How We Make Wrong Choices

In these early days of spring there is a continuing unrest spreading across the nation. My email box is being filled each day with information coming out of Washington and elsewhere about the condition of our country. Last week, there seemed to be as many people looking for a government shut down as there were people on the other side wringing their hands, wanting the government to stay open. Every person and organization that sends information has an opinion about what needs to be done to fix the latest crisis we are facing. There is almost a wrestle mania attitude running through some people’s thoughts as they try to make sense out of what makes no sense to many people. There are those who insist that their opinion is the only one that will work and for any who do not line up in agreement with them they are being assigned a place in the nether world.

 A friend offered this solution: “Open the top of the Capitol and pour them all out and start over.” While I understand that feeling, it sounds as if that would lead to anarchy with no leader or rule and would, indeed, create more problems than could ever be solved. The argument is being made by many people from whom I hear that the current crop of elected leaders is failing in their attempts to bring solutions and we would be better off starting over. While I understand the temptation the solution seems to have, the question arises as to who would then replace those who are in office now. Are we sure that the next crop of leaders will do any better than the ones we currently have? Many would respond by saying they could not be any worse. That is an unknown. We always take a risk anytime we come to the place of holding an election. There is always the passion and emotion of what the hot button might be in the country and the voters run mostly on passion and emotion in selecting candidates and nominees.

The solution I offer takes time and effort on the part of the voters. It is not too early to begin to think about candidates for the next election cycle. We know that President Obama has already kicked off his campaign (some say he never stopped campaigning) for his 2012 Presidential run. On the Republican side, dozens of candidates seem to be lining up to take a run at the nomination. There will be, as always, a long list of independent candidates for the office of President of the United States of America. As I speak before various groups across our state, the questions have already started as to who I think the nominee will be for the Republican Party. Upon being invited recently to speak to a group of concerned and active citizens in South Georgia, the person issuing the invitation said, “We want you to be prepared to tell us who you think is the front runner for the Presidential Election of 2012.” It is now time that we as citizens need to be informing ourselves on the issues and where the candidates stand on those issues. I know that unemployment is high and many are seeking jobs with little time to be thinking about the next election. I know the international situations continue to mound larger and take time to consider, which again leaves little time to be thinking about the next election. With a long list of excuses, we could all act as if we have no time to become informed on the issues and positions of possible candidates. I would suggest that we are in this situation today because we have waited too late and known too little about the candidates we have elected to office. As a political activist and pundit, I find that it is a full time job to keep up with what is taking place at all levels of government. I also find information is more easily available than ever. I contend that there is no excuse for not knowing the candidates and their positions on all the issues. As citizens, we must become informed and then be willing to tell others what we know about the candidates and their positions. We cannot afford to continue to make wrong choices.

Ray Newman:  All Rights Reserved