My Only Political Post In This Election Cycle

When it comes to politics I'm afraid I'm a little too cynical. If ever the phrase "inmates running the asylum" were true it undoubtedly would be said of politicians. A visitor to our church once commented that I seemed very apolitical for a pastor. I'm not sure what he was used to but I do hate a lot of the things people say about politics because it is usually exaggeration, fear mongering, or worse.

So what do I think about our current crop of candidates? Not that any one should care. But here is my opinion on Clinton, Obama, and McCain. Those are the three who have a shot so I won't waste time on any one else. Sorry Huckabee fans.

I want a visionary leader. Someone once said that a visionary leader leads people to a promised land that they never knew existed. I like that. We're talking about visionary here, not someone who takes us where we think we want to go but someone who can take us to a good place where we will be glad to be even if we don't know exactly what that is yet.

I expect Hillary will be like Bill and Bill was not a visionary leader. He was more of a consensus leader. He would find out where people were headed, through polls, and then jump to the front of the line to lead the way. Sometimes this is a good thing but this country needs more than that right now. Some would say that Hillary's attempt at national health care in the early nineties was visionary and maybe it was. But she obviously proved that she couldn't take people with her. That's where the leader part comes in.

George bush is a visionary leader. The only problem is that when we got to where he was taking us we didn't like it. That's the risk of electing a visionary leader. People wonder why he is so stubborn. It's because he believes in his vision and isn't worried about consensus. His problem is that the place were he took us didn't deliver the results that I think even he thought they would. I really doubt that he would have won a second term if the Democrats had put up someone more centrist than Kerry.

For me the question comes down to who is the most visionary between McCain and Obama. McCain has shown that he will do what he thinks he should do no matter what the party line is. He also has shown that he is a bit of an operator, if you believe what some people say about the Virginia primary. I suppose some don't like that while others see it as a sign of a man who can get things done. In the end I have to say that I don't know if he would be a visionary leader. But I do believe that he is the closest thing to it that the Republicans have right now.

Obama doesn't have the record to allow him to make the claim that he is a visionary leader. He has to make the case from scratch, which may be a lot harder, but I wouldn't necessarily hold that against him. I think visionary leaders learn from where we've been, are aware of where we are, but focus on what we will become as a nation. Obama sounds like he gets this. Like McCain, I have to say I don't know if he is a visionary leader either, but he is the closest the Democrats have to it.

I won't make any predictions but of the three I suppose it is obvious that the one I don't want is Hillary. I wonder who McCain would rather face. I also wonder if he feels confident enough that he is going to win that he will do some back door dealing now to get his supporters in the remaining races to vote in the Democratic races instead of for him. That way he might be able to face who he wants. I bet he wishes the Huckster would drop out.

Well, there you have it. I have said my bit on politics for the year. I will just add for all you Republicans out there that I know a lot of Democrats who I consider to be excellent Christians. And for you Democrats, I know a lot of Republicans who really do have a passion for the poor. They just disagree with you on how to help. As for me, I'd just rather talk about Jesus.