Daniel C. Peterson for President!

I announced many months ago that I would not, indeed could not, support Mr. Donald Trump for the presidency of the United States.

My position is unchanged.  I will not vote for him.

Never.  Ever.

I’ll vote for conservative Republicans, but I will not — because as a matter of principle, I cannot — vote for a non-conservative.  And I most definitely cannot vote for an unprincipled, fraudulent demagogue of remarkably poor character and unbelievably boorish manners.

(See the analysis offered by Dr. Charles Krauthammer here.)

Nor can I vote for Hillary Clinton.

This leaves me in a dilemma.  Never before in my life have I faced a presidential election in which I could vote for neither of the two major-party candidates.  I’ve had reservations about both candidates many times, of course.  But I’ve always concluded that one of them was acceptable.

Not this time.

And I haven’t yet decided what to do about that.

I have serious reservations about the Libertarian Party and its likely candidate, though I have libertarian inclinations on a number of issues (chiefly economic).  I may yet go that way.

Or I may choose some other third-party candidate.  Or some write-in alternative.

In the meantime, though, I’ve decided to toss my own hat into the ring:

I hereby declare myself a candidate for the presidency of the United States of America.  If elected, I will serve.  I would be honored to have your vote.

(Click here for video of a performance of the national anthem of the United States by the late great Whitney Houston.)

My views on economics, the judiciary, foreign policy, and other such issues are much more developed than those of Mr. Donald Trump.

That’s roughly equivalent, of course, to identifying Britton Hill — 345 feet above sea level –as the highest point in Florida:  The fact that I’ve given policy matters more than five minutes of thought already means that I’m far ahead of the virtually-inevitable Republican nominee.

I am, moreover, conservative, whereas neither Ms. Clinton nor Mr. Trump is.

I would be very, very good.  Trust me.  I know lots of words.  I’ll make America great again.  I’ll have a fantastic foreign policy.  People will have lots and lots of jobs.

Vote for me!

Or vote for yourself.  Or for some other candidate of your choice.  Or vote for your next-door neighbor or your bishop or your Relief Society president or your cat.

Or, if you must, vote for the lamentable Hillary or the execrable Mr. Trump.  But know that, if you do, you’ll get what you deserve.

Unfortunately, though, I’ll get what you deserve, too.

Life really isn’t fair.

Posted from Tel Aviv, Israel