Anyone who’s spent much time reading what I write, might be aware that much of what I pen is reactive. I’m one of those people who finds it easier to respond to considerations of others with things that I’ve often long resolved myself.

It’s just true that, I have a lot of long-standing opinions—based on fact, I hope—that are just waiting for the chance to be made public.

In this case, one of my favorite YouTubers (among other things) amazed me by making some statements that seemed to imply his lack of understanding where a fairly well known political individual was concerned.

I’ll not give the politician any kind of credibility by repeating his name here. Suffice to say that he’s long been known for a heavily socialist worldview that he came into while working outside the country.

Having seen that it appeared the person doing his segment on YouTube may not’ve been completely aware about whom he was speaking, rather than being shocked, I found myself repeating in my brain, something I’ve thought so many times about so many people, that it’s sadly become a competely non-revelatory consideration as a rule.

That “mantra” was “An uninformed electorate will cause people who should never be allowed in power to be in positions of authority.”

I want to make a couple of things plain.

The first is that the speaker may be aware of the leanings of the person about whom he was speaking. He may understand, but have assumed that was “in his past alone” as a good many people seem to think; or that he didn’t lean as far in the direction he does as he’s now clearly shown is the case. I’m under no such illusion. The man discussed is—as far as I’m able to tell—an avowed far-left Socialist.

Secondly, I should make it clear that he may not have been one who even could’ve helped the fellow in question make his way into public office. Even if he was among those who was in a position to do so, I’m not arguing that he did do so either.

My point here is, take the time to do your due diligence. Find out who people that may be up for election are, and know who they’ve shown themselves to be in the past. Be aware of changes, but wary of their actuality without long-standing words, and more importantly, actions. And when they show themselves to have lied about changing their stripes, do what must legally be done to remove them from office.

This applies equally to people who are going to be reporting or editorializing (my specialty) on such public figures (for me, I tend to be about timeless things, so I probably wouldn’t have taken the opportunity to report on this individual at any point in a direct way).

Most folks don’t feel themselves equipped in a variety of ways, to take the time and effort to research the past, the statements, and actions of someone whose name is on a ballot.

Worse yet, the majority of individuals will vote for someone as a result of party affiliation, totally ignoring the beliefs of the individual.

Because this is true, the importance of folks working in news and editorial positions is the much greater. You might be the only person out there that people see, who apprises them, “This person has shown him or her self to be a full blown Marxist. All you have to do is look at what they’ve been inclined to say and more importantly, do.”

Then there’s the “other half of the battle.”

This is, believe it or not, the hard part.

The fact is, there has become a major issue with folks in the United States (and I imagine elsewhere as well) not understanding what people mean when they use certain terms.

Communist, Socialist, Marxist, Maoist, Republican, Democrat, Leftist, Rightist and so many more are on this list.

The average teenager, right up to many young—and some far older—adults has little idea what’s been done in the name of Communism in the last hundred years. The same applies to Socialism.

Most younger Americans (and some older ones) are surprised to hear that Abraham Lincoln was a Republican.

They’re equally amazed to learn that the Republican Party started life, and remains to this day, the anti-slavery party. They’re astounded to find out the majority of Republicans don’t support racism (at all). They don’t know that events like the story of Central High School, right here in Little Rock, Arkansas, involved a Democrat mayor (Orval Faubus) telling the “Little Rock Nine” they weren’t welcome at Central, and being forced by a Republican president (Dwight D Eisenhower) to allow that to occur.

And there’re so many more such things people don’t understand.

How many realize that everywhere Socialism has been tried, it has not only failed, but made the citizens where it has been attempted, generally miserable and poverty-stricken?

There was a time when these things and others of their ilk, were taught in elementary and secondary schools across the country, to say nothing of post-secondary curricula.

Indicating the foxes are in the henhouse in the modern day would be an understatement.

More often than not, if your children aren’t homeschooled, they’ll be getting their education from people who support the idea (God only understands why) of Socialism, Communism, Marxism, or one of so many other patently horrible forms of government.

This is only exacerbated by the fact that many people either get wrapped up in their own little world, or have a hard time getting their children to open up and tell them what’s going on in school.

The point here, is that there are at least two things that’re being missed in the modern day, both of which are of critical importance.

The first is, “Know your candidate(s).” Take the time to explore who they are, and what they’re likely to do when and if they get into office. The result may be critical to your future, to say nothing of your posterity’s time to come.

The second is, know your history, and have a solid understanding of the various government types.

If you have children, by the way, pass these understandings on to them.

Do you think things are bad politically at present? Are you concerned about the direction in which America appears to be headed? If we don’t strongly grab hold of knowing who’s running, as well as history and the meat and potatoes of political ideologies, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!

Thanks for reading and may your time be good.