Lessons in Honor from Alexander Hamilton and Thornton W. Burgess

hon·or [on-er]: honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions.

Is it possible for people on different sides of an issue to both have honor or share integrity in their beliefs? The answer is yes! You or I may not agree with the beliefs of people who stand on the other side of an issue but their belief may nonetheless be sincere.

Alexander Hamilton offer’s a great dissertation on this principle in a single paragraph (Federalist #1):

Reflections on a Campaign

This campaign season I worked on Tim Aalders campaign to become the Republican nominee for the U.S Senate. Many of you will know that Tim did not make it through convention and finished 4th on the 1st ballot at convention with about 2% of the delegate’s votes. So was the time spent on my part worth it? If success is measured solely by the votes Tim received the answer would clearly be no. However, let me review with you some of what I experienced as a result of helping and then let me answer the question.

I got to meet and spend time with a number of truly wonderful people whom I otherwise would not have gotten to know:

Selecting a Senate Candidate – What do we do now Ollie?

I’ve thought long and hard on the subject. But before we go there I would like to talk about the circumstances we find ourselves in today. I find it ironic that at a time when so much information is available to us that so many of us our blinded by preconceived notions, “common” knowledge, and complacency.

If we just step back and do are our own research using the documents that defined our nation; the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Federalist Papers. Then with fresh eyes look at our nation today I think we may get a shock.

With just a little time invested we find that: