Marcus Aurelius

Way back when this writer was a young man, we used to stop at the local watering hole to soak up some suds with our beer buddies.  Joe Six Pack was always the first to arrive, and the last to leave.  After two or three cold ones we could solve most of the world problems.  We used to laugh that Jimmie Carter should call us because we had the solutions to all problems from Iran to oil to health care.  We sure had fun being the smartest people on the planet.

I remember those folks at the watering hole.  They were bright, hardworking, trustworthy, and had a great sense of humor.  And I would not vote for any of them for President of the United States.

There were four men who held court almost every evening: Lonnie, Joe, Dick, and Gary.  These were some of the most creative men we ever met.  When those four were in attendance the crowds gathered.  These four seemed to feed on humor – with quips shooting faster than an M16 in Fallujah.  If they were so smart, so creative, so quick – why not elect them to be our leaders?  Because they were only leaders of a bunch of drug impaired people letting the steam of the day dissipate.  We in America need leadership at the top levels of Government.

We need someone for President who is really not interested in hanging out at the local bar.  We don’t need someone who knows how to balance their checkbook, we need someone who knows how to balance the Country’s checkbook.

We need someone who does not stop working at 4:30 so they can make the rounds of the local taverns, we need someone who has the curiosity, stamina, energy, and willingness to stay until the job is done.

We need someone with a sophisticated education, someone who understands the intricacies of the Constitution, of Law, of Legislation, of micro and macro economics, of social dynamics, of relationships of church and state, of the powers and limits of government, of international relations, and of diverse cultures.

We need someone who is honest and courageous. maintains their dignity and integrity in difficult situations, and cares more about others than themselves.

We need the intellect and curiosity of a person who can appreciate new ideas, can weigh the merits and consequences of ideology, who can engage other leaders to find solutions to complex problems.

We need someone who values others, someone who appreciates the limits of power,  someone who understands how the Bill of Rights integrates into society.

These are the thoughts of an old redneck in Punkin Center, Missouri.  Lonnie and Joe and Dick are voting for Obama.  The bar is long closed, the jobs are gone, young folks moved away, but the voting booth will be open on November 4, 2008.  We will be there, and we are voting for Obama too.