How will you vote in November 2008? Have you thought about what issues are really important to you? Here are a few of mine in random alphabetical order: - Abortion: you knew I'd start with this one. I prefer that the candidate be openly pro-life but I will not let this issue be a deal-breaker ... I will not be a single issue voter ... I will not be manipulated [M]
- Decency: needs to be a decent human being that treats others (i.e. ex-wives) with civility and integrity ... also would like someone who can control their tongue in public [H]
- Energy: want a proponent of E85 (motor fuel blends of 85 percent ethanol and just 15 percent gasoline) [M]
- Environment: more of a conservationist than an environmentalist [L]
- Faith: someone who believes in God and/or lives by biblical convictions [H]
- Gays: civil unions okay but no gay marriage [L]
- Guns: hunting rifles okay but please - no AK47s [L]
- Immigration: earned amnesty for those here and strong borders to prevent more illegals [M]
- Moderation: don't want a radical thinking wacko ... want someone who can compromise and find the middle ground. [H]
- Outsourcing: someone who cares about all of our jobs going overseas and has some ideas about bolstering our economy and keeping jobs here. [M]
- Poverty: someone who has a heart for poverty issues like universal health care attracts me. [M]
- Terrorism: strong person who knows how to deal with this issue using diplomacy instead of force. [H]
I am sure that I will think of more later but for now this will do. Maybe you can help me by adding, changing or deleting a few :)
Civil unions okay? So you would extend the rights of parenthood to "civilly unioned" people? "All the benefits of marriage" remember.
ReplyDeleteCan you offer a thought as to how civil unions will benefit the children that will be assigned to them (I can't even use the word "born" because there will always be one parent missing from the union)?
This is a dreadfully important issue. The bell can't be unrung without chaos if this takes hold.
Good feedback Therese!
ReplyDeleteI am not an advocate for civil unions but I think that I could vote for a candidate who supported them. This category got an [L] priority from me but I think that it would get something higher from you.
I might ponder a bit more and change - I am open on this one.
I need to ask what the L H and M's stand for.
ReplyDeleteI believe this is going to be a great political race. I really look forward to having discussions in the future about the differences in candidates. Your insights on your sight will be helpful!
DK: Low, Medium or High
ReplyDeleteInteresting list. I agree with most of your priorities.
ReplyDeleteDecency: needs to be a decent human being that treats others (i.e. ex-wives) with civility and integrity ... also would like someone who can control their tongue in public [H]
This is also high on my list. Though I would go further and say that I would prefer a candidate with no ex-wives.
I'm a single-issue voter: national security.
ReplyDeleteLiving in Texas has made me realize the the immigration issue is really huge. I like the idea of alowing those that are already here earning their citizenship by paying back taxes and going through all of the other requirements. I don't think they should be given emnesty or pardoned, but they need to come out of the shadows and be citizens.
ReplyDeleteI do not agree with putting up a huge wall at our borders. Stricter enforcement at the borders is necessary, but please, not a wall.
I am hopeful and pray that our Mexican/American borders someday will be looked upon the same way as we see Ellis Island today: An historical landmark to the culturally diverse ancestory that has made our country a place where anyone can call home.
I'm a single-issue voter. Personally, I think the protection of innocent life is of utmost importance. I see abortion as outweighing any other issue. Nothing is worse than the deliberate taking of innocent human life.
ReplyDeleteI used to be a abortion-single-issue voter and was held hostage to politicians who pandered to Evangelicals. These days I am looking more to a candidate's lifestyle and character than their positions on issues.
ReplyDeleteYou can still be a nice guy even if you're wrong. I'd rather have a jerk who is consistently right than a nice guy who's just plain wrong. ;)
ReplyDeleteThe last guy I voted for because he was 'right' on abortion turned out to be 'wrong' on many other issues. I'll take someone who is humble over one that is 'right' - if I have to choose between the two :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting...came over here from codepoke's blog.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on almost all of your thoughts here, as far as what to look for in November.
I disagree on universal health care, as I think it's a path to socialized medicine, which hasn't worked anywhere. I dread that, and think there is a better way to take care of the uninsured poor.
Diplomacy? Yes, if we are dealing with a rational representative. I don't think Al Qaeda deals in diplomacy. But I do think we need to do a better job as a country in this area.
Interesting blog! Thanks
Thanks for stopping by Tari. You might enjoy what Sarah has to say on universal healthcare.
ReplyDelete"A free people ought...to be armed..."
