June 21, 2016 (Tuesday)
We are getting closer to the two conventions that will nominate candidates for president of our country. The Republican convention will meet in Cleveland, Ohio July 18-21, and the Democratic convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania July 25-28. The citizens of Cleveland will no doubt find their convention anti-climactic after their basketball team emerged as national champion this week.
The months of August, September and October will see all-out campaigns by both major parties and their candidates. If you think the political primaries gave us a rough ride, as Al Jolson used to say in his shows, “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”
As of today, not taking into account efforts to nominate someone else, the candidates to be nominated will almost certainly be Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.
Party conventions are no longer the same as they once were, when no one knew who the nominee would be until it was decided by the delegates. New rules have given us new results.
There will also be a candidate for vice-president nominated by each convention. We do not yet know who those people will be. Not much has been said about them up to now. Eight vice-presidents have become president upon the death of a president, and four vice-presidents have become president after running for the office. That means there is at least a 25% possibility that the vice-president we elect will some day become president.
When we vote in November, our ballots will include names for a host of political offices. Candidates on the ballot will represent the two major parties, other parties and independents. Voters will also have the right to “write in” names of their own choice.
Once people are elected, it shall be our responsibility as Christians to pray for them, whether or not we voted for them. This is what the Scriptures require of us.