ELECTION DAY MEMORY

Back when I was a teen, I learned an important lesson on politics from my father.

I don't recall the exact circumstances - maybe the U.S. was in the midst of the Iran-Contra mess - but I remember hearing my dad say something critical of Ronald Reagan.

I was shocked. 

"Wait a minute - I thought we were Republicans!"

Dad responded, "Well, he's wrong."

Even without any further explanation from dad, the lesson lodged tight in my brain: Don't let party loyalty blind you to the facts.

(The lesson has applications beyond politics, too.)

To this day I believe that the more we can shake off absolute party loyalty, the better off we will be as a nation.