The American Character is reflected in Those we Elect or Don't Elect

   Let us review our past elections to see if it reveals something about the American Character. I contend that the people we elect or don't elect tell us a lot about the tenor of the times as well as the character of the candidates.

   I will try to be fair to all mentioned in this post but being unbiased is most difficult when you have people of opposing views reading your article.

   Below is a list of People who have been candidates for the President of the United States

   This list includes three unintentional members, rich and poor, philanderers and faithful, military heroes and draft dodgers, crusaders and crooks, actors and a$$holes, racist and bigots and and perhaps a fascist or two, but to date no "saints". I guess the list could go on. I will refrain from identifying which of the above is which. I am sure there is disagreement about who is what.

   What I will note, however, is that with a few exceptions, the public knew most of the things about who they were voting for. At least they thought they knew.  Some of the darker secrets were withheld from the public by the media while other's foibles were paraded in front of the public, but I doubt it would have changed the election results. It is my observation that obviously this tendency to find fault with others has been a part of the human physic for quite a while.

3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye?
5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Matthew 7:3-5 New King James Version (NKJV)

   With the exception of 1940 & 1944, I have only included a list of elections that relate to people in my lifetime. I am sure an all-encompassing list contains the same pejoratives as my above paragraph.

   Today we are battling over current office holders as well as some currently running for office. I have confidence that we will survive both the special elections and future elections if we remember that our system is based on the public's ability to "cut to the chase" before they "pull the lever" "punch the chad" or "touch the screen" or whatever other methods we have devised to select our elected officials.

   What is GNAWING away at the fabric of our Republic now is the fact that a large number of us no longer accept the election as the will of the people as expressed by the Electoral college, which is the way we have chosen Presidents almost since the beginning.

USA Census estimate as of 2013

  There are those who want to change the system to have a popular vote election.  If you do not live in any of the top 10 states by population, you probably do not have a problem with popular vote. But what about the people who live in the other 40 states and the District of Columbia (Washington). Do they get a say in the election.

   I have no problem with trying to shame someone in office into resigning due to a significant character flaw not know when they ran for office.   That is what a free republic is all about and why we have a free media, regardless if they behave in an honorable manner. I would not be the first or last to say we have elected a few people who should never have been elected. Nevertheless, the people by virtue of their vote are the judges of character or the lack there of when it comes to the selection of their representatives. I am just damn glad I don't live in Alabama now.

   If you think this is a new phenomenon you may want to revisit what Thomas Jefferson said about John Adams and what was said about Thomas Jefferson. One should also remember that Thomas Jefferson did everything he could to undermine our first and second president while at the same time serving in their administration.  Our history is replete with personal attacks and flawed candidates who somehow were elected in spite of their character.   

   Please do not jump to the conclusion that this is an excuse for anyone currently running for office or anyone in office. I am just trying to point out that the one thing that seems true is that Politics makes Strange Bedfellows and in these days that phrase is just as true as it was in 1776 or 2000 years ago.