This is the question that I, and every American voter, faces in the presidential election of 2024. It’s that simple. Faced with the choice of Donald Trump, Joe Biden or Hillary Clinton, I’m caught between a “rock and a hard place,” stuck between the “devil and the deep blue sea,” with nowhere to go.
We must find better candidates for America’s highest leadership. But how? That is the task facing Americans. Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden do not possess the qualities needed to steer and inspire America through the difficult and hazardous times now confronting the nation. These three lack the qualities of character, leadership and management skills absolutely demanded of America’s top leader for managing the problems America faces domestically and internationally. The complex and complicated functions of managing government and dealing with Americas vital relations with the host of international players that constitute our nation’s world of international operations far exceeds the demonstrated talents of the Trump Clinton Biden (TCB) triad.
Something has to happen, soon, if America is to obtain a better choice of candidates for President in 2024 and beyond. In a very bad case scenario, Americans could face the possibility of facing the unpleasant task in 2024 of selecting our President from the menu of (TCB) incompetents that currently occupy the media headlines. The nation-wide search, by Democrats and Republicans, must begin now for more qualified and credible candidates for President than the (TCB) club offers. An effort must be made by Democrats and Republicans to break the “mold”, look outside the “box” and search for candidates across America. The search by each side should begin with some serious in-depth brainstorming and should be undertaken and managed by persons outside the political swamp and not of the kingdom of career politicos whose interest would likely be perpetuating the dominance of the existing order of self -serving power and money driven Democrat and Republican Party elites.
The evolution of America’s political system has reached the point of making obvious the need for an alternative political party. Suitable and qualified persons are currently available in America to lead a third political party capable of serving America’s need for a better way of providing America with presidential and congressional leadership than is presently dominating our politics. Former Vice President Mike Pence, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Tulsi Gabbard, Condoleezza Rice, and former Governor Nikki Haley come to mind. There are many others. America’s political milieu at state and local levels features an abundance of persons with proven records of public service who, with encouragement and support, would respond to a call to service at the national level in America’s time of need.
It is imperative that America’s politics finds a way for accommodating the needs of sensible, right-minded people whose views, values and philosophies do not fit within the family of big spending radicals and liberal progressives who currently control our selection of high-level leaders for government positions of authority and influence. It stands to reason that a more moderate political party is required whose leaders provide policies and practices better serving Americans and effectively addressing the issues and problems facing America, e.g., crime and violence, economy, illegal immigration, drugs, Defense readiness, declining faith, family and moral values, and restoring America’s world leadership.
America is being assaulted by forces that, left unchecked, may transform our nation into a land different from anything God intended when he created America and populated it with people friendly to His name and His cause.
Time is getting short and America must act soon to right the national ship of state. Strong, courageous, decisive and visionary leadership at the top is required for America to solve the domestic chaos and disorder running rampant in the land (immigration/border control, crime and violence in our streets, drugs/fentanyl killing America’s youth). America’s international standing has suffered and declined markedly owing to the half-hearted and timid display of too-little-too late assistance to Ukraine struggling to survive the brutal and unprovoked invasion by Russia. America’s current leadership seems unwilling, or incapable, of providing the kind of bold and audacious leadership required to enable America to meet and defeat today’s challenges at home and overseas.
The message to America is clear, 2024 is the make-or-break year. The outcome of our elections for top national leadership will determine whether America is restored and recovers its vitality and greatness or we, and the world, are forced to acknowledge the inevitability of a China dominated world.
Felsher, a longtime Hattiesburg resident, is a retired Army colonel. He can be reached at efelsher1936@comcast.net
