Permission to vote for a Democrat…

I’ve been talking to a number of friends and family members about the upcoming election.  When I ask them to tell me why they are voting for McCain, the issue of abortion is always tops on their list.  For a few of them at least, I get the feeling that their vote hinges solely on this one issue of abortion.  And since Republicans are Pro-life and Democrats are Pro-Choice they just cannot morally allow themselves to vote for a democrat.  In spite of how they feel on other issues.

I fully understand and appreciate their dilemma.  How can someone that believes life is precious, that life is a gift from God vote for a party that supports killing innocent, unprotected lives?

As my own political, social, and religious views continue to take form this is one of the issues that I’ve had to deal with.  How do you get over the abortion issue?  Here’s a couple things that I’v begun to work through in my mind.

1.)  Abortion is more of a political issue then a moral issue.

Both parties (Republican and Democrat) have used the issue of abortion to further their political aspirations.  Both parties have taken opposite positions to attract a certain demographic of person.  Just look at the labels they’ve coined to identify themselves.  Republicans are “Pro-life”, which obviously makes the Democrats “Pro-death”.  And Democrats are “Pro-Choice”, which obviously makes the Republicans “Anti-Choice”, anti-women’s rights, repressive, etc… 

So every election the rhetoric machine is fired up again and again, igniting the passions of people from both parties, turning out the vote in force.  But when the bumper stickers and yard signs are removed and the confetti is all swept up – abortion – A major plank in both parties platforms – becomes nothing more then a mere sliver that you feel from time and time but never have time to address.

Regardless of which party you favor.  I think we could all agree that neither party is doing enough to reduce the amount of abortions in our country and that is the real tragedy.

2.)  The Real answer is somewhere in the middle.

For all of you die hards out there on either side of the political fence I have some real bad news from you.  Roe vs. Wade will never be repealed and abortion on demand (Whenever and For Whomever) will never happen.  

And is that what we really want anyway?

Why do we have to slide from one extreme to the other,  when the real answer is somewhere in the middle.  Why can’t we all agree that abortion is a tragedy and we need to do all that we can to reduce the amount of abortions in the US.

Check out these statistics on abortion. (It was the first site that came up on Google if you’re wondering).

Who is having abortions?  50% are under 25.  It affects all ages – it’s not just a teenage issue.  60% are white – it’s not just a race issue (Though in relationship to the population, black women are 3 times more likely to have an abortion then white women and hispanics 2 times more likely) Over 68% claim to be either Protestant or Catholic.  Woman that make >$30,000/yr account for over 50% of all abortions.

If you check out the link you’ll notice I flipped the way the statistics were given – on purpose.  Because so often we think that abortion simply affects the young, the poor, the unwed, the minorities.  But the truth is it affects us all.  Four out of ten pregnancies end in abortion and 93% of the time the reasons given are “social reasons”.

The problem is bigger then a Republican or Democratic solution.  It’s going to require all of us coming together and focusing on the best way to reduce the amount of abortions in our country.

3.)  The real tragedy of abortion is not abortion itself.

What causes a women to want to have an abortion?  Is it carelessness?  She made a mistake and now wants to fix it.  Is it laziness?  It’s easier to get an abortion then to practice safe sex.  We can tell ourselves these things if we want, but I think the issue of abortion is much more complex then that.

For a woman to be willing to put herself through an abortion, there must be some pretty heavy things going on.  Life must be hard…  I feel sorry for any women that feels it’s better for her, better for her unborn child to be aborted then to be brought into the world.  That is a tragedy.

I feel sorry for the women who after having an abortion has to live the rest of her life dealing with the guilt and same of her choice.  That is a tragedy.

I feel sorry for a women that feels forced into bringing a child into the world out of moral, religious obligations.  Even though she is terrified, even though she feels unprepared.  That is a tragedy.

I feel sorry for the children born into abusive relationship and disfunctional families.  Children that are brought up feeling unwanted and unloved.  That is a tragedy.

I believe God grieves – God mourns for those in any of these circumstances and so should we.  Killing an unborn child, that is a tragedy – but it does not lessen any of the other tragedies abortion presents.  And in my mind any solution to abortion must address all of the issues, not just one.

4.)  What’s needed is a consistent ethic of life.

Our politicians and even our church leaders have done an excellent job making elections about small things – individual issues, like abortion.  Everyone has the one or two issues that are important to them and they vote based on where the party line falls.  For those of you on the Right, my friends (As John McCain would say), my fellow believers.  Those of you looking at Abortion as your watershed issue.  Consider this…

4,000 children a day – die from Abortion.  Yes, a terrible tragedy.  But…

9,000 children a day – die from Aids.

