Trump vs Clinton: Too Much Alike or Polar Opposites? (Sponsored)

In many ways Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton could be considered much alike. Those two would dispute that opinion vigorously. But the American voting public might be interested in the following:

1. Both have low scores with the American public concerning trust and honesty when it comes to many polls.

2. Both have dubious track records — Trump has to deal with lawsuits from various business sources which USA Today, The New York Times, The Atlantic, and The Daily Beast have all given figures for ranging from 100-3,500+ law suits, while Clinton as Secretary of State is being plagued by ongoing email scandals during that tenure and a growing clamor for an investigation into the Clinton Foundation, while Judicial Watch, a conservative group with strong legal tentacles, has been successful in getting the courts to mandate that Mrs. Clinton, through the FOIA (The Freedom of Information Act), write out the answers to the questions that the FBI asked her several weeks ago.

3. Both have marital issues/spousal issues — Trump with 3 marriages and Clinton with her husband, Bill.

4. Both are well-known celebrities in their own right.

5. Both are extremely wealthy.

6. Both are seen by many Americans as greedy, ambitious, seeking more power.

7. Both, as far as Christians are concerned, seem shaky with their faith walk — they may talk the talk, but do not walk the walk. To say the least, they are both controversial...

However, when it comes to important domestic and international situations, the two presidential contenders are far apart. On the important issues such as abortion, women's health, Obama Care/Affordable Care Act, taxes, business regulations, national security and immigration, there is great separation of thought and potential actions. Under the past 8 years of President Obama, a large portion of Americans have seen deep divisions grow within the nation. Civil unrest is now threatening with outbreaks against the police as in the cities of Orlando, Ferguson, Baltimore, Chicago, and Madison. The economy which has been mostly stagnant according to several polls, namely Fox News reporting that 64% still saying that U.S. is in recession, NBC News reporting that "Pessimism defines state of the union", CBS polling showing that 81% feel that U.S. is on the wrong track, and Gallop Poll showing that most Americans believe that the economy is getting worse rather than better, indicates that Americans are going to show up in November to make their anger, frustration,and desire for positive changes felt big time.

These trendings also seem to support the concerns that the middle class is stuck from upward growth and salaries, while the poor become more embedded in poverty. The wealthy seem to be doing just fine. As for crime, it too seems to be on the rise in cities like New York City, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Detroit, Milwaukee, and New Orleans. USA Today, a popular and fairly liberal newspaper, reports that several U.S. cities see homicide rates surge.In fact, the numbers of murders in 2015 jumped by 33% or more in Baltimore, New Orleans, and St Louis.

Meanwhile, in Chicago, the nation's 3rd largest city, the homicide toll climbed 19% and the number of shooting incidents increased to 21% during the first half of 2015. It is occurring in predominately African-American and Latino neighborhoods. As USA Today reporter, Aamer Madhani, writes about the people interviewed for his article, " It's just part of the background noise that we live with every day". So, the American voter wants to know how the two candidates plan on dealing with these severe national problems. Hillary Clinton does not seem to mind carrying on with the Obama policies, while Trump promises change.

This nation has always heard the word CHANGE from its politicians, especially from the challenger who wants to get rid of the incumbent. Many voters have believed that "cleaning house" is a good thing. Too much of one party domination is no good for any of us as the thinking often goes. And that is what Donald Trump is promising. The nation voted that way back in 2008 with the election of Barack Obama, a young, mostly inexperienced Illinois senator, from Chicago — a community organizer, a Harvard law school graduate, an author of the book, My Father's Dream, and a civil right's attorney as well as a professor of constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School. He was mostly an outsider from Washington politics, and he brought into his administration friends from his background and experiences such as Eric Holder who was made Attorney General of the United States.

That appointment was doomed for Holder when he took the fall for "Operation Fast and Furious" which under Holder's authority allowed roughly 2000 guns into Mexico with the goal of tracking them to drug cartels. But when two of those guns were found beside the dead body of U.S. border agent, Brian Terry, Holder's Attorney General position was in trouble. In 2012, the House of Representatives voted to hold Holder in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over documents linked to that operation. That uncooperative position probably cost him his job as the first African-American to be appointed to that cabinet position. At the time of Holder's resignation, he was one of only three remaining as part of Obama's original cabinet appointments.

Donald Trump is also inexperienced in the ways and means of politics in Washington D.C.. He is basically an outsider, and would that become an determining factor in the nation's voting? Perhaps. Much depends on who is appointed to advise him as cabinet members, if elected President, and who with sound political experience outside of the public view gains the trust and respect of a President Trump. We have seen strategic change within the Trump campaign with the combative Cory Lewandowski exiting, and veteran Washington D.C. operative Paul Manafort taking over the campaign tactics. Then Manafort is asked to depart. And no one gets Trump's ear like those of his children--especially his daughter, Ivanka, who many feel was the decision maker for the removal of Manafort.

If we see a softer speaking Trump, less bashing of Hillary Clinton, and more development of issues, will that make a voter difference for Trump? Possibly. Meanwhile, Clinton remains basically silent and unavailable to the public in terms of a press conference. It has been 7 months since facing such an interview by reporters. While Trump is all over the television, Clinton likes the opposite tactic of what many term as "delay" or "hiding". This might work.

However, WikiLeak's co-founder and Editor-in-Chief, Julian Assange, is set to unleash new information on Clinton which he promises to be an "October surprise". Another looming headache for campaign Clinton is the court order to the State Department that it start reviewing thousands of additional emails for potential release. Clinton will receive a set of written questions on her email server from her arch-nemesis, Judicial Watch. She is also dealing with allegations that during her tenure as Secretary of State, she enriched herself, her family, and the Clinton Foundation, by a policy of "pay to play". In other words, to be able to talk to Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State, over the phone or in person, one needed to donate to the Clinton Foundation to the tune of thousands or millions of dollars. The public is waiting to see if these allegations are proven with hard evidence.

So, where are we in this most nasty of campaigns for President of the United States? According to Fox News and Bill O'Reilly, most voters have already made up their minds as to whom they are endorsing at the ballot box. Only 8% remain outside of that realm, and they are Independents. But they could help be the turning point for either Trump or Clinton. And many are thinking as Bill Bennett presented earlier, "Better to change your standards temporarily than to lose your country permanently".

We have 75 days left to decide. Are you ready?

Carol Paz's columns appear exclusively on CarsonNow.org. Please email comments to npazcar@aol.com or visit the Women to Women website at womentowomennv.com. She welcomes your comments at npazcar@aol.com.

Click here for more information on Sponsored Stories.