‘Faith’ should not be part of the electoral process

Date: 9/6/2023

Theodore Roosevelt helped create the Food and Drug Administration to help protect Americans.

Franklin Roosevelt pulled this country out of the Great Depression and created social programs that have helped people for decades.

Harry Truman integrated the armed forces and ended World War II.

Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society” legislation, as well as civil rights and voting legislation, started to change America into a more inclusive nation.

Barack Obama was able to bring the country through what could have been a second Great Depression and started a national health insurance program.

I admire all these men, but they are just men, just humans, and every one of them had blind spots, personal issues or did things out of political expediency.

The beauty of our theory of democracy is we elect someone who is simply one of us — who has ideas, has leadership potential and will represent the voices of a constituency, no matter what that constituency is — a ward, a city, a state or nation.

I was taught to view candidates and elected officials as people whom we hire through election to do a job. It’s not about love, it’s not about faith. It’s about performance.

I was covering a local election kick-off a few years back and the spouse of the candidate came out to introduce him. She said how she loved him and asked the supporters if they loved him. Of course, they bellowed their approval.

What did “love” have to do with it? Apologies to the late Tina Turner.

The adoration of some elected officials has really bothered me. It’s bad enough we don’t see both of our senators in Western Massachusetts more often, but it’s always been an issue for me when one of them has a “town hall” meeting when half the time is devoted to selfies for diehard supporters.

In Agawam, Springfield and Chicopee there are municipal elections for City Council and mayor. In some races an incumbent is involved, giving voters the opportunity to review accomplishments.

While likability is always a factor in elections, the simple truth is we don’t — or shouldn’t — elect someone on more than just if an electorate likes someone. Personality cannot and should not be the tipping point for voters. I’ve covered elected officials who certainly were effective in their jobs but whose personalities weren’t sterling.

This isn’t a class election in high school, folks.

For newcomers, we need to look at background and platform. For incumbents, we judge on how they did their job. Did they keep their promises?

Should we vote on a basis on gender or race or age? I don’t think so. I also regularly cross over party lines if the candidate for my party isn’t someone who I think can do the best job.

And endorsements? Well, don’t vote for someone because a media outlet told you so. Media endorsements are just an expression of ego.

I’ve heard the word “faith” tossed around quite a bit on the presidential side of things, which is getting more and more press as we get closer to the year 2024. I don’t place “faith” in any candidate.

You can place faith in spouses, family members and close friends. I’ve placed faith in my mechanic, my electrician and my plumber, knowing they will be honest with me and treat me well.

If you are religious, having faith is natural. Faith in politicians, though? Nope.

While I generally support President Joe Biden and his accomplishments so far, he too is just a human, and I feel there have been mistakes made. I don’t have “faith” in him. Biden has made plenty of errors in his lengthy political career. He certainly is human.

When I see Trump supporters recite their various talking points, the word “faith” is certainly in play. Purposely blind to the failures of his administration — he could not deliver on his promises despite having a Republican-controlled Congress for two years — they support Trump because he reflects their own fears and prejudices. He makes them comfortable with their world outlook, however inaccurate and fundamentally un-American.

This local election, this national election is no time to allow endorsements or “faith” play a role. We have national problems that are also local problems, such as climate change. We need to look coldly and methodically at real information about candidates and then go to the polls.

The founding fathers wanted us to think about our choices — well, realizing the founding fathers only really saw the electorate as white male landowners. Even the men we place on historical pedestal as being worthy of adoration were just humans who made mistakes.

The burden that democracy places on you is for you to decide for yourself who deserves your support. Don’t let someone else decide who your candidate should be. And for the sake of all that is holy to you, don’t surrender your vote to “faith.” Please think instead.