Character and principle count
What's more important: principle or "electability"? A TV journalist asked this question recently prior to another town hall-based Democratic political debate he would be moderating. Sadly, every person he polled answered "electability."
Why? Because as one 30-something put it, "you need to get elected first to have a chance to act on your principles."
I don't dispute the likely cynical truth of this statement, but how twisted our logic has become if we accept this! If a candidate shapes their "principles" to what they think their audience of the moment wants to hear, their principals don't count for much. Such candidates would do better to define themselves for what they really are: opportunists, not leaders.
Truthfulness, character, integrity and solid reasoning are concepts that don't need to worry about their reception. Solid values will win out in any debate against moral relativism. Likewise, well thought out policy positions -- even those requiring hard choices -- will show themselves superior to policies shaped by the sands of changing expedience. An immense body of disillusioned American voters is just waiting for the right person of character to emerge in the presidential sweepstakes. They await someone not ashamed of having traditional values willing to articulate and fight for their vision whatever the issue -- and then simply let the cards fall where they may. That's leadership.
Such a candidate might be surprised to find that the financial support they fear losing from the noisy minority might be more than offset by a groundswell of financial, volunteer, and ultimately voter support from the silent, disillusioned, but hopeful majority.
Another thing. If we capitulate to a mindset that says character doesn't count in our elected officials, we'd better have solutions to the accompanying challenge we will have created on how to instill character in our kids. I would ask those who believe "electability" trumps character and principle to solve a quandary for me. Whom should we hold up as role models for our kids if our leaders have compromised their right to that honor? Paris Hilton? Michael Vick? Hugh Hefner?
L. Meyer
Hoffman Estates