A Candidate For Our Times
By Alan J. Corbett
If, in the next election, a new candidate were running who espoused the following views and principles how do you think he would fare. Would he have even a ghost of a chance of being elected in modern-day America or would he be shunned as someone with absurd notions and ideas; ideas out of touch with our needs today?
Let me outline the platform of this hypothetical candidate and you be the judge: 1.) Morality is indispensable in preserving the freedoms that Americans enjoy and the principles the country rests upon. 2.) English should be made the official language of American and immigrants expected to assimilate in order to share our social benefits. 3.) It is not the province of politicians to hand out benefits, but rather, to preserve and defend the principles upon which this nation was founded. 4.) The traditions that came forth from the founding of this country (such as prayer, Christmas and the pledge of allegiance) must survive. 5.) What we need is less government not more. More laws, more taxes and more regulation trade liberty for security and are not in accordance with any constitutional mandate. 6.) America is a republic and as such the government should serve the people and not the other way around. 7.) Ours is a nation built on Christian principles and we must not defer to any notion that states otherwise. Our moral underpinnings are as essential to our nation’s success as freedom and justice – indeed they are one in the same.
Okay, so there is the platform for our new candidate. What do you think? Could this person get any votes today? Now the kicker – this candidate is really a composite of renowned statesmen from the past. All of the principles outlined above were said by the following people: 1.) “Statesmen…may plan and speculate for Liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the Principles upon which Freedom can securely stand – John Adams. 2.) “Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag…We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language…and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.” – Theodore Roosevelt. 3.) “A people that values it privileges above its principles soon loses both.” -Dwight Eisenhower. 4.) “A love for tradition has never weakened a nation, indeed it has strengthened nations in their hour of peril.” -Winston Churchill. 5.) “I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it.” -Thomas Jefferson 6.) “I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crises.” -Abraham Lincoln. 7.) “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” -John Adams.
These people were all part of the reason for America’s greatness, but I wonder – could any of them get elected today? It’s something perhaps we should think about.
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Alan J. Corbett is the author of numerous articles on modern American politics and culture. He is just an average citizen who has developed a strong concern for the direction of his country in the past 15-20 years. Despite political and economic concerns, he is mostly worried about what he sees as a growing cultural vacuum into which American society seems to be sliding. Read more on his blog at: <a href=”http://www.youcantakeastand.com”>http://www.youcantakeastand.com</a>
