I was listening to a panel discussion on the radio, and the moderator made the comment that we use to vote for people who had the same general views, but also we voted for people with good judgment. People who when elected could use their judgment to make the tough decisions necessary to govern.
Today many voters seem to be headed in a different direction. They are voting for candidates who have decided that good judgment should not be part of the governing process. They are voting for candidates who have abdicated thinking on their own, and instead have signed pledges that they will only vote one way on certain issues. The best known of these is the “No New Taxes” pledge of Grover Norquist. I find it very difficult to understand why anyone wanting to be a leader would sign a ridiculous pledge like this. I find it just as difficult to understand why someone would vote for a candidate who has signed such a pledge. To vote for someone who has decided that signing a pledge frees them from using their best judgment.
Our current State Senator has signed the No New Taxes Pledge. She has given up her responsibility to us, her constituents, to think and make the best decisions for us, to make decisions that may be affected by events. We are a country that from its very beginning was the result of debate and compromise and response to events.
We must decide when we vote do we want elected leaders who are willing and capable of using good judgment, or do we want someone has signed a pledge.
Today many voters seem to be headed in a different direction. They are voting for candidates who have decided that good judgment should not be part of the governing process. They are voting for candidates who have abdicated thinking on their own, and instead have signed pledges that they will only vote one way on certain issues. The best known of these is the “No New Taxes” pledge of Grover Norquist. I find it very difficult to understand why anyone wanting to be a leader would sign a ridiculous pledge like this. I find it just as difficult to understand why someone would vote for a candidate who has signed such a pledge. To vote for someone who has decided that signing a pledge frees them from using their best judgment.
Our current State Senator has signed the No New Taxes Pledge. She has given up her responsibility to us, her constituents, to think and make the best decisions for us, to make decisions that may be affected by events. We are a country that from its very beginning was the result of debate and compromise and response to events.
We must decide when we vote do we want elected leaders who are willing and capable of using good judgment, or do we want someone has signed a pledge.
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