Honesty is the Best Policy

This nation is in dire need of honest people with integrity and a passion for patriotism. Imagine how much more smoothly the systems would run if the government was not only as honest as safely possible with the citizens of the nation but with itself. I can only imagine what that would be like because we have yet to experience it. If the Federal Government did what it is supposed to do, we would have an incredibly less number of domestic and foreign issues. After reading a book by author Fred Greenstein called "The Presidential Difference: Leadership Style from FDR to Barack Obama", I have come to understand that the characteristics and personality styles that it takes to run for and become the president of the most powerful nation in the world are completely different than those to actually BE the president. It is important as Americans, to see these differences and stop allowing ourselves to be swayed by the media so easily. We must educate ourselves and stop complaining about the lack of leadership unless we plan to do something about it and change it. It takes less than 10 minutes to look up a candidate online and research what they believe but many people do not vote (they estimate that around 54% voted in the 2008 election which was almost 10% less than the 2004 election). I feel it is our civic duty to vote and those who do not, I feel have less of a right to complain about the current administration or any for that matter. If something can be done, do it. It is as simple as that. Let us be honest with ourrselves and our voting and hold the policy makers at a higher standard.  Raise the bar and ask people to rise above instead of lowering the bar to make people feel more "accepted".