In an election year with scathing rhetoric, extreme policy proposals and scandals from left and right, it is hard for moderates on both sides to feel excited or hopeful about the two candidates. From the right, Donald Trump has isolated the GOP into a wing of demagoguery, racism, and extreme economic policies that would not only hurt the middle class, but the poor and the countries well being. On the Left, Clinton’s pandering continues to put rural areas into the dark, and completely ignores the fact that higher taxes equals less income inequality.

Senator Lyndsey Graham perhaps put the election best. When asked whether he would support Cruz or Trump, Mr. Graham responded, “That’s like choosing if you want to be shot or poisoned.” To many moderates, including myself that is the same feeling and sentiment that is true now.

I must admit, that I am more bias to center left politics. And while personally I feel that President Obama has put the country in the right direction economically, and fiscally, I am sympathetic to the far rights cry of heavy taxes, burdensome regulations, and the sentiment that the government no longer works for the common good. And In some odd distorted way, I can therefore understand the push and pull of Mr. Trump, a man who is untamed and irreverent to the system that he pulls people in by the idea that some sort of change, if any is good, even if that change would put the nation on a backwards path. But, as moderates, and I think I can say this for both sides, it’s the bigger picture that counts. Moderate Republican and Democrats both understand one thing and that’s looking down the road when it comes to  policies. That compromise, as well as  slow and steady progress, is more effective than fast and quick idealism and that is why I, intend to Vote for Hillary Clinton in 2016.

This is not because I agree with her on every issue. I don’t. Nor that I think she is trustworthy, or honest or in this case would make a remotely good president. I don’t. But I do believe that she is sincere, and she would continue the great debate between right and left alive. My message simply here to Republicans is: you have a lot less to lose with Ms. Clinton. You have everything to lose with Donald Trump. My message to Democrats: you have a lot to gain with Ms. Clinton, and a lot to lose with Donald Trump.

With Secretary Clinton, Republicans would gain  another chance to win over Latinos, and African Americans. It also would allow them to keep trying to sell the ideas of conservatism, instead of succumbing to the twisted conservative flavor that Donald Trump has.

The second feature of interest in this case, is that Ms. Clinton seems to be headed in the direction of,  simply put, a third Obama Term. During Obama’s tenure, Republicans and the GOP have fared well in Senate, House and Governorship races. While the GOP has seen set backs from the Affordable Care Act and a more limited foreign policy, a Clinton policy gives the GOP leadership a clear ability to incentive voters to turn out in midterms and even in 2020. Clearly, with policies and rhetoric the same, which is center left politics, the GOP and Conservative values will still be the main agenda at least for moderate Republicans. Last but not least, a Donald Trump victory would destroy the brand of conservatism and the GOP completely for at least a generation. It is tempting to think that the U.S. Congress would control Trump, or keep him at bay, but if history is a lesson, we’ve seen that to be completely the opposite. The fact that GOP leadership, once so incredibly and publicly against Mr. Trump is now supporting him with hesitancy shows Trump cannot be controlled.

It is no secret that the GOP has struggled with voters of ethnicity, the poor and women. Trump has surprisingly been able to insult every single group that I mentioned, and somehow added in Gold Star families, and the disabled all for the sheer heck of it. The  upstanding bearers  of conservatism seem most likely to fold in front of Trump. Speaker Ryan, as we’ve seen would not stand up, nor would Senator Graham or any of Mitch McConnell. In other words, the Republican party as a lot more to gain with four years of Clinton, and a lot to lose with four years of Trump.