Gentle Reader,
The election won’t happen for another nine months. We’ve already endured six plus months of this circus. Much as I love politics and everything to do with them (hello, The West Wing), it’s grating. Insane, even.
Absolutely flipping annoying to the nth degree.
It’s only going to escalate from here. I won’t be surprised if we see one of the highest voter turnouts in recent history. I won’t be surprised if it’s a bitter, bloody contest. (In fact, I’m expecting that). Whatever side of the conservative/liberal divide you fall on, whatever candidate you kind of maybe like at this point, please remember:
- Pray. Above all else, seek the Lord. Seek wisdom. Ask Him to raise up a wise, humble leader, a man or woman who depends on Him – regardless of party affiliation or lack thereof.
- This doesn’t have to be about the “lesser of two evils.” You don’t have to vote for either of the eventual major party candidates. You can pick someone else. If we want to see real change in the political climate of our nation, bucking the two-party system is going to have to part of that. No, coalitions made up of strange bedfellows from multiple parties aren’t always better. But we have to do something to get out of this wretched stalemate.
- Your vote matters. It does. I don’t care how disenfranchised or discouraged you feel. This is supposed to be government by the people, for the people. It’s about time those in power started to worry about pleasing their constituents rather than themselves. We can take that power away from them. They work for us. We don’t have to allow people to sit in Congress for umpteen million years.
- Worldview matters. Vote your conscience. Don’t worry about who the “inevitable” winner is. Don’t jump on bandwagons. You have to live with yourself. Be consistent. Have integrity.
- Don’t be a single-issue voter. Maybe you’re all heated up over education. Or you’re opposed to abortion. Or you into preserving the environment. Passion is great – but don’t let it blind you. A president has to deal with a whole lot more than that issue. Look at each candidate holistically. What are their positions on other things?
- God’s plan will unfold no matter what happens.
Finally, please remember that the president isn’t God. Do not pin all your hopes and dreams on a mere mortal. Do not put your faith in a someone exactly like you – a sinner.
Oh, and try not to rip each other’s throats out.
Great post, Marie…but I disagree with one thing. To effect at least part of the change we want, we may indeed have to choose the lesser of two evils.
No candidate will perfectly reflect our views, but it’s important to gain some traction on the issues that count most, and we must, I think, prioritize to the end of dealing with those issues in a meaningful way.
As an example, in 1992 Ross Perot split the Republican vote (and I did vote for him). As a result, we got eight years of Bill Clinton, and moral turpitude.
But the people of Rwanda fared worse, because the Clinton administration refused to intervene when they were being massacred…and refused to support other African nations that offered to intervene.
We need to do the best with what we realistically have.
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I get what you’re saying. There’s definitely no such thing as a perfect candidate. I just get tired of hearing people talk as if they can only choose between the Republicans and Democrats.
That’s funny that you voted for Ross Perot. My school held a mock election when I was in third grade and that’s who I picked. Clearly we were meant to be friends. 🙂
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Works for me! I always liked Perot’s ears…thought he’d make a good listener.
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Great advice Marie
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