The Blog Less Traveled

I remember during the presidential election campaign in 1992 that the Democrat’s theme was something along the line of “It’s the economy, stupid.” People supposedly weren’t all that interested in foreign policy or other non-monetary matters. They were only interested in the economy and how it affected them. Although it looks like this election cycle will be a repeat of that theme, I’d like to offer the Republican campaign the “It’s the character, stupid!” for their theme.

I’ve always felt that the character of an individual trumped all other qualities when running for office. For that matter, I think it’s the defining characteristic for most things in life, not just in running for political office. Anyway, I’m not saying that knowledge and experience aren’t important when dealing with foreign policy or economic issues. They certainly enhance your credibility in tackling these problems, especially in our current environment. Now is not a good time to be learning via on-the-job training. However, having said that, I think that anyone who can think on their feet and has a basic grasp of these fundamental policy issues can make the transition rather quickly and with little negative impact on their office. Anyone can get up-to-speed by surrounding themselves with competent advisors and trusted colleagues. But they better be very competent and trusted in the present situations we face.
No, the problem is taking this information and experience and making the right decisions with it. A person with character bases their decision on what is morally and ethically right. It’s simply a decision to do the right thing. It’s that little voice in your head that always pops up and gives you pause if you’re about to make a decision that doesn’t quite seem right. I think we’ve all had experiences in life where we wanted to take the easy path or make the best choice for ourselves but ended up making a decision that was not in our best interest but deep down felt like it was the right thing to do.

Don’t get me wrong. Neither candidate is a paragon of virtue. We all have our failings in life. We’re only human. However, when I look at the candidates, their contributions and choices in life, their mentors and friends, then the choice becomes very clear for me. This election will be at a critical juncture in our country’s history. The stakes are as high as they’ve ever been. Do we come to our fork in the road and turn left toward a one-way street of socialism and feel-good policies or do we make a right turn toward individual and collective responsibility for our countrymen and ourselves? The decision on whom to vote for this election has never been easier.