Lisa of Longbourn’s Colorado Voter Guide – Amendments and Referenda

 

This may be a little belated for anyone trying to decide how to vote around here.  Then again we have a lot of procrastinators in this country.  Whether you’ve already voted or not, or even if you don’t live in Colorado, I hope that this little study of the ballot issues and why I am for or against them will educate you on my views about government. 

 

Amendment 46: Discrimination and Preferential Treatment by Governments prohibited excepting federal programs, existing court orders or other legally binding agreements and bona fide qualifications based on sex. 

 

The text of this amendment prohibits government discrimination FOR or against people seeking public employment, education, or contracts.  It lists race, sex, color, ethnicity, and national origin as the categories protected against discrimination.  I do not believe that this is any threat to our liberties as a nation, nor an affront to our morals.  The language prohibits affirmative action, which is one of the most frustrating forms of intentional discrimination practiced in our country.  I’m glad to support an amendment restricting this injustice. 

 

YES on Amendment 46. 

 

Amendment 47: Prohibition on Mandatory Labor Union Membership and Dues (as a condition of employment; including government and private employers)

 

For my thoughts on this issue, I am grateful to a friend who works in businesses where membership in a union is the only way contractors are connected with work.  The bidding process is handled by unions, or something like that.  So if membership in a union were not mandatory, then either there would be no work for them or some employees who are union men would carry the financial load for their coworkers in an essential part of their business. 

 

Secondly, this law places restrictions on the employer, which is not healthy for an economy.  I believe that the owner of a business has a right to do as he will with his business, and if employees don’t like the way they’re treated or the conditions of their employment, they can look for a new job.  This is the free market system.  I almost always side with employers and owners. 

 

NO on Amendment 47. 

 

Amendment 48: Definition of Person

 

I have covered this topic at length on this blog.  The Colorado Constitution guarantees certain rights to all persons in this state.  We in the pro-life movement believe that this law, which includes the right to life and due process, should have been applied all along to all persons, no matter how small, including the unborn.  The fact that over 40 abortions are performed in Colorado every day is evidence that this law is not being enforced this way.  Thousands of innocent babies are being deprived of their fundamental and legal right to life because judges have declared this word “person” to be ambiguous.  The campaign argues that medical science and common sense make it clear when life and personhood begins, and it is at fertilization.  There is no other possible and logical place at which to draw the line.  We believe that defining personhood will uplift the value we as citizens of Colorado place on life, from the smallest among us to the strongest and healthiest adult to the sick or the elderly. 

 

Arguments against this amendment center selfishly around the repercussions of acknowledging the inescapable fact that these tiny lives are persons.  Opponents would rather deny the personhood of these babies so that they can continue to murder them for any and every reason.  These campaigners, who stand to lose a profitable industry in abortion, threaten that this law will force mothers to sacrifice their lives for terminal preborn children in cases such as eptopic pregnancies.  However, the law will not assert the rights of one life over another.  If a woman’s life is at risk, or the life of a twin is really threatened by a child, nothing in this law prohibits the defense of the endangered lives.  Do not let these tragic instances keep you from defending 40 babies a day or more by defining them in the law as we already know them scientifically to be: individual living persons. 

 

YES on Amendment 48. 

 

Amendment 49:  Prohibit the government from deducting things like union dues from the paychecks of public employees. 

 

This law will protect public employees from deductions not endorsed by the government.  At present employees must take extra action to prevent the deductions.  This would put the burden of collection of union dues or other contributions on the unions, relieving the government from the burden of collecting the money for them.  We shouldn’t make the government the middle man for other agencies. 

 

YES on Amendment 49.

 

Amendment 50: Return decisions about the limits on Gaming (gambling) in Central City, Black Hawk, and Cripple Creek to the respective communities, including casino hours, types of games offered, and limits on bet amounts. 

 

I am morally opposed to gambling, and thus believe that it should be illegal.  This is not the case in Colorado, but I do not want it expanded.  Additionally, this law directs most of the potential additional revenue to State community colleges.  I believe it is none of the government’s business to be involved in education in any way, let alone in funding.  And I always vote against increases in taxes until the government can prove themselves good and law-abiding stewards of the money already entrusted to them. 

 

NO on Amendment 50. 

 

Amendment 51: Increases the state sales tax and directs the revenue to services for people with developmental disabilities.  

