Commentary: Here’s who you should be voting for November 8th
by Tim Allen
Editor, Flint Creek Courier
For more than 30 years I’ve held the belief that the media should not endorse candidates or take sides on ballot measures.
That all changes today.
It has never been more important for the citizens of the United States to cast their ballots and to do so responsibly. They need to do so in an informed and educated manner on the issues of the day and the candidates vying for positions of leadership.
But since the vast majority don’t spend more than a few minutes marking their ballots and even less time considering who and what they will actually vote for, I’ve decided to help voters with the decisions being made on November 8th.
When you step behind the voting screen that day (or fill in your ballot and send it in by mail) I would encourage you to have this article on your phone or printed out to reference as you fill in those little circles.
Don’t vote red or blue, Republican or Democrat, conservative or liberal, right or left. Those distinctions only serve to divide us at the state and national levels and are completely worthless when it comes to the business of Granite County.
And so the Flint Creek Courier endorses the following candidates…
"...should you be of the mind that you’d rather apply a more Biblical standard to who you choose to vote for on November 8th, take a look at 1 Timothy 3:1-7." ~ Tim Allen
They must be above Reproach.
Our leaders – be they at the city, county, state or national level – should be upright men and women who have proven they can be trusted. They should be people whose names are not immediately associated with scandal, lawlessness, or corruption.
They should be people whose character and business practices you truly approve of. They should not be people you like because they did a favor for you or just because you can have a drink with them, but someone who you believe can actually get the job done in a professional and ethical manner.
They need to be trustworthy and not looking out for their own sordid gain.
They must be Temperate & Self-Controlled.
Our leaders must act in moderation and with self-restraint. In short, they should not be people who fly off the handle in their personal or professional lives. They should be regular people not mentioned in scandals or who threaten people to get their own way.
They should be skillful in Teaching.
Part of the job description for our leaders, be they county commissioners or national legislators, is that they be able to explain and instruct their constituents on the issues at hand without talking down to them or avoiding them altogether. They need to be accessible and knowledgeable of all sides of the issues.
They need to be educated and upright, not just knowing the laws (so they can skirt them for their own benefit) but also willing and able to follow the law.
They should not overindulge in drinking
Do our leaders need to be straight-laced non-drinkers? No. But they do need to manage it wisely and not make it a habit of getting drunk on a regular basis, especially not in public. They need to keep their wits about them at all times as they represent all of us.
They should not be Bullies.
The last thing any of us need is a thug running our government offices, local or otherwise, and spending our hard-earned tax dollars on private benefits or to seduce others into voting for them.
They should not be given to engaging in heated arguments
Our leaders need to be in control of themselves and their emotions. Serving the public, especially at the county level, means dealing with a lot of folks that they will know and some they don’t like. But not liking someone does not give our elected leaders the right to act against the best interests of their constituents.
They need to be free from the Love of Money.
Generally speaking, the salary of a county commissioner or state legislator takes care of that. But some who seek public office do so to dodge holding a regular job and will even use their office to benefit themselves and their friends at taxpayers expense. We deserve better leaders than that.
They must Manage Their Own Affairs Well.
It's a pretty simple concept – If you can handle the small things you’re much more likely to handle the bigger things well also. We should not be electing people to posts of public service who live their life in a constant state of chaos. If they can’t handle their own life, what makes us think they can handle it for everyone else?
If you really thought I was gonna toss three decades in the waste bin, sorry to disappoint.
These qualities are ones to look for in our elected leaders. No one’s ever going to be perfect to be sure. But using these guidelines we’re much more likely to get responsible, ethical, trustworthy people caring for our city, county, state and national governmental offices.
And should you be of the mind that you’d rather apply a more Biblical standard to who you choose to vote for on November 8th, take a look at 1 Timothy 3:1-7. You’ll find that the guidelines I used above are very similar to those outlined in the Biblical text for leaders of the church.
When something works, why try and fix it?
See ya on November 8th everyone!
NOTE - Commentaries represent the opinion of the individual writer and are not the express position of the Flint Creek Courier.
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