Issue 21.16
We are well into an election season that has garnered more attention than any in recent memory – especially this early in the process. Most of the attention is being fixed on the race for the Presidency, but perhaps more importantly in our daily lives, we need to become informed about the candidates for governor, state legislatures, local representatives and particularly the US Congress (Senate and House).
Republicans will have a primary shortly to determine whether our current governor, Gary Herbert or the candidate that won over the majority of the delegates at the state convention, Jonathan Johnson, will be the Republican candidate for governor. Mr. Johnson is the chairman of Overstock.com and has been campaigning actively for many months. He is critical of Governor Herbert’s support of Common Core educational mandates from the federal government, his support of the bills that raised taxes and that sought to stop the caucus process in Utah and his lack of effort to return lands controlled by the Federal Government to Utah. On Mr. Herbert’s side, he has recently stated he is reconsidering his support for common core.
Both candidates are active Republicans and will face off in a primary on June 28th. Governor Herbert has stated he is counting on the Republican voters to support him instead of Johnson in the primary and noted that delegates are more involved and less likely to go with the status quo than “regular” voters.
For this and many other offices, there are principles that voters should consider before going into the voting booth. I will share with you those that I think most important.
For the voter –
You should invest time in researching the public statements and previous votes of the candidates you are considering. Just voting for someone because they have or have not been in office, or are members of one party or another should not be reason enough to receive your support. There should be actual reasons – actual things you agree with them about. If you don’t know, you may actually support something or someone you disagree with.
In considering the candidate –
Public and Private Integrity – do they do what they say they will do? Is their track record one of keeping their word and commitments, admitting when they are wrong, standing up for principles they say they believe in?
Understanding of and Commitment to Principles of Freedom – Have they actually read the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution? Do they show that they understand and agree with the freedoms and principles protected by those documents? Do you know it well enough to tell the difference?
In speaking about their opponents, do they focus on the ideas, principles, previous voting records and statements, etc. or do they spend their efforts in name-calling, demonizing or belittling them or their supporters? Some people seem to think that challenging a candidate’s record or public statements is “dirty” campaigning. Those same people sometimes seem to think that casting negative statements about looks, speaking style or wardrobe is perfectly alright even though it has nothing to do with the content of their character or their ability to evaluate and legislate in ways that will protect our freedoms and our rights. We need more substance and less bombastic attacking if we are to respect our system of government and get the election “right”.
Lynn West is a thinker, a teacher and a patriot. You can reach him through email at forgingthefuture2021@gmail.com or through this newspaper. Liberty is a state of being which must be continually created. These articles can help all of us discover the ways we can contribute to that outcome.