As I said yesterday, I’ve learned a lot about politics and politicians and how this affects our American legislative process.
Today is President’s Day and throughout the day I’ve thought about how much our country has changed and how our presidents have changed throughout the years. We’ve gone from George Washington, who was more of a military leader, to President Obama, who leads the country more with words than by the sword.
As our country has grown and developed vastly since Washington in many ways besides just our numbers, so have our expectations and ideals in our president and legislators. A huge shift has occurred in the recent years and people seem to care more about what a president looks like and says than about what he or she does.
In America by Heart : Reflections on Family, Faith, and Flag
“I firmly believe that what is needed in our Legislature today is a real representative of the people whose qualifications are honesty, common sense, knowledge of conditions, aggressiveness, independence, and fearlessness, together with business ability and experience…”
I couldn’t agree more. Presidential elections are coming up again and soon we’ll be bombarded, once again with ads and phone calls asking us to make a decision about who we want to be our next national leader and represent our country.
I hope that in those choices, there will be a candidate who exhibits those qualities Jenne highlighted. In a dream world, this candidate would be someone who:
1. Loves God
2. Loves their family
3. Loves their Country (as the founders set it up to be).
I hope there is someone out there who isn’t afraid to do all those 3 things (in that order) while accepting the duty of representing and leading our diverse and beautiful country. I hope there is someone who can make important decisions and support laws and actions that:
1. Uphold and defend the dignity and importance of every life
2. Uplift and encourage individual liberty
3. Empower and allow all Americans to seek and work hard for happiness and fulfillment in their own lives and in the lives of others.
More specifically, I don’t want a superhero President who does everything for everyone but rather makes sure individuals and states and cities and towns can do their jobs and live their lives.
And most importantly, I hope there is someone who can do all of that when everyone is watching and when no one is watching.
What do you think a good president should be like? If you could pick your own presidential candidate-who would it be?
You have mentioned Palin enough that you’ve got me all curious to read her books now. I mean, I know who she is and everything, I just don’t know a TON about her besides the snipits that I hear here and there and the news. And heaven knows none of that can be trusted. I like her (I think she’s gorgeous too) but I know she tends to polarize people. My brother, for instance, can’t stand her. But like I said, you have me curious. Do you own her books?
Yes, I have both of them, I’m almost done with the second but you can borrow the first one: Going Rogue. After I read that, I decided right then and and there that I liked her and that I would never trust anything said about her in the news again, only the source is trustworthy. The person the news talks about it is a completely different person than the real Sarah Palin. There will never be a perfect politician and I don’t know yet how I feel about her being president. But if anything, she is a great motivator and defender of the people that make our country great. Her second book, the one I’m reading now is more about her from the heart and has inspired me on more of a personal level as a mother and such.
Very cool. Now I’m really intrigued. I’d love to borrow Going Rogue.
THX!
I agree, Going Rogue says SO much about her, from the very get-go! Definitely worth the read.
Glad you got to read it too!