A Word of Caution
May 19, 2008 1 Comment
In Iowa in the last couple of months I’ve attended several Republican events in order to meet our 2008 federal and state candidates and hear what they have to say for themselves.
It seems almost obligatory for most candidates to declare “I am a conservative.” This statement is usually followed by a lot of a lot of clapping, cheers, optimism (and of course RELIEF!!) on the part of the audience that (ah, at last! ) we are getting back to the core beliefs of the Republican party. Afterwards, at one event, so many people put their signatures on a sign-up sheet of support that I actually felt embarrassed not to be following suit.
I am hoping people were not basing their support for this candidate on a half hour speech. I am hoping he was not as new to them as he was to me because what I heard was not enough to earn my vote. I am hoping they are not giving him their vote simply to get rid of the incumbent Democrat he is challenging. And probably most of all I am hoping they are not supporting him because he told them, “I am a conservative.”
I’m not going to mention names here: that is not the point. The issue is that we all need to be cautious and careful with our votes. There are many candidates out there who are not who they say they are. Remember even if they are not lying or at least embellishing the truth, it is hard for any of us to be objective about ourselves. Do not make the mistake of falling for what you hear from ANYbody’s lips.
I plan to do whatever research is necessary, however long it takes, to learn all I can about candidates seeking my vote. That means to get an idea about them as people and to explore their history, learn a bit about their families, education, jobs, and careers (not necessarily through the lens of their own websites!) and investigate their voting records, if any. After that, if I’m convinced I have found a truly conservative candidate of integrity and ability who will keep government out of our lives in order to restore and preserve our freedoms, our families, and our economic health, then and then ONLY will I give that candidate my vote.
And if I cannot prove a candidate to be conservative in either character or actions, then I won’t waste my time, energy, or money but save them for another candidate in the future, maybe for a person who has not yet even dreamed of running for public office.
It would be counterproductive for me to give support and ultimately power to somebody who gives no more than lip service to my convictions. There is no future in that, either for me or for The Republican Party.
Way to go! We need those we vote for to realize that actions speak louder than words. So, no more empty promises please!