Charles Dickens could have been describing the biennial American election cycle when he set down the opening lines to A Tale of Two Cities: "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times…" 

The months leading up to the first Tuesday in November every two years remind us that we're part of a great experiment in self-government, clearly a "best," as many systems of government go. 

But the debates, the partisan media dialogues, and the advertising of the political seasons sometimes remind us that politics can bring out the worst in us when it comes to decency, honesty, and respect for differing opinions. 

That said, when we consider the alternative – a system without citizen choice – there's no question that our imperfect system is preferable to the alternatives.

Complete your profile to continue reading and get FREE access to BenefitsPRO, part of your ALM digital membership.

  • Critical BenefitsPRO information including cutting edge post-reform success strategies, access to educational webcasts and videos, resources from industry leaders, and informative Newsletters.
  • Exclusive discounts on ALM, BenefitsPRO magazine and BenefitsPRO.com events
  • Access to other award-winning ALM websites including ThinkAdvisor.com and Law.com
NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Defined Contribution
Advisor Sales Strategies