We are descending upon another election year in this country.
The Republican party and the Tea Party are throwing everything they have to try and defeat President Obama. Once again, the media is spinning its web trying to convince us of who is the right candidate, and we are sitting here once again looking at a field that is largely reminiscent of a beauty pageant that has no truly beautiful participants. The Republican candidates appear to be willing to devour the front runner Romney even to the point that they would jeopardize the only real candidate that has a chance of beating the incumbent Potus. No matter what the outcome of the primaries, the Obama campaign team is undoubtedly eager to get their chance to defend their title.
I ask that, if possible, do not get hung up on the politics of our elected leaders. Don’t lock your mind on to the games that are played in politics. Instead, let’s take a close and hard look at the lack of true emotional intelligence that runs through the veins of this political and media machine. These people are our only hope to continue to prosper and live what has been called the American Dream. We all have the right as taxpaying citizens in this democracy to vote in representatives and leaders at all levels of government. But the sad truth is that most people that would stand up for the values and the constitution that our founding fathers took so much time, pain and loss to create, can’t either afford the cost it takes to get elected, or else they see what it can do to your family life and simply don’t want to go through the trouble.
I find it very disheartening to watch the mud slinging and the petty non sense that is associated with the political process. Some people don’t mind it and even thrive on that type of energy. When I watch the talking heads on t.v. and the reporters who bring us the election information, it almost makes me wonder if I am missing something. Am I the only person that feels this way?
In the book Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman talks about the need to be empathetic and to identify your emotions before you react to certain situations. I don’t discount the fact that the candidates and the President himself are all intelligent people, as they are educated people. But that does not mean that they are truly emotionally intelligent. Before you vote in this coming Presidential election in November, ponder these questions… do they really have empathy for the 16 million people that are unemployed in this country? Do they really care enough to take the time to follow through on their bloated campaign promises? Are they serious about creating jobs for the people that are caught in the economic whirlpool that we have stuck in for the last 6 years? Do they really want to cut senseless spending and analyze the waste of taxpayer dollars that are being syphoned from our savings and checking accounts? Or are they just looking for a way to secure their legacies and feed their egos at our expense?
It is a very simple litmus test. How do they live their lives? Do they practice what they preach? Do they spend money that isn’t their’s because in their minds they deserve it? This is a democracy, not a monarchy. It should not be perceived that by getting elected into the most powerful position in our country that you can do whatever you want whenever you want at the expense of others. You don’t vacation and throw extravagant parties when people are suffering that are under your leadership. This is a sign of disconnect from reality.
We still have the ability to turn this country back into the shining diamond that it once was for our ancestors. But we need to be very clear to our elected officials that we are tired of the greed and the insanity. We can use technology to get the message out. We can encourage our children, co-workers and friends to vote. We can pass this blog on to others and get te conversation started. These are the little things that we can do that will make a difference.
Being emotionally intelligent is quite simple. It has been practiced by all of the great spiritual teachers in history. We need to become more compassionate and conscious. We are all here for a very short period of time. What can you do in your neighborhood or family to make a difference? We need leaders. We need you.