30,000 children a day – die from hunger/disease/poverty

500,000 children a year – die from Wars/Conflicts.

As you carefully consider which candidate, which party to vote for in the upcoming election.  Please consider the fact that as a Christian we can’t focus on just one issue, but we must focus living a life consistent with the life that Jesus lived out in the gospels and asked us to follow.  And I think for us today that would include issues like…abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, nuclear weapons (war), poverty, and racism.

Does the candidate or party you support have a consistent ethic of life?

So as election day draws near, consider all of that.

And just in case you need to hear it from somebody.

Yes, You do have permission to vote for a Democrat.  And you shouldn’t feel the least bit guilty about it.  I don’t.

Small Things…

Been reading some articles Here …  Here …  Here … and Here

Yesterday really frustrated me… the whole pig and lipstick deal.  McCain and all the Republicans that followed his lead yesterday are so full of crap. I don’t like to make personal statements or generalizations about people or parties but what i saw yesterday, I couldn’t believe it.  They float out accusations and fane offense to cause a distraction, deflect people from being concerned about the real issues. “Small Things” as Obama said in his speech.

“Because if you don’t have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare the voters. If you don’t have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from.  You make a big election about small things.”

when you don’t have any fresh ideas or new policies you resort to scare tactics, lies, distractions – make the election about small things. I read today where Rick Davis, a top McCain adviser, said: “This election is not about issues. This election is about a composite view of what people take away from these candidates.” Small things… After hearing the comment in context yesterday I couldn’t believe that a half-educated intellectually honest person could reason Obama taking a stab at Pailin with that comment. But on my way home listening to the radio. People were calling in in droves- agreeing with the Republican BS.  A state congressmen even (Republican of course) called in saying Obama knew what he was doing and should apologize- The host (Mitch Albom) was livid. Never heard him more upset – Not because he’s a Dem, but because people are so stupid, so brainwashed, so blind to the same old political game, same tactics that got us where we are at today. Small things. People don’t want to know the truth. People don’t want to question what they’re being told – what they are fed by their trusted sources (Limbaugh, Hannity, Fox News). They are content to swallow the poison of small things. And without even knowing it we’re slowing dieing. Slowly fading away. Slowly becoming insignificant.

I do fear that this election is becoming about small things.  The spin doctors from both sides are working overtime.  Attack ads are being released every day now.  Fact checkers are working overtime to debunk claims and dispute lies.  

Make no mistake about it.  I’m voting for Obama.  But I’d like to think I can still think objectively about what’s going on.  I’d like to think that I can see the Big things…the important things.  The things that will shape the future of our country, the future of the world.  That I can see the forrest through the trees.  Not everyone can though…  And I think that’s the way parties, politicians, pundits and the like want it.  They are in the business of winning their candidates the election.  Remaining at the center of power.  Whether by hook or crook.  Several years ago, people complained of the election being stolen.  You remember the thing about ballots and hanging or pregnant chads.  Well I fear that we are being robbed of much more then that today.  We’re being robbed of our ability to think independently and honestly, robbed of our ability to discern between the truth and lie, robbed of our ability to focus on issues and policies….big things that matter.  Robbed of our opportunity to make an impact, to bring about change.  I do not believe Barack Obama is the Saviour of the world (We can have only one and that’s Jesus), but as this election process goes on and on the differences between Obama & McCain are becoming more distinct and clearer in my mind then ever before.  I do not consider myself a Democrat…have never voted for a Democrat But I am 100% against everything the Republican party has come to represent…and with each passing day a RIGHTeous indignation toward them continues to grow within me.

One writer said this yesterday…

“Yet, if McCain ends up winning this thing, we can only conclude that it’s because he so fully embraced a form of Rove Republican politics — tactics so unprecedented in their deceitfulness and snark that they will have successfully obscured a full decade of undisputed failure, not to mention what Mort Zuckerman called this week “the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.”

Another quote keeps ringing in my ear as well.

“So this is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause.”

Am I scared?  Am I worried about losing an election?  Am I afraid my candidate won’t win?  No.  I’m scared of what we’ve become as a nation and I’m worried…I’m afraid that the worst could be yet to come.

McCain speech

Live blogging the McCain speech now.

Video was interesting. Is it just me or is the POW thing getting old. He gets all the respect in the world don’t get me wrong but it’s almost like it’s the biggest plank in his platform.

Why start your speech reminding people of 9/11?

What’s up with the idiots that keep interrupting. People like that make it easy to call democrats quack jobs. I’ve got to hand it to the republicans that at least respected the dems convention.

McCain just called himself a Maverick. You shouldn’t be allowed to do that.

“We lost…” – I agree with him there. They lost me.

