Hot Issues
Supersaturated Tuesday
Posted by: Brent James on February 5, 2008 Hot Issues •
If you just woke up and realized it is Super Tuesday and you’re not sure if your state is involved, we’ve got your back. Well, almost. You’ll still need to find your polling place.
There are 43 contests in 24 states – that’s because not every state has a primary for both parties. The 19 states with both Republican AND Democratic primaries today are Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Utah.
In the Super Tuesday states, Montana and West Virginia are involved in the Republican primaries ONLY, and Idaho, New Mexico and Kansas are Democratic primary states ONLY.
If you’d like some last minute details, the New York Times covers it pretty well.
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2 Down, 4 to Go
Posted by: Brent James on February 5, 2008 Hot Issues •
Guiliani’s gone. Edwards exited. A lot of political commentators got it right. Big deal. Now comes the harder stuff. Who’s next?
Do any of the pundits know more than you or me? I’ll admit they have the connections and as such, are privileged to the kind of inside information you and I would probably have to pay for. Still the answer is ‘No.’ In the end, none of them know what is going to happen in this race. And race it is. Down-to-the-wire campaigning and last minute stops to pull out all stops.
As the dust gets kicked up, please don’t let mention of early voting results sway you in your decision to vote. Your values-based vote helps balance those cast by the beauty contest crowd. And for all their reporting, the media seems to prefer that you know as little as possible. Well, less of all things substantive, that is. Have you noticed some candidates are repeatedly overlooked. Most news outlets fail to even mention them. Is it really due to their insignificant polling numbers as claimed or is some agency trying hard to shape the results? Your guess is as good as mine.
But we have a good idea, huh?
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Spending Into Oblivion
Posted by: Brent James on February 4, 2008 Hot Issues •
If you were the American president, what gift would you give these Untied States before riding into the sunset? My guess is that most of us would want to leave office having secured an increased financial stability and a prosperous economy. That way, regardless of who succeeds you, be they Democrat or Republican, the country has a better chance of moving forward with hope and a positive momentum. A bit of breathing room while we continue to fight (checks and balances work).So what’s with President Bush proposing the country’s first $3 trillion budget – the largest ever. Whatever happened to the idea of smaller government? So much for good intentions. This budget holds the line on spending for most government programs, increases defense spending to fight terrorism, and the only proposed savings would come from slowing the growth of health programs. Oh yes, the tax cuts are still part of the deal. This neat summary the Office of Management and Budget explains in over 2000 pages.
If enacted, this bill would supposedly balance the budget by 2012, assuming the economy suffers no unexpected downturns. But in light of recent market news, that’s too much to assume. We may already be "downturning." And why 2012? Why is every "fix" to be realized at some future date? Because government can’t live in the present like we citizens are expected to. Because Congress refused to balance the budget each and every time the effort to do so has been made.
Joel Kaplan, Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget, had this to say about the 2007 budget, “The President is also proposing again to hold discretionary spending growth below the rate of inflation, cut discretionary spending that’s not related to national security, and slow the rate of entitlement spending growth. Last year the Congress delivered on all three of these proposals for spending restraint – we’re hopeful we can do it again this year.” Spending restraint? Please. They’re politically bound. Read Mr. Kaplan's informative exchanges. They are telling big government speak.
Foolishly, Americans and American businesses have followed our government’s lead by borrowing to spend another day. Now, like them, we are in real trouble. Rather than saving our money, we are going to foreign countries for cash. Know why China has money to lend? Because they save and we don’t. Our complete lack of fiscal restraint is endemic. Remember, government can’t fix anything – especially that which it least understands, our free market economy. Words of advice from the business sector: Get out of the way, stop spending money you don’t have, stop asking for more tax revenues, and stop trampling our potential with endless growth-stifling policies. The market will heal itself. Read a businessman's perspective.
Who would’ve thought President Bush would be presiding over this kind of reckless government spending that has come to characterize his administration? Not those electing him to office. I voted for him, but I am reminded by those more experienced, that I didn’t listen closely enough. I didn’t have discriminating vision. The information was there, they say, it was just cleverly tucked in between what he actually said while campaigning. His many policy and program ideas/proposals had at their center a government solution. These days I have a much keener set of eyes. That’s why knowing the candidates is crucial to your vote this November.
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Financial Outlook Remains Doubtful
Posted by: Brent James on January 29, 2008 Hot Issues •
Financial Outlook Remains Doubtful
Fewer people have been driving Fords lately. You see, the Ford Motor Company and its subsidiaries aren’t selling vehicles as they would like. They have a problem, a thorn so to speak. The American Family Association’s boycott of their products has made for some serious financial woes. And for good reason. Ford has been advocating homosexuality despite its continually deteriorating bottom line. By pouring thousands of sponsorship dollars into homosexual rights groups, the corporation stands perilously close to sinking the very ship making these funds possible.
