Sunday, August 24, 2008

The Christian Right

I have a lot of friends, and family, who could be considered as a part of the Christian right. I think faith and a belief system are wonderful. That being said, religion has no place in government. The founders knew this, and the detractors have been playing this little game since time began. Freedom of religion is perhaps the greatest of our rights as laid out (not bestowed) by the constitution.

The problem is in having our religious beliefs legislated. The more we allow the lawmakers to legislate the more freedom we lose. Legislation doesn't enhance faith, it weakens it. For instance; Prayer in school. There isn't one law restricting prayer in school.

There are laws preventing your Catholic teacher from leading my Baptist children in prayer, and there are laws preventing the Methodist principle from leading prayers for the Muslim children, and this is well and good. Parents and ministers should be leading prayers in church and at home, and children may still enjoy the right to pray silently in school, a right that has never been and can't be removed.

However, if you allow a religious zealot to introduce and pass one item of legislation based on his religious beliefs then you deny the rights of people of different faiths, and those with no faith. Never forget that Washington, and the states capitals are full of zealots whose only faith is in money and power.

Saturday, August 23, 2008

It's been a while

I haven't posted anything lately, no matter, no one has read what I've already written let alone what I haven't written. Water still passed under the bridges, and live goes on. After the three ring circus of the primary elections, I have grown as a person and have forged new alliances and found new meaning. I really liked Ron Paul, but whenever he was hit with a hard question his eyes glazed over like a deer in the headlights. I set my sights on Mike Huckabee, he had some good ideas and rightfully stayed in until he knew he was out. As a registered independent I had no primary in which to vote. I derived a great amount of pleasure as the Democrats tore themselves asunder, and actually felt some sympathy as the former media darling Hillary Clinton fell prey to the elite media as they chose a new messiah. The wonder of it all is if Barack Hussein Obama is elected the media will have proof positive that they can and do chose our electorate.

At the outset of the presidential scuttle, I actually liked Obama better than McCain. Senator McCain left a bad taste in my mouth while he was fighting President Bush for the nomination in 2000. This was largely forgotten in the replay when Al Gore fought George W. for the Presidency in the same election year. I never saw the president steal any elections, what I did see was the media trying to make the news. It was transparent, it was blatant.

I now find myself in the camp of John McCain, a place I never would have believed I would be. I am still a Libertarian, I pay dues and contribute as I can. I am also now registered as a Republican, and a member of the Republican Liberty Caucus. I do not support Bob Barr, although I respect the man, I think his third party bid is an unintentional campaign for Obama. In 1992 I watched first hand a motivated third party bid of Ross Perot gave us the gift of Bill Clinton.

A protest vote is of little value unless you know that the correct two party candidate is heading for an obvious landslide win. Just as a vote for Ross Perot became a vote for Bill Clinton, a vote for Bob Barr is essentially a vote for Barack Obama.