AS MUCH as it is appalling to think, let alone write, there is a bit of me who wants Donald Trump to become America's 45th president.
I know it sounds strange coming from someone who thinks the man is a dangerous, lying, narcissistic buffoon, but let's look at it from an observer's standpoint.
From outside the United States, we don't see the election battle as between a Democrat and a Republican; the actual differences between those parties is not that much, no matter what their candidates say.
They are both still hostage to powerful lobby groups and, in particular the Republicans, to Bible Belt voters.
The presidential battle is not even between candidates now.
It has devolved through the looking glass into a Mad Hatter's Tea Party where each day it becomes more bizarre.
Let's look at it, albeit from a distance.
We have one candidate who is comfortable in the White House, courtesy of being the First Lady for eight years.
Hillary Clinton is also an experienced politician with a good grasp of world affairs, how things are done and - if nothing else - can maintain USS America on a steady-as-she-goes course.
She does, however, carry baggage.
And she is not trusted by millions of American voters.
On the other side we have a man with little credibility, who lies, evades answering questions and postures as well as former Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.
If in doubt check out photos of Mussolini's body language guys.
Trump will not divulge his business dealings, his tax history and revels in the fact he pays as little tax as he can. That, according to the man, makes him smart.
He is also accused of not paying contractors and abusing women.
Yet American voters see him as being more acceptable than Hillary Clinton.
This puzzles me.
While I like individual Americans, and am engaged to one, I hold the collective American intelligence in little regard.
In my view, there's too much flag-waving and God-loving and gun carrying to take the general population seriously.
What I am saying, and I hope I'm not being too subtle here, is that by world standards too many Americans are in my opinion naive, ignorant, and easily manipulated.
Crikey, having said that I'll probably never be let back into the US but, you know what, if Trump becomes president, as I'm suspecting he may do, then I wouldn't want to go there anyway.
A nation led by such an obviously flawed character is not one I'd put myself through US airport security to be in.
How could 40 million people be beguiled enough to actually seriously vote for him?
Trump appeals to the lowest common denominator. He is an expert at tapping into the disaffected folk in US society. But his divisiveness is a step back in time.
The mature Western world is trying to work out its differences through subtleties and negotiation rather than bullying and hyperbole.
But those basic instincts have tapped into a powerful stream of electoral gold for Trump.
It doesn't matter if he believes what he says, or even knows what he is saying, his campaign ramblings somehow make sense to many. Far too many.
I guess the good thing about a President Trump is that the United States would no longer be the leader of the free world.
Every Western nation would disassociate itself from a country that would chose, let alone allow, such a person as its leader.
It would be an instant reaction.
Not for an instant could I imagine our beloved Queen deigning to deal with such an oaf.
New Zealand and Australia would quickly become much more independent in their foreign policy dealings, particularly with Mexico, and most free-thinking countries would quietly become less pally with the big, thick country cousin.
That may not be such a bad thing.
In my view, the US has lost its moral leadership status and in many eyes has become a bully.
Perhaps it now needs a bully as president to make itself wake up and return to a more humanitarian and world friend role.
