It seems like all we hear about right now is the presidential race for 2016. No matter how hard we try, we're bound to get slimed somehow by all this "news" flying around. So I will weigh in. I will admit I have dreaded wading into the cesspool, so I'm not super informed, but I don't really want to talk too much about the specifics anyway. I want to share my thoughts on what I believe about politics.
I believe that the founding fathers wrote a genius level constitution. Very well thought out path to success, and it worked well for a long time. Over the last 200+ years, people have gotten in the way and reinterpreted what the constitution says and changed a bunch of things that have not made us better. If I remember from high school, a good 20 years ago plus, the federal government was only in charge of infrastructure and defense. I could totally be wrong there, that's just what I remember hearing. Today they run the world. I think that is a pretty far stretch from the intent of our founders.
That being said, I don't believe the government should be running schools, welfare, marriages etc. This belief makes voting tricky at times. From where we stand today, there is no easy fix. We've allowed a very messy web of interconnected Band-Aids to be applied helter skelter all over our society. From the original intent I stated, to where we are now, we can't just go back. We can't just pull government out of all the places it wasn't meant to be. That would leave gaping wounds, oozing with pus. Sorry. :) The government has stepped in and taken over some areas of need that were being neglected by other sectors of society. We have areas that are hurting, and it seems we lack enough decent human beings with the proper resources to help out.
When I look at my ballot, whether it be for issues, laws, or people, I have a hard time deciding. There is often something on there asking for more money for schools, but I don't believe in public school. I think that is too often a horrible, life wrecking, hellhole that we force kids to go to for 13 years. They spend that time just trying to survive the tortures of their peers and the indoctrination of the curriculum. We've created a culture that believes this is what is best for our children. I do not want to give money to that, but ending the school system just creates a ton of other problems. There aren't enough alternative answers readily available. I believe parents should be responsible for the education of their children, but most of them are at work and unavailable. So if we make sure one parent is home to care for the children, the workforce is cut, the income of the family goes down, the economy takes a hit... See what I mean? Fixing one problem just creates a bunch more. I can't see the best way out of this type of situation. So do I vote for more money because I know there are plenty of really great well meaning teachers in there just trying their best to make a difference, or do I vote what I believe is right in the sense of where our tax dollars belong? It's a tough call for me.
So what does this have to do with picking a candidate? I ponder what should be most important? I think the main focus of the media attention tends to go toward the social issues. Gay marriage, abortion, and immigration are always popular topics. But are these the most important issues that we need a good leader to confront? I'll say yes on the abortion topic because killing millions of babies is a genocide that must be stopped! But the others, not so sure.
I see a nation potentially on the brink of disaster. Our economy is stretched to the limit. If that crashes, which many believe it will, do we really think these hot button issues matter one bit? If you have no money, your bank account has disappeared, and you need to feed your family, is it really going to matter to you if gays can marry legally? If the Muslims keep growing in number over here and you have to worry about getting your head chopped off or blown up by a bomb every time you leave the house, it's not going to matter to you if pot is legal. There are a number of issues that people base decisions on that really don't matter in light of the bigger dangers that lurk.
Another genius method of voting is based on completely irrelevant criteria like skin color or gender.
That is idiotic to vote based on something like that. Too many people want to vote for a criminal simply because "it's time." It is also not a reason to not vote for someone. We have to grow up! We have to look at what really matters and stop being mindless lemmings following after pop-culture with our brains turned off. We have to look at the character of the people running and examine their record.
I recently read a blurb by C Peter Wagner (a Christian author) where he said basically that he didn't think it was the goal to vote for the best Christian in the race. He said that is not the measure of success in the political realm. I'll have to admit that he made sense. I would prefer a Christian because I would hope he/she shared the same values I do, but that alone is not enough to lead a nation. Wagner made the point that the measure of success is different on the "7 mountains of influence." For example, in the business world, accumulation of wealth would be how to measure success. https://www.facebook.com/permalink.phpstory_fbid=10205247336453879&id=1560633356&fref=nf
I do believe character matters, because I don't want a leader that will trample people to achieve a goal. Someone like Trump has a record of business success in acquiring wealth, but I ask, at what cost? To me, that disqualifies him to lead the nation. I do believe he could have a positive influence on our economy overall, but I question how many people would be hurt in the process.
So what is it that really matters to me? I want to see a leader that can pull us together as a nation. I see division as a major issue that is destroying us from within. I want a leader that shows integrity and quality in his character. I don't want to have a shady underhanded leader that is out for his own benefit. I am tired of the lobbyists having their way in DC. They are out for profit and they appear to be bribing the politicians to help their cause instead of the people. I want to find a leader who can protect our nation from foreign threats and keep us safe from infiltration by those intent on doing us harm. I want a leader that seeks the to solve the root of a problem instead of just slapping more useless and harmful laws on things. I want a leader who will address the atrocious debt spending that has enslaved our nation. (paying that debt off at a rate of $10 million per day will take 5000 years!) I want a leader who can tackle our economic crisis with wisdom and compassion. I want a leader who will uphold the laws of the land instead of constantly making up his own laws. They really aren't that hard to understand. I want a leader that believes in freedom and honor.
That's a pretty big want. Who can fill those shoes? I have no idea. I don't believe that any one person needs to have all the answers, but a good leader knows how to surround himself with people who think differently and will offer new ideas for consideration. A good leader can look for solutions with an open mind, regardless of their source. Humility is a great quality in a leader. Ability to delegate and seek counsel are more important than having all the answers.
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