Common sense says Trump isn't the man

I consider myself a common sense voter who cares about our country and the officials we elect. I want to vote for someone who has a passion and the skills and experience to make America great. And from my common sense perspective, Mr. Trump won't get my vote.

Lacking a voting record, we must examine Mr. Trump's passions based upon his words and actions. It doesn't take much examination to see that Mr. Trump's passion is with himself, period. For this common sense voter, a self-promoting president will not make America great again.

He explains that he financially supported political candidates from both parties in order to receive favors in return. Elected officials are called "public servants" for a reason, and Mr. Trump has given no indication that he serves anyone but himself. For this common sense voter, a self-serving president will not make America great again.

When asked about derogatory comments made toward women, he flippantly responded that he "frankly doesn't have time for total political correctness." I believe there is a significant difference between being politically correct and being vulgar. Honest and forceful communication does not require shock jock language. While his offensive vocabulary may appeal to TV viewers, for this common sense voter, that will not make America great again.

Mr. Trump's Twitter feed and campaign speeches are filled with ad hominem attacks of his rivals. Building himself up by tearing others down isn't leadership. While this may fill stadiums of people seeking an hour of entertainment, for this common sense voter, it will not make America great again.

Do I think we need to make America great again? Absolutely. Is Donald Trump the person to lead that effort? From this common sense voter's perspective, absolutely not.

Mark Erickson

Wheaton