“I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
When a newly elected President places his or her hand on the bible, and makes a sacred promise to protect the Constitution of the United States, that moves their duty to protect America to the front of the line and ahead of the many other things a President does in the job.
As voters, we have a responsibility too. As we listen to the candidates, 1) we all hear what they say, 2) we consider the experience they bring, and 3) develop feelings about how we think they will perform in the job. This is exactly what we’ve all experienced in seeking jobs for ourselves. However, now we are doing the hiring. We should be thoughtful and choose wisely. The input into our thinking and feelings should be current or from history, but relevant. In addition, the actions and results of a current President give input as we consider how we feel regarding America’s safety, and our personal safety. This input shapes our expectations for the 2016 batch of candidates, and our expectations for their possible future performance, doesn’t it?
PRACTICE WITH CURRENCY
Well, so what! OK, let’s take a real example and practice our thinking: The current debate on gun control. There are two very divided sides to this issue, and they are driven further apart by special interests and the politicians. In any event, the President has chosen this issue as a point of focus, arguing with passion that it will bring increased safety to all of us in America. The question for each of us as voters is, “WILL IT, REALLY?”
To begin our “thinking practice,” lets look at this from two perspectives: 1) The big picture or national viewpoint, and 2) The local and more personal viewpoint. Now ask. Will compliance with the President’s executive orders make us more safe in fact as a nation, and should you choose to own a gun, make you personally feel more safe because you’ve followed the executive orders, or someone has? Do you feel confident that others will comply as you might choose to do? What about the bad guys? What if they don’t comply? These are tough questions, to which I’m not suggesting an answer. I’m only asking you to ask the questions.
I have faith in voter choices, and I have confidence that Americans will make the best decisions with their votes. I really believe, and that belief forms the basis of the Voting Alert Beacons. Do you have the same confidence in your choices, and in the choices of your fellow Americans? I hope so.
PRACTICE WITH HISTORICAL RELEVANCY
Still practicing, and on the issue of safety, let’s think bigger and give thought to what history might teach us. Expand your thinking to look back at the serving President’s performance record on national safety. Consider the following events:
- Doubling the national deficit from $10 to $20 trillion (a key safety driver)
- Continuing cuts in defense spending
- Not putting the missile defense system in Eastern Europe
- Watching as Russia invaded Crimea (later annexed) and the Ukraine
- Not implementing by actions that contribute to energy independence
- Benghazi
- Releasing 6000 convicts from federal prisons
- Iran nuclear agreement
- Syrian refugees
- Continued growth of ISIS
- Not sealing the US borders
- Not taking action on the Syrian chemical weapon redline
- Early withdrawal of forces from Iraq
- Plans to withdraw forces from Afghanistan
- Releasing Guantanomo prisoners (with goal to close the prison)
The controversy around all and each of these continues to swirl. We all have our own ideas and opinions about them, but let’s go back to my earlier question. In terms of keeping America SAFE, do you think the serving President has properly balanced actions and responses in each, given how all of these connect to each other to form a tapestry? Is that tapestry a warm blanket of safety? Is America safer? Is there a unifying vision that runs through all of them? Finally, finish the process by going back to the beginning, and ask yourself how you feel about gun control now. Should it even be part of the same historical “tapestry and weave?” Ask yourself how safe you might feel now if different actions had been taken along the way. 
OK, now carry the learnings and feelings you’ve gotten from this thought experiment, and look at the 2016 candidates. Consider your choice carefully and be sure to vote!!!
Honesty and public service are the gears that drive our democracy, and we turn those gears with our RIGHT TO VOTE. LET’S ALL VOTE!
. . . remember that America’s best days aren’t behind her. America’s best days are ahead of her. They always have been and always will be.
Dave
Copyright © 2016 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved.