The role of government is to:
Provide Safety
Ensure Justice
Strive for Righteousness
Ensure a compassionate responsible environment that advances freedom for all its citizens
Pastor Tony Evans
Our government cannot be something our elected leaders are not. To fulfill this role, our government – our elected leaders – must have a strong foundation of moral integrity. We need to do better.
I have been asked about whether my faith would influence my approach to policies. The real question behind this question is one of concern – will I force my religious views on others. While I cannot separate my faith from my values, represented by scriptures such as, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” and “Do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God,” I do believe in the importance of the separation described by James Madison: “An alliance or coalition between Government and religion cannot be too carefully guarded against…religion and government will both exist in greater purity, the less they are mixed together.”
January 6th, was a crossroads moment for me. Although I had been engaged in several years of soul-searching, the assault on Congress to interfere with the peaceful transfer of power and the posturing of denial that followed finally compelled me choose between loyalty and principles, between Party and country.
We must stop seeing those that disagree with our political views as enemies to be hated. We cannot “love our neighbor” while engaging in scorched earth, total war politics. Neither should we be forced to turn a blind eye to the morally corrupt character of the person seeking office in order to vote for the policies of our party. For that matter, we should not let the policies of either party and the resulting herd mentality of the left and right define us. We cannot continue to let politicians clinging to power divide us by appealing to our worst instincts. My response to this compelling of compliance with the Party line or the extortion of my vote and support through fear mongering is to claim my political independence. As an Independent, I am bound to no political machine, but am free to vote my conscience – accountable to voters, not the Party line.
We, the voters, need to expect more. We should look for those leaders who are servants at heart; whose love for this country compels them to appeal to those qualities that unite us, and inspire us to become our best selves. We should expect our political leaders to represent the best of our American character and integrity.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
The principles that I aspire to and their implications to governing policies.
Provide Safety
• Strong defense, military deterrent with the best equipped and trained military in the world
• Trusted police, integrated within community
• Secure borders with fair, rational immigration – secure because it should not be left to Mexico to determine who or how many of it’s or other nations’ people enter our country. It is the responsibility of the United States. An immigration philosophy that is fair and rational because it welcomes immigrants who want to contribute to our culture and economy, rather than a closed border designed to keep people out.
• Right of citizens to defend themselves
• Energy and critical supply chain independence – we must not be at the mercy of other nations’ governments and resources
Ensure Justice
• Trusted police, integrated within and reflective of the communities they serve
• Equitable enforcement of laws and sentencing
• An important conversation needs to occur concerning the death penalty
Christ on the cross presents pro-death penalty Christians a challenge. Christ was executed with two criminals – both justly condemned. The third criminal being executed – Christ – was an innocent man, facing false accusations and testimony. We must have safeguards to protect the innocent when an otherwise just system fails because of the flawed nature of its citizens.
Strive for Righteousness
• Dignity of Life: I am neither Pro-Life nor Pro-Choice. After several years of soul-searching, I now believe that the current political construct of this debate has become so entrenched that it is tearing us apart. Roe v Wade has been the law for almost 50 years. For all the talk and the hate that it generates, nothing changes. I am pro-young mother or woman confronted with an unwanted pregnancy. I am pro-policies that help her have confidence that she will be supported with healthcare, childcare and a job that can support a young family. Pro-choice advocates are not “baby killers,” and most Pro-Life” advocates really do believe that a fetus is a life worthy of existence and protection. We all believe it is a human life, at some point. The question is when. I am resolved to respect the law and trust science. But, I will also respectfully appeal to those confronted with an unwanted pregnancy to avail themselves of the science.
• Health: maintain healthcare system, while addressing gaps in coverage
• Security: support current energy and manufacturing sector jobs and the families depending on them, while staying out of the way of entrepreneurial development of new technologies
• Hope: challenge our private sector to invest in its markets and workforce through budget-neutral cost reduction of and improved access to higher education and/or trade skills training;
Ensure a Compassionate Responsible Environment that Advances Freedom for All Its Citizens
Bureaucracy smothers compassion. This responsibility falls first to individuals, then to organizations and communities. Government should be the solution of last resort.
• Civil discourse and respect that make everything else possible
• Lean government that adds value
• Secure jobs and innovation in energy sector, manufacturing, technology
• Stewardship of the environment – Our waters and lands are gifts to be appreciated, enjoyed, used for our benefit, restored, preserved and improved
• Accessible higher education and trade school – budget-neutral cost reduction / improved access to higher education and/or trade skills training
• Simplified, fair tax code
Now what?
Our two political parties are currently so entrenched that they will instinctively stamp out any dissenting independence in thought. But there are many people who are represented by the principles described here – who, if they would set aside their political team jerseys, could agree. Conventional wisdom says that an Independent candidate .splits votes of one of the two established parties, enabling victory for the remaining party, but conventional wisdom never foresaw the implosion of one of those two entrenched parties. This is a crossroads moment, when we can decide that the cost of blind loyalty to a party has been too high – that truth cannot be ignored, but must be confronted. We have to fix this.
However, an Independent candidate cannot rely on Party loyalists. To be successful, I need support from people who have thoughtfully considered these positions. I need influencers to help expand this conversation and engage the imagination and optimism of others. I need your help. I have not formally declared a candidacy. I do not yet have funding or a campaign organization. Those steps will come. What I have now is optimism that we can redefine ourselves. We can continue making a better union, looking beyond ourselves to the common good. I have heard from many Republicans, Independents and Democrats who believe as I do. What do you say?
Tom Noble
Crossroads Leadership and Other Lessons Learned 
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