Three things were striking the morning after Super Tuesday: Nikki Haley's declining to endorse former President Trump as she withdrew from the Republican primary; a new poll showing 6 of 10 Americans doubt both President Biden's and Trump's mental acuity when it comes to serving as President; and the Ukrainian's First Lady rejecting the invitation to attend the State of the Union address.

In 2024, America is a divided nation with weak political candidates whose own political inertia is earning it international snubs.

In her remarks as she announced her withdrawal from the presidential race, Haley made some strong statements. She encouraged Trump to focus on bringing people in instead of driving them away. She quoted Margaret Thatcher, "Never just follow the crowd. Always make up your own mind." And she bucked the Republican National Committee's candidate pledge requirement that candidates exiting the presidential race throw their support behind the nominee.

While the Trump campaign continuously makes proclamations about a united GOP, the Republican Party is far from that. Republican voters are roughly broken into thirds: the MAGA true believers are one third, another third is comprised of voters who will support Trump in order to win the White House, and the remaining third oppose Trump entirely.

But the presidential primary is about delegates and many states' primaries are all-or-nothing contests: all that state's delegates go to the winner of the primary. For instance, in South Carolina, where Haley received 40% of the vote, she won zero delegates. As of this writing, Trump has 995 of 1,215 delegates needed to clinch the nomination.

Trump's strong showing this early in the primary contrasts with other numbers. 70% of Americans would prefer that neither Trump nor Biden run in the 2024 election. These numbers come from a majority of Democrats who would prefer Biden not run and overwhelmingly reject Trump, a majority of Republicans who prefer Trump not run and overwhelmingly reject Biden, and independents who reject both.

Polling also shows Democrats will vote for Biden as a vote against Trump, and Republicans will vote for Trump as a rejection of Biden. The real question will be whom the independents loathe the most – this will decide the election.

Now the most recent polls show voters don't even think the likely nominees have the mental sharpness to handle the Oval office. In November, voters will simply cast their rage vote for the failing old man they hate the least. This is very sad.

Shifting gears to Congress, nothing is happening. Really. There is no budget nearly six months into the new fiscal year, which makes our federal spending, which is already excessive, grossly inefficient. There is no border legislation. There is no foreign aid package.

In other words, even if we could get the necessary foreign aid to Ukraine, and send additional arms, the Department of Defense is still under a continuing resolution, making it all but impossible to issue contracts to replenish dwindling stocks. Not only is this embarrassing impasse not worth Olena Zelenska's time, but it is also great propaganda fodder for Vladimir Putin. And Iran. And China.

Whoever wins the race for the White House, and whatever party gains control of Congress, will have no mandate behind them. Americans lack basic faith in Biden and Trump, and majority margins in Congress are likely to remain slim, ensuring continued rancor and inaction.

Yet nearly $16 billion will be spent on advertising this election cycle. This staggering number (bigger even than Taylor Swift's Eras tour box office take!) doesn't even include the money going to campaign staff, consultants and travel. It's a tremendous amount of money for a shockingly small return.

Voters must demand better.

Merritt Hamilton Allen is a PR executive and former Navy officer. She appeared regularly as a panelist on NM PBS and is a frequent guest on News Radio KKOB. A Republican, she lives amicably with her Democratic husband north of I-40 where they run one head of dog, and two of cat. She can be reached at news.ind.merritt@gmail.com.