Friday, October 24, 2008

Election Day is Coming... and I haven't had my say!!!!

If I don't blog a little bit about the upcoming election, I think I would burst a vein somewhere! I'd like to mention a few of my aggravations with the 2008 elections for your consideration.

1. "The Race Card" ~ oooh, sounds ominous, doesn't it? OK, at this point, I would like to claim I am half-African American, Chinese, or pretty much anything instead of what I am ~ a female Caucasian. Being a "Cauc" means my opinion on racial issues is invalidated prior to being stated, and I must dig myself out by my fingernails to be heard. Ugh! As a recovering racist (see my previous and extensive posts on racism in the South posted on Jan. 19, 20, and 22 of this year), I do have a few thoughts. I live in a heavily African-American populated area. I shop with blacks, do business with blacks, and am friends with blacks. I hear and overhear a lot. Things like "I don't perceive any evil in the man (Obama); I think we should just get him in there and see what he can do." Followed by "Amen, amen!" from the partner in conversation. What is this? A religious rally? And reading an article in the left-leaning Parenting magazine available at all (and I do mean ALL) pediatric offices, the editor (a black female) says that to see "someone who looks like me" in this position is so exciting. All right, folks, step right up. All geriatrics with white hair should be voting for McCain. Poufy hair? Cute business dresses? White females? Palin is your woman. Whatever! Since when do we vote for someone just because they share something so superficial with us. Blech! I understand the desire to feel a connection with a candidate. Special-needs moms feel understood by Palin. Vets feel understood by McCain. Blacks feel understood by Obama. These differences in most cases do represent subcultures of the American people. Once again, the Presidency is bigger than feeling 'represented!' Enough said, I'm afraid.

2. McCain's age ~ The man is 72. OK. I assume that the issue is raised and re-raised for two reasons: life expectancy (can he live out the term?) and relevance (does he have his finger on the pulse of modern-day America?) Life expectancy. Oh, yes. Let's talk life expectancy. Anybody noticed the Founding Fathers' ages when they were leading our country. For example, John Adams was 62 when elected in 1797. I had a hard time finding exact numbers on life expectancy back then, but from what I read, he should have been long dead and buried. Relevance. I think we've seen a lot of elder-bashing in this election process. As long as the general health is good and the mind is sound, I don't care how old any candidate is! And I definitely don't think the wisdom of years and years of public service should be denigrated.

3. The Palin Phenomen ~ amazing, huh? Everyone out there hated McCain to have to be the one we Republicans voted before. But that was b.P. Before Palin. Now EVERYONE loves the ticket. Woohoo! We're all drooling and falling over ourselves to support him (but mostly her~ let's be honest). McCain isn't stupid. He needed to pull that conservative right vote to have a chance at this election. Does anyone remember that he's still one of the most non-conservative Republicans out there? Remember, people~ candidates pull the whole moderate rabbit out of the hat for the election, but the true colors will show soon. President Obama will be a liberal liberal liberal and President McCain will be a liberal liberal conservative. I know more than a few who are hoping the McCain will kick the bucket early on, so the darling Palin Presidency can begin before 2012.

Goodness! I know this isn't a great look at the election, obviously. I am a SAHM to two little ones. But I do have a few brain cells left. I won't be voting FOR either candidate. I will be voting AGAINST Obama. Unfortunately, you know what that means. Ugh. Maybe 2012 will be more promising.

14 comments:

Kim M. said...

I totally agree with you.

Mary Ellen said...

Well said Charity!

I know this isn't a very popular opinion but my own PERSONAL feeling is that while I can admire what Sarah has done and I appreciate what she stands for I personally am very dissapointed that a Mom with young children at home would choose to run for V.P.

Her husband had to quit his job to be the stay at home "Mom" so that she can do that...I don't for a moment think that is the way God intended for homes to be and think her family should be her first priority. I don't care what anyone says, there is no way you can do what she is doing and your family come first - it is impossible. Yes I know that is a personal decision, but in my opinion it's also has something to do with how God planned for things to be and I don't believe that is how He intended it, therefore it isn't 'just' a personal decision.

While I will be casting my vote for her/them, my admiration for her would be much greater if she had said "Thanks but no thanks, not while I have children at home."

Tara said...

Barack Obama is the MOST liberal politician in the history of the US Senate, ranked #1 by the National Review in his liberal status, and ranked #4 on the socialist scale. I would say that John McCain, though he hasn't walked lock-step with the Republican party, doesn't come even begin to come close rankings such as these. Yes, Obama is a Liberal Liberal Liberal. McCain is more Moderate Moderate Conservative. Not necessarily what we were hoping for, but beats the bejeebers out of the alternative. WAKE UP AMERICA!!

Kim M. said...

I just wish that we conservative Christians would band together and stop just voting "lesser of two evils" and start voting 3rd party when we aren't too thrilled with our choices.

Maybe the Republican party would wake up a little?

It saddens me that a lot of us who once "disdained" John McCain are now voting for him (including myself). Unfortunately I feel like I am "stuck" voting for him just like others.

