'Never Trumpers' Should Cast Aside Haste, Weigh '24 Choices Carefully

(Editor’s Note: The following opinion column does not constitute an endorsement of any political party or candidate on the part of Newsmax.)

The votes from "Never Trumpers" (NT) could make the difference of whether President Trump wins the election.

In a previous article, I discussed general argument to persuade NTs to vote for Trump. This article focuses on specific NT arguments. To defeat many of them, NTs merely need to consider the data and history of Trump's first term.

NTs complain that Trump's personal attacks are not presidential. These NTs must consider how Trump's opponents speak. They refer to Trump as Hitler-like, racist, homophobic, misogynist, antisemitic, xenophobic, a terrorist sympathizer, a puppet of Putin and a probable instigator of World War III.

The attacks are certainly more unkind and derogatory than Trump's nicknames and insults based on personal characteristics. NTs should shift their focus to those who speak ill of Trump because their comments are much worse.

Further, if NTs support those who make the attacks against Trump, the NTs should consider that their support of them is hypocritical given the words which the attackers use.

NTs believe that Trump will cause minorities and others to leave the Republican Party. In 2020, however, Trump received the most votes of any sitting president.

He also increased his support among African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, and other ethnicities. Trump, therefore, has expanded the Republican Party among minorities and in general.

NTs may argue Trump does not speak well of women or treat them properly. During the Trump administration, the unemployment rate for women reached its lowest level in over 60 years.

Trump signed legislation which created 12 weeks of paid paternal leave for federal employees who give birth, adopt or foster a child. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act doubled the child tax credit to $2,000 per child under age 17.

Trump also hired and appointed women in high-ranking positions in his campaign and administration such as campaign manager, cabinet secretaries, ambassadors and administrators.

Some NTs argue that Trump is guilty of insurrection due to the Capitol Riot on January 6, 2021. However, Trump has not been charged with (much less found guilty of) of insurrection.

Special Counsel Jack Smith could have indicted Trump on insurrection (18 U.S.C. § 2383), but he did not do so. The January 6 Committee (led by Democrats) did not uncover any evidence (memo, email, note, witness statement, etc.) that indicated that Trump engaged in insurrection.

Most importantly, days before January 6, Trump made available 10,000 National Guard troops. Mayor of Washington, D.C. Muriel Bowser denied the request. If these troops had been deployed, the Capitol Riot likely would have never occurred.

NTs have argued that Trump does not respect the separation of powers or federalism. Trump advocates for his positions (such arguing for court rulings or actions by states.) Other Presidents have done so as well.

These statements, however, do not mean that Trump does not respect the separation of powers or federalism.

Trump's actions during COVID demonstrate his respect for these concepts. COVID was an opportunity to consolidate power on the grounds of a national emergency.

Trump could have passed edicts via executive orders or mandated that states take certain actions. Instead, Trump had Congress passed bills and appropriations, and he allowed states to determine their own health protocols and reopening dates.

This pattern of respecting the authority of Congress and states was present throughout his presidency. Regarding the judiciary, President Trump respected rulings and did not act against them.

NTs argue that President Trump does not speak like a true conservative. Many conservatives like to hear certain buzzwords such as "smaller government" or "power to the states." Trump does not mention these phrases as often as other Republicans.

Trump's speeches tend to highlight the country's problems and his proposed solutions. The lack of conservative buzzwords does not mean that Trump is not a conservative.

As I argued in a 2016 article, Trump speaks with a new language of conservatism. His policies are grounded in conservatism, even though he does not use certain keywords.

The new test for conservatism should be on one's results rather than one's words. President Trump is certainly a conservative according to this test.

If all else fails, NTs should be reminded of products which they have used even though these items have aspects with which the NTs disagreed. Examples include items made with questionable labor practices and movies starring activist liberal actors.

NTs purchased these items after weighing their pro's and cons.

NTs should follow the same approach when deciding their vote. They should weigh the pro's and cons of Trump and the other candidates.

Just like NTs purchased products because of their utility and despite some negatives, they should vote for Trump because he will be the best president (despite the flaws which "Never Trumpers" see in him). The consequences of this election are too great to vote otherwise.