“Well, yeah, that’s just, you know, like your – opinion – man.” — The Dude, from the Dude, in The Big Lebowski 

President Donald Trump’s values are antithetical to mine. I know that he is not on the midterm ballot, but he looms large as the leader of his party. His endless falsehoods, his cozy relationship with Vladimir Putin, his blatant disregard for the emoluments proscription (which prohibits high government officials from real estate dealings, or profiting from other financial dealings with foreign nationals), and his “love affair”, as Trump describes it, with Kim Jong Un.

His disgraceful attacks on political opponents and journalists are shameful. It is also shameful that the Republicans, with very few exceptions, refuse to hold him accountable.

I have voted for Republicans. I won’t vote for any this election. The GOP may say what they wish in private, but almost invariably, they support Trump even when it is obvious he’s operating outside the normal parameters of governance. If the party in power won’t check him, won’t balance him, then I can only hope the other party will do so.

Is it all about Trump? No, of course not.

Gretchen Whitmer may not be perfect, but, my goodness, she knows how things work. Bill Schuette was Attorney General of Michigan, and he was asleep at the wheel during the Flint water crisis. He has also been in favor of taxing retirement income (though he now seems to disavow that position).

Debbie Stabenow has served as a U.S. Senator, and effectively advocated for Michigan, for farmers, and for veterans. I’ve met her; she’s smart, capable, and has the demeanor and temperament befitting her position. John James is a veteran, and good for him, but does he have anything else we should know about him?

I don’t mean to imply that I am totally independent. I find that the Democrats have championed things like Medicare, Social Security, health care protection for people with pre-existing conditions, OSHA, the ability to keep dependent children on policies until the age of 26 (as opposed to age 21), and marriage equality.  The Democrats seem to take the position that the best person to make decisions about a woman’s body is the woman.

The GI Bill, providing educational assistance to veterans, was a Dem program in its inception, and when it was revised and improved a few years back. I have voted for Republicans. I try to keep myself informed. I’ve spoken with Jerry Ford. Paul Henry.  Bob Dole. Liddy Dole. One served as president as a Republican. One was the Republican nominee for president. Perhaps they’ll be slurred as RINOs (Republicans in name only), but I’m not buying it.

On the proposals, I will vote yes 4 times

I support correcting gerrymandering, the purpose of which is to subvert the will of the people.

I support early childhood education.

I support voting rights updates.

I support legalizing cannabis. Having worked for some years in criminal justice, I find criminal sanctioning for use of marijuana to be a wasteful use of resources, ineffective, enforced selectively and potentially harmful to those saddled with a criminal conviction. I’d rather see taxes going into state coffers, rather than have profits going to Mexican drug cartels.