It’s funny that you here the same party values/party platform year after year from both parties. And it’s funny how we get all excited about them… Even after they’ve provided nothing but empty promises. When are we going to change the language of politics?

McCain makes some good points… Education, job training, energy… Don’t necessarily agree with his Drill Now philosophy. It’s exciting to hear both parties talk about energy independence. America should lead… Great point.

McCain scares me with his hawkish tones. He’s a military man from a long line of military men in his family. When he says he’s prepared for them… I believe him. That scares me.

Secure peace…he says. A little bit of a paradoxical statement there.

Not another POW story again.

General thoughts…

I like McCain. Think he’s a good guy. Would be a strong leader. Something that we haven’t had in 8 years. I think America would be better off under him then our current regime. Regardless of who wins I think America will be heading in the right direction. To me it’s not a question of will he do a good job…I think he would. To me it boils down to who has the opportunity or liklihood to do the greatest good. And… I think that’s Obama.

McCain’s record vs. Obama

I heard a lot of talk last night about the great record and proven experience and leadership of John McCain so I thought I’d do a little digging today.  So turning to the fount of information (wikipedia of course) …here’s what I saw.

It looks like John McCain has served in Washington for about 26 years now (4 in the House the remainder in the Senate).  It appears he has had 31 bills he sponsored enacted, most notably the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and the McCain-Feingold Act.  If there are others they weren’t mentioned in the wiki.

In general he’s served on a lot of committees and is known for being someone not afraid to stand up against his own party on certain issues.  One story mentioned was a bill introduced by McCain to remove all the VIP parking spots for Congressmen from Washington airports.  Needless to say that bill didn’t pass.  Also interesting was the fact that John McCain is one of the few Congressmen in Washington that actually drive themselves to work everyday.

I don’t think anyone would question whether McCain is a good guy or not.  If your choosing which candidate to sit down and have a beer with McCain might be the better choice, as long as Budweiser is your choice of beer of course.

Experience McCain vs. the Inexperience of Obama?  Does it come down to years on the job I wonder?  The assertion is the Obama has not done much with his life, community organizer, State Senator, Congressional Senator…He’s inexperienced….  In 3 years as a Senator Obama has sponsored only 136 bills of which 2 have been enacted.

On paper it looks like a good argument – Years served, Bills Sponsored, Bills enacted.  But to me it doesn’t hold a lot of water.  McCain’s had 26 years to do something in Washington, has he done so much more that makes you believe he’s that much better…that much more experienced then Obama?

And what’s more important years of experience or sound judgement?  That’s the argument from Obama’s camp.  In Obama’s speech last week he said if John McCain wants to have a debate on the temperment and judgement it takes to lead he was ready to have that debate.  I side with Obama on that argument.

In another year, another election McCain might be someone I’d consider voting for, but not this year.  I haven’t seen the overwhelming evidence – the proven experience that makes McCain that much better then Obama.  If it comes down to experience then maybe McCain has a slight advantage simply do to his age and experience, but if it’s judgment that’s the issue.  McCain’s story is dotted with a few incidents of poor judgement…maybe that’s the problem that comes with experience.  When I look at McCain  I just see an old guy that’s been in Washington for 26 years already, that’s waited his turn in the political line and finally has his chance to become president because he’s the best the party has to offer.  I’m sorry…that just isn’t enough for me.

Who are they nominating anyway?

I’ve been trying to stay on top of what’s happening at the Republican Convention this week.  I did not watch much the Dem’s convention and don’t plan on watching much of the Rep’s either.  I do try to read up on what was said though.

I’ll probably watch a little of Palin’s speech tonight, just to see what all they hype is about.  I can’t remember when a Vice Presidential candidate has gotten so much publicity in my life.  Ever since Palin has been announced as McCain’s running mate that’s all you hear about.

It makes we wonder…  Who are they nominating for President?  Who are they asking people to vote for?  Is McCain so uninspiring that it takes a vice presidential candidate like Palin to make the republican ticket appealing – appealing to Republicans even?  Palin sure has rallied the base…as they say.  To me it sounds as if people don’t really care for McCain, but they are just tolerating him because he’s the best the Republicans have to offer.

Way too much hype for me, but I’m curious to see what she has to say tonight.  If you go down the Republican Candidate Checklist she’s got everything…Pro-life, Pro-guns, Evangelical, etc…  I have no personal opinion of her yet, so I find her interesting for now…will she be able to live up to the hype? 

Oh and by the way….   If I hear one more person say about McCain and/or Palin  ”They are a rebel…”  or “They are a Maverick…”  I’m going to kill myself.  Can we not find another word, adjective or metaphor to use.  It’s the same thing over and over.

Wait…  We are talking about the Republican party here.  Excuse me…  I forgot.