Elect good people

I recently passed some fellow hikers, one of whom was wearing a T-shirt that read, “Elect good people.” I thought to myself, “Yes!” That is exactly what we need in this increasingly toxic political environment.

I have been sorely disappointed this election season by the critical, contemptuous, and anger-driven campaign strategies on display. While politics has always been unnecessarily critical, my observation is that anger and hatred are worsening. Instead of focusing on positive accomplishments or the goals they hope to achieve, candidates portray their opponents as enemies and stoke fear among voters. This is leadership at its worst, not leadership at its best.

Regardless of the issues that concern us, conditions continue to deteriorate, and few problems are being solved. The reason is not differences of opinion. It is a governing process increasingly driven by anger, the treatment of others as enemies, and chronic inflexibility. Such an approach has not worked in the past, and it will not work now.

The antidote to this poisonous political climate is to elect leaders of character and integrity. Until we choose people whose principles enable them to rise above volatility, anger, and rigid partisanship, we will continue to hear the same broken record. This country was founded on the idea of “we the people,” not “me” or “my party.”

Please vote for character this election. Please elect good people.

Jonathan Swinton

Juneau