"The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next." - Abraham Lincoln
As we careen towards the upcoming Presidential election, I'm reminded that in a society as seemingly divided as ours, it's very easy to let politics get in the way of who(m) we choose for that important office. You're probably saying to yourself, "Well... DUH!"
Seems pretty obvious, right?
But if you think about it for a moment, choosing a President is just about the most important thing we get to do as American citizens. Participatory small 'd' democracy will always be an experiment in how we live our lives and create the world we live in, so we need to be serious about the choices we make for the common good.
Voting for the person who will be our next POTUS is a de facto requirement for adults who consider themselves citizens. Withholding your vote because of a few philosophical or ideological conflicts with an obviously better Candidate is not adult reasoning.
Does that statement upset you? Too bad, my essay, deal with it.
For good or ill, politics is a major element in making that choice. However, the myriad shades of ideology and culture and personal beliefs involved can be a minefield when trying to decide who and why to put someone in charge of our Nation. With that in mind, I have a proposition to offer anyone who's planning to vote this coming November:
Focus on the person, leave out the politics.
That may sound counter-intuitive, but let me explain why it may be the only objective way to make the best choice for President, especially in the 2024 election.
The image at the top is a 3rd Grade Progress Record for my younger brother Chuck (R.I.P.). I recently found it and several others, along with a short stack of images, stashed in a box in my my garage. I flipped though the images, some familiar and many I'd never seen before... neat little time machines pretending to be photos. It was the Progress Records that caught my interest and shoved me into a direction of thought I hadn't thought of before.
As I read through Mrs. McEuen's report, I was fascinated by the different areas of scholastic and individual growth Chuck was expected to achieve under her watchful eye. Naturally, Language Arts and Arithmetic were important, but also Social Studies, Science and Health, and Citizenship. He was expected to show improvement so Dad would know he wasn't a Big Dummy.
The Progress Record was a benchmark for the kind of person the school district hoped they could help create: a good student, a thinking adult, a well-rounded American. While reading all the ways in which Chuck was being evaluated, I realized they're actually strong categories to apply when choosing a President today.
Dig this: The guidelines encompassed important areas that educators used to help kids grow and prosper in thoughtful, positive and meaningful ways. The child's measured progress was a hopeful promise for success in the future. Parents typically understood this without question and deferred to the education professionals.
We should choose a President with that same level of hopeful promise, and judge the Candidate using no less a measurement than was required for a 3rd Grader in 1967.
Focus on the person, leave out the politics.
The Progress Record format used by Lassalette Elementary in La Puente, California is a surprisingly thorough summary of what they believed was a Third Grader's potential for learning. Measure the 2024 Presidential candidates using these basic guidelines. Leave out the politics or your personal biases, whatever they may be. Most of all, be honest about your conclusions.
Focus on the person, leave out the politics.
When we evaluate someone to be part of our business, personal, civic or social circles, we're drawn to those who demonstrate the capabilities most suitable for that role... that will be able to function normally... that will show intelligence and positive performance in the role.
While narrow specifics may flash a warning light, they don't necessarily mean a person isn't right for the role they seek. Rather, they're part of a spectrum we use to gauge the overall quality of that person, and then it's up to us to use our best judgement. We're not evaluating their personal beliefs or if they agree with our political stance (unless that's your jam), but instead on their capability to perform the task at hand. Are they the best choice overall?
Are they, at the very least, a decent human being?
And so it goes with picking a Candidate for the US Presidency. It's easy to pick one or two areas of agreement or disagreement and forget the rest, but that's not really all that matters.
Focus on the person, leave out the politics.