Noah Webster wrote, “When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for your rulers just men who will rule in the fear of God. The preservation of (our) government depends on the faithful discharge of this duty: If the citizens neglect their duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for the public good so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men (or causes); and the rights of the citizens will be violated or disregarded.”
Our National Crisis
Currently our nation faces a crisis of government not acting in the best interest of the citizens of the United States. This issue has been brewing for a long time with politicians looking out more for their own personal power or the power of the party that supports them, than for the people they represent. How did it come to this? People didn’t show up to vote in local elections and corrupt politicians got their start. These corrupt politicians then moved up the ladder to state and then federal positions. Politicians ignored the people that they were supposed to represent, and we saw a dramatic increase in human trafficking as well as the rise of assassination culture. Noah Webster saw this coming, but we can also say that many of our founding fathers saw this coming as well. John Adams stated, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
Pay Attention to Local Elections First
It is easy to get caught up in national politics and think that if we elect the right president that they will fix all of the ills of society. Instead, we should be focusing on the local races. The mayors’ races, the city council races and the school board races. These are the elections that affect us and our neighbors the most. Sadly in Kootenai county only about 1/3 of those who are registered to vote show up for these most important elections.
The kind of neighborhood that most people want to live in is one where people treat each other with respect and dignity. Where children are valued and taught to think critically and are becoming an asset to society. The only way that we get that neighborhood is if we vote for politicians who will support it.
Take the time to become an informed voter. Read the voter guides, watch the candidate interviews. Do your own research. The November 4th election is next week. Make your vote count. Bring your neighbor with you to vote. Above all else, pray for divine guidance as you make your selections.
