Time to "dabble" in politics

I've been watching the reaction to Christine O'Donnell's victory in the Delaware Primary, and reminded of the real dilemma we voters face nearly every election: Is ideology or personal character the most important? Can a leader who's character is flawed still be a great leader? We've had some very flawed leaders in the past, if the stories are true, that nonetheless did great things for our country: John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King are 2 of my flawed favorites. Most Democrats feel the same way about Clinton -- a very flawed man, whom they believe did great things -- and many were quick to point out that being a good Christian isn't just about sexual morality; it's also about doing good to people and for people.

So what are the choices in Delaware? On the one hand, A woman who seems to be flawed in the sense of having "dabbled" in witchcraft, getting behind on her taxes enough to get a tax lien, and having her home foreclosed. The first appears to be a teenage thing, and she didn't join any Wicca or other covens. So that should be a non-issue for any reasonable person.

The taxes and home foreclosure are more important because they "might" indicate poor money management or a willful disregard for financial commitment. Or, they might simply indicate a run of bad luck, which a lot of people can identify with. Have you caught the new Season of Apprentice yet? The 16 candidates are currently ALL very successful people who are currently unemployed. People going from 6-digit incomes to selling cupcakes in a mobile stand.

On the other hand, Coons is pretty much a declared Marxist. Maybe he's never dabbled in witchcraft, or gotten behind on his taxes, or lost a home or any other property. But do we want another Marxist in our government? Our country's financial problems aren't really about poor money management -- the deficit-building is pretty deliberate, in my opinion. The people in power have been taking us down a specific path for many decades. Some are pushing us along in an effort to get us to the end a whole lot sooner, but even "conservatives" have assisted in the move forward along that path, sometimes slowing it down to a snail's pace, but moving forward nonetheless. What we need is a strong-willed group in Congress that will put on the brakes and turn as around, so we can start the journey back to what we should be.

If I lived in Delaware, I would vote for O'Donnell.