 

Again, I always vote against tax increases until the government can prove themselves faithful stewards of our money.  However, if they were to use part of their existing budget to fund social or charity programs like this, I would consider them failing in their trust.  Charity is best done privately, without government middle men.  I do not want my government taking the privilege of administering help to my neighbors away for me.  When they do this, the people begin to view the government more and more as the savior and provider.  They will continually vote themselves largesse, as Alexander de Toqueville warned.  I believe we should help these people, but I believe the help should be private, led by individuals, charities, and churches. 

 

NO on Amendment 51. 

 

Amendment 52: Use severance tax (which has nothing to do with our normal use of the word severance) revenue for highways. 

 

This law takes budgeting into the hands of the people.  However, it is a narrow-minded and inflexible law not allowing for changing and competing needs of things other than transportation.  Not only does the law limit the use of this revenue to highways; it specifies which highways, which is not at all a fair deal for all of Colorado.  The legislature is responsible for directing money to important projects like government highways and water storage.  Though I have little confidence in our legislature at the moment, I believe the solution is to elect men of integrity to office, who will be competent representatives in our state; not to take responsibility away from them in one of their few legitimate spheres. 

 

NO on Amendment 52. 

 

Amendment 53 has been withdrawn per proponent’s request and no votes for or against will be recorded. 

 

Amendment 54: Campaign Contributions from Certain Government Contractors.  This law would do three things: 1) prohibit contractors working for the government, whose contracts are worth more than $100,000 and whose award of the contract was not the result of solicitation of at least three competitive bids, from contributing to political parties or candidates during the contract’s duration and 2 years after.  2) Encourage government entities to solicit 3 competitive bids for each contract.  3) Set up an online, publicly accessible database of all government contracts awarded to companies for which there was no competitive bid. 

 

I am not opposed to requiring governments to welcome competitive bids for projects.  This is the responsible and honest thing to do.  The online database is a little over the top, but their heart is in the right place.  HOWEVER, I am 100% opposed to prohibiting a company or individual from contributing to a candidate or party of their choice.  The way to prevent corruption is to elect honest officials and to pay close attention to the government, not to restrict the rights of free men in this state.  An honest contractor can have interests in seeing one candidate elected, and ought to be able to do his part to ensure that victory without being accused of paying for the privilege of government contracts.  (For example, a small businessman may want to contribute money to a candidate who says he will lower taxes on small business versus an opponent who will raise them.  The businessman if he is smart will realize it is in his economic interest to help the lower tax candidate to be elected, and ought to be free to contribute money to that candidate.)  We cannot ask our contractors to surrender their right to political involvement simply so they can have work.  Fight corruption other ways! 

 

NO on Amendment 54. 

 

Amendments 55, 56, and 57 have been withdrawn by their respective proponents.  No votes for or against will be reported. 

 

Amendment 58: Increase the amount of state severance taxes paid by oil and natural gas companies, and allocate that revenue to college scholarships, wildlife habitats, renewable energy projects, and transportation projects in energy-impacted areas.  And exempt all oil and gas severance tax revenue from state and local spending limits. 

 

I am against raising taxes.  In some campaigns this season tax cuts for oil companies has been thrown around like a slur, but it is not.  Tax credits are the way that the tax system is designed.  I don’t like it, but until you change the whole thing you can’t just eliminate one part of it.  Oil companies are not bad guys.  The reason people don’t like them is because we were paying $4 a gallon for gasoline earlier this year.  The government took a large portion of that amount in taxes.  If we raise taxes on the companies that supply gasoline, they will either have to cut spending (and reduce supply!) or pass on the price hike to us the consumers.  What’s more, the tax credit is an incentive for oil and gas industries to do business in Colorado.  We do not want the jobs and revenue they provide to leave our state for more competitive areas. 

 

I do not want revenue to go to colleges, to wildlife habitats (since when is this a legitimate concern for a government?), renewable energy (get the energy companies to invest in these technologies themselves; they will), etc. 

 

NO on Amendment 58. 

 

Amendment 59: Eliminate the rebates that taxpayers receive when the state collects more money than it is allowed, and spend the money on preschool through 12^th grade public education. 

 

No to tax increases.  Do not eliminate TABOR, the main pillar of which is essentially to balance the state budget by requiring refunds to taxpayers when we are taxed over budget.  No to public schools.  Schooling is a private responsibility, dangerous and inefficient in the hands of the government. 

