Editor’s note: This commentary is by state Sen. Joe Benning, a Republican who represents the Caledonia-Orange District in the Vermont Senate.
[A] constituent of mine noticed that I was having a difficult time accepting my party’s apparent choice for president. In truth, I’m not impressed with the frontrunner in either party. Call me old fashioned, but my vote comes with a price. I expect a candidate for any office to have integrity, the ability to respect all, and a working knowledge of the issues they may face if elected. This is especially important when considering candidates for president, a position by which all other nations will measure us as a people. Policy preferences become lost in the sauce when a candidate exhibits arrogance, ignorance, bigotry, disdain for opposing viewpoints, or takes delight in using fear and paranoia to polarize an electorate. I prefer a candidate determined to make America a better place to live by uniting rather than dividing.
So my constituent suggested I should vote Kate G. Shepard for president. Now I’m a political news junkie at heart, but I must admit I’d never heard the name Kate G. Shepard. My constituent insisted there was no better candidate. She is loyal to a fault, is extremely intelligent, makes everyone around her happy, has very few demands and presents herself as a strong but positive force wherever she goes. I was intrigued.
Despite the naysayers, America remains the greatest social experiment humankind has ever witnessed. After almost two and a half centuries we remain bound by a constitution that enables both the individual and the nation to reach their highest potentials, free from needless or arbitrary government interference. We’ve recognized our environment and rich natural resources as precious treasures to be protected. We place education and the welfare of our people highest on our list of priorities. Our military keeps us safe and can keep others safe as well. I want to cast my vote for someone who appreciates these strengths and will know how to use them properly. I want that person to guard against government encroachment on our liberties, and will represent us with integrity when dealing with other nations.
She is loyal to a fault, is extremely intelligent, makes everyone around her happy, has very few demands and presents herself as a strong but positive force wherever she goes.
Unfortunately, the present candidates leave me wishing for somebody different. They seem preoccupied with bringing out the worst in us all. We voters don’t need doom and gloom; we need someone to constantly remind us that we are extremely fortunate, that nothing is impossible when we are united as a people. We need civility, both at home and abroad.
So is it too much to ask that candidates running for the highest position in the land exhibit the characteristics of Kate G. Shepard? With quiet reserve and noble countenance, her mere presence brings respect and mutual admiration. She flatly rejects the idea of polarizing party animus. She consistently brings cheer to confront negativity and depression, knowing that her political foundation is built on love rather than hate. She might be a bit different from others, with four paws and a tail, but bigotry is not in her DNA. Perhaps someone like Kate G. Shepard is exactly what this country needs at this moment in history. I’m glad ballots come with a “write in” line.
