Smart Enough to Think for Self?

Definition of ' pragmatic:' Dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations.

It is a shrewd political strategy to hammer away with a particular emotionally-charged message, which overwhelms and motivates the voting public. On a personal note: I loved and adored my mother who was my greatest gift. That said, she was nevertheless a classic example of individuals who easily become fixated on one repeated 'cry' and therefore gravitate to single-issue voting. Now, in fairness I offer two reasons for these single-issue voters: 1) The single-issue voter's passion for 'the issue' can be all consuming or 2) by adopting a single-issue the voter need not examine multiple issues, which requires in-depth research and investigation; it's tiring! Single-issue voting makes the decision-making process easy and expedient with little thinking.

I bring this subject before blog readers because we have witnessed the massive movement of far-right Christian conservatives who have embraced the matter of abortion and made it their 'single-issue upon which to vote. So be it. However, I reject the single-issue voting mentality unconvinced of its intellectual soundness.

A few voting 'issues' to consider...I offer the following: abortion, climate change, education,  infrastructure, crime,  health care, terrorism, immigration reform, prison reform, mental illness, gun control, medical research, military funding,  Food & Drug monitoring and minimum wage. Certainly, one could easily preach relentlessly at one of these aforementioned issues and embrace that 'ONE' single issue to determine their vote even though other issues are obviously of great importance for the good of society. I maintain that the 'single-issue' voting approach is weak-minded and detrimental to a democracy. For goodness sakes our democracy and freedoms are more convoluted and complex than 'turning' on a single issue!

This writer will continue to look at the broad spectrum of issues facing our peoples and do my best to examine pros and cons for each resolve and determine my vote on several issues not just one. My hope is that our societal culture gets my best effort even though I ultimately have but one vote to cast. I am not super smart but I am smart enough to fear the words of false messagegers when I can trust my own examination and investigation into  multiple issues.