 

While I’m at it I’ll throw in the State Referendums, too. 

 

Referendum L: lower the age requirement for serving in the state legislature from 25 to 21. 

 

Why not?  The fact that we have so many ages defining maturity in our state is ridiculous.  At sixteen you can get a driver’s license, at 18 you can vote.  When you are 21 you can drink.  And at 25 you can be a member of the legislature.  (There are ages for adopting and renting cars, for buying lottery tickets and being out after curfew.  It’s all a very confusing mess.)  You may say that there are very irresponsible 21 year olds.  Yet 21 year olds can vote, and a stack of voting 21 year olds can do a lot more damage than one 21 year old who must be duly elected before holding office.  If a 21 year old is counted qualified for the job by the people, he ought to have the job.  My brother is 20.  If he did a little research on government and wanted to run for office, I would want the privilege of voting for him.  Because while there are admittedly immature 21 year olds (and 25 year olds, and 50 year olds!), there are also mature and capable ones. 

 

YES on Referendum L. 

 

Referendum M and Referendum N are about removing obsolete provisions from the laws.  I am not opposed to this, but read them; they constitute a mini-history lesson. 

 

Referendum O: Change requirements for citizen-initiated State laws. 

 

Right now citizens (as opposed to government officials/legislators) can initiate state amendments or statutes that must meet certain requirements to make the ballot, and even then must be approved by voters.  And amendment is part of the constitution, originally intended to describe the rights of the people and the limits of the government.  These laws are permanent unless repealed by the people with another constitutional amendment.  Statutes are laws as well, but refer more to the practical application of principles (traffic laws, etc.)  Statutes may be made or altered by the legislature without reference to the people in an election.  Or they may be citizen-initiated.  By nature, statutes are less permanent.  Presently the requirements for getting either an amendment or a statute on the ballot are the same, and they are relatively easy compared to other states. 

 

Referendum O seeks to make statutes easier to put on the ballot by reducing the number of petition signatures required. 

 

The referendum would make amendments harder to get on the ballot in two primary ways: 1) increase the required number of signatures.  2) require that eight percent of signatures be gathered from each congressional district

 

I’m up in the air on whether I want it to be easy or hard for citizens to initiate legislation.  I’ve heard arguments on either side.  HOWEVER, I am completely opposed to this referendum because of the 8% requirement.  An amendment could be blocked from the ballot by a minority, by one section of the state.  I’m not sure what the lines are for congressional districts, but this referendum would say that if Boulder residents didn’t want an amendment, even if Pueblo, Grand Junction, Greeley, Bennet, Denver, and Estes Park wanted it, the petition would be rejected.  This is not republican government.  It is rule by a minority.  This would prevent legislation that would be in the interest of the state as a whole from being even introduced in ballot form because one district decided it was not in their interest.  We cannot do this. 

 

NO on Referendum O. 

 

I’m welcoming you to interact with this “voter guide” for educational purposes.  Please do not campaign in the comment section.  Comments are moderated, and I’m giving fair warning that I may choose not to post some comments.  However, if your comments are gracious and profitable for the conversation, I will post them even in disagreement that we all may be sharpened. 

 

To God be all glory,

Lisa of Longbourn

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Two Countries of the USA

Christians occasionally run up against the argument that religious wars recklessly took the lives of thousands of people.  Take the Crusades…  So of course Christianity is a religion of hate and violence, and it is hypocritical for purportedly teaching about loving one’s neighbor at the same time.  Guilt by association is a hard reputation to shed.  It is hard for me to have to defend myself over a crime for which I don’t feel guilty, especially when I don’t feel guilty because I wasn’t alive then.  I want to be loyal, but consistency and honesty are more important to me. 
 
Pro-life groups have the taint of extremists who bombed abortion clinics.  But I didn’t do that or condone that.  In fact, I cannot remember a bombing of a clinic in America since I turned 13 and started paying attention.  Is murdering millions of babies ok because one of the thousands of protestors was inexcusably destructive? 
 
Zionists have been shamed by a branch of extremists who wanted to use terror to further their cause.  In the case of Zionism, as opposed to that of Islam, the difference was that they were condemned by the mainstream.  Strategists, leaders, and supporters of the state of Israel sought peaceful means of creating a Jewish homeland.  Only once attacked and threatened by hostile (to say the least) neighbors who denied their existence and legitimacy did Israel take a position of miraculous strength, and apply military power. 
 
