Voting for a Winner:

I'm listening to the news.  A large portion of it has to do with this fall's election.  Words like campaign, overcome, win, take-control, attack, and strategy are used a lot in these news stories.  In a system where 50% + 1 carries the day it is easy to see why these warlike descriptors dominate.   It has been shown that a well-planned and executed campaign can achieve victory.  What we need to remember is that a majority does not make right.  Americans love a winner.  We don't want to back a loser.  Here is a question, though: What if the candidate that is losing appears to be closer to being right?  I say "closer" because political candidates are like the rest of us--they aren't perfect.  If we look at our vote like any other asset that we have, a logical question is: Where did it come from?  OK, cue the patriotic music, and flash up pictures of the flag at Iwo Jima and the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc.  Yes, that's right.  Others who came before us paid a high price--sometimes the ultimate price--for the privilege we have of touching the screen, and selecting the candidate of our choice.  Even that, as powerful as it is, though, doesn't ultimately answer my question.  James, in the Bible, tells us that all good gifts come from God (here).  Those of us who live in democratic nations have the privilege of participating in our government.  To quote a great US president, it is a nation "of the people."   Treat that vote like a ten year old treats a new quarter in his pocket (Work with me here; I'm showing my age.).  One doesn't want to waste such a treasure.  It may not be much, but it is something, and I can use it to do something good. Let's begin here:  I'm not going to be nearly so concerned about who's ahead.  Instead I'm going to work to find out who is right.  It's STTA.