Jess and I had just enjoyed the latest Prison Break episode tonight and were channel-surfing when I was caught off-guard by yet another political commercial.
Usually I don’t watch an entire political commercial – or any commercial for that matter with my lovely DVR, but I stuck on this one and as it finished I grabbed my journal (read: cell phone) and quickly scribbled (read: Twittered) my thoughts.
Thanks to the wonderment of technology my scribblings were apparently read by numerous friends and colleagues and caused enough of a stir inside some of them to warrant a response.
I would love for the dialogue to continue as it has already started on Facebook due to my automatic status-update whenever I use Twitter. I will post the string of “conversation” here in this post and would more-than-welcome anyone else to comment here.
STEVAN @ 9:41PM:
Would NOT voting in November in fact BE voting?S. JOHNSON @ 9:44PM:
Voting for Ron Paul.. yes. :-)C. ATKINS @ 9:46PM:
I am in Stevan. Because of your ingenuity I won’t be voting this election.J. FITCH @ 9:56PM:
Interesting comment…but i think our choices are between an old guy and a socialist…sorry…but i’ll take an old guy any day of the week.S. JOHNSON @ 10:06PM:
Unless the old guy doesn’t beat the 1 in 3 chances of surviving the 4 year term in which case you’ll be choosing an inexperienced governor of the least populated state in the union. I’ll take the socialist over the odds.J. FITCH @ 10:23PM:
beautiful logic…this talk of him dying in office if elected is just ridiculous. so lets see…a pro-choice (don’t know you, so this may not be an issue), anti-gun, marxist (socialist), appeaser (lets chat with chavez, ahmadenijad), let judges legislate from the bench, redistribute wealth (pure marxism) candidate or someone who may not have much … Read Moreexperience (still has more EXECUTIVE experience than any of the other 3…they have none) but is pro-life, pro 2nd amendment, capitalist, a reformer, etc.
Personally, my biggest problem with obama is the redistribution of wealth. That is PURE marxism!! No thanks!! I like these debates, lol. The differences are what makes this all interesting.A. BUTLER @ 10:43PM:
I like Ron Paul too..S. JOHNSON @ 10:52PM:
Well if you are against the redistribution of wealth, please explain how increasing the cost of living & inflation, the devaluing of the american dollar, and the governments bailout of failing banks isn’t just that? Wealth is being redistributed already, Just to those who already have most of the wealth. It would be a mistake to assume that Capital… Read Moreism is the end all God ordained form of economics. I mean the premise of Capitalism is man’s greed, how is that Christian?S. JOHNSON @ 10:52PM:
Sorry Stevan for making your status bar a political forum.. you asked for it :-)
I’m not pleased with either of our choices. So, what do you think? Is NOT voting this November actually a viable “statement” to make as a voter or just a wussy way of complaining?
Don,t forget Bob Barr and the other party
I already decided that neither of them is a good choice for me, and so I would be hypocritical to choose either of them. I vote for neither, which is as much my right as a U.S. Citizen that people have died for as any other right. I am not waiving my right, I am using it to say that neither of the choices is right, and keeping my conscience clean.
Obviously a vote is your “choice” for President or whatever office the vote goes for, and if by making a “choice” not to choose I would say that is a vote, if you live in Florida it just makes it easier on all the senior citizen volunteers to count those hanging chads.
A couple things:
1. Not voting is voting. But that data will be hard to interpret since it doesn’t really send the message you’re intending: that you’re dissatisfied with both of the major party candidates. It could be interpreted as you don’t care, which is the opposite of the truth.
2. Third party candidates ARE a viable option. I told a friend I was considering someone other than the 2 big candidates and he asked me, “Don’t you feel like you’re throwing your vote away?” While it’s true that my vote for a 3rd party candidate probably won’t elect the winning candidate, that doesn’t mean I’m “throwing away” my vote or that I’m a loser because “my team” didn’t win. That’s foolishness. My vote is my voice. What is really throwing away your vote? Voting for who I really want or reluctantly selecting between the 2 choices I’m given?
3. Read ‘Myth of a Christian Nation’ by Gregory Boyd. Then come back and let’s discuss this further.
As for J. Fitch’s comments: oh boy. Contrary to what you say, the “old guy” isn’t just a harmless old guy, the “socialist” isn’t the spawn of Satan & Marx, and (like S. Johnson said) Capitalism isn’t Christianity. You’ve been honest with your opinion, now be honest with your assessment – it’s not as black and white as you’re painting it.
Did Scott REALLY just say “it’s not as black and white as you’re painting it.”?
Oh dear.
I am not as politically savvy as you and the bulk of your readers however I really do feel trapped this political season. I feel like if I vote for McCain (and by the way I like Sarah Palin) I am voting for more of the same economy and voting for Obama is voting against the things I believe in. I wish I could remember where I heard him say this – but I cannot – He thought the Bible was not correct. That it was not infallible. How can in my heart vote for that? Maybe as Scott says a vote for the third party would be something…
T. Boone Pickins. Nuff said.
Scott, I think you’re right. Things aren’t that “black and white.” But I was trying to make a point. If we look at the “scare tactics” on both sides that is exactly what is being said – either an old guy who is going to die or a socialist. I stand by my decision that I’d vote for the old guy, but with obvious reservations (and not because of his age). However, I NEVER said anything about the spawn of satan and marx. I do think we need to be careful what we wish for. I truly believe that Obama is a socialist (maybe I’m wrong, but so far nobody has proved otherwise) and follows the ideals of Karl Marx. You know who else follows those ideals? Hugo Chavez. Of course this is an extreme (Obama the man is NOTHING like Chavez), but the political inclinations are noteworthy and troubling.
Also, I had responded to the bailouts of corporations and capitalism not being Christian, but that hasn’t been posted on here. Can’t exactly remember what I wrote but I promise it was good. hahaha!!
I have to say that I think not voting is just giving the decision to everyone else, essentially. I am not saying who anyone should vote for, that is why we are in America – so that we can make our own decisions. I think we should all be watching the debates over the next few months and really listening to what they are saying. If your going 3rd party… make sure you listen to them as well and vote for them, not against the others. We are never going to agree with any of the choices 100% but not voting isn’t helpful and doesn’t make a statement. Less informed and less intelligent people throughout this country will be casting their votes… don’t allow them to be the deciding vote.
I was thinking the other day about the concept of democracy. In theory democracy gives an equal voice to all parties within the body. This is great when all parties believe similarly as they did in the very beginning of our country. When a Christian people votes for a Christian leader living out Christian principles, what a thought, the blessing sure to follow is beyond understanding. However, like today and for some time now what happens when the body of people instead vote for a man without moral scruples, living outside of Christ’s example, living in evil and sin. In many ways I have always thought a dictatorship to be the best form of government. If you have a dictator that leads your country in sin and corruption you suffer through it though you do not have a voice in it and when judgment comes the dictator is responsible for the course of your nation. What happens though when corporately you vote, you CHOOSE to select a leader that is far from God? In essence then as a nation we are saying to God, “We no longer desire your leadership nor do we revere and honor your decrees.” Israel did that once and what followed was thousands of years of mess. I fear, with this election more than others in the past that we are indeed entering into the same decision made by Israel. God help us when as a nation we corporately decide to accept the leadership of men without the heart of God. If I were God I would be pretty unhappy.
Very well said Rich!