A Donald Trump-Mike Pence presidential ticket could be a worst-case scenario — or a best-case scenario — for Hoosiers.
Worst-case: If Trump-Pence were to prevail over Hillary Clinton (and whomever she chooses to run with) in November, Hoosiers, in fact all Americans, would find themselves susceptible to the whims of one man — Pence — whose idea of public service is to impose his social agenda and religious belief system, and another — Trump — who has one imperative alone, to expand his power.
Best case: If Trump-Pence were vanquished by Hillary-Whoever, Hoosiers will have scored a historic two-fer, simultaneously shedding a backward-thinking governor and dodging an executive branch duo who would have wreaked social upheaval at home and rampant anti-Americanism abroad.
Granted, Pence would likely do far less real damage as vice president than he has as governor, where, among other transgressions, his Religious Freedom Restoration Act misrepresented Indiana as a bastion of bigotry against the LGBT community and his attempt to start a state-run press agency conjured the ghosts of Pravda.
Being vice president under Trump would further diminish an office that is famously impotent (not important). It's hard to imagine Trump sharing the power or turning to his VP as a trusted advisor. He certainly wouldn't deflect the glory. With The Donald, it's always been all about The Donald.
All presidential candidates want a running mate who can draw more groups of voters, but Trump's apparent pursuit of Pence is a power play without thin veiling. The two — other than their appeal to patriotic fervor — have very little in common.
Pence is driven by his religious beliefs and ultra-conservative economic and social perspectives. Trump doesn't believe in anything except himself and whatever will bring him more money, fame and power.
That's why his comments on political topics are comically self-contradictory. He doesn't say so much what just pops into his mind, but whatever serves his purposes best at the moment.
Whereas Pence is robotically adherent to Christian and conservative political dogma, Trump is totally detached from any integrated belief system. He is a quintessential modern-day Machiavelli, justifying any means to rise to the top.
So, while sequestering Pence in a toothless vice presidential role appeals to Hoosiers who have suffered through his four-year term as governor, the fact that he would be just one step from assuming the world's most powerful office is ulcer inducing.
It's almost as troubling as the idea that Trump could be president.