COMMENTARY
MILT THOMAS
As the most recent election buzz fades away and we face another election in less than 12 months. I have a few concerns about our future. Yes, I worry about the Indian River Lagoon, beach erosion, citrus greening and the effects of bacon on our health, but not as much as another issue.
There is a joke you are probably familiar with that goes as follows: What is the difference between ignorance and apathy? Answer: I don’t know and I don’t care.
Well, that pretty well sums up this week’s election results. And that is not a joke. In an underwhelming display of democratic ideals, a little more than a fifth of eligible voters actually voted. In one precinct only nine percent voted. That would never happen in China or Russia or Nigeria. Is there some kind of organized effort that caused voters to say, “I’m not voting today to show my support for (fill in the blank).” Or “I’m not voting today to protest (fill in the blank).” Or was it just a blank in people’s minds where “I’m going to exercise my right to vote that so many of my relatives died to protect” should have been.
The ignorance part of this equation is best expressed in a recent poll by conservative-leaning newsmax.com about Republican presidential candidates. I expressed my choice (still Jeb Bush who I believe is the best qualified), but then I wanted to see how others voted. Here’s the result:
Bush 31,447 votes
Rubio 24,025
Cruz 37,771
Carson 75, 712
Trump 483,176
This isn’t totally shocking of course because we already know Trump and Carson are the current frontrunners. I also understand the public’s frustration with gridlock in Washington. But seriously folks, Trump is a smart entrepreneur who has achieved the American dream (with a head start from his dad). But Trump’s success has been aided by his ability to look out only for himself and act as his own board of directors. He has a massive ego and lacks filters. He revels in being the boss and takes orders from no one. These are all good qualities if you want to be a dictator, but not in a democracy where he must work with Congress and for the American people, not the other way around. I’m sure everyone knows he is everything voters want to see in a candidate – a year before the election. But few see him making it to next November as the Republican nominee for president. At least I hope so.
Dr. Ben Carson is a brilliant surgeon, but it is possible to be brilliant in one field and ignorant in another. I’m sorry, but I am afraid of a candidate who believes the pyramids were built by Joseph to store grain. I’ve been inside the pyramids and never saw one seed. The Bible is a great source of inspiration about how we should live, but even the Bible doesn’t believe the pyramids were grain silos. The Bible says they were built by slaves. This all sounds somehow like a Monsanto conspiracy.
I hope the people I vote for have the ability to work within our time-tested and great system of government, are up to date in their knowledge of the world, how it works and how the governments in it work. I hope the people I vote for will work together to solve problems, keep us safe, pave the way to a better future and not simply pander to special interest lobbyists. I also hope everyone else who votes, will resort to common sense in their decisions and not blindly endorse people who make unrealistic claims and unfulfillable promises. Am I hoping for too much?
Indian River Guardian 
Thank you, Milt Thomas. Well-said. I’m too exasperated by the local political scene (and the Trump-Carson nightmare) to make any sense myself. Appreciate your clarity of mind.
Dear Milt, I do agree with you about Trump, the scary part about him is that he is actually the “Nemesis” of all those (save Carson) he is running against. As elected officials he constantly reminds them that there were better choices for the positions they hold in the GOP, and that they are the ones responsible for this country being in the condition it is in. Imagine still not having a “Front Runner” 14 years later to challenge Hillary! In spite of all the “bloopers” we are still the most wonderful country to live in, and some how or rather we keep holding on to that position.
As I understand it our country is a republic not a democracy, we elect people to represent our best interests and they then vote on our behalf for those interests. As far as China, the PROC version, because it is the only version people think of when they hear the word China:
Elections in the People’s Republic of China are only direct at the village level. The local people’s congress in China selects who the eligible voters are, averaging 300 voters per township. So nowhere near the amount of “eligible voters” actually vote, although there is 100% turnout of those chosen to vote. Vero had a higher turnout than the average Chinese direct election. The Chinese President is elected by less than 3,000 people, all members of the NPC, there is no direct vote by Chinese citizens for their president who by the way is always a member of the Communist party. The NPC is not an electoral college. Vero might experience a higher voter turnout if they had something or someone to get them interested in the process.
As far as Donald Trump goes, he definitely represents how many of us feel towards our government right now, both Republicans and Democrats should find some common ground on what he has to say even if we don’t all agree with how he says it. Since we still live in a Republic, The Donald has no chance of becoming a dictator if elected, based on what has been attempted the previous 7 years. Whoever is elected President will still have to work with and not circumvent our Congress and our Constitution. A recent ruling by the Federal Appeals Court sure sent that message home. Anybody endorsing Jeb Bush is really endorsing Hillary Clinton for POTUS because he can’t beat her.
Donald Trump has done more to get people motivated in the political process than ACORN. He has shown all the candidates how to stand up to the left stream media and if that is all he accomplishes during his campaign he has done enough. Maybe Vero needs a Donald jr.