It Is That Time Again

Looking at the end, with the colorful confetti and banners, the triumphant music, and the joyful crowd of people in a celebratory posture, it would be easy to think that a grand time has been had by all. Across America, a collective sigh of relief exhaled. It is over! No more nauseating campaign ads interrupting our nighttime television viewing. No more telephone polls that ask questions that are worded to receive a desired response. The campaign signs that are as many as road construction cones on our highways will disappear.

Nine months earlier.

It is that time again, time for a presidential election. At the end of this ordeal, we will pick the next person that will be given the privilege to serve our nation, to serve us. Yes, I said that right. Before one can be given responsibility for one third of our federal government, called by the acronym POTUS, and regarded as the leader of the free world, he or she must first be proven a servant.

Already three deep into the primary process and former President Donald Trump is steamrolling over his opponents for the republican party nomination. President Biden running unopposed is merely waiting for the boxes to be checked as each of the state’s primaries are held. It is beginning to resemble a rematch title fight from boxing’s days of old. The national committees on both sides are working hard to promote excitement and engagement among the voters. But listening to those that live on the Main Streets, whether Conservative Town or Socialist City, the excitement is there, and motivations of the voters is becoming clearer.

There are those that want to correct what they see as a huge mistake made in 2020. They see this election as a chance to replace “Build Back Better” with putting it back the way it was. Most will vote according to their wallets. These are tired of spending their Grants and Franklins at the local Five and Dime. Some will choose the lesser of two evils, some the evil you know over the evil you don’t know. A small number believe that the last election was fraudulent and are looking to extract vengeance. A smaller number are willing to sacrifice and suffer for the gains made in their differing ideologies. And sadly, the smallest segment may be Christians that would ask God who He wants them to vote for.

So, what can we expect? The wisest man to ever live said that “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again, there is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9) On both sides the adage of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” will guide them. They will continue in their tactics that appeal to their base. There will be scoffing and mocking, they will sneer and jeer to make the truth unclear. Both sides will try to provoke us to fear by promoting the despair and despondency that would come if the other should win. We can expect, like other elections since the turn of the century, there to be controversy. It may get ugly and embarrassing for us as a nation.

Then there are the card games. Money and sex are their right bowers, while race and ideology are the left bowers. Campaign strategists will maliciously seek the best time to play these cards to gain the trick. Play it too soon from a weak hand and when the news cycle changes, momentum is lost. Play it too late and the risk is being seen as desperate.

Also to be expected is that there will be lots of noise. Noise that will come not just from the candidates themselves, but from their benefactors. Endorsements will come from organizations of every sort. The media outlets of print, television, and radio will begin a propaganda campaign that rivals the KGB directorates of the cold war. With their sharply dressed eye candy they will capture our attention with talking points and narratives to deceive the simple minded and make apathetic those could threaten their agenda.

Then there are pop culture figures of entertainment. Prideful vanity deceives them into thinking that they are both credible and relevant. The few that are the loudest and most outspoken are those that have an album or movie coming out. Pundits compete for attention with three minutes of on-screen appearances, one paragraph posts, and two sentence tweets. All are working together to be an influence on how we vote. But what is often overlooked, or not thought of is the effort and the hours put into manipulating this outcome. The skill of the choreographers is often unnoticed by those on their dance card.

It was foretold in the scriptures that in the end times some in the church would turn from the truth and with itchy ears seek those that would satisfy their passions. It is no different in our society. Many will only listen to those that proclaim what they want to hear. These simpletons will decry that they do not want to be confused by the truth as their minds have already been made up. These “Robin hood voters.” know their guy is a crook but continue to vote for him or her because they keep in the carefree.

So, what should we do? Do we just accept that building back better, or making America great again just wasn’t in the cards for us as a nation. That this is the government that we deserve. The answer is NO! But it starts with us. It starts when we the people accept responsibility for those who we elect to our governmental offices. We can start by choosing those that have passed the test of character over the results of a litmus test that only satisfies special interest groups.

Fast forward nine months.

The pride, pomp and circumstance reach its crescendo as the victor makes his arrival. Then will come the speeches given by both the winner and the loser. With the winner, an olive branch that reminds us that as we as nation move forward, that we are all on the same team. Attempting to be seen as graciously conceding the words of the loser are often ambiguous and demanding and dividing. Both offer the promise of the protection of our freedoms, hope for our nation’s prosperity, and a better life for our children with an open ended IF. If their policies and methods are accepted, in the case of the winner, and if included by the winner in the loser’s view.

The only question now is will those that wanted us to listen to them as they campaigned, listen to us now that they are in the office.