"Marriage Vows"

I've been married over thirty-two years to an amazing and wonderful woman who has put up with all of my weaknesses and foibles with great patience and affection. When we were married we made certain promises to each other, "Love, Honor, Cherish,..." I'm sure those of you that are married remember the rest of the words that accompany this vow.

Italian weddings are legendary in their salubrious nature. Much laughing, crying, eating, drinking, and dancing. Food enough to feed all of Patton's troops, all delicious, and all plentiful. Every relative from every side of the family, every friend and co-worker that the bride or groom ever knew is in attendance. The party seems as if it will never end.

Eventually the wedding gives way to the marriage, the time to test commitment, a time to refine relationship, a time to see the limits of love. It's easy to go to a party and have a great time with friends and relatives, to dance and sing; eat and drink. It's not always easy to live the day to day commitment of one person to another. Those who choose to enter into a marriage make a covenant to each other, a sacred pledge of laying down your own personal interests for the greater good of your spouse, and eventually your children. This is a commitment not to be entered into lightly; it is life long and serious.

When I earlier spoke about the "vows" there is something that isn't written in them, a promise never to lie to your spouse. Truthfulness is a key to maintaining a successful marriage. When one party or another in a marriage is deceptive or untruthful the relationship is put in great jeopardy.

An election is in many ways like a wedding, there is a big celebration, speeches, parties, back-slapping congratulations, and a general sense of euphoria by the elected official. There is a customary time of the "Honeymoon" when it seems that the new leader can do no wrong and the nation hangs on his every word as gospel. All this is well and good as long as the official doesn't break his covenant with the people who elected him. When the trust between an official is breached by deceptive actions a great chasm opens. The electorate begins to doubt their decision, to re-examine the motives of the elected leader. Was he entirely truthful in his campaign? Has he been hostile toward those who question his judgement? Who did we really elect?

Like a good marriage, a presidency must operate in an arena of trust, all the parties involved must be honest with each other in all their dialogues. When facts and figures are manipulated to present a false picture in a bad situation the shadow of doubt is now cast on all actions that have been previously taken. Mr. Obama has juggled figures to misrepresent our current unemployment crisis to offer a false picture to the American people. This deceptive move is only one example of this administrations maneuvering of facts to present a false picture to the people of the United States.

We need to let President Obama know that the "Honeymoon" is over, that the American people are not hanging on every word as the gospel truth. Mr. President you are breaking the covenant you made with the people. The "Party's over". If you don't start telling the truth there will be no "renewing of vows" in 2012 for you!!