Committing a crime yourself and framing your enemies for it is classic double-agent strategy.  The ultimate example is Emperor Palpatine and the Clone Wars in Star Wars.  Or if you’re more for history than fantasy, you might refer to Hitler excusing his invasions of Austria, Czechoslavakia, and separately of Poland.  Yes.  We’re talking the trigger for World War II. 
 
During our involvement in World War II, America made the distasteful and unjust decision to inter our Japanese civilians in labor camps.  In the interest of humble honesty, I always feel obligated to admit that occasionally my country is not defending virtue and liberty.  I’m a fan of history, not names and dates so much as the connections of the dots.  What were the politics, the motivations, the idealisms that drove countries to war and revolt, to peace and surrender?  What little difference in choices would have changed the course of the world? 
 
So I have to note that the president who ordered Japanese interment during World War II was a Democrat.  Knowing that makes me feel a lot less responsible.  There are almost two countries in this America.  They alternate power, a check and balance between irresponsible oppression and defensive freedom.  I never realized it before, but I’m more or less loyal to the Republican America. 
 
But. 
 
My Republican America participates and upholds the same Constitution that occasionally puts Democrat America in power.  Even if I’m voting against them, I’m still endorsing the system.  How much responsibility does that give me? 
 
Some lifestyles are a package deal.  For example, I’m learning that to believe Church should be held in homes is a lifestyle.  Substituting a gathering in a house doing all the biblical things for the Sunday morning “worship service” in a sanctuary isn’t sufficient.  My friends would call the package living missionally.  I already believe that Christian community does life together and that the most effective Church in history met more than once a week. 

 

Perhaps another package deal is living in a Republic requires political involvement.  I can’t just vote and say I’ve done my part.  In fact, for decades under the US Constitution there was no suffrage for women, and their participation in the government had to be more involved and influential than that.  They had to do marches and grassroots campaigns.  We must do that and more, like paying attention to our representatives in all three branches of government, and proactively holding them accountable.  Voting is saying, “Yes, I believe in and endorse this system.”  The responsibility, then, is ours to do everything we can to ensure that the system is honorable and efficient. 

 

To God be all glory,

Lisa of Longbourn

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Colorado Personhood Amendment

Update: In Colorado’s election 2008 (November), the Personhood Amendment is Amendment 48.  I will be voting YES on 48. 

This week the Colorado Personhood Amendment submitted more than 130,000 petition signatures in order to put the proposed amendment on the ballot in 2008.  This is huge, and I am very excited.  The campaign is only beginning, with a battle coming in the next several months to get the word out. 

 

Abort73.com, about which I wrote several months ago, has a collection of embryology textbook quotes and government on-the-record conclusions about when life begins.  You can read it and other related information here.  So far I haven’t found any specific resources describing the implications of the proposed amendment.  To be honest I have not looked too hard.  A reporter for Townhall, Michael Foust, wrote an article summarizing the history of the amendment very well. 

 

There have been some objections to this amendment from reasonable people.  Some people at my church thought that petitions and anything government-related did not belong at church.  I took my petition to church, and collected about ten signatures there.  My opinion waffled.  I offered it to my Sunday school class.  It was in the bulletin and I stood in the foyer with it.  Only a few times, with people I thought I knew well enough, did I ask if certain friends had signed it.  I’m naturally a non-aggressive person.  There were other people taking the aggressive position with their petitions at my church.  That reassured me, actually, that the audience for my petition was covered, just not by me.  I don’t disagree with the other petition circulators. 

 

One problem many people have begun to recognize and address at church is that we don’t connect our education or our spiritual experiences with obedience and action.  There are no laws against circulating petitions at church, and the amendment is definitely not associated with any political party.  Church is a community gathering, a great place to talk about what really matters.  What better place to invite people to sign a petition that is, rather than bringing politics to church, bringing truth into politics. 

 

Another objection is that, while a Christian and a scientist and any thinking or moral person may realize that life begins at conception, the government should stay out of it.  There is flawed logic here, but I think the problem is in the view of government.  What is a government’s role?  What does the Bible say about it?  Abort73.com says, “God established government to be His legal representative on earth (Romans 13:1,2). God established government to keep sinful people from doing evil against each other (Romans 13:3). While it is true that individuals are called to “turn the other cheek” (Matthew 5:39), the government is not (Romans 13:4). The government is called to execute judgement upon those who do wickedly. Arguing that the government must not restrict an individual’s free moral agency, is nothing more than an argument for anarchy.”