So now we are changing the qualifications to being a Republican??? What's next? Demican or Republocrat???
Will the Republican party ever be redeemed after this?

I think Christians would say that a little more loudly if it weren't for the more conservative Mrs Palin who is breaking that glass. (that I would prefer to remain unbroken). She herself said that she won't let her personal beliefs get in the way of McCain's decisions.

Obama's evilness is what makes McCain's liberal liberal liberal look more moderate moderate. So America slides a little more toward the left as we "reach across the table".

I am -yes- voting McCain too, but only because I feel stuck. I have wrestled with my conscience over this one. Because I can vote thinking that my vote will change the future, or I can vote and then rest in God's sovereignty knowing that God (not the American people) is choosing our leader. Perhaps Palin will be that modern-day Deborah??? Who knows?

Daniel 2:21 He (God) changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

Romans 13:1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities , for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

Colossians 1:16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities ; all things were created by him and for him.

John 19:11 (speaking to Pilate) Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above . Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin."

Daniel 4:17 "`The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men.'

Daniel 5:21 He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like cattle; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and sets over them anyone he wishes.

Bethany Fleming said...

My frustrations exactly! I think some years back a man made a very famous speech something to the like, "I have a dream that one day a man will not be judged by the color of his skin but by the content of his character." People are still doing it.
Why do we have to choose the lesser of two evils? Are we letting down our standards because we see the alternative? Does are standards/convictions just change like that?
Something to really think and pray about. This election is frustrating to me but I have a peace knowing all is going to be OK, no matter what the outcome. My God reigns over all and is still in control no matter what.
Proverbs 18:1...look it up:)

Charity said...

Thanks for all the great comments, gals! Toots, Kim ~ ditto ;o) Mary Ellen, thanks for being brave enough to say something 'negative' about the can-do-no-wrong Palin. I tend to agree with you as a matter of fact. I don't think she is just now stepping away from the ideal priorities, and as some suggest, that our vote would take her away from her family. This is a decision she made some time ago, since she was in public office.
I agree with you, Tara, 100%! There is no ? as to which is the worst candidate. Thanks, Kim for coming back with some great verses to remind us of God's sovereignty. Beth, I hear your frustration ;o) Thanks for the reminder that He is in control!

Anonymous said...

Ha ha! I like it when you get your back up! You go girl.

Lisa Messner said...

There is another thought. Vote for a third party candidate.

None of us want to hold our nose and vote for McCain and none of us want to refrain from voting and not do our duty.

I have been weighing heavily the choice of voting for Bob Barr. While I don't endorse all that the Libertarian Party stands for, from what I have seen of Mr Barr, he stands closer to where I do than either of the two main candidates.

I'm very undecided on the subject of Sarah Palin. I'm not sure if we like the real Sarah or a caricature that the party has created.

Jeff

Kim M. said...

I thought you all might enjoy this article:


http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=79627

Kim M. said...

P.S. I feel I must clarify that I am still voting John McCain although I feel that I must be one of the "sheeple" mentioned in the article I posted above (to keep evil out of the White House). But I did not come to the decision without a lot of thought and prayer.

Mary Ellen said...

Charity I agree with you that she made her family her second priority when she entered politics in the first place. I don't know enough about what she has done up until this point to know how much that has taken her away from her family but I do know that being VP will take her away a LOT so that is what I was commenting on. My own personal feeling is that while children are in the home, that is where the Mother should be if at all possible.

I am a very firm believer that God calls us married women to be wives and Moms first (and whether we have kids or not our husbands are our first priority). I've had my mouth drop open more than once when I hear someone say Sarah is a modern day Esther, I want to say, "take a look at that story. She was neither married nor had children when God asked her to do what He did!" And the Bible does not tell us if Deborah had children either so to compare her to either of them just doesn't work for me.

Yes I can appreciate that she has accomplished some great things, yes I can appreciate that she stands for some of the same things I do, but I can not admire or appreciate a woman whose husband is playing her role while she is out doing what she is doing.

Julie Schultz said...

I agree with you, Charity. I think to vote 3rd party is to vote for Obama. In Canada, where I grew up, there are more parties that actually could win an election. This country is still pretty much a two-party political system. I, too, will be voting against Obama.

IntReviewer said...

Insightful points, especially as I'm reading them after the election. I, too, have mixed emotions with the Obama candidacy. I am excited that an African-American can be elected in America, but disappointed that he is so liberal. Neither do I have any deep connection to John McCain or feel a great sense of loss that he was not hired on Tuesday night. I am still excited about Palin -- she is authentically pro-life, like President Bush, Mike Huckabee, and a few others. Like some other great people I've known, she sacrificed to get involved and make life better for others. I'm not concerned that she's not a stay-at-home mom -- I know several moms who have had to choose between a clean house with fancy china and a place of service in the Kingdom of God. I, for one, have no complaints that my mom made that choice. Palin, I believe, made the choice to serve when she could have had a much easier life. Thanks for putting it in perspective!

Marty said...

Wow...what a read!!! The election is over and yes I did vote! I agree with alot said here, especially voting 3rd party...if more would vote their convictions then the 3rd party would grow!!!