United States.

Domestic politics has been shaken by the unrest in this nation. Protests may well increase voter participation in the November national election. With the election just four months away, the nation will be listening and watching for the reactions of both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. There is a real need for leadership in this country, not just at election time, but immediately.

The current situation in this nation must be adequately and effectively addressed before more unrest continues to erupt on a daily basis. With the attacks on police authority, a vacuum has been created that could entice recruitment and action by terrorist groups awaiting additional opportunities to harm the United States, and its citizens, on our own soil. This issue surely needs attention from the two presidential candidates. Rather than name calling and negativism, the time has arrived to seriously address the racial divide and attacks on authority in addition to the many other foreign and domestic issues facing this country. We are, indeed, at a crisis point that has many components and dimensions.

If gridlock continues in Congress, the nation will continue in turmoil and stagnation. No longer is it acceptable to hear the same old rhetoric from both sides of the aisle on Capitol Hill. Too much hot air and too many promises never fulfilled have brought this nation to the brink.

The national media and various forms of social media have been complicit in the worsening of racial tension and unrest. Twenty-four-hour news cycles and ill-prepared reporters only add to the polarization of the nation. Responsible journalism and accurate reporting are essential when informing the public.

Accurately reported facts are one thing, speculating and editorializing on in the media another.

This year our nation has changed forever. Demographic change, generational change, economic change, and many other fundamental changes in our society have emerged to create a perfect storm.

With this perfect storm coming in the later part of a presidential election year, these significant issues will challenge political candidates and voters alike.

America is still the leader of the free world, an economic power, and the oldest existing democracy. The time has arrived for the nation to prove these American attributes are alive and well.

Hillary Clinton in her victory speech said, “This is a historic moment.” She was only partially correct.

This is a historic election. Not only because there is a woman candidate for president. And the current president of the United States is meeting with a socialist to attempt to unify the varied components of the Democratic Party and cobble the Obama coalition together again. Then, there is Donald Trump. He has garnered more votes in the Republican primary than any Republican in the history of the GOP. And, he has never before run for public office. Plus, there is the personality force he exudes.

These factors raise many questions and doubts. Can the Obama coalition ever be assembled again in American politics? Can Trump persuade Democrats and Independents to side with his views and ideas? Is Hillary over the hill and been around too long to be a viable candidate? Will her record as a senator and Secretary of State be viewed positively or negatively by American voters? By November will national security or the economy be the dominant issue for the general election?

The general election campaign is just now beginning. The presidential race has dominated the news. However, there is also the battle to control the Senate and House of Representatives. The more problematic election is in the Senate unless there is a sea change in the House.

The presidential race and the election for Congress is really up for grabs due to the angst and anger found in the American electorate. Then there are the demographic changes that have taken place rapidly and significantly.

For instance, in California there will be a runoff election in October for an open U.S. Senate seat. There are two Hispanic women candidates, thus assuring that there will be a woman Hispanic Senator for the first time ever. There are several seats in the United States Senate that will be close and, perhaps, the person who wins will be from the opposite party of the incumbent.

The rancor in American politics is palpable. Ugly demonstrations and even worse occur in both party campaigns. Not necessarily foreign to American politics, the current wave of demonstrations challenges the concept of free speech. America has changed in many ways. Not all for the better, but change it has.

Looking at the landscape of politics in the United States, perhaps it is time for this nation to look at the political season in Great Britain. A shorter campaign and naming our political parties the Liberals and Conservatives, as they have seemed to evolve in that direction. Of concern is the rise of socialist concepts and the amount of young people embracing this idea.

The political issues, fueled by executive decisions emanating from the White House, have left political discourse debating the use of bathrooms and other rather strange matters. America has changed.
Then there are the really serious issues of the economy, the need for infrastructure, stagnant wages, and foreign policy challenges facing the nation on several fronts. Issues which are generally found in most presidential elections, but which take on even more serious import.

Regardless of who wins the presidency this year, the campaigns will most likely be nasty. Political discourse in this country has devolved to the point it may not even be informative, productive, or civil as the campaigns progress. The campaign each presidential nominee selects may have significant ramifications.

It will be interesting to watch what happens to voter turnout in November. Will all of the participants in the presidential primaries return to the polls in the general election? Will the supporters of Donald Trump flock to the polls? Will the Obama coalition hold together for Hillary Clinton? All are interesting questions—and there are many unanswered questions at this stage of the 2016 general election.

New challenges, at least one new face, and changing demographics. All factors that will make this election more disparate and, in many ways, really interesting to observe.

The success of Governor Hogan and his acceptability by the voters of Maryland has been somewhat amazing. Actually elected as an “accidental” governor, due to low Democratic voter turnout and a Democratic candidate who had to carry the baggage of a term-limited governor, played significant roles in the election of Larry Hogan as governor of Maryland.

His popularity within the electorate and the amount of Marylanders who believe the state is moving in the right direction is phenomenal. This fact has left the president of the State Senate and the Speaker of the House of Delegates, both Democrats, frustrated, especially State Senate President Mike Miller. He appears to be quite angry and most frustrated by having a popular Republican governor sitting on the second floor of the State House in Annapolis.  Even though the Democrats were, by the sheer weight of numbers in the 2015 legislature, able to override several bills vetoed by the governor, Governor Hogan remains undeterred in presenting his legislative agenda and achieving positive results which benefit the citizens of Maryland. This factor helps tremendously with the popularity rating of the governor.

Governor Hogan, in spite of personal health challenges and family tragedy, has continued to expound a positive message and reasonable set of initiatives in this session of the General Assembly. As the 2016 session of the legislature rapidly draws to a close, Governor Hogan continues to realize success and appeal to the majority of Maryland voters. His business approach to the legislative agenda and operating Maryland government have been a breath of new political fresh air in Annapolis.

The passage of the governor’s $42 million budget, relatively earlier than usual, indicates that the governor has a good rapport with the General Assembly. The new budget actually projects a $1.4 million surplus. And, this is only the second year of the Hogan administration. The governor is keeping campaign promises; this fact has been significantly recognized by the Maryland electorate.  A recent poll indicated Governor Hogan has an approximate 70 percent popularity rating and a majority of Maryland citizens believe the state is moving in the right direction. This is from a governor who had never held public office and has a career in the private sector.

The existing situation in Annapolis has been difficult for the Democratic leadership of the General Assembly to accept and understand. While many members of the legislature heard the voice of Maryland voters in the 2014 statewide election, their Democratic leaders have been left to snipe at the governor over mostly trivial issues. This leadership has used some delegations to initiate criticism of the governor. Yet, the various jurisdictions of the state, including Baltimore City, will benefit from the spending proposals of the governor and other programs funded by the state of Maryland. Given the fiscal realities in the state when the governor took office, such criticisms appear to have been premature and ill conceived. Using “Ready, Fire, Aim” strategies that can be divisive and non-constructive, within the state legislature and the Maryland public at large, have proven ineffective.

The leadership emanating from the   governor’s office in Annapolis has been quite refreshing and quite a different atmosphere from the tax and spend history of the previous administration. The voters of Maryland got it right two years ago in electing Hogan. We can only wonder when the leadership and some of the legislators in the state capital will see the light and be more cooperative and less partisan in their dealings with the Hogan administration.