What Are Elections For? - Thomas Sowell

Thomas Sowell: What Are Elections For?

"Their anger may be justified, but anger is not a sufficient reason for choosing a candidate in a desperate time for the future of this nation. And there is such a thing as a point of no return.

"Voters need to consider what elections are for. Elections are not held to allow voters to vent their emotions. They are held to choose who shall hold in their hands the fate of hundreds of millions of Americans today and of generations yet unborn.

"Too many nations, in desperate times, especially after the established authorities have discredited themselves and forfeited the trust of the people, have turned to some new and charismatic leader, who ended up turning a dire situation into an utter catastrophe....

"Eric Hoffer's shrewd insight into the success of charismatic leaders was that the 'quality of ideas seems to play a minor role,' What matters, he pointed out, 'is the arrogant gesture, the complete disregard of the opinion of others, the singlehanded defiance of the world.'

"Is that the emotional release that Republican voters will be seeking when they begin voting in the primaries? If so, Donald Trump will be their man. But if the sobering realities of life and the need for mature and wise leadership in dangerous times is uppermost in their minds, they will have to look elsewhere."