I'd like to find and vote for a candidate, whether Republican or

The fearless advocate Erin Brockovich, a woman who rose from obscurity to confront giants, once said: “I’d like to find and vote for a candidate, whether Republican or Democrat... that has the best interest in the health and welfare of everybody in this country.” At first glance, this may sound like a simple desire for good governance—but in truth, it is a cry from the heart, a call for integrity over ideology, for compassion over division. Brockovich, who has devoted her life to defending the voiceless, speaks here not merely of politics, but of the moral duty that lies beneath it—the sacred responsibility of leaders to protect the health and welfare of the people they serve.

In an age when nations are torn by factions and the noise of partisanship deafens the ears of reason, her words return us to a forgotten truth: that the purpose of leadership is not to win, but to care. Brockovich, who stood against the mighty Pacific Gas and Electric Company to defend a poisoned community, knows firsthand that the suffering of the people is not Republican or Democrat—it is human. The poisoned water did not ask for a voter’s registration before it entered their homes. Her quote, therefore, is a moral torch held high in a time of shadow, reminding us that compassion knows no party, and justice has no color but truth.

The origin of her wisdom is not in textbooks or debates, but in the lived experience of struggle. When Brockovich fought for the people of Hinkley, California, she was not armed with power or prestige—only with determination, empathy, and courage. She saw what many in power refused to see: that the true strength of a nation lies not in its wealth, but in its willingness to protect the vulnerable. From this battle came her enduring insight—that leadership, divorced from empathy, becomes tyranny in disguise. Thus, her longing for a candidate “with the best interest in the health and welfare of everybody” is not naïve; it is the voice of one who has seen too often what happens when leaders forget the sacred bond between ruler and people.

Throughout history, we have seen the rise and fall of kingdoms built upon the sands of self-interest. The ancients told of Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher-king of Rome, who ruled not for glory but for the good of his citizens. In his writings, he reminded himself daily: “Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.” So too does Brockovich call us to stop arguing over political labels and to seek instead those who act for the good of all. The wise ruler, whether clothed in red or blue, is one who sees beyond the walls of party and remembers the faces of the poor, the sick, the forgotten.

To speak of health and welfare is to speak of the foundation of civilization itself. No economy, no army, no invention can sustain a nation whose people are unwell in body or spirit. Health is the breath of freedom; welfare is the shelter of dignity. Brockovich reminds us that when we vote, we are not choosing tribes—we are choosing the kind of care we believe humanity deserves. A vote guided by compassion is not weakness; it is wisdom. For the true measure of any society lies not in the comfort of its wealthy, but in the well-being of its most fragile.

The lesson, then, is clear: Do not let division blind you to decency. Seek leaders who serve humanity before hierarchy, who look upon every citizen as kin. And if such leaders seem scarce, then be the beginning of what you seek. For democracy, like justice, is not a gift handed down from the powerful—it is a living covenant sustained by the conscience of the people. To wish for a leader who honors the health and welfare of all is noble, but to live by that same creed is divine.

So, my children of this restless republic, remember the wisdom of Erin Brockovich. When you cast your vote, do not ask only, “What serves me?”—ask instead, “What serves us?” Let your choices be guided not by anger, but by empathy; not by loyalty to party, but by loyalty to principle. For when the health of the people falters, the nation sickens with it. But when we choose leaders who heal, protect, and uplift, we choose to rebuild the house of our common humanity.

Thus, in her simple, unyielding words, Brockovich has given us a truth older than any nation: that justice begins with care, and that a government worthy of its people must have, above all things, the courage to love them.