Let me tell you a little story...
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A couple of weeks ago I was talking with friends. During the course of
our conversation, the topic of the Presidential Race arose, and two of my
friends said they weren't even going to vote because of their frustration over
not having a good choice this November (this was before Ms. Clinton threw in the
towel in her bid for President, if that matters to you.). The more I think about it, the more it
bothers me because I feel that voting isn't just a right - it is a duty.
And even if they decide not to cast a vote for President, there are other
candidates for other offices, and usually other questions on the federal, state
and local levels on the ballot. To just not go to the polls is shirking
your duty to yourself, your family and every other voter in our great Nation.
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And so I got to thinking about who would make a great President, and what
qualities this candidate would have. Of course there are the usual
honesty, integrity, open-mindedness, strong leadership skills, etc. But
what would really make a candidate special enough that he or she could motivate
someone to get off their couch, go to the polls and feel good about casting
their ballot? I think that a large part of the frustration felt by the
average voter today is because the mainstream candidates are not in touch with
Joe American. Sure, they try - they'll tell you how they feel your pain
when the economy suffers. They tell you how they're going to turn things
around and bring jobs back to American workers. And then they get back
into their limousines and their jet airplanes and fly back to Washington and Joe
American never sees them again, doesn't see new jobs (unless you count the
part-time, no-benefit jobs that are so prolific today), and watches his savings
dwindle while everything from food to energy continues to eat away at his
paycheck.
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Joel Steenholdt and his family |
So then what are the values that the average man and the average woman can
identify with? Well, how about someone who goes to a real job every day,
who knows how bad it hurts to spend $100 to fill up the gas tank? Somebody
who has kids and helped raise them into good young adults. Someone whose
spouse also works to support their lifestyle. Someone who loves deeply,
honors their God, and has the respect of those who know him. Someone who
is respected in the business community because of his fair and honest dealings,
his commitment to quality, and his willingness to work hard for his money?
Someone with the ability to create a masterpiece with his hands from an idea, a
few tools and good old American ingenuity. Someone who knows the value of
a dollar, of a loving relationship and a solid family - and the challenges that
go along with maintaining all three. In other words, the type of man or
woman we would look up to personally is the type of man or woman we would feel
good about voting for. And lets face it, how many people would believe
that most of the politicians in Washington would measure up well to these
criteria?
Have they had their job move to Mexico, or China or Malaysia? Have they
had their wages cut and benefits decreased? Have they been told they no
longer have health care? Have they lost their pension when their company
folded? Do they have to choose between feeding the family and feeding the
truck? According to Wikipedia ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives#Salary_and_benefits)
the annual salary of a US Representative is $165,200 per year. If they
serve for only five years they are eligible for life for a pension, health and
life insurance benefits and social security benefits - even office expenses.
Don't get me wrong - I think its important that we invest in those who we choose
to lead us so we can encourage good people to seek public office. But its
also important that the people we select at the polls remember we consider it an
investment - that we expect a return. We want our kids to have a safe
place to play and good schools to learn in. We want them to have a good
environment and clean air. We want them to be able to have a good job when
they leave school and not have to move to the other side of the country - or the
world - to find that job. We want them to have their chance at the
American dream and to do better than we did.
I think the average voter is not sure that any of the presidential candidates
really "feel their pain". I think the average voter is tired of watching
our country lose jobs, wealth and our place in the world's political arena.
He's tired of watching the American dream evaporate. He's tired of
watching scandal after scandal in Washington and other political centers around
the country. He's tired of being forced to work longer hours for less
money and fewer benefits. He's worried whether he'll be able to send his
kids to college so they'll have a chance to support a family of their own some
day. He is disillusioned - especially with politicians and their decisions
that have cost him so much these past few years. And so, for some, that
manifests in a reluctance to vote. If you care enough to vote you want to
have the feeling that you are voting for someone who is different from all those
politicians who got us where we are today.
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So where does that leave us? Well, I'm voting for Joel. Who is
Joel? Joel is my brother-in-law. He's been married to my sister for
a lot of years now and they seem pretty happy. They have great kids and
have done a good job raising them. They have a nice home and take pride in
how it looks. He is self employed and has built a successful company that
is always busy. He is strong on family values and strong in his faith -
always says the mealtime prayer at our family gatherings. He is respectful
and helpful towards his elders. He is friendly and outgoing with a quick
smile and firm handshake. He's a man I look up to. I have confidence
in his abilities and I trust him. I have a lot more admiration for him
than I do for any of the contenders for President. And so, this November
I'm going to the polls, I'm getting a ballot, and I'm casting my vote for a real
American, someone who's fighting the same issues as me, someone I can identify
with.
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Will Joel be our next president? Probably not - in fact if I really
thought that this web page stood any chance of getting him elected, I wouldn't
do this. But wouldn't it be something if we could send a little message to
Washington? A message that they are failing this great Nation. A
message of discontentment with what they're doing to us, as people and as a
Nation. Earlier generations might be throwing some tea in the harbor by
now, but lets face it - we're all working so hard trying to make ends meet that
we're too tired to throw tea. But I can cast my ballot, and if you see
mine this November, you'll see I've written in Joel Steenholdt for President of
the United States of America. I would encourage you that if you want to vote for
Obama or McCain that you should do so. But if you're one of those who
would rather not vote than vote for one of them, think about sending your own
little message. Take your pen and write Joel Steenholdt in the box for
President. Will it really make a difference? Probably not - except
to me and to you. We'll know we voted for an honorable man who is a lot
like us - and not for Washington and those who currently represent it.
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Thanks for listening, I'm
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