We are 74 days out to voting for a new president. My question isn’t who will it be? My question is, will America even make it until then? Okay, maybe that is a stretch, Americans are fighters, hero’s and survivors. We have seen a lot as young country. Yes, a young country. The United States of America is only 244 years old, compare that to lets say France which was founded somewhere in the 5th century CE. Or let’s compare to Greece, which has been around since 3200 BCE. America has survived battles within in its borders and has helped to win wars abroad. America has walked through a crashing stock market, prohibition, race riots, over all civil unrest and more. It has seen leaders assassinated, the mafia run cities and unions unite workers. America is still trying to figure out who it is…

America is still experiencing growing pains and I believe will continue to do so for quite a long time. America is used to being a “powerhouse” of a country in the world. While America has done some amazing things to even prove this status, that status is quickly fading. Why?

There are many theories as to why and you could probably take each one on its own and you will find it will have some merit of truth. However, what has been talked about for sometime is becoming our reality: America will destroy itself from within, not from an outside country directly. Guess what? Its happening – fast! Take a look around, watch the “news” or read something from a “media source.” Yes I have news and media in quotation marks – even I believe more and more that these sources are causing America to destroy itself.

Now I am not here to share any conspiracy theories or share who I am going to vote for, etc. I just want to share some thoughts about the upcoming election and hopefully get you to think about what is at stake here. This coming election isn’t just about who will lead the country, it is also about who will potentially gain control of the Supreme Court. It is about who will lead us through muck and mire of the battles of racism, covid-19, unstable stock market, unemployment and more.

I am not even going to attempt to share “facts or figures.” Why? Because you and I know that just leads to a defensive argument as today it would seem very few want to see or know the real facts. They just want to vote along their party lines or see their favorite person win. What a horrible way to elect people! Voting along party lines is a HORRIBLE idea!! You should be choosing to elect someone to an office based on what they can do, not just say, but actually do. I don’t care if the person has a college degree or is worth a billion dollars. I don’t care if they spent 20 years owning a business and has never been in politics – the question simply is – can they do the job? Electing anyone should not be based on their party, their skin color, how they dress, etc.

Yet, many Americans vote the way they have been told to through generations of family. Election times always ups the conversation about voting, the country and the old fashioned “my dad, his dad and his dad…” always have voted for party x and now I am too. Gee, thanks for helping to ruin the country. Harsh? No, that is honesty. This thinking or more like following sort of falls in line with the old saying that you may have said as a parent or have heard from a parent, “If all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you do it, too?” Your answer is almost always no to this, yet when it comes to entrusting another human being to an office that may have impact on your jobs, children, education , taxes and more many you decide to just vote those party lines. Again, thanks for ruining the country. Not thinking for yourselves has not been a benefit to the country or your family, unless you belong to the elite few / upper echelon of higher income that has quite a bit of control on the pollical scene.

All I am asking is that each of us would think for ourselves. Choosing to elect people based on their merits, not the party they serve. See, I would rather choose a person that wants to serve the people of the country as a whole, not the person that will serve their party and its leaders the best.

Another thing to think about when voting this year, age. Where is it written that politicians must be a “mature age?” Okay, sorry I will share a “stat:” The average age of Members of the House at the beginning of the 115th Congress was 57.8 years; of Senators, 61.8 years, among the oldest in U.S. history. Our president (Donald Trump) is 74 years old and the man (Joe Biden) running against him in this election is 77 years old. To be fair, Mr. Biden has been around politics for sometime, he was a state senator for 36 years and then became a Vice President for 8 years. I am not saying these men are “old” or that they cannot lead. But I wonder what it is that makes us think a candidate at age 70 is better than a candidate at age 45 or 53?

Specifically in dealing with the presidency: The Constitution lists only three qualifications for the Presidency — the President must be 35 years of age, be a natural born citizen, and must have lived in the United States for at least 14 years. Do you know who our youngest president ever was? Theodore Roosevelt was 42 years old! John F. Kennedy was 43 when he took office. Yes I know we need experience in any office, but age does not always equal experience.

One more thought when it comes to voting – any office, whether its school board, state rep, white house, etc. this should apply to any office: women can and should be elected too – if qualified. I have often questioned this, I do realize that due to decades of poor thinking about women and men jumping off cliffs with their friends has caused this issue, but isn’t it time to change things? Think about this, the majority of teachers, from grade school all the way into college, have been and still are women. They are trusted to teach, share world experiences, role model good behavior, etc. yet many times they are passed over for an office because of being a “female.” Wow and just plain sad! I have been led by and worked along side of some amazing women in the past and they are great leaders!

Time to wake up America! THINK for yourself, not for those precious “parties” you think have your best interests at heart. We see it play out in most major elections. People follow along and choose a leader based on what everyone else is doing and then a few months, years later nothing has changed! That is because you jumped off the cliff with the others instead of walking by that cliff and blazing your own trail!

One last thing. PLEASE stop the complaining, hating, name calling, negative attitude displaying garbage that some of you do on social media and in the world itself. Doing all of these things just shows how immature you are and how much of a follower you are as well. Leaders do something, followers (many times) wait to be told what to do. Tired of the political scene in your town, state, school, the federal government? Then do something about it – put your name on the ballot, run for office, BE the CHANGE you want to SEE. Don’t keep putting your head in the sand and complaining about things – that solves nothing!!

Need some help in learning how to really pick a candidate? Here is a great tool for you to use: https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/auditor/electionsdocuments/How%20to%20Pick%20a%20Candidate%202018.pdf

The upcoming election is important, but then they all are or should be. Will you be a leader or a follower? Will you end up complaining about a party or will you step up and in to do something to create change? The choice is all yours…

Thanks for stopping by the fire,

Pastor Dennis