Taking the Stress Out of Picking a President

At this pivotal time in our country’s history, I am feeling some stress about making the “right” decision in the upcoming presidential election. Many friends, family members and associates have expressed the same concern. We believe the emotionalism surrounding key issues brings out the worst in the political arena and clouds the issues.

Then there are the candidates’ gaffes, foot-in-the-mouth moments and memory lapses, which were enough to erode any trust and hope we had in the candidates at the outset. In addition, there are the no-longer-unusual dirty tricks, half-truths and double-talk perpetrated by those seeking to further the cause of their candidates, exacerbated by the media’s continuing failure to provide objective information to help us make an informed decision.

The situation is further complicated by the highly charged conflicting and prejudicial opinions spewed by all the talking heads on television, who are more concerned with sensationalism and entertainment than with substance. It seems impossible for an ordinary citizen to know the true character of any candidate, how they stand on important issues and what would actually be an intelligent and informed view on these issues.

The good news is that the critical problems in our country have jarred the citizenry out of its apathy and we are really beginning to pay attention to the direction in which our country is headed—which is long overdue. The very essence of democracy is based on citizen awareness and involvement.

The bad news is that a lack of honesty and integrity permeates every level of our culture. This cultural failing has yielded large numbers of people who have no scruples about deceiving the public in order to achieve their selfish goals. This includes some politicians, who have always played fast and loose with the truth.

The sad news is that this situation has become so pervasive in our society that separating the wheat from the chaff – truth from fiction – is an increasingly complex and challenging dilemma, especially for those of us seeking to be responsible citizens.

The Internet offers an overwhelming number of Web sites with information about the candidates’ views and records, but because so much of it is biased, conflicting and often unreliable, it requires time, effort and discernment to sift through them. You can also go to each candidate’s Web site and access their views directly instead of relying on what surrogates or opponents say.

By taking the time to seek out our own information, we can alleviate much of the frustration and stress caused by the partisan views that serve more to confuse than to enlighten. I suggest we ignore as much of the political rhetoric as possible. Then after the situation settles down somewhat, which it will after the national conventions, we can then turn our focus to the two nominees and their positions on key issues that are important to us.

I also believe we need to let go of our disappointment in and all the attendant emotions around our country’s current problems and our fears about what the future holds. This will defuse some of the pressure we have placed on ourselves to make the “right” decision, and create an atmosphere in which to make a clear and well-reasoned determination.

By giving ourselves some space, using commonsense and weighing the pros and cons, we can come to an informed decision. If, after living with the decision for a few days or weeks it continues to resonate within the core of our being, we can trust it implicitly. By performing due diligence, we have fulfilled our responsibility as a citizen, and done our best—there is nothing more anyone can ask of us.
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Copyright 2008 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 at Amazon.com and other online booksellers, as well as through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.