Just In Case You're Wondering

Hey, all,

Let me just say that I am voting and I am excited to do so! What a great right and responsibility that we have as free Americans!

However, to further clarify the issue: I will NOT be voting for either Obama OR McCain. Both candidates stink and I would like to vote for a do over in order to get new candidates. You can ask Kelly, I have pained over this for quite some time. There are things I like about both candidates and things I detest.

I love the fact that America is on the cusp of electing the first black man to the office of president. That simple fact is huge for American does well to communicate to the world that we are changing. That will be a great day for America. However, I hate the fact that Obama will begin instituting the failed economic policies of socialism and tax structures of France and Germany. I hate the fact that he has voted to legalize partial-birth abortions and life birth deaths (not sure what that term is). But at the same time, I admit that he might just have the best policies that will reduce abortions by helping the poor and funding education (poor women are 4x likely to have an abortion that non-poor women). Why can't you vote against such things and still bring economic justice to the poor and uneducated so as to fight abortion on both fronts? That my family seems hypocritical to me and not the kind of leader I want in office.

I like that McCain will fight to finish the war in Iraq. I hate the strong feelings I have that McCain will continue to seek out others to pick fights with on an international level whether that be Iran or Russia or some other nation. No fact to back that just a feeling I get as I listen to his us vs them mantra in his speeches about the war. I love the fact that McCain is anti-abortion, but hate the idea that he will probably do nothing to reduce abortion outside trying to eliminate roe v wade. I also can't stand that McCain voted for the bailout (with pork and all) and the very next day that stated even though he supported the bailout it would be something he would veto as President. That my family is hypocrisy and not the kind of leader I want as president.

So at the end of the day, who will I be voting for? I will be writing in Ron Paul. He will not win, but I have to vote my values and this man and his ideas/philosophies best represent where I'm at at the moment. Say what you want about pulling votes away from one candidate or another. My country gives me this option and thus I will exercise it. It is what it is.

That, right now, is where I am being lead as I prayerfully consider ALL the issues and understand my kingdom values as a follower of Jesus and American citizen. I hope that clears things up. Here are a couple of post from a godly thoughtful theologian that gives me hope in these times:

http://www.jesuscreed.org/?p=4276

http://www.jesuscreed.org/index.php?paged=6

It's a great country we live in where we can actively participate in the political process and communicate our feelings/values about that process. May God guide and lead all of us not along Red or Blue lines, but along the kingdom values He cares about and the discernment He gives us about things He does not communicate about (taxes cuts/hikes, abortion, war, government size, etc).

To God be the glory!

Seth