The American Political Scene

October 12, 2008 · Pastor Art – Bible Teacher

The whole world is aware that the Americans are having a presidential election in November 2008. The two main candidates are Barack Obama (age 47) and John McCain (age 72). Both are United States senators. For the last two years, at least, they have been running hard for the presidency.

On Tuesday, November 4th, Americans will cast their votes primarily for one of these two candidates. There are lesser candidates who will gain some minor amount of support. American presidents are not elected by popular vote. Rather, in an unusual system, voters select electors in the various states, who later cast their votes. A majority of electoral votes elects a president for four years.

There are two issues that are dominating the conversation these days, namely the state of the economy and the Iraq war. Both candidates want to solve these two problems as quickly as possible. Actually, the positions of Obama and McCain are not all that far apart. There are minor differences that each thinks are important. And so they debate over the fine points. In the end, they both want to see the economy of the United States back on track and the war in Iraq successfully resolved.

Where American politics get ugly is when the far right (usually Republicans) and the far left (usually Democrats) advocate extreme positions. Attitudes get ugly. The candidates tend to play to the base of their respective parties. However, once they are elected, they usually govern from the center. They reject the positions of the far right and the far left and find solutions that both Democrats and Republicans more or less agree on. Hopefully the people come together. No one gets all they want. Compromises are found. A solution might lean left or lean right, but usually a centrist position is adopted. If the law the congress adopts and the president signs is challenged before the Supreme Court, the nine justices decide if that law is constitutional or not. It stands or falls depending on the vote of the nine justices. Their decision is final.

This is the way American presidential democracy function. It has been working for over 200 years now. Yes, there were problems that were only solved slowly, such as slavery, civil rights and women's right to vote, to name a few.

There are current hot button issues that still await resolution such as the abortion controversy, equal pay for equal work (a gender issue), global warming, energy independence, crime, poverty and quality healthcare for all. Of course, as noted above, the war and the economy are at the head of the list. If these issues could have been solved easily, they would have been long ago. They don't lend themselves to instant remedies. But in a representative democracy, respecting everyone's viewpoints, it takes time—a lot of time—to find the right solutions that work the best for the most.

Americans happen to believe that freedom is a God-given yearning in the heart of all people. We want all people to be free within their various nations to determine their own futures by democratic means. Of course, democracies have various forms. Americans do not wish to have their system cloned for the entire world. Just find a democratic system that works while respecting the rights of all the citizens, agreeing to live under the rule of law, allowing a free press that may criticize the government freely and protecting the individual's right to protest.

One freedom Americans highly treasure is the freedom of worship—or not to worship. While the United States is not a theocracy, well over 90% of Americans believe in God. Many belong to churches. Historically, the Judeo-Christian world-view has shaped the American culture. There is a growing number of Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists in the Untied States. Their right to worship as they see fit is respected. Each group is also free to propagate their faith among the populace. This freedom of worship is a highly treasured right.

From a Christian perspective, there are several pro-active things we can do during an election season. First, we must pray. Pray that God will lead us to vote for the candidate of His choice to lead the nation. Second, we need to get informed about the issues. We can read the newspapers, listen to the debates, and discuss the issues with others. Third, we must vote. Casting the vote in a democracy is a sacred responsibility. Fourth, we accept the results. Maybe your candidate won; maybe he lost. In a healthy democracy we accept the results and work with our leaders in a constructive manner to build a better nation. If we must oppose an action of our leader, let us do it in a respectful and constructive manner.

As you watch the American presidential election play itself out, you will hear things and see things that are unhealthy. The system and the people in the system are not perfect. But watch also for the overriding good that exhibits itself as the people of the Untied States go about their quadrennial ritual. The system may not be perfect, but it is the best system available at the present—at least this is what Americans believe.

Photo Credit: Steve Woods, Collchester, Essex, United Kingdom