We Are Whom We Elect



What is it that a person believes that determines the candidate for whom they vote? Hopefully the answer to that question involves how we would like to be treated and, even more so, how we would choose to treat others. The person who is elected to any office winds up representing all of the folks in their jurisdiction, those who voted for them as well as those who did not. That is the way the system works and in our national elections especially, that has meant for some time that we elect a president for whom only about half of the electors voted.  If indeed, we generally vote based on how we wish to be treated or how we would choose to treat others, the winner of the election will govern with an interest in doing whatever fulfils the greater good for all those he or she represents. The system breaks down when a person elected fails to recognize the responsibility to, as much as possible, represent those who voted for as well as those who did not vote for them.

Once we have elected someone, that person becomes our representative. That means that, in whatever, their capacity happens to be, that person represents us, like it or not. Of course the personality of an elected official becomes part of how we are represented and a mindful citizen watches to see if what the elected person says and does is compatible with how they would like to be represented. This is important because how a representative is perceived, is how you and I are perceived, even though one of us may have voted for them and the other of us did not. Our elected representative wherever they may be in their job becomes what others believe us to be.

All bets are off when you are unsure if what you are being told by someone is true. There are folks who might claim they are always truthful. That is unrealistic. We all tell lies and make promises we are unable to keep. Unforeseen circumstances often make liars out of us. The result is a lie. However, there is a more insidious  form of lying that we observe in some folks that almost prevents the liar from even wanting to tell the truth. This is dangerous and an indicator of a person to be avoided or at lest not trusted with much responsibility. It would appear we are being represented by a president who suffers from this pathological lying behavior. Once we have elected someone to office, we are owed the decency to be told the truth and be given the best estimate of what a situation requires of us 

The issue of honesty cannot be over emphasized, As indicated above all humans find themselves in situations where they have lied, often inadvertently. However, supporting a person who is virtually unable to tell the truth or recognize the responsibility to represent all of the electorate is foolish. We will not have a choice to elect someone who never lies (Jesus is not on the ballot) because of the inevitability of human frailty. But we can make a decision based on who is not lying intentionally.    

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