*UPDATE*

*I’ve added a few new points/issues after having a few discussions with Obama voters after the outcome Tuesday night. 

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Hardly anyone reads this blog, so I figure I’m safe posting ONE political post every 4 years, which I plan to do before every presidential election until I die, since this blog is in actuality more a journal. Since this is my first presidential election vote ever (I’m 20) I figure it’s a pretty important thing to write about. 

Please, I beg you, cast your judgements aside if you don’t agree with me. If you can’t do that, than simply don’t read my blog on the night before presidential elections, and I promise you there will never be another political post here other than on this day every 4 years! If you can read things with an open mind, and respect others opinions even if they are radically different than your own - than keep reading. 

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I know I’m not alone when I say I’m not a fan of either candidate. But it was never difficult for me to choose who to vote for, because Obama made it clear very early on that he was going to be the most liberal president in history, and I’m generally a conservative Christian.

I’m not your cookie-cutter conservative Christian, because I’m a tree hugging, Prius driving, recycling vegetarian environmentalist that does believe global warming and the environment is a huge issue. I abhor off-shore drilling, and only think it should be done in the short-term, if at all, and nuclear power plants scare the crap out of me. I seriously start praying when I’m driving past the one near Orlando off of 528.

I’m also vehemently opposed to the death penalty. Why, you ask? I wasn’t always… until I met this woman and I realized that it shouldn’t be up to the state to kill anyone, because that just creates another murder victim, especially if the crime victim wants their attacker to live. It’s a vicious killing cycle - and for the record, life in prison is cheaper than death row. 

As important as these issues are to me - there are a few I consider to be more important, and of a higher priority. 

First, the economy. It’s got to be fixed. However I feel like there are a few things that are being overlooked (correct me if I’m wrong) about this issue. The first being how we got here in the first place. An economy doesn’t just collapse overnight. It takes years and years of mistakes and negative occurrences (such as terrorist attacks and wars) for it to collapse. Secondly an economy can’t become healthy again overnight. It will take years to bring it back to health. 

Democrats traditionally believe a bigger government (higher taxes) will restore the economy in times like this . Republicans say that a smaller government will save it. My question is this… why the heck can’t we look at the statistics of past presidencies, democrat and republican, and see how the numbers add up? To my surprise, the only article I could find was this one, and it’s from a fairly reliable source… so I’ll consider this a win for the democrats. 

HOWEVER - People should NEVER be forced to pay for anything against their will, that they have religious convictions to not support. For Obama to tell me he is going to use my money in a way I don’t support is a violation of my freedom. I have the right to use my hard-earned money how I want, not how Obama wants to use it, because I earned it, not him. I don’t have a problem with slightly higher taxes, I have a problem with how Obama plans to spend the money I worked very hard to earn. He would like to make his Christian supporters think the extra taxes will only be used to provide healthcare to those in need. What many Christians refuse to acknowledge is a lot of that “healthcare” will be hundreds of new Planned Parenthood clinics, offering drive-thru, state paid abortions. I agree McCains healthcare plans sucked. But they would have improved once he got in office and worked with advisors and his cabinet on to establish a strong, fair healthcare plan. 

Second let’s look at abortion. I have met a survivor of a late-term abortion (mother was a rape victim). I have known many adopted children who are anti-abortion because they realize had their mothers not wanted them just a little bit more, they wouldn’t be alive today. Plus, for religious reasons I am pro-life. I think this quote by Ronald Reagan best sums up how I feel:

“I’ve noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born.”

It’s plain and simple. Abortion stops a beating heart. It kills something, whether you consider it a fetus or a blob of tissue or a HUMAN BEING, and I don’t believe any innocent creature without a voice should be allowed to be killed, even by their mother.  Scratch that - ESPECIALLY by their OWN mother.

Obama proposes the answer to stopping abortion is not to make it illegal, but to expand sex education further so unwanted pregnancies decline. In a perfect world, where condoms didn’t break and people were actually responsibile and made good choices 100% of the time, and nobody was raped, this would help. He blames abstinence-only programs for causing a rise in teen pregnancy. 

I’m a realist, not an idealist, and the reality is kids need to be taught sex ed… even in private Christian schools. However - why can’t sex ed be taught in conjunction with abstinence? Why does it have to be one or the other? When I took sex ed in high school the teacher spent about 2 seconds on abstinence. Basically his only words about it were “Oh ya, and, just incase you didn’t know - abstinence is the only 100% proven birth control method, hahaha…” As a believer in waiting until marriage this was quite offensive to me, but I let it roll off my back. Because I knew I was the ONLY person in that classroom that was planning on waiting. Which I find so sad. Because it IS the only way to prevent unwanted pregnancy, and it’s SO easy to do if you just build up some self restraint and discipline. And seriously, what better way to find a person who truly loves you than to make them commit to you the rest of their life before having sex? It’s the ultimate test of love… but in classrooms across America it’s a funny joke.

Over 40 million Americans have died to abortion since 1973… before they were even able to speak or take their first step. And Barak Obama thinks it should be a choice to allow this to happen at not only this stage, but this stage as well. 

Really, that’s enough for me right there. But for those that are still pro-choice, the third and final issue I’ll cover is the war.

Jesus was all about sacrifice. I think the answer to most the worlds problems is sacrifice. Despite all the “proof” and theories otherwise, really the only thing we are doing in this war is fighting terrorists and helping to establish a democracy in a war-torn, impoverished land. That is what our soldiers are sacrificing their lives for… helping others. If we pull out now, we lose. Terrorists win. Simple as that. Heck even the Washington Post acknowledges that great things are being done there and that a victory is very possible. 

Everyone has a different opinion. This is mine. I’d really love to hear/read a breakdown of the issues from a Liberal Christian, as I know there are MANY out there in this election and I’m curious what their stance on the key issues are. I think it is important we at least understand each other so we can respect each others point of view.

I’m adding a few new points/issues after having a few discussions with Obama voters after the outcome Tuesday night. 

I know a lot of brothers and sisters in Christ who couldn’t disagree with me more about my vote, and I understand why they disagree, but don’t understand why they refuse to even try to reason with the conservative side of the coin. A house divided against itself cannot stand.

I understand that Jesus was passionate about helping the poor and serving others… but tell me, were any of Jesus disciples forced to help? Did Jesus ever go to the government of the day and ask that they contribute the tax they collected to the poor? Or did he leave this to his followers? To individuals? Did he believe in free will, and distancing himself from government, or did he himself run for office to try to tax the rich to give money to the poor? 

I think the biggest issue I had with Obama is the same issue many loved him for - his popularity, charm, and power. 

I believe politics and government should be as small and insignificant as possible, and people should be as free as possible within the bounds of what is morally and ethically right. I also believe there is great danger in politicians who have charm and brilliant speaking abilities because we all know how easy it is for a politician to brainwash even the most educated of people…

I’ll leave you with a quote that sums up my beliefs well:

“* You cannot help the poor, by destroying the rich. 
* You cannot strengthen the weak, by weakening the strong. 
* You cannot bring about prosperity, by discouraging thrift. 
* You cannot lift the wage earner up, by pulling the wage payer down. 
* You cannot further the brotherhood of man, by inciting class hatred. 
* You cannot build character and courage, by taking away men’s initiative and independence. 
* You cannot help men permanently, by doing for them what they could and should, do for themselves.”

- Abraham Lincoln