Voting Is Like Choosing A Restaurant
Choose Your Genre First
Where do you want to eat tonight? Chinese? Seafood? Thai? Sushi?
Once the food genre is decided, the next decision is choosing a restaurant that serves that genre.
Most communities have more than one Italian restaurant. Often there is a 1st choice and a runner-up. Although the food genre is the same, individual restaurants may have a better cook or not be as Americanized.
Politics also has genres and leaders who are part of that genre. The individual leaders vary in personality and style, but, like the food genre, the political genre remains relatively consistent.
In the United States, we have 2 major parties – the Democrats and the Republicans - and several minor parties like the Libertarian and Green party. Although these two parties have dominated U.S. politics since before our Civil War, political party affiliation in the U.S. started shortly after President George Washington who, in his departing speech, hoped that political parties would not form as they could be very divisive. Wikipedia has an interesting encapsulation of the Political Parties in the United States and the evolution of their core values.
Like restaurant chefs and owners, the individuals representing the party change frequently, but the party’s core values, its platform, typically evolves at a much slower pace.
When an individual is elected, they typically appoint individuals who also align with their political party. Thus, the party’s core values demarcate the elected official’s administration.
My Observation
In the United States, many have lost sight of the party platform and focus on the individual candidate, often turning an election of values into a popularity contest. This is short-sighted.
I contend that it is more important to vote for the party that has the best direction for our country and most closely aligns with one’s values. This is more important than to vote based on whether or not you like the candidate.
Your Assignment
Find which party most closely aligns with your values and beliefs.
Following are some links to resources you may find helpful in finding the party for which you will vote.
The Democratic and Republican Party Platforms
The Democratic Platform is 91 pages long and addresses 9 key issues.
The Republican Platform is 16 pages long and addresses 10 key issues.
Comparisons and Contrasts of these two platforms
A quick search uncovers many organizations that summarize and compare the two platforms. Either due to a busy schedule or American’s short attention span, each of these comparisons are only 1 to 2 pages long. Keep in mind that each resource chooses which topics they wish to highlight thus building in their bias. But these can be a good starting point.
In 2024, most of these comparisons focus on the following:
Life and Sanctity of Life
Human Sexuality and sexual education
Marriage and Family (curiously the question of polygamy has not become an issue yet.)
Education, Parental Rights and responsibilities.
God, Religious Liberty, and Separation of Church & State
Immigration – Securing the border and pathways to citizenship
Antisemitism
Energy Production and Environmental Concerns
Healthcare
Call to Action:
Study the Party Platform and determine which one most closely aligns with your values. Remember that any summary brings a bias to what they choose to highlight, so do your own research.
Then use that decision to be the primary factor in choosing for whom to vote this year. Remember that it is similar to choosing a restaurant where the food genre is typically the most important factor in one’s decision. No matter how renown the chef may be, if one does not like sushi, they won’t choose that restaurant.
Also, keep in mind that elected officials need to be strong delegators. Thus, it is not the elected official guiding the country as much as the team they bring to the elected office.
