The vote is not just a freedom, but a responsibility.
Candidates must move away from negative ads, rehearsed campaign speeches,
packaged marketing and messages that shift with the minorities they are talking
to. They need to be honest about their values and pragmatic in their means of
applying them to legislation. They need to answer voters’ questions
knowledgeably. This may be a lot to ask in today’s political climate, but there
it is.
Voters have responsibilities, too. They must educate
themselves about the candidates they are voting for, about their principles and
their legislative records. They must look beyond self-interest to the good of
the communities they belong to. They must write to their representatives on
important issues. They must listen critically to all sides of an issue. They
must support the candidates they believe in. This may be a lot to ask in this
political climate, but there it is.
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