Belief

After reading a few articles on the "non-binding" resolution crap coming out of the House, I realized something: out political leaders have no belief. I'm not talking about religion (though many are lacking this as well). I'm talking about believing in an idea, a vision. Belief in an idea gives one conviction. And conviction gives one the will to do what is necessary, to take a stand, to do something truly great.

Ronald Reagan had belief. His belief is what gave him the will to get the US through the Cold War and win, even though we faced massive debt due to his spending measures. If Reagan did not have this strong belief, his conviction, then he would not have pushed our nation as hard as it needed to. If the Cold War was a drag-race, he would have flinched before the finish line.

Yes, belief, conviction, can be dangerous. We see that in Al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations. But without belief, all you can achieve is mediocrity.

I look at the political candidates on the field for the 2008 election, and I don't see a single believer among them. They're all smart, savvy, and have potential. But none of them look like believers to me. Why? Because they watch the polls and sway with them. Take Senator Hillary Clinton. In order to appease the far-left of her party for the 2008 nomination, she's been making her mad dash to the anti-war crowd, but refuses to say that her vote for the war was a mistake. She tries to play both sides. A politically savvy move, but ultimately it shows her weakness. Hillary has no courage, no will, no conviction, because she doesn't believe in anything.

Joe Lieberman believed, that's why he stuck with his war vote in the face of growing anti-war rhetoric in his own party. That got him kicked out of Democratic party. But he still believed, and ran as an independent to beat the upstart, Lamont.

If the people in the House and the Senate believed their anti-war rhetoric, they'd cut off funding for the war in Iraq right now. But they're afraid of being called "doves," being seen as soft and not supporting the troops. They have no will. They have no vision that they truly believe in other than having a cushy job on the Hill.

America's time in the spotlight is over, because our leaders believe in nothing.