Why Not Elect the Speechwriters Instead of the Candidates?

Because I am a writer, I often get requests from close friends to review something they have written or to write a short blurb to further a cause we both believe in and support. Yesterday I received an e-mail from a friend who is helping a candidate for political office. She sent a short article she had written for an upcoming event on behalf of her candidate and asked for my help.

I had met the candidate once when she was visiting my friend, and while I wasn’t aware of her platform, I was impressed with her personally and respectful of her courageous decision to run for office. I also trust and respect my friend, so I agreed.

Yesterday I spent several hours going over the piece, and could hardly wait to get to the computer this morning to add some new thoughts. After polishing the piece until I totally resonated with the content, I opened an e-mail and began writing a note to my friend to accompany the attached article. It wasn’t long before I realized that I had doubts about sending it and decided finally that I wouldn’t. Here’s why.

I began thinking about the challenging times that face us locally, regionally, nationally and globally. I thought about how important it is to elect consciously aware human beings who have the moral, ethical, intellectual and spiritual maturity to break free of old patterns—and are open to new paths of opportunity to heal our planet and ensure our future on Earth.

In order to do that, we must be consciously aware ourselves and through due diligence seek out the brightest and best individuals for the job. I knew I couldn’t present a written piece that might not reflect the essence of the individual for whom it was written.

I also vividly remembered the times I had voted for someone only to realize later that we should have elected the person who drafted the now-incumbent’s speeches.

Recently, along with my fellow citizens, I watched the presidential debates and realized how difficult [nearly impossible] it is to try to figure out the true character of any current candidates as they have been packaged, prepped and sanitized in order to get elected.

The only ones who have the “freedom” to speak candidly are those not in the upper tier of presidential candidates, as they know they won’t be their party’s choice and have nothing to lose.

I e-mailed the suggestion to my friend that the candidate courageously publish a list of her personal core beliefs and intentions right off the bat; throw her hat in the ring and go for it. It would be refreshingly honest, and a nice change from the usual put-the-platform-together-as-you-go process.

Since I already did the work, I would like to share some of the qualities that I believe we should require and expect from our national leaders: We need elected officials who are secure enough to connect and communicate candidly at a time in our world when we are becoming more and more alienated from each other—and who seek to connect and negotiate rather than influence and impress; who lead from a place of integrity, intelligence and with a compassionate heart; who are ethically, morally and spiritually mature enough to break free of old ways and be open to new opportunities to better our lives and secure the future, and who work to ensure there is a future and one worthy of our stewardship.
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Copyright 2007 by Fern Stewart Welch

The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available from Amazon.com, other online booksellers, and through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.