Woodrow Wilson’s troubling faith
Wilson adopted a brand of social Christianity that justified white supremacy and more.
president
No president knew the literature and religion of America better—not even Lincoln.
The primary problem with American political culture is that almost all of our scrutiny goes to the human beings running for president.
How should we decide who to vote for? Paul Root Wolpe thinks a candidate's personal ethics should be at the top of the list: When we care about a candidate’s character, we are really asking, Is this person authentic? Are their positions a true reflection of their inner values, or are they politically expedient? Is a change of opinion on an issue a result of the candidate listening to others, learning and making a principled decision, or is it a response to pressure, polls and popularity? . . . . It is in the American character to care about our leader’s values. We should be proud of that. I don't exactly disagree, but I don't find this all that helpful, either.
Many aspects of governing exist outside the president's control, via rhetoric or anything else.