As I'm sure you're aware, the political climate in the United States is very charged right now. Americans today feel a resurgence of the political fire of old - passion and emotion often trumps logic and reasoned arguments.
As we enter into this presidential election season, I issue a challenge: VOTE, but do it right.
Do your homework - watch the debates, read what the candidates stand for, what they're saying, learn about who they are. (Use unbiased sources – we all know certain media outlets prefer certain candidates.) The biggest problem besides NOT voting is UNINFORMED voting.
"I vote Democrat because my parents have been Democrats since JFK, and they knew what was best for this country."
"I vote Republican because my dad and my grandpa voted Republican, and we have a strong Republican family tradition."
Notice a problem?
The world has CHANGED, politics have CHANGED, and the two parties have CHANGED in a big way, and they both say so. The Republican Party is not the same as it was during the Reagan era. The Democratic Party is not the same as it was even during the Clinton era. This is not the world in which our parents and grandparents grew up.
So know the candidates. Know the issues. Pray about it, if you believe. And please, PLEASE, DECIDE FOR YOURSELF who would lead this country best in this very different 21st Century world. Listen to your whole self - mind, heart, and gut. Make an informed decision. This is not a popularity contest; it's about real issues.
And then for your sake, your children's sake, and your grandchildren's sake: VOTE. This is too important.
We CAN change the world – let’s change it for the better.
Non-partisan election resources: www.procon.org, issuedictionary.com, www.dividedwefail.com
Non-partisan fact checking resource (we all get “the e-mails”): www.snopes.com
Monday, September 8, 2008
A non-partisan challenge to all Americans
A friend of mine sent out her first "forward it on" email. A call to inform ourselves? What's next vote with intelligence, not fear?
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13 comments:
"The Democratic Party is not the same as it was even during the Clinton era."
What is the difference?
100% of the Judiciary is controlled by one profession -LAWYERS.
60% of the Senate are -LAWYERS.
If Obama wins the election, all three branches of our government will be controlled by one profession -LAWYERS.
When one group controls our entire government we no longer have a SEPARATION OF POWERS. We no longer have a system of CHECKS AND BALANCES.
The checks and balances are a system for separation of powers. (a relationship fundamental to our system of government) It is there to make sure that NO ONE GROUP or branch of government can have exclusive control.
The FRAMERS of our CONSTITUTION never imagined that any one profession would become the PROFESSION OF GOVERNMENT. It is evident that the legal profession, though being scholars of the Constitution, will not exhibit the professional self-restraint needed to recognize the effects of domination.
I dare the Democrats to run an ad declaring that if Obama wins the election ALL BRANCHES OF OUR GOVERNMENT WILL BE UNDER THE CONTROL OF ONE PROFESSION.
They're all HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES, too!!!
Heaven forbid that our judiciary be dominated by HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES, OR PEOPL WHO HAVE LEGAL TRAINING!!
Heaven forbid that our SENATORS be dominated by HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES, OR THAT 60% OF THEM ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TRAINING IN HOW THE LAWS THEY ENACT WILL IMPACT SOCIETY!
Heaven forbid that our PRESIDENT be a HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE, or that he HAVE TRAINING IN HOW TO RUN A GOVERNMENT!!
Please tell me that sop is whistleblower. I'd hate to think more than one person was running around with such a confused notion of the separation of powers.
sophia, If you were on the outside looking in, rather than being on the inside looking out, perhaps you would be able to see how the checks are limited when one profession controls the entire government.
I can guarantee you that if all three branches were controlled by physicians you'd be able to see it as a problem.
Maybe you would care to explain your take on the separation of powers and checks and balances.
sophia...
At least I know you're paying attention to what I say. :>)
"The accumulation of all powers legislative, executive and judiciary in the same hands, whether of one, a few or many, and whether hereditary, self appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny." -James Madison, Federalist 47
I consider one profession controlling all three branches of our government to be an accumulation of power in the same hands. (I think Madison would agree) Though they are many, they do share a common interest and a common agenda.
If you don't agree, I'd be interested in your thoughts.
As a lawyer, I can assure you that lawyers are not united as a profession.
The Founders wanted citizen politicians instead of a ruling class of elites, but to say that lawyers are the manifestation of that class is to miss the bigger picture. Lawyers (besides judges) have little to no power. Lawyers are servants for the wealthy. The client is the boss.
Don't get me wrong, there are wicked lawyers working to deceive you on behalf of their rich patrons, but the fact that these front-men are being put into office doesn't mean that they are the source of the problem.
Lance...
I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Good luck on your campaign.
No one suggested that any lawyer is bad, let alone suggest that they, as a profession, are bad.
No one suggested that lawyers had power.
Just because you, a member of the group, say that it's not a problem, does not make it so.
I would have the same problem if our government was controlled by any one profession or group. Yes; I would even have a problem if members of one religion controlled our government.
Even if it is a simple as the furtherance of the profession, the checks are diminished by the lack of diversity of those in power.
I don't expect you to recognize this deficiency. You're on the inside looking out.
As a side note, and example: In Missouri, previous lawyer domination of our government has led to a judiciary that is independent, but lacks any form of accountability (an important counterpart to independence). Self-policing is not accountability. It never has been and never will be.
PS. Why don’t you put some contact information on your campaign site? You can’t represent the people, if they can’t contact you.
Whistleblower finally posts something that makes sense. I never thought I'd live to see the day!
Yes, indeed, having lawyers in the judiciary, Senate and Presidency is quite like having members of one religion dominating those groups. BINGO.
Guess what? Members of one religion, Christianity, dominate those groups. And, despite occasional over-reaching, our country has functioned pretty darned well, despite the proliferation of Christians in government.
I know, I know, you were trying to raise the spectre of Catholics or Mormons or Baptists or some other specific denomination gaining control.
But that shows the flaw in your argument. Lawyers are even less unified than Christians. They represent different interests, and their coincidental educational background is no more dangerous than their (claimed) belief in Jesus.
whistleblower...
Point taken. I appreciate your civil response.
I probably should have stuck with professions, as the ability to control/promote income is so important.
If physicians controlled all three branches of our government, would you consider that to be ok? How about preferred?
Physicians would be the only ones that can create laws, enforce them, and adjudicate them.
Would the patient or the physician be more likely to receive preferential treatment? Would they be inclined to create laws that enhance and protect the medical profession? Who would be left to say those laws may be unconstitutional? Their fellow physicians?
Do you think a jury, made up solely of physicians, would likely provide an unbiased verdict in a medical malpractice trial? Would you bet your future on it?
I don't expect you to agree. With the election nearing, doing so would eliminate the Democratic Candidate as a choice. (That is not my intent) As noted by sophia, this is not something that I am bringing up for the first time.
When Madison stated; "The accumulation of all powers legislative, executive and judiciary in the same hands, whether of one, a few or many, and whether hereditary, self appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny"; What hands of "one, a few or many, do you think he was referring to?
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