Those of us born in the 50’s and 60’s grew up in a country where our moral compass was the agreed upon bedrock of politics and government. We measured our success as a nation in terms of shared principles spelled out by our founders. This applied without regard to our political party; we generally agreed on the importance of truthfulness, propriety, kindness, critical thinking, and the basic humanity we all share. There was little confusion around what we were about and the principles we shared.
Fundamental principles have not changed even in this information age. Yet, we as a nation are more divided than ever. It seems we no longer agree on these essentials, and I believe we are reaping the negative results of abandoning them. It is so easy to lose sight of important fundamentals we all share when information is endless. Many Americans have lost the ability to apply common sense against this barrage of multiple medias. And fundamental truths get lost in the shuffle.
It is my sincere hope that we as a nation can see through the detritus and embrace the principles essential to American life, and the values of America as the leader of the free world. The moral fabric of the United States of America hangs in the balance. That said, there is no “perfect” candidate. Candidates are as flawed as the rest of us. We need to see through the rhetoric and choose based on how closely they compare with values we all share.
