Politics and You
5 things to do before the November Election
We are in the peak political season from now until November. Are you a political Junkie? Are you a staunch Democrat/Republican? Are you an analytic thoughtful chooser? Whatever category you fall in, this will be a year of choices. At the national level, we will, once again, choose the direction our country will take for the next 4 years. Do you want the country to continue along the same path or do you choose another? Emotions run high on both sides.
If you are a staunch Democrat or Republican, you will vote for your parties’ candidates because you believe in the direction they will lead the country. If you have arrived at this decision through a thoughtful review, I applaud you. However, if you vote the party line because you have always voted the party line, I suggest that this is the point in history that you become a thoughtful voter. Consider carefully what your vote will stand for.
We all have the tendency to blame all the awful stuff that happens on the politicians and downplay the good. This is an overly simplistic way to look at things. If we vote on the party line, we have a general idea of the direction we will go. But even then, surprises happen- an issue comes up that ignites the entire country-such as policing, and we see cooperation across party lines. The politicians realize that “We the People” want to change. And so it happens in a more cooperative fashion. Or if not that, it gets discussed to death and “We the People” forget what outraged us, such as gun violence, and nothing happens.
What does a thoughtful chooser do in this chaotic year to decide? Here are 5 things to do before the November election.
1. Listen carefully to what each candidate says he will do. Apply your truth meter to it. Is it likely they can or will do what they say? Do they have the power to do it or is it just what they want to do? Is what they want to do, what you want to have done.
2. Do they espouse a philosophy about people you are comfortable with? Should we have more equality and justice or more division? Are they for the status quo or for changing more in line with what our founding fathers wanted?
3. Listen to the political pundits from both sides and try to discover what the politicians and their parties really are trying to do? The words we will hear will be many more than we want and lack the simplicity and clarity that would be helpful, but we have to listen to both sides and try to see the truth.
4. Listen to the major speeches at both conventions, regardless of your party affiliation. They will give you a glimpse of what each party’s candidate wants to accomplish if elected.
5 Last, but not least. Vote! Whatever you decide after hearing both sides, sifting through the truths, half-truths, wisdom, and lies, will be right for you.
Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.
Abraham Lincoln
