My case for President

Well, we made it. Election Day is here, and we survived. No doubt, there were days we wondered if we would. Candidates coming and going. Debates delivering soundbites. Propaganda overpowering facts. At times, we wondered if we were watching an election unfold or a war waging. And as we inched closer to this day, many said it couldn't come soon enough. Well, it's here. So now what?

Today is simple: Vote. As an American, you are blessed with the opportunity to make a difference. You have a voice in who represents this country. "Both the Democrat and Republican in this election are a hot mess," you say. Maybe they are. And maybe one is just a hotter mess than the other. Every election affords us the choice between flawed candidates, so we can sit around and wait for a perfect candidate if we want -- but we'll be waiting forever because I doubt Jesus is interested in running for office.

My hope is that you have done your research, prayed for wisdom and will now go vote. You can call it the lesser of two evils or the better of two candidates; it's all a matter of perspective.

What's on the line?

The Supreme Court is huge in this election. The next president will nominate three to four Supreme Court justices who will help shape the course of history. These justices will greatly affect our direction as a nation. We have already drastically turned the page. Our identity has already shifted. Our culture has been so redefined that we can barely recognize aspects of it. Newly appointed justices will either reverse our course or continue our decline. We need a Supreme Court that respects our Constitution and acts within its confines. Activist justices who see our Constitution as a living, breathing document to be tweaked at will do our nation harm.

Our First Amendment is at stake. Does religious liberty matter anymore? Are people free to live according to the dictates of their faith, or is government our God? Which candidate and party will likely stand up for this freedom?

Is the Second Amendment under siege? Do we want a president who has expressed disdain for the right to keep and bear arms, or do we want one with enough sense to know that nonsensical laws that disarm law-abiding citizens only make them vulnerable to criminals who will never follow the law?

Do we care about innocent life? Do we not realize that judgment will fall on a nation that views the most vulnerable among us as inconveniences to be discarded, even up until the moment of birth? Yes, this is at stake in this election.

Are we a nation or not? Do we have a border, or do we just allow people to enter, with no regard to our laws and values? Do we understand that even a generous, compassionate people must protect, defend and take care of the homeland and her citizens, that we must be able to vet those entering -- for our own safety, particularly with the threat of terrorism?

Do we care about our veterans and their health care, or are we stuck on the stupidity of believing they are being well cared for?

What about law enforcement? Do we view them with respect, or do we cater to domestic terrorists who hide behind injustice to justify mayhem in the streets?

Look at jobs. Look at taxes. Do we want a career politician -- corrupt as the day is long -- at the helm, or do we want someone who has signed the front of a paycheck, has negotiated deals, experienced prosperity and wants that for every American?

Deciding which candidate to vote for today is only complicated if we get caught up in personalities. If we, however, look at the issues, the party platforms and the big picture, it really is quite simple.

Whether or not we are excited about this election and the candidates we have, it is what it is. You may have high hopes for Gary Johnson or Jill Stein, but be realistic: neither of them will win. Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton will be the next President of the United States, and your vote will help determine that. I'm asking you to dispense with allegiance to a party, to your tradition, to whatever may blind you to what matters -- and to vote with wisdom and clarity. I'll do the same. And based on the principles I hold dear, the only person I can in good conscience vote for -- based on who is running and what is at stake -- is Donald J. Trump.

Adrienne Ross is an author, speaker, columnist, editor, educator and Southeast Missourian editorial board member. Reach her at aross@semissourian.com.