by Rebecca Mallory
We hear it every four years. “This is the most important election of our lifetime!” I contend that that somewhat trite statement will never prove more true than in 2016. Never before has the very fabric of America been shredded and torn apart as we have seen in the last 10-20 years. The very fiber of goodness that has made this country so successful, maybe even the envy of the world, is being threatened on a daily basis by a handful of elected and appointed officials. That’s what makes this election so crucial, so different.
Few other countries are run this way. Most have a king, dictator or at least an all powerful government that tells citizens what they can and can’t do. In a republic such as ours, elected officials are to serve us, we do not serve them. Feel a disconnect? Does it seem that way to you? Thankfully, we still have the power to choose through voting – which should be treated as a sacred and great privilege. I will not try to sway you, but rather encourage you to think and pray about what is as stake with each of our votes. Look at the candidate’s past. Ask about your favorites: what is their voting record? How have they lived their lives to this point? Character matters people. Their personal lives matter. Sorry. If you’re a lying, cheating creep in your personal life, why would I trust you as my president?
The mere fact that you subscribe to and read these posts on UFI leads me to assume that you care about certain things: the sanctity of life, the sanctity of the human family, the dangers of a handful of people in black robes legislating the sanctity of marriage from the bench, etc. Assuming this premise, it is my personal opinion that you, and people like you, will save this nation from further depravity and decay. Please pay close attention to town halls, debates and other venues to hear and understand what candidates for the most powerful position in the free world are saying. Now granted, we all know that politicians and those running for office often say grandiose things and make promises that sound great. But as soon as they get in office, many are soon forgotten and traded for the pandering to the special interest and donors who got them there. Doing whatever it takes to get elected is rampant in both parties. The game is played by almost everyone. Shameful.
As an educated constituent, you may already have decided who “your guy” is. I thought I had decided until the latest debate. Now I have several “guys”. I will not tout the qualities of any of them but just ask you to consider some things as you make your decision. An interesting opening line to that debate was, and I paraphrase, “No one on this stage is under federal indictment. No one on this stage is under investigation for any scandal.” That hit me like a lead balloon! What? Is that too much to ask from our president? One candidate made me so proud though. The subject was Planned Parenthood. This candidate basically challenged our current administration and those who support these vile acts to actually watch these horrific videos that discuss live babies lying on a table with hearts beating, waiting to be murdered and have their intact brains harvested for sale. How depraved and cold have we become to even allow that thought into the fabric of our nation? Does your “guy” support Planned Parenthood? Is it really a woman’s choice to kill her unborn baby? It is sickening and beyond the pale. You decide.
When deciding to support a candidate or not, you must first take stock of your own principles and values. What are your feelings about foreign policy? What are the impacts of the current Iranian nuke deal? How do you feel about the guest list invited to the White House to greet Pope Francis? Do you even know who was on that list? If you’re a devout Catholic, you may want to do a little research on that. What is your stance on gay marriage? Any idea what our government is really costing the average American? Any idea what the national debt is right now? It will be higher by the time you finish this blog post. Who’s paying for that besides your kids and grandkids? Do you have any idea what America’s current strategies on foreign policy are? One of government’s FEW responsibilities, according to the constitution, is to keep us safe from foreign and domestic threats. How are we doing? Just a few short days ago, it was discovered that numbers were being inflated and “artificially sweetened” to make it look like we were doing better in the fight against Isis and other terrorist organizations. Who can we trust?
These are trying and serious times for our country. It can seem overwhelming and easy to feel small and insignificant with such vast and serious issues. I contend that you are making a difference however. Be powerful and significant by casting an educated vote. Much more important than being the first woman, black, Hispanic, etc. president, is their convictions and beliefs; what is best for the majority of the country, not their thirst for power. Is it really that big of a deal? Yes, it’s that big of a deal. Not taking action is taking action. Do your part. You owe it to your children and grandchildren. Let’s leave them a better country just as our parents and grandparents did for us. Make character matter in this and all elections.