Tuesday, August 19, 2008

I hesitate (a little) to bring up the following topic.  It's politics.  

I know that not everyone who reads this blog is a Republican.  In fact, some of the readers of this blog are not Americans and could probably care less who our next President and vice-president will be.

Maybe some of  the readers of this blog are not pro-life.

I don't know.  I don't want to alienate or offend or annoy any of my good blogging friends.

But you want to know something?

I LOVE POLITICS.  I really do.  I think it's fascinating and I'm really interested in the upcoming election.

I'm very conservative on the social issues.  Less so on the economic issues.  And rather moderate on foreign policy issues.

The issue on which I feel the strongest is the protection of the unborn.  This is not the only issue I look at.  But if there is a pro-life candidate and one that is decidedly not, the pro-life candidate will get my vote every time.

Therefore..... I support John McCain.  I find Obama very charismatic and a strong leader.  But he has supported partial-birth abortion and I could never support a candidate who has voted in favor of partial-birth abortion.

OK.  There.  I've said it.  And if McCain chooses a running mate who is not pro-life, his election chances are over I believe.  I hope he realizes that.  I would love it if he chose Huckabee as his running mate.

So.  Would love to hear how you choose your candidates.  Do you know who you'll vote for?  Are you hoping for a particular vice presidential candidate for either party?  Is politics like the last thing you enjoy reading in a blog post?  Is the abortion issue a hot-button issue for you or is there something else?

I'm kind of expecting no comments because that's what I usually get when I bring up politics.

Sorry.  Just couldn't help myself.

15 comments:

AdriansCrazyLife said...

I like politics too and I frequently post political items on my blog. However, I'm on the other side of the fence. I'm definitely an Obama supporter. After three rounds of Bushes and the damage they have done to our environment and our country, I'm terrified of someone who seems too much like a carbon copy of "Dubya". And I do like someone who is talking about Hope and Change and positive things for a change.

As far as the abortion issue goes, I'm probably on the other side of the fence too, but there's a third point of view that often gets overlooked. I am passionately PRO-birth control. If people were just a little more sensible about the issue of birth control and sex education, and if every form of birth control were readily available to everyone who wanted it, then neither one of us would have to be anywhere near that fence. I'd much rather see an unwanted pregnancy prevented rather than terminated.

That probably doesn't sit well with your Catholic beliefs and I can understand that, but I do think it makes a lot of sense. I also think they need to streamline the adoption process. There are so many unwanted and uncared for children who desparately need families and we make it so darn hard and expensive for the families who would love to adopt them.

Suzanne said...

My views are very similar to yours, Rosemary. Pro-life with regards especially to abortion are first and foremost. If we cannot take care of the smallest or even respect that life, then we cannot respect anything. Everything else becomes selfish and self-centered and all about "me." People can say what they want, but this is just a true fact. No, we don't have to have a zillion children, no one is saying that, but with regards to the last kind commentor and I do mean that, birth control in the sense of pills, things, etc. is not necessary. Natural Family Planning is 99% effective and pills are abortifacients anyway. Is it realistic to think people will use NFP..it certainly can be if the government would speak up about it as much as so called global warming and give it a good try...but realistcally how many young people even use their so called birth control..if they were, there would not be so many pregnancies out of marriage and I think many younger people are realizing that abortion is a true evil..I also think many young children are choosing sexual lifestyles to have babies to love..they actually don't use the birth control and do things to find love in an immature way...as sad as it is, at least, at least they value life! What is the HOPE and CHANGE that Obama offers...wishful thinking and very possibly CONTROL...government type control of our bodies, our way of teaching in our schools, our freedoms to be the country we were founded on...Christian principles and love.
We must be very watchful..Obama makes me think of the preacher that tickles our ears. Noone is going to be that perfect..not enough experience and doesn't care for life that God chooses to create within the womb of his or her mother ... for whatever reason God allows that, we have no rights to try to remove or kill the child.
I do agree with clearing up the adoption process, but as I understand it, some like to keep children under governement control as excuses to have more on welfare..keeps some politicians in business, doesn't it? Please except my apology IF I sounded rude, but I am only speaking truth.
Thank you for your offer of sharing, Rosemary. Let us pray about all of this very watchfully.
JMJ
Suzanne

Sarah - Kala said...

Big government that playcates to special interest groups is bad medicine. I'm for McCain. Who says he's like Bush? Who cares? At least life has sanctity to Bush! What kind of change can Obama really bring? Big deal! I think there's something "funny" about that guy and I can't trust him. He's shifty. He's crafty in his replies - worded and said to remain on the fence with issues. At least McCain had the guts to say what he means very clearly. So Obama may be considere fresh, hip, and all that; I think the "Hollywood" mentality is ruining this country.

