Son,

We live in a Republic.  Our government represents us.  Taxes, infrastructure, social justice, law, common defense – all of that traditional stuff.  Stuff that is defined in the preamble to our constitution.   But we live today in a global community.  Someone has to represent us to the world.  That someone is the President.  Who among us believes that our current President has accurately represented America to the world community?

Each American has two Senators, one Representative, and one President.   The Senators and Representative speak for us in the Royal Court of the Federal Government.  We expect them to debate amongst themselves.  We relish debate.  The course of thoughtful dialogue leads to mutually agreeable results – they debate while we till the soil of life.  Every now and then we take time out from our daily toil to evaluate these folks, sometimes replacing them with others more agreeable.  The President engages the debate, then administers the results.  The process is sometimes awkward and clumsy – but that is how it works.

We are entering one of those times of decision.   We will be choosing someone to represent us to the world.  We are naturally interested in the positions the candidates take on specific issues – these things are important.  But more important to me is how will these folks respond to unforeseen issues?  And how will they present you and me to our world neighbors?
George Bush took office in a time of world peace and economic prosperity.  A likable yokel from Texas seemed good enough at the time.  Bush seems to take awkward and clumsy to heart, as if that is the mandate rather than a by-product of process.  2001 saw huge and unexpected changes in global community relations.  An awkward and clumsy response has led to global catastrophe.  We no longer have peace or economic prosperity.

So important questions present.  Who do we want to represent us in the world court?  Who is to be the face of America?  Which of these candidates represents you?

Readers?

Dad