Texas Faith: Is the 2012 election serving the common good?

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As a way of introducing
this week’s question, I want to announce that our next Texas Faith public forum
will be held on Thursday, September 27. Bill Lawrence and the Perkins School of
Theology will be hosting the event at SMU’s Prothro Hall. The session will
start at 7 p.m. and run until 8:30 p.m. I will send out a reminder later this
month, but hope you can put the date on your calendar. And, as I have mentioned
before, everyone will get a chance to participate on a panel as we roll these
out. For this session, Bill, Katie Sherrod, Dwight McKissic, Mike Ghouse,
Gordon Wright and George Mason will lead the discussion, which will focus on
whether the election is furthering the common good, and how it can do so
better. I will moderate. If Wayne is able, he will make it up from Austin.
With that in mind, I
would like each of you to provide your thoughts about:
1. Is this election
furthering the national common good? If so, how?
2. How do you think it
could better serve the good of America?
MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism,
Dallas
This particular election
is highlighting the perverse things about politics as well as the common good
that can be had through the process. It is time to seriously think about the
purpose of the elected; to serve the people or those who put them up to serve
their specific interests?

The national common good
is here to stay, and no one can shake the foundation of our nation. Our systems
are firmly rooted in our constitution and neither the right nor the left will
dare touch it, although they mess with it from time to time… However, the
Majority of the Americans will get back at the rascals on November 6, 2012, as
they have done in eliminating the ones who did not represent the common good of
the populace.
The loosening of campaign
finance is like a leash-less dog hounding people to mend. Whoever throws the most
money can create false or truthful impressions to gain support. Neither Obama
nor Romney are scoring points on their own merits, but rather on what the other
guy does not have, at the end both will be stripped from whatever good they
have.
The rich are investing
in a marketable commodity called President, hoping to reap the rewards later. The
oil companies and Wall Streeters can throw millions of dollars into the race,
it is a paltry sum to them, and they expect their man to make things easy for
them. Obama had his day, and now the bones are thrown at Romney. Superpacs need
to go.

To protect the common good of our nation, we need to investigate each bill
passed, and why it passed – did it serve common good or can the passing be
traced to money’s showered on the Senators and Congresspersons? Should we keep
them? 
 There is a petition out there, which I have signed;
in fact someone beat me to it. If Obama or Romney shoots his mouth off in the
debates, let the giant screen show it to them that they do not have their
facts. Here is an opportunity to bring common goodness to the election process.
The strength of our democracy is based on people
voting their conscience, rather than bullied, induced or influenced into party
loyalties.

Texas faith is a weekly column, where panelists from different
traditions respond to the issues of the day – for all the responses, please
visit Dallas Morning News at  

Mike Ghouse is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairsIslamIndiaIsrael, peace and justice. Mike is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he
contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas
Morning News
 and regularly at Huffington post, and several other periodicals across the world. The blog www.TheGhousediary.comis updated daily. 

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