 

Finally, a lot of people are worried that the personhood amendment is a sneaky way of outlawing birth control and contraception.  Roe v. Wade pointed out the lack of concensus and official definition of person – the definitions by which the constitutional protections and due process would become relevant.  The amendment closes the loophole, and gives legislators and judges a platform on which to act and enforce.  But the question should not be, “Are religious people trying to tell me what to do and change the way I am used to living my life?” but, “If life begins at conception, what must I do to respect that life?”  Ultimately, the fact that this amendment is out there, being discussed and advocated, is going to make people face the question: am I harming or killing a human life? 

 

To God be all glory,

Lisa of Longbourn

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Presidents and Federal Government Reform

Resolved: The American Federal government is too big. 

The federal government has more employees than is legal or necessary. 

The federal government is inefficient. 

The federal government unjustly over-taxes the people of America. 

The federal government uses tax money (and debt) to fund illegal social, education, and scientific programs and departments. 

The federal government has infringed the rights of states in several areas. 

Resolved: A US president has power to rein-in the federal government. 

A US president can veto excessive spending bills referred to him by rogue congresses. 

A US president can speak out against the abuses performed by the federal government. 

A US president can restrict, resize, or dissolve any of the executive-appointed offices and departments. 

A US president can appoint secretaries, attorneys, and judges who will uphold the US Constitution. 

Resolved: The vote cast by a citizen of the United States for president should be affected by the above resolutions. 

Resolved: The above resolutions are not the only rod by which to measure a candidate. 

Inquired: Which candidates understand and affirm the above resolutions? 

Inquired: Which of those who understand and affirm the resolutions have an applicable plan for reforming the federal government back into legal limits? 

Inquired: Which of those with a plan would be able to implement their plan without destroying the nation?  In other words, would the government and country still be able to function,  or govern and defend itself? 

Ron Paul is almost completely a libertarian.  He offers very conservative principles to the disillusioned, betrayed conservative grass roots.  His speeches are full of the resolutions above.  But I have not heard him describe how electing him as president would make a difference.  What changes would he make, and how would he make them?  How would he deal with the fall-out?  I notice in my own life that God, who certainly knows all of my shortcomings and sins, will prune them a little at a time, so that I can still function.  I believe this is because He loves me, not just the mold of perfection.  I doubt that Ron Paul would have the patience to reform the government in a way that would leave a working system in place.  On the other hand, he has been in the legislature for some time without accomplishing anything aside from building a record for himself (not even a name for himself until he publicized it by running for president). 

Rudy Giuliani does not seem interested in restricting the government at all.  He is a social moderate, who therefore thinks government involvement in social matters are justified.  (On a side note I do not think that murder is a social issue; neither is abortion.) 

Mitt Romney is a businessman.  He has shown his capabilities as an executive.  Making an organization run efficiently and productively is his record.  In business, you do not want to cut the influence of your company, or reduce profits.  Yet in government, that is just what needs to be done. 

Though Huckabee was a pastor more than a businessman, he was also an executive of a state.  As governor of Arkansas did he exhibit any tendencies toward reforming the government?  Granted, he was working with a congress of democrats.  Is there anything he is saying now that indicates he will reform Washington? 

Are these men just going to treat symptoms?  Throw more money at problems?  Cut out the cancer so deeply that you’ve amputated vital organs?  Must we the voters be content with a man of the hour, who can get us through the next four years, but will leave the federal government unchecked in its decent toward tyranny? 

What do any of you readers know about these candidates or the others running?  Are my assessments wrong?  Do any of the other candidates meet the resolutions with strength, vision, and confidence?  Can you reassure me that a vote for Huckabee, which I am intending to cast, will be for the good of America? 

Can we the people do anything now to prepare the field of candidates in the future? 

Please comment. 

To God be all glory,

Lisa of Longbourn

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Straight Paths

The beginning of the movie Bella is a man quoting his mother, “When you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.” 

 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” ~ Proverbs 3:5-6  

Monday I had a list of things to do a mile long, and I was convinced I could get them all done before their respective deadlines.  With relief I checked off each item.  Trying to multi-task, I turned on the oven to preheat and sat down to fill out my local ballot, for which I had made zero decisions.  The efficiency was already starting to wear away when I realized I needed my laptop and had just turned it off.  Forgetting what was behind and reaching forth to what was before, I pressed on. 

