Coming Around (To A Presidential Pick)

From my earliest awareness I believed in free will and in joining together with others to accomplish common good.

Self-reliance, natural freedom, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s idea that “the fruits of the earth belong to us all, and the earth itself to nobody,” have been a part of me for as long as I can remember.

A poor disciple of these ideas, I stumbled through college, wandered into military service, became distracted in a 25-year career, and have been working to sustain a life in a turbulent world after cutting the cord on financial security. Between youth’s vigor and the infirmities of age there is a lot to accomplish before the final curtain.

I had better choose wisely.

This summer I wrote about the Democratic presidential primary and the Iowa caucuses. My purpose was to say something meaningful in public, and to pick a candidate to support.

Even though Vice President Joe Biden may enter the race, and there are literally scores of lesser candidates, the choice reduces itself to one of three people: Hillary Clinton, Martin O’Malley or Bernie Sanders.

I support Hillary Clinton for these reasons:

As a society there is little value in aging white men asserting leadership. It is time for this woman to be president.

Of the entire field of Democrats and Republicans, Clinton is most qualified to faithfully execute the office of president. Her resume is well known and stands above what any other candidate offers. In terms of her experience, her engagement in international conflict, in weathering controversy, she has been in the arena for a very long time… she’s still there and thriving.

Her advocacy for women and children, around the globe over three decades, not only made a difference, it was the right thing to do and still is.

Lastly, I trust Hillary Clinton to appoint Supreme Court justices who reflect the values of common men and women like me. The four oldest justices are or will turn 80 before the end of the next presidential term. We need a president who’s watching out for us when it comes time to appoint a replacement.

This cycle is not about issues or about whatever paid punditry raises in clamor. It’s about picking a president who can stand above the noise and stake a claim to help the American people realize their potential. For me, that person is Hillary Clinton.