Consider the influence of a father when evaluating candidates

Father’s Day celebrates not only the dads in our lives, but all the men who provide emotional, financial and practical support to their families. According to the latest data, there are approximately 70.1 million fathers in the United States.. These husbands, partners, and even grandfathers may vary in their parenting skills, but all leave their children with memories that last into adulthood.

I grew up in the 1950s, when a father’s main job was to provide for his family. My father was a quiet man – I never heard him raise his voice towards my mother, myself or my siblings. He worked in construction and had to be outside all year in the rain, snow and heat. Additionally, he worked a second evening job cleaning local businesses. He was willing to help others when asked. His quiet faith was our heritage. His friends and colleagues respected him; however, few people knew of the difficult problems he faced at home. There were unpaid medical bills. A son died. He was injured in a construction accident. He never spoke about these challenges, nor did he complain about not getting a fair deal.

My father’s thoughts reminded me of a recent article about President Joe Biden’s personal life. Writer Janal Simmons was shocked that very few young voters knew Joe Biden as a devoted father who quietly dealt with many personal problems throughout his career.

Sammons found, “With no Biden biography, many young people only know the negative information they are told about the president. » Students tend to get their information on social networks and on television. Too many young voters rely on information in short videos and memes. Few people read newspapers like the Wall Street Journal. Most are unaware that Biden began his political career at the age of 27 and was elected to the U.S. Senate two years later.

Tragically, two weeks after winning the seat, Biden’s wife and young daughter died in a car accident. He was sworn in in his sons’ hospital room as the fifth youngest senator in history. He continued as a senator representing Delaware for 36 years. Unlike most of his Washington colleagues, Biden traveled to Washington and his home in Delaware by train every evening to care for his two sons. His son Beau Biden died of brain cancer in 2015 after serving in Iraq. Biden faced these horrific tragedies by relying on his faith. He often mentions his faith journey and how it guides his decisions.

Many voters assume the president came from a wealthy family. In fact, Biden was known for many years as one of the poorest members of Congress. Politifact’s fact sheet shows that over the years, the Bidens’ joint income was not much higher than their congressional salary allocation. Jill Biden, his second wife, has always worked as a teacher.

As a senator, Biden used the personal challenges he faced as a father to guide his work with his constituents. His legislative legacy has not been widely publicized; however, he introduced and supported important legislation that strengthened families, kept women safe, and promoted affordable health care.

As we celebrate fathers and the traits that make them a positive difference in their families, consider the traits we look for in our candidates. Family values and personal faith underpin how the people we elect choose to govern.