Every Presidential election, people talk of the importance of that particular election. “This is one of the most important Presidential elections in our nation’s history!” Truth be told, I’ve voted in six presidential elections and they’re all important. The 2016 election in my view however, is different.

After eight years of President Obama, the last thing the country needs is four years (at least) of Hillary Clinton. Democrats have thankfully not served more than eight years since the FDR/Truman run and there’s no reason to break precedent.

President Obama has been dangerous because he is a partisan (not an ideologue which is actually a positive). He is driven wholly by politics, doing or not doing something because the other side hates it. Hillary on the other hand is more dangerous because she is nothing but an influence peddler. For all her talk about the “little person”, she and hubby Bill are all about influence, privilege and wealth. She sees the Clinton family as some sort of quasi-royalty and she’ll sell policy to the highest bidder in order to maintain that status.

For the record, I support [mc_name name=’Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’R000595′ ]’s (cue “RINO!”, “Establishment!”, “Gang of 8!” , “CAW! CAW!”) candidacy but I’ll crawl over glass to vote for [mc_name name=’Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’C001098′ ], Chris Christie, Carly Fiorina, etc. over Hillary. I’d even got to bat for Ben Carson. If it’s Kasich, I’d really have to be convinced.

But I will not vote for Donald Trump if he is the GOP nominee. In good conscience I will not do it and here are five reasons why:

1. Trump is not a conservative. Hell, he’s barely a Republican. No conservative would support Trump’s vision of what eminent domain is. Seizing a person’s property for commercial development is awful and Trump sides with the liberal justices on the Supreme Court (He’s a fan  of the Kelo decision). He’s been critical of taking away funding for Planned Parenthood despite his supposed conversion to being pro-life. He says Obamacare did not go far enough and supports single payer. He’s opposed to any reform of Medicare and Social Security despite both programs needing it desperately. For just these reasons alone, it’s ironic that any Trump supporter would call anybody else a “RINO.” Bill S. has more details on Trump’s liberalism.

2. He’s lying to everybody on immigration. He’s not going to build his “big beautiful wall” and he’s not going to get Mexico pay for it. He’s not going to deport 11-12 million illegal immigrants. Aside from his name recognition and celebrity, this is the issue where he has some solid support, but in 2012 he was saying Mitt Romney(!) was “too mean” on the issue of immigration.

3. He’s a crackpot. He’s a birther. He supports the completely unscientific theory that vaccines cause autism. He flirted with trutherism with respect to what President Bush did or did not know about the 9/11 attacks. He has thrown out the completely unsubstantiated claim he saw “thousands and thousands” of Muslims in Jersey City cheering the 9/11 attacks (and no, some woman calling into the Howard Stern show to say she saw it as well is not evidence). We don’t need (another) President spouting that kind of drivel.

4. He has no class and he is no statesman. I know critics will write this off as him not being “politically correct.” But there is a line between being politically correct and being a boorish ass and Trump can’t navigate it. From making fun of Carly Fiorina’s face to his pathetic schoolyard-like bully mocking of a disabled reporter to his tantrums on Twitter about news stations or reporters “not being fair” to him (remember his hissy fit over Fox News?). It’s completely unbecoming for a man who wants to lead the free world. This is not ‘The Apprentice.’

5. He will do long term damage to the GOP. In addition to getting clobbered in the general election, Republicans across the country will be hurt down ticket. He could very well cost the GOP control of the Senate and wouldn’t that be fun? Chuck Schumer as Majority Leader and Hillary Clinton as President? That will work out well.

After 2008 and 2012 when people were screaming their heads off about “No more RINO’s!”, the 2016 field was set up perfectly. Conservatives such as Rick Perry, Scott Walker, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Bobby Jindal were all waiting in the wings. It was a great field and I shudder to think of the possibility of handing it off to a poofy-headed charlatan who uses conservatism as nothing more than a stepping stone to power.

One last thing: Donald Trump is very well part of the damned “establishment” everybody hates. Just because Trump has never held elective office does not mean he’s out of touch with the political class. Bill and Hillary Clinton were at his wedding for crying out loud. He is a crony capitalist. He’s given a ton  of money (mostly to Democrats) to politicians he sucks up to them like anybody else.

My hope is that like in 2003, when Democrats came to realize Howard Dean would get slaughtered in a race against President Bush, people will realize Trump will lose and lose big, thereby paving the way for a candidate who can actually win.

If not, Trump could swipe the nomination. But there’s no way I vote for that fraud.