Short Term Thinking

I have been following the campaigns of the various candidates for president, because I feel it is important to be informed. I listen to what the candidates are saying and pay attention to the polls supposedly indicating what is important to the voters. I am disappointed at what I see.

The emphasis has swung from the war in Iraq to the economy. However, both the war and the economy, while important, don’t have the long-term effects of other, more critical issues facing us. The war and the economy have a sense of urgency, and are absolutely critical if you have a loved one in Iraq or you are facing a personal economic crisis. I don’t want to minimize or trivialize those personal aspects of the war and the economy.

Nevertheless, looking at things from a more strategic and national level, we are about to be in serious trouble in a number of inter-related areas, yet those aren’t at the forefront in these campaigns – probably because they aren’t as “urgent” in people’s eyes.

As I’ve mentioned before, the most serious long-term crisis facing us is the inter-related issues of enormous oil consumption, air pollution, dependence on countries that hate us, and the uncontrolled use of a critical non-renewable resource (oil). While we don’t like the effects of $100 a barrel oil, that is the tip of the iceberg. If we don’t act now, we could face a crisis of unimaginable proportions down the road.

Other serious issues are lack of affordable health care for many, social security, crumbling infrastructure, terrorism, and the loss of manufacturing capacity and jobs. We as a nation have to decide whether we will continue on the downhill slide to Third World status, or will make the changes necessary to be great again.

I don’t want us to be great for the sake of greatness, but to be great so that there will be less poverty, less uncertainty, greater opportunities, and a more just society. As part of that greatness, I would like to see us draw closer to God, become a more moral and ethical society, have fewer out-of-wedlock births and fewer abortions, restore the family by eliminating no-fault divorce, and clean up the entertainment industry. Government can’t do these – only we the people can. If we don’t as a nation draw closer to God and stop allowing atheists to eliminate God from society, then I hate to think of what will become of us.

If God allowed his chosen people to be taken away from their homeland into Babylonian exile, will he spare us from the inevitable results of our apostasy?