Many of my friends have had questions about both candidates for President. The ones on leadership are critical because no matter which candidate wins you have to work with others to get things accomplished. Leadership brings the best and brightest support cast together to give advice and maybe change minds. Poor leadership many still try to assemble a team of experts but they soon leave if not listened to and respected. Style is also important because the care and feeding of experts is vital to their contribution.

Hillary Clinton’s leadership must be judged by her term as New York Senator and as Secretary of State the only two jobs where she did not work for someone or just not working. Carly Fiorina once quipped, “If you want to stump a Democrat, ask them to name an accomplishment of Hillary Clinton,” this is really the question. Running for President, we need to evaluate what she can do for America, not what the ads say, but real accomplishments. This really sets the defining lines of attacks against her leadership. Her comments when asked were “I see my role as secretary—in fact leadership in general in a democracy—as a relay race. You run the best race you can run, you hand off the baton. Some of what hasn’t been finished may go on to be finished.” One has to ask is that leadership or some kind of excuse. Most concede that there were no major accomplishments by her as State Senator.

If it is not Leadership maybe it’s temperament. Clinton is an elitist who has contempt for the average American. She famously told a group of rich liberals: “You could put half of Trump’s supporters into what I call the ‘basket of deplorable.” Speaking at a Manhattan fundraiser, she added: “They’re racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobia — you name it.” That is about 50 million citizens. Then there are the stories of her blow-ups in the White House described by several different authors. Her lying is legendary; her treatment of Bill’s girls was to destroy them and then there was her leaving Americans begging for help to die in Bengasi and then lying to their parents. That is unforgivable.

What about the other person, his leadership is undeniable with thousands working for him and as they step forward, the message is always the same “Great guy”, “Terrific leadership” and “no discrimination.” Somehow, he has amassed a following of over 50 million Americans; there must be some leadership qualities there. The mainstream news may not say it but the people who work for him standup and say it. Yes, they found one beauty queen that does not like him from 20 years ago, One!

What about temperament that has been the big attack point? Donald is fearless when it comes to saying what is on his mind. This is quite different in what we are used to, with liars, sycophants and phony advertising all around us. This directness makes some people nervous but we will hear the truth, not the lies we have been fed. Trump is charismatic and loud but very emotionally compelling. As a leader becomes more secure in a new arena, they feel they can be more spontaneous, more expressive and that is what Trump has done. He is a man of action and for some that causes fear that he would do something stupid. Yet is he is a person who attracts the best and brightest and forms an unbeatable group and listens to them. He is smart and anyone who thinks he would destroy the world is sadly mistaken. America needs a risk taker, but a smart one and someone who will stand up and fight for us, not just go along. What we have been doing has not worked so well, as Robert Frost said; let us choose a different path.

Mike Young is a retired water and power executive who resides in Mesquite. Graduated from the University of La Verne he has taught communications skills and technical subjects throughout the Western Hemisphere. In addition to writing and editing technical manuals, he has a book titled “Speaking for Effect”. He has received some of the highest awards and recognition from both professional and public organizations.