Presidents Day 2016: Will we give up? Or aim higher?

By Matt Rooney | The Save Jersey Blog

It’s Presidents Day, Save Jerseyans. An excuse for the public sector to take a taxpayer-paid vacation and care dealers to run endearingly-obnoxious commercials. What we’re really commemorating is our first president’s birthday (which is actually believed to be February 22nd but the federal holiday floats to the third Monday of February because, again, everyone wants a three-day weekend).

Accuse me of sentimentality if you wish, but I’d like to think we’re also celebrating a higher standard of leadership. The type of leadership we’d expect from the Leader of the Free World based on the original example set by the Founding Father-in-Chief, George Washington, the remarkable yet flawed hero of the American Revolution who didn’t have the benefit of a predecessor to emulate or blame.

219 years after Washington left office, Election 2016’s front runners offer voters dramatically less-inspiring choices regardless of what ridiculous crap Cory Booker (D-Twitter) is spouting to work his way onto the Democrat ticket.

rushmore trump clintonHillary Clinton isn’t a mere petty crook, folks. She’s a straight-up gangster. Watch or read Primary Colors if you’re a younger voter just getting your first introduction to how the Clinton Family operates. Even if she doesn’t land in prison for Emailgate, her most infamous heist may ultimately prove to be the 2016 Democrat primary which is proving to be anything but democratic. Only 35% of the country thinks she’s honest. God knows what’s buried under Chappaqua‘s un-chopped cherry trees…

Donald Trump, for his part, is the living embodiment of every anti-capitalism cartoon and satire ever concocted. Cruel, crass and willing to abuse eminent domain to deprive widows of their homes, the amoral reality star is a mix of Back to the Future‘s Biff Tannen and Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi; he’s happy to entertain crooks (see above) at his wedding but, when he’s not displacing the little guy by leveraging government connections, he’s degrading opponents as “p*ssies” while steering clear of that other “P” word: policy details.

Sure, we’ve had weak presidents before. But have our choices ever been so pathetic particularly at a time in U.S. history when the domestic and foreign policy stakes are so high? I’d argue not.

We’ve been pissed off before, that’s true enough, but Donald Trump is no Teddy Roosevelt and Hillary Clinton is no Franklin Roosevelt. No amount of mental contortion, spin or or liquor can make it so.

My goal isn’t to depress you. Enjoy your day of sleeping, skiing or Netflix-binging, Save Jerseyans. You’ve earned it. All I ask is that you reengage the world on Tuesday morning with an appropriate seriousness where this country’s politics are concerned. Not unlike how a person “is what they eat,” a country is no better or worse than the type of men and women it elects.

The decision attendant year’s contest goes beyond ideology. Ask yourselves: what would a Trump vs. Hillary general election say about America in 2016? What would George or Abe or FDR, or Ike say? Is our choice this fall defeatist? Or aspirational? Will we give up? Or aim higher? Is our culture only interested in celebrity? Or do we still prefer to promote substance?

Think… your childrens’ country depends on it.

_____

Matt Rooney
About Matt Rooney 8405 Articles
MATT ROONEY is SaveJersey.com's founder and editor-in-chief, a practicing New Jersey attorney, and the host of 'The Matt Rooney Show' on 1210 WPHT every Sunday evening from 7-10PM EST.

11 Comments

  1. Aim higher? You mean…like…Marco “Gang of Eight” Rubio?

    Marco Rubio…the official Butt Boy of the GOP establishment? THAT Marco Rubio?

  2. I’m not at all concerned about the future. In the end Republicans will come to their senses (they always have) and nominate John Kasich, a credit to America who will make Americans proud. And if for some reason he isn’t nominated, I’ll settle for another Bush.

  3. A lot of good Republicans are afraid to run in primaries dominated by the Tea Party. Keep in mind that Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson and Roosevelt were all elected without going through the primary process, which is usually dominated by the most extreme voters. Imagine if we had primaries in those days, I doubt those same individuals would be on Mount Rushmore.

Comments are closed.