How do you determine your priorities? What is really important to you? What matters most? It seems at times that we are overwhelmed by choices. Some of them are clear cut, but others hover in those gray either-or worlds of maybe-maybe not. You probably haven’t thought of yourself as a philosopher, but a coherent and rock solid philosophical base is vital for making the critical decisions in your life. Many of you may recoil in horror at the suggestion that you become philosophically astute because your perception of philosophers is one of thinkers, not doers, and of crazy inbreds locked in an attic while attempting to solve the unsolvable mysteries of live. Well, you are correct. It may be useful, however, for you to embrace “philosophy-lite.” It certainly works for selling beer, and it may be useful for you as you frame your world view.
Each of us should have a foundation for our belief system. For some a point of view may be internally driven such as your quest for individuality or an intuitive sense of “”rightness.” For others the structure of the world view may be built upon outside sources like faith, wisdom of the ages or systematic philosophies. You don’t have to be totally familiar with Hume, Locke, Rand or any number of political/social thinkers in order for you to develop a consistent and resolute position for confronting difficult issues. Personally, I find that the Word of God (the Bible) and the Founding documents provide enough mortar to hold my world view together. I have read many of the great philosophers, and I’ve found their musings intriguing. As I’ve stated before, Ayn Rand’s Objectivism appeals to me, but within the context of the Christian faith. My bedrock, unmovable, underlying principle is individual liberty. For me that view is wholly consistent with God’s Word and intuitively reasonable also.
If you seriously consider what you hold dear as foundational principles, then when you are confronted with seemingly difficult positions, your reasoning will lead you to the optimum solution. People who have not established their base often find themselves on the slippery slopes of rationalization. As an example, my fallback bedrock principle is individual liberty. I am never torn by the security/safety versus freedom calculation. I know deep within my being that when government determines what is “safe” or “secure,” my liberty will be compromised. I also know that my liberty is a gift from God, and that I should not squander it.
My impetus for following this line of commentary today was a recent interview with John Boehner. The new Speaker of the House had been asked which programs he would recommend for cutting or elimination, and he responded that he couldn’t think of anything off the top of his head. Mr. Boehner has been in Congress for 20 years. He has been at some level of House leadership for 16 years. If he can read polling data, he knew for several weeks that he would likely become the Speaker. Boehner also knew that the “tea party” movement was an important element of the GOP victory in November, so why did nothing “pop” to the top of his head? I contend that John Boehner does not have a system of principles that guide him through life or as a political office holder. Over the years he has been a nominal “conservative,” but willing to strike a deal with an adversary to gain some small measure of political advantage. If and when John Boehner embraces any legislative activity that reduces the size of government, it will be solely as a response to his constituency…not as a philosophical or constitutional principle. He will only move as far as he is pushed because he has no principled guidance system. His call for a 5 per cent across the board cut is another Boehnerism. The 5% figure does not begin to address the nation’s fiscal situation, and it compounds the problem by its failure to prioritize. It represented a token cookie tossed to his constituents.
Principles do matter. From principle springs integrity, honesty and consistency. Principle is the source of an individual’s morality and courage. Without principle, no matter how you vote or govern, one becomes just another sleazy opportunist. We deserve better. We must demand more.
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