I was listening to Dr. Ben Carson, the famous neurosurgeon turned politician, on whether he should run for president. The question was , " if I had a problem in my head I would trust you with my life, why should I trust you with the military or the economy ? " His answer, as I find most of his to be, is filled with common sense. He responded, " what you should do is listen to the solutions I offer, then listen to the solutions all others offer, and decide. " That is a common sense approach now isn't it ? Skeptics may say, it is the correct political answer. I won't argue with that logic and it is dependant upon the credibility of the speaker. I do not question his sincerity in the least. I believe he actually has good ideas and the thought process is clear. I do not think he is motivated by greed or fame. I'm certain this neurosurgeon has an excellent bank account and has already obtained fame in his profession. So, what could be his motivations ? This may strike some as ridiculous, but perhaps it is a genuine desire to help. Perhaps it is a form of repayment for the success he has achieved in this great country.
Now, before you go jumping to conclusions I have not decided to campaign for this man. I admire his skill and his intellect. The color of his skin is of no significance to me. He says he would run as a Republican because he has to run as something. He did seem uncomfortable with having to choose. I do see issues with his candidacy. First, and most obvious, is he has no previous political experience. That leaves a significant gap in the conversation. What can the other candidates compare themselves too ? Are there skeletons in the famed neurosurgeons' closet ? There very well may be. I believe all of us have things we would rather not share. But I believe his inexperience would be a great detriment. And he has a habit of being brutally honest ! Honesty in politics is often misunderstood. Setting those points aside let us assume he wins the election. Will he then be able to accomplish anything ? That is a real concern I have with this man as a candidate
For me anyway the question is a simple one, is America ready for a dose of common sense ? I'm not certain our elected officials are. I believe their sense of normalcy and reason is far different than the average American. Common sense appears most often in the " common " man. That seems logical now doesn't it ? Is Dr. Ben Carson an average man ? I don't think you can answer that with a simple yes or no.
Putting my politics aside his probable candidacy prompted my thoughts on common sense. Can governmental decisions be based on common sense ? Common sense does not seek to appease anyone in particular, just offer a solution to a problem. This common sense approach is very often met with extreme opposition. It is my belief that happens when the solution doesn't fulfill a want. The immediate need may be satisfied but it is the absence of the " want " that causes the issue. And it seems to me that everybody " wants " something different these days. Even when things are obviously wrong, a validation for that action is required. Consider the fact, we raise taxes to avoid raising taxes ! Happens all the time. Many states have legalized gambling and selling drugs for the tax revenue. The reasoning is that the state profits from this rather than expending funds to enforce existing laws. Yes, you save money by not enforcing the law, even more by removing the law altogether !
The government is a reflection of the conscience of the governed. At least that is the way our system of government was designed to work. We the people voting for our candidate and electing our representatives. Those representatives are then supposed to reflect the views of their constituency. A common sense approach that allows everyone a voice. The problem today lies in our representatives not being held to account. Has America outgrown common sense ? Until we, as Americans start voting for America and not our own " wants " I would say yes. And that leads me to another topic, another essay for another time, The American Conscience and where did it go ?
Now, before you go jumping to conclusions I have not decided to campaign for this man. I admire his skill and his intellect. The color of his skin is of no significance to me. He says he would run as a Republican because he has to run as something. He did seem uncomfortable with having to choose. I do see issues with his candidacy. First, and most obvious, is he has no previous political experience. That leaves a significant gap in the conversation. What can the other candidates compare themselves too ? Are there skeletons in the famed neurosurgeons' closet ? There very well may be. I believe all of us have things we would rather not share. But I believe his inexperience would be a great detriment. And he has a habit of being brutally honest ! Honesty in politics is often misunderstood. Setting those points aside let us assume he wins the election. Will he then be able to accomplish anything ? That is a real concern I have with this man as a candidate
For me anyway the question is a simple one, is America ready for a dose of common sense ? I'm not certain our elected officials are. I believe their sense of normalcy and reason is far different than the average American. Common sense appears most often in the " common " man. That seems logical now doesn't it ? Is Dr. Ben Carson an average man ? I don't think you can answer that with a simple yes or no.
Putting my politics aside his probable candidacy prompted my thoughts on common sense. Can governmental decisions be based on common sense ? Common sense does not seek to appease anyone in particular, just offer a solution to a problem. This common sense approach is very often met with extreme opposition. It is my belief that happens when the solution doesn't fulfill a want. The immediate need may be satisfied but it is the absence of the " want " that causes the issue. And it seems to me that everybody " wants " something different these days. Even when things are obviously wrong, a validation for that action is required. Consider the fact, we raise taxes to avoid raising taxes ! Happens all the time. Many states have legalized gambling and selling drugs for the tax revenue. The reasoning is that the state profits from this rather than expending funds to enforce existing laws. Yes, you save money by not enforcing the law, even more by removing the law altogether !
The government is a reflection of the conscience of the governed. At least that is the way our system of government was designed to work. We the people voting for our candidate and electing our representatives. Those representatives are then supposed to reflect the views of their constituency. A common sense approach that allows everyone a voice. The problem today lies in our representatives not being held to account. Has America outgrown common sense ? Until we, as Americans start voting for America and not our own " wants " I would say yes. And that leads me to another topic, another essay for another time, The American Conscience and where did it go ?
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