Foreign Affairs in the Bible Belt

To begin, an introduction: I am a high school student in upstate New York. Though my I am left-leaning, I do endeavor to see both sides of every issue.


I recently had the opportunity to observe firsthand the lifestyle of those living in the "Bible Belt" of the south. From this experience I now have a new understanding of the question "how can people be so stupid as to vote for a candidate like Mike Huckabee, or, for that matter, George W. Bush?". Seeing their rural lifestyle, however, it is easy to see the appeal of such a candidate. Low taxes, and the running of the country based on religious beliefs. If I were living their life, I may think the exact same thing. Who cares about foreign affairs when all of the people you care about, or have ever met, live within 50 miles. The mistake of such thinking is, however, obvious. We cannot elect officials simply based on their domestic policy. Just because a candidate proposes low taxes does not mean that he or she will be a good president.

The global position of the US means that the President must also be experienced at foreign affairs. We cannot afford to elect someone who will put us into to stupid wars without first examining the consequences. Therefore, electing a candidate simply based on 'who will make my life easier' is not enough. In the age of globalization, with the United States at its lead, we will need a well rounded leader, lest we loose this hard earned prominence.