Post-Election Reflection

In my younger days, I might have stayed up later to see all of the results of yesterday's mid-term elections. Christa and I voted after breakfast, and as the day went by I periodically checked the exit poll results and also saw the results up until we went to bed.

Checking the news and some social media sites, I was taken aback by the over-the-top reactions that people have to the results of this election. Allow me to show just a few of the things that I read on people's Facebook pages:

• "Run for your lives! The idiots have taken back power! So begins a hundred years of darkness!"
• "Doomsday in Wisconsin."
• "Canada's looking better by the minute."
• 'Why are Americans so short-sighted?"

Hmm...should we really be shocked by the results of last night's election? When Bill Clinton was in office, the legislature eventually became majority Republican. When George W. Bush was in office, the legislature became majority Democrat. With Barack Obama as president, the legislature has now become more Republican.

This seems pretty normal to see. To me, it is the natural cycle of politics. As with all of these changes, I wait with curiosity to see if the changes made in this election will provide what voters were looking for. As in all elections, there are winners and losers. There are people that are excited, and people that are frustrated. But, let's not jump quickly to doom and gloom. Let us also not overstep, and overstate, the gains that have been made. What this does present is a time in which a president's agenda and ideas will face a greater opposition. Again, this is not unique. Many presidents have faced this as some voters are not happy with what the president is doing.

Instead of declaring the country dead and tossing out names at one another, let us pray for those who return to, or begin new, elected positions in our local, state and federal government. Let us pray that they will work together to form a better future for each one of us. Placing blame, getting angry, and name calling will not help. Playing an active, positive, participatory role in our government will.

Can It Be November 2nd Already?

We have the opportunity to vote on November 2nd. There are a lot of important elections coming up. We are electing a new governor. One of our US Senate seats will be decided. There are many Wisconsin seats in the US House of Representatives that are hotly contested. The political environment in Wisconsin, and the United States is intense. With this being a mid-term election during the Obama administration, many are using the results as a barometer for his performance as president. There's a lot of money being spent and a lot of ads are out there. It would be hard to not realize that there is an election!

My hope is that you vote! You are welcome to vote for whoever you see as most qualified. I look forward to that day when we can fulfill our civic right and duty to vote. By then we won't have to listen to these political ads any more. Each year, candidates seem to outdo themselves with the vitriol and hate that they put into ads that bash their opponent. This year seems especially bad. Given our ability to fact check through the internet and others sources, some of these attack are being revealed as being partially or completely untrue.

Why would people resort to attack?

Why wouldn't their advertisements focus on what makes them qualified for the position?

Is the political environment simply built for us to be about as un-Christian as we can be?

What makes me sad is that many of these very politicians consider themselves to be Christians. Sad. They should act like it.

Vote!

Please make sure to go out and vote today! Usually when we talk about primary elections, there really isn't all that much enthusiasm. All the focus in generally on the general election in November. Most news outlets assume that today's primary election will definitely have a larger turnout.

Even in the sleepy town of Oakfield, I was voter #52 at 9:30AM. I just heard on the radio they are thinking 1.2 million Wisconsin voters may show up. There are big primary votes for Senator and Governor. It should be an exciting day!

I know some pastors have no issue with espousing their political views. I tend to keep them to myself. I certainly don't want to use any power or influence that I might have in someone's life to persuade them to vote the way that I do. I will certainly engage in political discussion and I enjoy political discussion, but I do my best to keep my views to myself.

So, now matter how you plan on voting: Democrat, Republican, Green Party, Tea Party, Libertarian...just get out there and vote!