It wonders me.

Daily we absorb news reports of the handiwork of our elected representatives at the national, state and local levels, and we wonder how these people sleep at night. No, not all. Many of them. Most, actually. What motivates these representatives, senators, city council members, county commissioners, school board members, to make such choices that affect, nay, control our lives? They look respectable enough. They dress well. Some of them even speak in complete sentences.

Stepping back from the daily clamor for some thoughtful reflection leads me to question the moral codes that drive the decisions our elected representatives make to cut taxes on the rich while trampling the basic needs of the poor, to cite one example. Is it simply greed? Political survival? A desire to humiliate or defeat those whose priorities differ from our own? Is it distaste for or distrust of The Other, people not like us? Is it blind allegiance to a party or individual?

It’s tempting to check all of these boxes, but I prefer to believe that the trend is changing. Increasingly, we are beginning to see a better side to these people as more of them  bravely step forward to say and do what their hearts tell them is morally right. Everyone benefits when that happens. Let’s do all we can to encourage such compassionate courage and wisdom in our leaders.