| Perspectives on Texas

I am voting for Donald J. Trump for president because he is the best choice for a better America. This is a position born of careful consideration — not from any sense of blind party or gender loyalty.

I am so tired of politics as usual, and this election is, in so many ways, more of the same. The campaigns have become wholly obfuscated, with a big assist from the media. Issues that are important and on which we should be focused have been overshadowed by name-calling, clever insinuation, blatant lies and a dogged determination to win at any cost.

Trump's opponent, Hillary Clinton, has spent so little time on the actual campaign trail that I've never seen her come out with even a moderately chronicled blueprint for America, other than to annihilate the NRA. Clinton has a record that shouldn't be ignored and distinctly telegraphs what she believes — as well as a verified record that is not simply dirty campaign conjecture.

For instance, we know from the FBI probe that Clinton lied about her private email server and was extremely careless with classified information. We know that she lied to the families of the Benghazi victims regarding the nature of events surrounding their deaths.

Wikileaks recently published over 30,000 emails that give insight on:

• Her own failed foreign policy efforts
• Her continuing support for the failed Obama economic and foreign policies
• Her disdain for Catholics and evangelicals
• Her support for cutting Social Security
• Her desire for open borders without any consideration for the radical terrorists who dream of destroying America
• Her support for "public and private positions" on issues
• Her tax plan, which will raise the already oppressive tax burden on the middle class
• Her support for a single-payer health care system
• Her characterization of Latinos as "needy"
• Her knowledge that Saudi Arabia and Qatar were funding ISIS, yet Bill Clinton took millions from them for the Clinton Foundation — an organization that spends only around 10 percent on charitable works. Even Chelsea was concerned by some of the activities of the Foundation.
• Massive collusion between her campaign and large media outlets
• Documentation of corruption up through the highest levels of government, including between the State Department and the FBI

Project Veritas recently released videos of Clinton campaign operatives who delightedly take credit for intentionally orchestrating the violence at all of the Trump events and indicates Clinton was aware of the tactics. This is acceptable in today's America?

Clinton's unwillingness to release her complete medical records and her condensed schedule give me little confidence that she has the actual stamina to be the leader of the free world. Tim Kaine as commander-in-chief? The stuff of nightmares.

Trump, on the other hand, hasn't the benefit of a public record, but we can examine what he has done. He has built a worldwide development portfolio, creating companies worth billions and employing tens of thousands. He has employed more women in executive positions than men. His employees are loyal and satisfied. He has provided for and supported our veterans.

The Trump campaign has detailed his plans for:

• Preserving and protecting the Constitution
• Job creation
• Education
• Reforming health care by repealing and replacing the failing Obamacare system
• Cybersecurity
• Lowering taxes for the middle class
• Child care for working families
• Reforming a broken immigration system
• National defense and taking care of our veterans
• Foreign policy and defeating ISIS
• Ethics reform at all levels of government; restoring public trust in our leaders

Trump is a pragmatist and a visionary, but he lacks Clinton's decades of political practice — and it often shows. While this is troubling at times, what I find disturbing is Clinton's complete disregard for the truth and her willingness to say what Americans want to hear even if her words have no association with what she has done, or will do.

Trump is offensive to those who aren't used to directness and sarcasm, but no one can doubt his love of country — after all, he didn't have to run for office. In contrast, Clinton views the presidency as simply the next rung on her career ladder.