When I think of the upcoming 250th birthday of the greatest nation on earth, I think of the founding fathers signing the Declaration of Independence. These men gave their all to birth a nation. They were under no illusions of what procuring freedom would require of them, pledging their lives, fortunes, and scared honors to the cause.
For the better part of our history, many Americans followed in their steps, sacrificing not only their time to serve their states and their country, but often their own personal fortunes and reputations. These weren’t just politicians, they were statesmen. They weren’t there to accumulate generational wealth while in office; they were in office to represent those who elected them.
It’s increasingly hard not to think that those days are behind us. How many politicians do we see who have next to nothing when they go to Congress, only to become decamillionaires in a term or two? How many seem to have the best intentions going into office, yet within a few years are no better than their colleagues? How many scandals break every year about our elected leaders?
Sadly, these problems aren’t limited to just one side of the political aisle. As much as we love to point out the hypocrisy and corruption of the Democrats, the Republican party is riddled with problematic politicians as well.
I’m not trying to be pessimistic but rather paint the picture of what’s at stake in the primaries. Alabama is a red state. It’s almost guaranteed that most of the leaders we elect in November will be Republican. But just getting Republicans in office shouldn’t be good enough to those who care about the future of our nation. It’s not enough to belong to a political party and vote along party lines.
As the primaries approach, I submit to you that we need to elect true conservatives for the Republican ticket in November. Not men or women who are Republican in name only, but those who actually hold true conservative values.
What does it mean to be a conservative? As much as we love and support President Trump, being conservative means more than just supporting his agenda.
I would argue that being conservative means conserving the traditions and heritage upon which this nation is built – Judeo-Christian values, classical liberalism (not to be confused with the modern perversion of the term by those holding Marxist ideology), and the republican form of government as opposed to democracy. These principles laid the foundation for the building of the greatest nation in history.
We need courageous men and women willing to stand up and be unashamed of our heritage. If we want to pass down our freedoms to the next generation, we need our elected leaders to know what built that freedom in the first place and to work to conserve it. When we look at what the alternative worldview is on the other side of the political aisle, the need is even more pressing.
Electing someone with a truly conservative worldview is a great starting point, but it shouldn’t be the end point. We have enough politicians in office already. What we need are statesmen, courageous individuals who can’t be bought with the promise of power or winning the next election. We desperately need leaders who are connected to us common folk and who won’t trade in their “convictions” for a dollar sign once it becomes convenient to do so. In short, we need men and women of integrity.
Integrity is something that’s tested in public office, not something that’s bred there. Integrity in an elected official starts in his or her personal life, verified by those who know him or her outside the public eye. Are his business dealings honest and fair? Is she a compassionate and strong leader in private or an arrogant jerk? Is this candidate loved by his community or plagued by scandals?
People say the best way to judge a candidate is by his or her voting record. It’s definitely a great place to start, but we shouldn’t stop there. A voting record only tells us how a candidate has voted in the past; it says nothing about the character of the individual in question. If we’re to get the kind of leaders that Alabama needs, then we must go deeper.
This is easier said than done. Most of us don’t personally know those running for office. Thankfully, the internet can reveal much to those who want to find out where a candidate stands on the issues and what type of a person he or she really is.
But finding that kind of statesman takes time. Every election cycle, I spend at least five hours researching candidates, sometimes as much as 10 hours. But it’s worth it in order to discover the character of these strangers who want to govern us.
Our founders pledged and often gave up their lives, fortunes, and scared honors to give us freedom. Generations of Americans have done the same. I don’t think it’s too much to ask of our generation to give up a few hours of TV time to make an informed decision regarding our vote.
I ask my fellow patriots to join me in making this small sacrifice before the May 19 primaries. Please don’t take the easy way out and vote simply because of the letter after a candidate’s name or even because you recognize the name. We need courageous men and women of integrity in office. Alabamians deserve to have a statesman represent them, not just another politician.
Benjamin Sanchez is a life-long conservative who left California in 2021 for a better life in Alabama. He currently runs a small business tuning and repairing pianos in the greater Huntsville area with his wife and best friend Jobeth.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to [email protected].
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