Billions of dollars and thousands of Ford employee jobs have been lost in the 22 months since AFA began the boycott. The price of political correctness. See the damage for yourself. Despite these losses and calls from its own dealers to change the policy, Ford headquarters plows blindly ahead toward the cliff. Just goes to show you how little control shareholders have. But, it also demonstrates a broader point – that credible and purposeful collaboration can work wonders, especially among a united voter bloc.
You get the idea.
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Agents of Change
Posted by: Brent James on January 29, 2008 Hot Issues •
I live in a small town next to a big city. Everyone in the small town worries that the big city is going to annex us and turn us into them. They have more crime, higher taxes, worse traffic and all the other benefits that come with growth. Then, as annexation worries subside, growth springs upon us. The growth advocates tell us that it’s a good thing. They tell us that we just “need some change.”
Now, we have more shopping malls, more housing developments, rising crime, higher taxes, traffic, etc. And they said our sleepy little town would stay the same. I prefer things like they were, but permanence has little relevance in a temporal span. The Bible teaches that aside from God’s nature, everything is subject to change. It is inevitable and constant. Expect it.
There’s nothing wrong with change unless you don’t want it. Who wants square tires put on their car? Most of us appreciate the kind of changes that keep life interesting. When people talk about change, however, they are talking about pepperoni instead of sausage – not homosexual marriage. They are talking about an Apple instead of a PC – not mandatory healthcare coverage courtesy of the federal government.
So be careful when the presidential candidates speak of ‘change’ as they are doing with great regularity and little specificity. After November, it will have vastly different meanings depending on your point of view. As a country, we are in dire need of changes in Washington. Ask yourself: Are these the changes we want? How will their changes change America? How will they change our lives? Lots to ponder.
Vote your values.
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Still Wide Open
Posted by: Brent James on January 28, 2008 Hot Issues •
The candidate pool continues to thin, but this 2008 election is still wide open, as they say.
So far, as unpredictable as this contest has proven, there’s no slowing the endless stream of punditry steam. At best, it is interesting and at worst, tiresome. So now, the real challenge is staying tuned to be fully informed, but not watching enough to make you sick before the show is over. Yeah, I’ll admit, I’m almost there, but many are just tuning in since there are now fewer talking heads. So long Fred Thompson. Who’s next? I’m hearing John Edwards and Rudy Guiliani. We’ll see.
I don’t know about you, but I like learning. Education should be a lifelong pursuit. Those engaged in the process of learning carry a brighter perspective and are less likely to sit idle. We all have fat brains (some more than others), so why don’t we use them to judge the ‘rightness’ of the candidates. No political play on words, mind you, we must identify our values as represented by one of those campaigning for our vote. I’m amazed (disappointedly so) at the predominant gauge.
We’re still browsing in a pet store, trying to find a breed, color, and personality that suits every need. Which puppy is the cutest? Which has a kind face? Will he be docile when he grows up? The puppies engage prospective buyers by wagging their tails and pressing wet noses against the enclosures. And the big question: Can he win? Maybe I’m being too black and white, but why aren’t we asking “Who is the right person to lead this country?” “Who will champion my values and do what is right?” Is that then a wasted vote for the sake of values?
We may be growing weary. Really, how many election specials can you consume? This 2008 election has, and will continue, to break the record for most debates in a cycle – over 38 now between both parties. Blab overload.
Florida’s 27 electoral votes are up for grabs. The Republicans are all over the state and all over themselves. Allegedly, the Democats decided not to show in the Sunshine state because it moved up its primary date against party rules. Carol Cox, political analyst on Fox News makes the point here.
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94% United
Posted by: Brent James on January 25, 2008 Hot Issues •
For years we have heard opponents, vainly attempting to forestall any action on the issue, regard abortion as a nominal political nuisance. Like a squeaky ironing board – you just have to live with it. Repackage it. Call it something else and pretend, as we do with the IRS, that it would cause too many problems to simply rid ourselves of it.
But the fight is taking a noticeable turn. Our commitment is deepening. I am reading more intensity, more passion to finally end this vile bane. Sons and daughters have risen to help advance their parent’s cause and they have little tolerance for the status quo. If unity is the measure of our resolve then according to the Barna Group we are indeed ever strong for life. David Kinnaman, president of the Barna Group and director of a new study says, “‘Evangelicals’ top concern – by a wide margin – is abortion (94 percent).” Amazing. Seldom does any group seeking redress on a matter with the government achieve such consensus. But then, we have a common bond. Read the complete results of this study.
“Understanding the faith-driven vote is as complex as assessing the nation’s spiritual profile,” Kinnaman said. “Around election time, Christian voters – and in particular, evangelical voters – are painted with broad brushstrokes.” The report also noted that there are some 68 million ‘born again’ Christian voters in the U.S.
You’d think, as the abortion lobby has long hoped, that the energy and dedication of the pro-life brotherhood would have diminished over decades of protracted engagement. But the exact opposite has happened. This companion WorldNetDaily article is telling.
We owe much to those who have championed the unborn as the Jesus championed the cause of widows and orphans, those most needing our support and protection. This admonition for the family establishes a comprehensive network of aid within which all needs, young and old alike, can be satisfied. But it all starts with life.
