As a former “Never Trump-er,” I have been interested in others who have converted, however reluctantly, if not into Trump supporters, then pragmatic accepters of Donald Trump. Call us ever-Trump-ers.

Another such convert is Joel C. Rosenberg, the mystery writer who once worked for the late Rep. Jack Kemp, R-N.Y., and former Secretary of Education William Bennett, who conducted research for Rush Limbaugh and now writes biblically-themed novels.

Writing on his blog, Rosenberg gave 10 reasons why he intended to vote for the Trump-Pence ticket. They were mostly about stopping Hillary Clinton and her secular-progressive agenda, which he believes would complete the moral, economic and political destruction of the country. In addition, he wrote, “Hillary and her advisers may have committed federal crimes.” A Hillary victory, he believed, would have guaranteed nonstop investigations, possibly leading to indictments, though President Obama could and probably would pardon her of any and all acts committed while she was secretary of state.

While Rosenberg wrote he “continues to have deep reservations about Mr. Trump … Hillary Clinton is the poster child for politics as usual at a time when we need change.” Most of the rest of his arguments — from federal judges, to rebuilding the American military, to protecting our borders are familiar. He also thinks Trump’s running mate, Gov. Mike Pence, will soften some of Trump’s sharper edges.

Jerusalem Post columnist Caroline Glick is another person who has reluctantly come around, if not in open support of Trump, then in explaining why he has gained so much favor. She wrote: “After eight years of Barack Obama’s White House, America is in a different place than it was in 2008, when Obama ran on a platform of hope and change. Americans today are angry, scared, divided and cynical.”

Glick correctly noted that Trump represents “the voters’ rebellion against the American establishment — not just the political establishment, but the full spectrum of the American elite. From Washington to Wall Street, from college campuses to the media, tens of millions of Americans believe that their establishment is rotten to the core. And they support Trump because he is running against the establishment.”

The stakes in Tuesday’s election could not have been higher. They were about life for the unborn and elderly, the Constitution, growing the economy and the private-sector jobs that accompany growth, advancement or retreat of the LGBTQ agenda, the strength of our military, terrorism, immigration, a government-run health care system that will inevitably follow the crumbling of Obamacare, restoring respect for the United States abroad and so much more.

We Trump converts are not unaware of his many flaws, but none of his flaws come close to the alleged crimes committed by Hillary Clinton and her husband, including “pay for play” activities at the Clinton Foundation, which FBI investigators have been looking into for at least a year.

With President Trump and especially Vice President Mike Pence, America has an opportunity to go in a different direction. Trump has been specific about his promises and if the Congress remains in Republican hands, members can hold him to them.

Maybe Trump is like the box of chocolates Forrest Gump referred to — we won’t know what we are getting until he becomes president. But we know what we would have gotten with Hillary Clinton as president: more corruption, possible indictments, if not of her then of some of her closest aides, and a continuation of the Obama agenda, which, along with the Republican wing of the establishment, has been the cause of so much citizen angst and anger.

Cal Thomas is a syndicated columnist and author. Readers may email him at: tcaeditors@tribpub.com.

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