Regardless of political party, or other tribal interest, most of us are concerned about the direction "civilization" is taking.  Extreme rhetoric and violent acts abound — and are abhorrent to all, except those few extreme individuals who seek catastrophic change in our nation. 

Thankfully, awareness of the larger issue is increasing.  Citizens disagree with incompetent or untruthful solutions like Critical Race Theory (CRT), Antifa, riots, crime, government spending, inflation, a two-tiered justice system, BLM, "Defund the Police," and the resultant lack of law enforcement officers.  Everyone can articulate a problem, but few answers come forth.  We are looking sincerely for answers, for something, or someone, in which to believe.

The founding of our nation provides one answer.

Believe in yourself, believe in your ability to discern Truth and know that you have the right to make a difference.  Believe that the preponderance has principles similar to yours — that it's just a matter of putting order to chaos, speaking rationally the truth.  That we each have inalienable rights is the meaning of the sanctity of the individual.  This is why the Founders established a nation of free citizens and created the documents to protect that freedom.  It demands that control by federal bureaucracies cease and desist.

Then act on your own knowledge.

Get involved; gain awareness and knowledge; educate politicians and your associates, if they'll allow it.  That is the meaning of representative government.  Either you take an interest in governing, or the government takes an interest in you...

A conditional principle is just an opinion.  Find the Principle(s) that meet the test of strife and stress.  Then adhere to them in your deliberations and actions.  Hone your understanding of the principle through rational discourse and thought.  We do first, then learn.  Act on your principle and then determine if it took you to a higher understanding.

But most of all, seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge.

This has all happened before.  We are not uniquely cursed any more than were others in dire times.  The knowledge and wisdom gained from those travails is written down.  Is available.  Just read, think, and ponder.  Choose your path.

Our vote gives another person a great deal of power to affect us.  The Constitution governs and limits that control but works only when the elected are forced to follow the Law by their constituents: us.  That is why we seek a more balanced candidate and more balanced political action.

When it comes to politicians, laws, voting, government bureaucracies, the principle is "what is best for the individual, what actions allows the individual to be free to choose his own path?"  That line of reasoning will lead to far less control and full realization of the liberty recognized in the Declaration.

"When men choose not to believe in God," G.K. Chesterton famously said, "they do not thereafter believe in nothing.  They then become capable of believing in anything."

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