Recently, liberal friends of mine have backed off blaming President Trump for the war in Iran, high grocery and gas prices, and the sometimes violent and unnecessary ICE raids. It is not because they’ve bought into absurd claims that somehow “Dumocrats” are to blame. Rather it is because they now blame the people who voted for Trump or didn’t vote at all.
Simply put, is our national problem a bad electorate, bad candidates, or both?
I am one of those people who worry about our political campaigns. All too often, campaigns focus on grievances, discrediting the opposition candidate, and, yes, lying. And I often blame both parties.
But I also try to avoid calling Trump supporters, as well as non-voters “deplorable” or worse. I just see them as bad citizens, or, more civilly, “delinquent” citizens. Calling people names never brings progress or solutions. And I know Trump voters don’t believe they voted for everything that is troubling America today about Trump. Rather, I think, many of them voted without thinking about what they were voting for (or against).
There is hubris in criticizing other people’s votes. I do not like hearing that I’ve been duped, being called a communist, or, stupid. Nobody does.
But what about my suggestion that many people who “voted wrong” in recent elections, or who did not vote at all, are “delinquent citizens?” Am I wrong? Are these voters, something else, such as “conservatives” or “patriots?”
This question prompted me to focus on what makes a good citizen. There are, of course, several attributes that I could mention, but I set out to identify attributes that suggest that someone is a good citizen, the type of person who I hope votes in the next election.
Here is a baker’s dozen of such attributes.
They pay their taxes willingly as a civic obligation, not out of fear of getting caught not paying them.
Consistent with their abilities, skills, and time, they volunteer in their community.
They respect the environment, things like not throwing trash out a car window when nobody is looking.
They vote for school, park, and infrastructure bonds to make their community better, even if they do not have children in school, use community parks and recreation facilities, or they plan to move out of the community in the near future.
They know who represents them in the House and Senate and where they stand on issues important to them. They know who is serving on the County Council, Town Council, or in other elected offices and what they stand for.
They believe it is the responsibility of all of us to work towards “a more perfect union,” meaning that they support policies addressing problems that they may not face themselves, such as substandard housing, lack of access to healthcare, access to good schools, adequate nutrition, and freedom from crime.
They view things that are going wrong in America as our shared problem, something that we should all work on to address.
They teach their children, if they have them, to get along with children not like them in terms of race, religion, income, or language. And they accept the fact that the U.S. today is a diverse society.
They believe the right to vote brings with it an obligation to spend time considering the pros and cons of the candidates running.
They don’t vote on strict party lines. They consider candidates from all parties, and vote on issues and the quality of the candidates, not on party labels.
They believe America has an obligation to be a “good global citizen,” meaning that it respects the sovereignty and culture of other countries. They believe America should use its military and economic power to defend its own citizens, but should closely consider the human and economic impact on other countries.
They don’t believe that God is a member of the same political party they identify with or that God intervenes in U.S. politics and causes political outcomes, both positive and negative.
They talk about politics with friends, neighbors, and even strangers in a civil tone with a willingness to listen and even change their mind.
Am I right? I would welcome comments on what major “identifier” I left off my list or what questions should be deleted.
My point here is that if you are dissatisfied with today’s politics, look in the mirror. If you see a good citizen, thank you. If you do not, I politely suggest that you reflect on your obligations as an American citizen and what to do to better meet those obligations.
