Good ideas come from creative center

To the editor:

Good ideas are not Republican or Democratic, conservative or liberal, reactionary or radical. Good ideas cannot be judged by a category, ideology, personality, social identity, gender, race, or religious belief. They can be judged morally and ethically; and they can be judged for their efficacy.

Most of the best ideas come from the creative center ... they land somewhere in between the extremities of liberal and conservative ideologies.

The best ideas come from independent, unaligned, farsighted, and highly creative people. They come from people who are idealistic but practical; even pragmatic. They come from people who are not motivated by self-interest but by the common good. They are not usually politicians by nature or career choice.

They do have experience. They have demonstrated the ability to build consensus. They do not compromise their principles and they do not break the laws. They instinctively know when it is time to break the rules.

As American citizens and voters we must learn to resist the ways we are 'sold' on voting for a particular candidate. Party affiliation should matter less than ability and character. We must see through the marketing strategies and the 'branding' that campaigns use to influence our decisions.

In a true democracy, it is the citizens who are responsible for choosing our leaders. Our leaders reflect the best and, sadly, the worst of who we are as a people. We must hold ourselves accountable for the votes we cast in elections. Voting in our American Democracy is a right but it is also a privilege and moral obligation.

We owe every child living in America today, every baby born or soon to be born, a vote that is based on our highest ideals, our moral conscience, and a deep conviction and profound belief in a better life, a happier, healthier, life for all who will live here and call the United States of America their home.