And spent about 45 minutes on my computer learning about candidates and issues.  All the while the oven was preheated and empty.  When I finally finished my ballot, the time it would take to cook lunch and eat it would eliminate one item from my list.  I chose to skip the library, because I didn’t have time to watch or listen to the items I had reserved anyway. 

After lunch I ran my errands.  Mom ran hers, too, agreeing to meet back at the house in time to depart for Bella.  The theater I chose was across town, the one offering the cheapest tickets.  (Even though we broke even for gas, I like to boycott expensive movie tickets.)  Before we left, I checked my email one more time to see if any friends had responded to my last-minute invitation to join them. 

By the time we got across the city, we were about ten minutes early.  But being out of our neighborhood, we didn’t know where the theater was.  I saw one on the left side of the street; Mom turned right.  Finally I explained I saw the sign across the street, so we made it over there.  Like a theater ashamed of its existence there was no marquis.  We parked and went in, but did not see Bella listed.  Sighing, I asked the cashier, “There’s another theater across the street in the mall, isn’t there?” 

Back in the car, we returned to the exact spot we had accidentally visited earlier, but still there was no theater in sight.  You know how malls work, though; you can start anywhere and get anywhere, especially in this one, which has a shortcut through the food court.  So we parked.  I hurried in and analyzed the map while Mom followed.  At this point the listed start time of the movie was already upon us.  I found the theater on the directory and took off in the direction, hoping my recent venture into map-reading would pay off. 

The whole race I was coaching myself, “God knows what He’s doing, Lisa.  This is for a reason.  Relax.”  Finally through the mall and across a little drive, we entered the theater, bought our tickets, and were at last standing just inside the door for screen 12.  And everything was pitch black.  The movie was just starting.  Once there was a little more light, we found our seats and heard the line, “…tell God your plans.” 

Hang with me, I’m not done.  About twenty minutes into the movie the entire screen went black.  Small fluorescent emergency lights began to flash and a calm voice informed us that an emergency had been reported in the building; everyone should move toward the exit.  Outside we moved back across the little drive. 

My brother has this laugh and dance he does when life is so unbelievable.  Rosalee on Win a Date with Tad Hamilton says, “Yikesabee.”  I sit down and watch with a smile ready to burst into a laugh.  Some people say, “You just can’t make stuff like this up.” 

In the end we got free movie passes for anytime, any in the family of theaters, with no expiration date or restriction – and we got to finish our movie after a mere 15 minute intermission.  I would have been fine if they carried sodas and popcorn to us on trays, but then they were already over the top on customer service. 

The drive home was one of those times of perfect peace.  I was trying to figure out what I thought about the movie without thinking.  Instead, feelings were just filling me, but not in an I’m-going-to-burst sort of way.  A nice thing about being the passenger is that you can pull your legs up into the seat and pretend that even though the world is flashing by at 60 miles per hour, you feel like you’re in a cozy library with a mesmerizing fire to watch.  At one point a car out my window exited the highway and I realized I’d been watching it for miles.  Outside the sun was setting, leaving shadows and light mixing in a way that is only accomplished by the looming presence of large hills in the west.  Peace is a nice thing. 

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  ~ Philippians 4:6-7

To God be all glory,

Lisa of Longbourn

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Electability?

I just read this article on Townhall by Al Cardenas, “An Electability Theory.” His arguments are backed by the founding fathers’ original papers, by history, by biblical theology, and by me – which is why I’m linking here.

The key point, I believe, is when he says that social conservative issues are what bring passion to the voters, and what unites us. Think about people you know. Are they all united on the US military/foreign policy/Iraq issues? Are they all capitalists? Do any of them like welfare? College grants? Those are the economic and defense issues that the Republican powers that be what their candidates to run on, in order to attract undecided voters. Social issues like abortion and marriage are just too sensitive and divisive, they say. I argue that social issues have more passion involved, but there are probably as many who will not vote Republican because they are socialists or angry over Iraq as who would have voted against Republicans because of an anti-abortion stance.

In any case, let “we the people” decide, and stop moving the historically conservative party to the middle by choosing the candidate most like the liberals.

To God be all glory.

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