Voting 2020
Today I mailed in my ballot. I spent a considerable amount of time studying the candidate’s stances on the issues and considering how their values and priorities align with mine. I worked hard to consider every candidate as a unique individual rather than as a representative of a party designated as good or evil depending on your persuasion.
Hoping that many, like me, are concerned by the growing divide in our nation over politics, I thought it might help build bridges between us if I were to share the beliefs that guided my voting decisions. Perhaps dealing with beliefs rather than party affiliation we can bypass some of the negative bias and more easily find common areas of agreement. To that end, I have put together this list of strong leadership qualities that I believe are important. I encourage you to do the same and share them with me and others!
This I believe…
Strong leadership progresses boldly forward, embracing and supporting new knowledge and technologies to address rapidly growing, vexing, complex and wicked challenges of our day.
Strong leadership builds bridges to nurture strong, positive international and domestic relations.
Strong leadership is guided by scientific reasoning when considering action regarding pandemics, climate change, and other natural disasters.
Strong leadership invests in advancing the human condition through education to provide better job opportunities for its citizens and to reduce bigotry and prejudice.
Strong leadership represents all citizens and is not influenced by the financial interests of corporations and billionaires.
Strong leadership embodies diversity so that its makeup reflects the gender, ethnicity, and culture of those it represents.
Strong leadership uncompromisingly supports our constitution including the right of people to peaceably assemble, and petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Strong leadership assists citizens who, through no fault of their own, do not enjoy equal opportunity or a level playing field to survive or advance themselves.
Strong leadership stands up against the abuse of human rights at home and around the world.
Strong leadership governs through a philosophy of hope and compassion recognizing that fear is the path to darkness. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.
Hopefully you can agree with at least some of these beliefs! If so, we can base our friendship on those, and work on better understanding our differences.