For whom do we vote?

President Obama declares that America is not a Christian nation. The psalmist writes: “Blessed is the nation whose god is the Lord.” Psalms 33:12. So we believers pray the nation is blessed . . . . but we're between a rock and a hard place.

We ought not suppose the morals of a man have no bearing on his merit as a political leader. But if a man cannot be true, for example, to marriage vows, how can you expect him to be true to vows of integrity in public office? Bill Clinton, John McCain, seem able to convince the public that marriage infidelity and fidelity in public office are entirely irrelevant. Too many other bad examples to be worth naming.

“No free government can stand without virtue in the people, and a lofty spirit of patriotism . . . thank God my life has been spent in a land of liberty.” Andrew Jackson.“Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith.” Horace Greely. “What is liberty without wisdom and without virtue?” John Locke. David O McKay considered the personal integrity of a candidate more important than whether you agreed with his stated policies.