Nobody's Perfect

Without a doubt, this has been a turbulent year in politics, and it is obvious that this is starting to wear on voters. The main reason so many Democrats are confident this year is they hear the same thing.

“I’m not prepared to be used . . . again. . . . I can’t bring myself to vote Democratic, because I have no faith in the Democrats. . . . [But] I doubt very much I’m going to vote for [the Republicans] at the national level, because they have not earned my vote.” I guess we’re left with the conclusion that no one is good enough to vote for.

My father sent me this link earlier and I felt it was very appropriate in considering this election. It is geared towards Christians (indeed, it is from a website geared towards Christians), but the basic principle should apply to all.

...[E]very election year, many Christians discover this simple fact all over again, and it throws them into a tizzy. They go into the political process as if they were picking a pastor instead of an elected official. They look for someone who is right in every category that matters to them, instead of looking for someone who will advance the common good and agrees with them as much as possible. When they don’t find the perfect person, they become disillusioned.

Interestingly enough, this echoes an episode of South Park, a cartoon that is not particularly friendly towards Christianity (though is definitely harsher towards Hollywood and feel-good liberalism). A douche and a turd sandwich may seem like bad choices, but which one will better advance the common good?

George Allen has received a lot of criticism this election cycle. I, and many other bloggers, have defended him. Others have derided us for doing so. But there is one thing we need to consider above all else; Senate races across the nation are tight, and a Democrat led Senate is not unfeasible. George Allen might be the key representative who prevents the end of the Bush tax cuts, the rash abandonment of Iraq, and the complete loss of principles (rather than the partial loss of principles many wary voters fear of with a Republican led Congress).

The great conservative writer Russell Kirk called for us to be guided by “the principle of prudence,” or of sound judgment and consideration for long-term consequences. It might feel good if you feel disillusioned to refuse to vote, sitting on your hands at home, registering your protest. It might make you feel like you’ve taught the politicians a lesson. But if that’s the case, we’ve only failed to stand up and tell the politicians what we believe in. How can we expect our government to take an interest in what we believe if we won’t take the simplest action of voting to defend it?

Read the whole thing, because I seriously do not want to hear more people complaining about a government they did not bother to go out and vote for (or against, be it as it may).