Other than a chance to blame Donald Trump for anything negative in the past decade, Kamala Harris’ appearance on Fox News with Brett Baier brought home how difficult it is to be a former Republican endorsing her. She has always been on the far left of her party. One has only to look at her stands running in 2019 for verification. Harris is right at home because the Biden administration is the most progressive in recent history. Given several chances to distance herself from Biden in several venues, including Brett Baier, she hasn’t found anything substantial where she differed from her boss.

You may detest Donald Trump, the person, or feel he is not your type of conservative, and I can see where you are coming from. I, too, have been critical of Trump, as readers are well aware. If you find the former president abhorrent, don’t vote for him.

What I don’t understand is why you crossed over to the Progressive side. You can’t be much of a Reagan conservative if you support one of the most progressive, if not the most progressive major party presidential candidate ever.

Others, such as Mitt Romney, while not voting for Trump, refuse to support someone whose positions are the opposite of their beliefs. They are out there campaigning for down-ticket Republicans. This action builds good will allowing them to have voice in the party going forward.

While acknowledging her differences with Donald Trump, Nikki Haley makes clear they have points of agreement. Indeed, she has more in common with him than with Kamala Harris. She is keeping her vow to support the Republican nominee, even offering to campaign for him.

Haley, Romny, and those who act similarly understand that even if Trump wins, he is a lame duck. In four years, he is gone, and whether successful or not the Republicans have to nominate someone else.

In 2028, the country will have to face up to the underfunding of mandatory programs, adding massively to an already surging national debt. How will the government sell 10-year notes and longer maturities by the truckload to increasingly skeptical investors? Seeing more debt needing financing, they’ll need high rates to offset the risk. Alternatively, the Federal Reserve could buy the debt by printing money. Of course, this is wildly inflationary. By necessity, the party will have to be open to new ldeas and direction and those who stuck with the GOP will have voice.

A Trump loss extends the party’s underperformance streak to four straight elections, prompting earlier changes. As the most obvious alternative, Nikki Haley will have a significant say in the GOP’s future. Romney will have a voice.

Like Benedict Arnold, those from the GOP backing Harris will find no home. While the colonists loathed the traitor, the British never accepted him. A party dominated by progressives will have no use for people leaning conservative once they have served their purpose in the election. It is hard to see Liz or Dick Cheney welcomed into the Democrats highest levels after 11/5.

Most turncoats consider themselves elite, and whether you are a Brahman, mandarin, or aristocracy, you may have a group affinity greater than party loyalty. You are more comfortable with your peers than with people you are closer to philosophically but find distasteful. These are the ones who will have to decide if they are willing dump their principles to stay in good stead in the group.

Of course, maybe they never had strong ideals in the first place. A hundred and eighty degrees turn is no big deal if it’s just a job. In that case, good riddance.

Many people are genuinely uncomfortable with either major party, and I feel for them. I have a whole series on a “Future Party.” One thing I found is that third parties are tricky. The “No Labels Party” raised money and got on ballots but couldn’t find a candidate. It turns out you need to stand for something. The last successful third party coalesced against slavery. Unlike the Republicans, “No Labels” is against the extremes of the major parties, without a program espoused by leadership.

Without principles, the turncoats would add little to any third-party movement. Hence, they moved to the other extreme.

It saddens me to see people who I once had great respect for wandering off to irrelevancy, but maybe loyalty to your elite class, coupled with a lack of principles made that destiny inevitable.

With only a couple of weeks left until election day, I’m left to these musings. With the contest appears too close to call, I have little more to say. Add that my computer decided to have a nervous breakdown, and this is done on my Ipad it’s hard to do any heavy lifting.

Still, these thoughts point to what I would advise each candidates to do in the closing moments. Trump needs to swallow his enormous pride and campaign with Nikki Haley in every suburb in the toss-up states. Harris is going heavy for her supporters, but nobody is better to tell them who to vote for than Haley herself. She could be the difference.

It may be too late, but Harris has to cut ties to the failed Biden Administration anchor. Show some imagination rather than giveaways. The fact she is a major administration player makes this difficult isn’t a reason not to try. 90% of the media will salute.