People will never understand that if you give a mother the right to kill her own child, there's no limits to the evil done elsewhere by anyone else. God's laws don't confuse the issues - it clarifies them.

Mandy said...

This is the first year I have had any interest in politics, maybe because I am getting a little older and have kids now that I feel I have to protect, etc...so I can understand your concerns and love for it. However, I get frustrated when I get to listening to both of the candidates! However, I am pro life as well, and feel very strong about this issue as well. At times though I wish we had someone better than the two to choose from!

Mimi said...

I am generally very interested in politics as well. Unfortunately, on the life issue, neither candidate mirrors my beliefs the most - I believe that being pro-life extends from in the womb to the end of life and involves being against war, against the death penalty, and for access to health care and other social services that reduce abortions.

So, having said that (and hopefully you still love me) I suspect my vote will cancel yours out, as more of my core beliefs (on economics, international policy, social services, and the above issues) line up with Obama's. However, as you point out, he is not perfect (nor is McCain, naturally)

Anonymous said...

I DON'T enjoy politics! (Glad we can still be friends, Rose!) I wish people would be straightforward, kind, accepting of others, and be righteous. I like the term "statesman", not "politician". Having said that, not even I can avoid politics in an election year where so much is at stake. I appreciate what Mimi had to say. However, we need to be careful in making abortion equivocal in importance to the war, the death penalty, or health care. 40,000,000 babies have died since Roe v Wade. 40,000,000! All of the US wars combined with death penalty deaths can't come close to that total. It's staggering to think that we allow the killing of innocent babies in the name of choice. Priests for Life has created 5 Youtube videos of actual abortions. I promise you if you view one, you will do anything to prevent abortion from being legal.

I don't like big government. I like people helping people, and faith-based initiatives. Senator Obama is so far left he is almost a socialist.

So, yes, I will be supporting McCain, and continue to pray for our country. And that's enough about politics from me! Pat

Rosemary said...

Adrian, I totally agree with you on the adoption issue. I might take on the other questions (which are quite complex) in a future post. Thank you for commenting. I want everyone who comes to my blog to feel welcome to honestly express their opinion.

Suzanne, I knew we were together on the issue of the unborn. Yup, that's the basis for me. And I know you're right about the effectiveness of NFP.

JOT, I think people don't realize how very left Obama is. His rhetoric sounds great. I'm all for hope, you know. And I agree that abortion leads us in other wrong directions.

Mandy, I wish we had a better choice too. Personally, I liked Huckabee.

Mimi, I still love you. And I'm also concerned about the issues you've mentioned. I just think protecting the unborn is the pivotal one that effects all the others. Thank you for sharing your views!

Pat! Thanks you for commenting. Of course, I agree with you that the numbers are staggering. I will check out those videos. (But you will vote for Jack Lynch too, right Pat?)

Lyndsie Miles said...

You got me on a hot topic. I cannot understand anyone who could debate when life begins on this earth. The moment life begins is right at conception. After having three beautiful little ones I can say that life begins right at conception and anyone who says different is blind to the sanctity of life and the sanctity of creating that life. The power to create a life should be held in highest regard.
And for politics… oh… I better stop now before I go on for pages… but I am with you on voting for John McCain. Some topics I am still out on. I can see how charismatic Obama is, but I do believe that McCain will be a better leader overall.

Lyndsie Miles said...

You got me started... if you want to know more of my pocitical view...you can come visit my blog. LOL. It is fun to be able to speak freely!

Rosemary said...

Lyndsie,
I think we can say that life beginning at conception is clearly a biological reality. Those who deny it have their heads in the sand. Some argue that life begins at conception but that personhood (and therefore rights) starts at some other time. Birth? It just doesn't make any sense. I completely agree with you.

EC Gefroh said...

Rosemary, glad you posted what I've wanted to say on my own blog but haven't :-)

Rosemary said...

Esther, thank you.

Kitchen Madonna said...

Amen sister. If the candidate isn't pro-life, I can't vote for him or for her. End of story.

I'm voting for John McCain.

Barb Szyszkiewicz said...

I'm with KM.

My mom is for Obama, for reasons I cannot fathom. Yesterday she called me to ask, "Now that Obama has announced his VP pick, will you change your mind and vote for him?"

My husband said, "How stupid does she think we are?"

I can't vote for a prochoice candidate. Period.

Suzanne said...

Now that he has chose Biden as his VP serves to only send me further down the road away from Obama...Lord have mercy!