ReplyDelete-- George Washington, 1790
Pastor “Kansas” Bob,
ReplyDeleteI am going to get some negative feed back for this comment. However, if someone thinks I am being too harsh as a Christian, I will refer that person to my blog item referencing my reprimand to a “Christian Journalist” and some one who listed about ten reasons James Dobson does not speak for him. Follow this link if you think I am being a poor example of Christ. http://deityquest-jeleasure.blogspot.com/2008/07/blogger-lashes-on-james-dobson.html
I really do not understand your brand of Christianity. In your about Bob section, under political views, you stated what you want in a President. I can see that you are pro Obama. However, I don’t understand how you feel he meets your requirements. Your explanations do not align with the Obama I have been keeping track of. Nor do they align with what Biblical instructions we have.
• “Abortion: you knew I'd start with this one. I prefer that the candidate be openly pro-life but I will not let this issue be a deal-breaker ... I will not be a single issue voter ... I will not be manipulated [M]”
This single issue of abortion is a stench to The Lord. Obama said he would have his own grandchildren aborted, rather than see his daughters “punished” by making a “mistake”.
• “Decency: needs to be a decent human being that treats others (i.e. ex-wives) with civility and integrity ... also would like someone who can control their tongue in public” [H]
Are you sure you have the right Obama? I saw his speech in Philadelphia. He made a mention to Hillary Clinton’s campaigning as being “gotcha games” while scratching his cheek with his middle finger. If I was mistaken as to what this meant, so were all of the people present at his speech to hear it. Obama, himself could not hold his composure at his own thinking about it. http://www.stop-obama.org/?p=210
• “Faith: someone who believes in God and/or lives by biblical convictions [H]”
•
You think Obama fits the character of a person of “Biblical convictions”!
Obama does not know his Bible. I watched a video of Obama and Alan Keys in a debate. In answering to a question of “If Jesus was here… What would you say to him?” Obama answered, “I would want to know if I am going up or down.”
Alan Keys answered, something like, “I would not as if I were going up or down. I would want to know where Jesus is going so that I may follow Him”.
Obama became angry and said (here he is controlling his tongue); “I don’t need Mr. Keys lecturing me on faith. (He took it as a lecture. Keys were answering the question). That is why I have a pastor and a Bible”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEMockmcT0Y
http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2006/06/obama_on_faith_and_politics_an.html
It is an absolute shame that the church and its leadership has come to a point where it approves more of Obama than that of what God says. I am deeply disappointed in the clergy of our churches who stand behind this man and use their influence to blog a campaign that is 'Pro Obama' for his congregation to be pursuaded by.
“Moderation: don't want a radical thinking wacko ... want someone who can compromise and find the middle ground. [H]”
There is no doubt that Obama knows how to compromise. It is however a shame to compromise The Word of God. There is no middle ground with God.
• “Outsourcing: someone who cares about all of our jobs going overseas and has some ideas about bolstering our economy and keeping jobs here. [M]”
• Are you kidding me? One of Obama’s best kept secrets is that he worked for Business International Corporation. I read this in an Obama biography on line. I read it in more than one biography. It attempted to mislead people from knowing that Obama worked for a company that aided the moving of American Jobs abroad by adding a misleading parenthetical statement. I only learned this when he told the people in Philadelphia, “I oppose, as I always have, the out sourcing of American jobs”. I went to a random (there are many that say the same thing) biography and was curious about the need to display a parenthetical for one of his jobs and not the other.
• http://www.biography.com/featured-biography/barack-obama/index.jsp
“Terrorism: strong person who knows how to deal with this issue using diplomacy instead of force. [H]”
Oh, yeah. I watched Obama open his controlled tongue this morning (July 17, 08) and say our country needs a president that has experience in handling issues of National Security. Why is he stumping for McCain?
In watching Obama this morning say that gave Obama the look of someone who was being operated by remote control. He then fumbled and looked down at his notes as if he new he would be judged by that statement. It appeared he had not read his speech and just trusted his speech writer to represent him.
I’d say a man who has been a POW has a pretty good understanding of how to think through adversity. McCain had the opportunity to leave the POW camp and would not until he could not walk out on his own; he was thrown out of the POW camp after they beat him severely. What do you think Obama’s response would have been to being told he could have left freely? Do you really believe he would have stayed to be tortured severely? The man does not have the courage to vote on controversial issues. He votes, present in a yes or no vote.
Thanks for stopping by jeleasure.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you feel that I am pro-Obama? Check out my thoughts about McCain here.. there are things that I like about McCain and I really haven't decided who to vote for yet.
Apart from what McCain did 30+ years ago (a small slice of his life), why are you pro-McCain today? You seem to be interested in blasting Obama's faith stuff.. what do you know about McCain's faith stuff.. ever heard him talk about Christ or the bible?
That said, what does my political presidential leanings have to do with my "brand of Christianity"? If you are interested in my "brand of Christianity" you might want to check out my faith blog.