Who I voted for......

A little bit about me. Most of my blogs start with a moment. Something to get this odd brain of mine working. Then my mind starts to create an inner monologue. Then I talk to myself. Eventually, the monologue spills out onto this blog for you to read.

This one was tough. I mean, a few weeks have past. The decision has been made. The people had spoken. And discussing politics can be dangerous. People get pretty emotional about what candidate they support and why. Plus the holidays are coming up. This may cost me a present or two. But I need to spill what has been swirling around in my head or I will risk walking around talking to myself indefinitely. I know Missy wouldn't be thrilled about that. So let the spilling begin. Here is my moment.

A day or two after the election, I read an article that Billy Graham would not be providing counsel to President-elect Obama once he was sworn in. Not because he was adamantly opposed to Obama's political positions but because his frail 90 year old body would not let him. His son, Franklin, said that even catching the common cold could end his life. Rev. Graham did say that he would very much like to meet with Obama and pray with him and for him. Then the article added a line that took me by surprise. It said that Billy Graham was a registered Democrat.

I'll be honest. I was one of those undecided voters. I guess that's why Sarah Palin and Rudy Giuliani kept calling and emailing every day. I went back and forth. Even once I had made up my mind, just before I pressed the glowing "Cast Vote" button, I took a few deep breaths. Then I pushed it. I voted for Barack Obama. (goodbye Christmas gifts)

I looked at this one from a lot of angles. As a father. As a middle class, tax paying U.S. citizen. As a registered Republican. As a Christian. And that is where I started and ended.

What one issue more than any other stands head and shoulders above the others when you look at Jesus' life? The economy? Health care? The war in Iraq/Mesopotamia (in Jesus time)? No. The answer is easy: the poor. Taking care of the poor is the number one thing that Jesus spends his time doing and talking about while on this planet. And what political party (at least in my estimation) does more for the poor? That would be the Democratic party.

Now are there people that take advantage of the programs put in place mostly by the Democratic party? Of course. Do people use welfare as a crutch? Absolutely. However, that is human nature. Do CEO's and large corporations use and take advantage of the loopholes put in place by the Republican party even to the detriment of their own company and perhaps the country? You bet your Enron they do. Humans will be tempted to be selfish no matter what tax bracket they are in. That is why we are a fallen people.

Now there is one big issue (and several smaller issues but that is for another time) that I disagree with PE (I can't keep typing President-elect, it's 11:07) Obama and it is the one issue that I think many intelligent Christians based their entire vote on. That, of course, is the issue of abortion.

Let me be the first to tell you that I am pro-Life. I have seen my son's 8 week old heart pounding inside Missy's belly (or wherever he was at that point). The life of an unborn child is of the utmost importance and should be protected. No question. God loves the life of an unborn child. But He also loves the life of the homeless orphan in Africa. He loves the life of the child in Afghanistan whose parents were just killed by a U.S. bomb. He loves the life of the child used as a human shield to battle U.S. soldiers in Iraq. My thought is God loves everyone equally even if they are not from the United States. WE may not love them or think of them as much but God does. I fully admit I don't. I see images of wheeping mothers holding their dead sons somewhere in the Middle East and I just change to the channel to ESPN. But I realized that God doesn't. And I SHOULDN'T.

To that point, let me say this. Many years ago, a man ran for President by the name of David Duke. He was one of those third party nut jobs that make Ralph Nader look like Lincoln. But he was way conservative and naturally pro-Life. He was also the former leader of the Ku Klux Klan. Now, just for arguments sake, what if he beat out John McCain for the Presidential nomination? Would he get the pro-Life vote? He supported the beating and lynching of African Americans but he also supported the lives of the unborn. My point here is that to me, finding a President who looks at ALL lives across the board (and across the ocean) is more important than one who would focus on only the lives of the unborn here in American.

Also, in my estimation, having a President who is pro-Life (and then who would presumably elect Supreme Court justices to overthrow Roe vs. Wade) would be great. However, even if that did happen, even if we outlawed abortion, would that stamp out abortions once and for all? Would there never be another abortion again? Of course not. We have outlawed underage drinking, marijuana and even more serious things like murder and rape. Have those things been eliminated? Have they even been reduced? Philadelphia had more murders last year than they have had in a half-century. To me, it is not about outlawing something, it is about getting to the source of the problem. And to me, that is loving those that need it. And educating them. (And goodbye stocking gifts as well).

And then there is the thought that we need to put a good Christian (which usually translates in most peoples' minds to a Republican) in the White House with good family morals. Because he will lead this country the way it should be run. A strong Christian like:

George W. Bush

When he was first elected, I read countless stories of how he would share his testimony with people. How he would profess his faith at any and all times. And I think that is awesome. But:

How many people would say that our country over the past eight years has grown by leaps and bounds and has become the beacon of hope and life that the rest of the world longs to be? Anyone? Anyone? Beuller? During the campaign, they locked the President up and kept him as far away from John McCain as they could.

Believe me, I WANTED to like this guy. I mean he is a Christian (so by the way was Jimmy Carter). He drives a pickup. He can throw out first pitches better than any other President. My Secret Service buddy says he is a nice guy. But how many people will look back and say that he was a great President?

Did Jesus campaign to overthrow Cesar because he was not converted to Christianity? No. What does He say about government? "Give to Cesar what is Cesar's and give to God what is God's." And that is pretty much it. He was smart. He didn't blog about politics.

Do I agree with everything that PE Obama believes and has voted for? No way. But unless the candidate is me, I will never agree with everything a candidate believes. And even that may change. I simply felt, standing in front of that board of choices, that in this election, at this time, with these candidates, PE Obama would be the better choice to lead our country for the next four years. And apparently so did a few other people.

Do I regret my decision to cross party lines and vote for a Democrat? Ask me in four years.

And while your at it, could you spare a Christmas gift?