The battle of words, of spin and semantics, has been exhausted. It is utterly void to continue a dialogue that seeks allowances for practicing something that is wrong. No more excuses. It is time to act. Faith2Action’s president, Janet Folger, makes the point painfully clear in her latest provoking commentary. After reading it, you’ll be convinced.
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Be Careful What You Hear
Posted by: Brent James on January 23, 2008 Hot Issues •
Whether this is your first presidential election or your 21st (it’s my eighth), please do your homework. Get as much information, from as many different (read, trusted) sources as possible. It would be easy to listen to a few networks or cable news shows and believe you have enough facts to vote. But it would be just as misleading.
The major news outlets can say anything they’d like and they do. Not that it’s correct, mind you. Case in point: A few weeks back, as Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were squaring off on the campaign trail, a mainstream news source attempted to manufacture controversy through inference. Bill O’Reilly makes the point rather well. Go here, then scroll down to ‘Opinion’ and click on ‘Talking Points’ dated 1/14.
Nothing new, of course, but it goes to show you that digging deep is your best course of action. Know thy candidate.
Believe me, it will sound pretty ignorant to be saying of your candidate some months from now, “Gee, if I’d known that, I wouldn’t have voted for him.” Then, all the efforts you might have given to securing their election would be nullified as you spend more time fighting their policies.
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No Such Thing as Partisan?
Posted by: Brent James on January 17, 2008 Hot Issues •
For those Americans looking for strong, principled leadership from their representatives, the last couple of years have been quite disappointing. Yes, that goes for leadership from either side of the aisle. Principle is neither a creation nor the property of any political party, but stands alone. Very much alone at the interest of expediency.
The lament: Despite stark differences in their platforms, the Republicans and Democrats have recently shown themselves to govern much the same upon taking office. Maybe that’s why more Americans agree we should decentralize the corrupting power of the federal government. Maybe that’s why Congress’ approval rating is in the tank at 22% (recently at 14%, the lowest since 1973 when this Gallup initiated this measure).
Regarding the issues of the day, why this lack of bold leadership from our elected officials? Because leadership is characterized by wisdom and understanding – both gifts from the Creator to the righteous. Often people of faith liken political involvement to soiling ones clothes and therefore pay it little heed. That is certainly understandable given the current state of affairs in Washington, but government was established by God and has its place in society. It is a vehicle.
Of this vehicle John Adams wrote, “Our Constitution was made only for moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.” Those for whom the Constitution was created to govern must undergo a fundamental shift in their thinking as it relates to those who should lead. We can no longer elect unprincipled men to office. It’s just that simple.
I mean really, what do we expect of the wicked? To uphold a righteous standard? That is why God has not asked them to have a purifying influence on society. They can’t. Wholly inadequate.
Job 9:24 states, “When a land falls into the hands of the wicked, he blindfolds its judges.”
Though Thomas Jefferson said, “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance,” I was hoping he didn’t mean it would require three to four hours a day. What does it take to vote, 15 minutes? That’s a good start.
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Make A Date for the 2008 Elections
Posted by: Brent James on January 17, 2008 Hot Issues •
Make a Date for the Fall 2008 Elections.
Really. Make a date to vote. Schedule it as though you were reserving that day for the president himself. Don’t like politicians? Okay, then try this with a spouse or good friends instead. The point is to set an “off limits” time to perform your most powerful privilege. That way, you’re more likely to say ‘no’ to the intrusions or conflicting offers that are sure to follow.
You’ve heard ‘Failing to Plan’ is ‘Planning to Fail’, right? Have you ever noticed that when it comes down to reaching the polls no matter how well intentioned you may be and no matter how long they stay open, inconveniences are inevitable? For all the lead-time and preparation you’ve managed, they suddenly sneak up and you’re scrambling to stay on track. A friend calls asking for help mowing the lawn. Some relative needs to borrow your truck. Boss asks you to work a bit late or heaven forbid; you get a more attractive offer. Faced with last minute obstacles, the excuses begin to line themselves up in your head.
“My vote wouldn’t have mattered much anyway.”
“Even if I did make it in time, the electoral college really controls the outcome.”
“Christians are responsible people. Enough of them will turn out to vote.”
“Maybe the elections are pre-determined, anyway. Lousy globalists.”
Pray, first for yourself, then for our brothers and sisters nationwide that our solemn duty would be upheld. God delights in removing obstacles to our obeying Him.
Why the fuss? Because we are a peculiarly sometimes-out-of-touch people. An estimated 4 million evangelicals (25 million voters using the broader ‘Christian’ category) did not vote in the 2000. Hopefully they were all fixing flats on the side of the road, not watching Seinfeld re-runs. Think of how many hanging chads, court challenges, and recounts we would’ve circumvented had those stay-at-home voters voted their biblical values. Ten percent of that demographic would’ve easily changed the last election. Its exciting.
Make this election fun. Coordinate an event, meet your friends for dinner after the polls close to watch or discuss the results. Take your family and make it a civics workshop. But more than anything, encourage each other to be there November 4th, educated and ready to vote.
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