The Right Man for the Job

by Scott Sturman

Mitt Romney - FIYE's Choice on November 6, 2012

"I have always thought the actions of men the best interpreters of their thoughts." - John Locke

Many politicians will say anything and make unrealistic promises to be elected.  Clever, but confusing political adds and the deluge of statistics further complicate the process.  There are two ways to strip away the layers of confusion and make an informed choice:

The first is to learn which individuals and organizations support a candidate financially, by political endorsements and public statements, and through advertising in the media.  The candidates’ agendas may be difficult to apprehend but not their cheerleaders. 

George Santayana

The second is to take the advice of the Spanish philosopher George Santayana.  His words have become cliche, but this does not lessen their wisdom.

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

Words do not necessarily reflect a politician’s philosophy or agenda.  All too often they are used to obfuscate rather than elucidate.  The voter will gain a clearer picture of the candidate, if they look to the past.  Past associations and actions provide valuable clues about a candidate’s political orientation and often debunk skillful rhetoric.  If a candidate’s personal history is shrouded in secrecy, the voter should be wary.  It is one matter not to remember the past but quite another to be denied the opportunity to interpret it.  Relying solely on words is the fool’s path to governance.

This November 6th offers a choice between two men, whose philosophies and view of America could not be more different.  All the more important to assess historical performance, review past affiliations, and ask the question, “Do either of the candidates have anything to hide?”

A Heart Beat Away

Scott Sturman

fliesinyoureyes.com

Looking for food in Zhangmu, Tibet - photo by JoAnn Sturman

Sarah Palin had problems.  Although her background was not dissimilar from many American voters, and she had served admirably as Alaska’s Governor, serious questions were raised about her modest education, lack of sophistication, and ability to deal with complicated political problems.  Having not received the seal of approval from the New York Times or Washington Post, she was judged hypothetically and deemed to be a woman unqualified to serve as Vice President.

Joe Biden was a different story then and is now.  He is a proven commodity; there is nothing hypothetical about him.  It is difficult to discern whether the man suffers from a double digit IQ or is just foolish, but he consistently has proved himself as an immaculately dressed embarrassment.  “What Joe really meant to say” or “the Vice President’s statements were taken out of content” are frequent rejoinders from his allies in the press.  Joe may be the model of mediocracy, but he is by all accounts one of them.  For all his buffoonery, we the public are assured by the liberal media of his expertise and eminent qualifications to be a heart beat away from the presidency.

This year it is Paul Ryan’s time be judged by conjecture and innuendo.  The tactics are the same: disregard past performance and the substance of his candidacy and focus on speculation and worst case scenarios.  Never mind Joe Biden has demonstrated time and time again over the last four years that he is uniquely incompetent, Paul Ryan is measured by a different standard.  Ryan’s credentials are compared with perfection, while Biden’s, depending on the day of the week, with Moe’s, Larry’s, or Curly’s.

By any objective standard it is difficult to imagine a worse performance than Barrack Obama’s: record debt accumulation, high levels of unemployment, massive trade deficits, soaring energy costs, a foreign policy based on knee jerk apologies, and rampant internal corruption within his administration.  There are serious questions about the President’s background and past affiliations with personalities whose political views are inimical to those of the United States.  Without his name recognition and personal contacts most employers would not hire a job applicant with this resume.  

We voters are being asked to disregard these grave concerns and instead focus on what Mitt Romney might do.  Never mind four years ago Obama campaigned on the nebulous platform of “Hope and Change,” his competitors must provide comprehensive, air tight solutions for all the nation’s problems before being considered worthy.  Even Romney’s detractors concede he is bright and talented man, who achieved success as an entrepreneur, Governor of Massachusetts, and head of the U.S. Winter Olympics.  No one has accused him of cavorting with unsavory characters who damn the United States and burn its buildings.  We are expected to forget Romney’s successes and Obama’s failures and cast our vote based on emotion and fear of what a prudent man would do as President. 

Visitor on a Tibetan Trail - photo by JoAnn Sturman