The Economy

Some think that you can't vote based on a single issue. I believe that if that issue is protecting the lives of innocent people, it's a powerful enough issue to stand alone; however, if you read my first post, you'll see that I've addressed several issues.

Most economists, including democrats, agree that if you raise taxes in a struggling economy it could grind that economy to a stop. So it goes to follow, even if the economy is strong a raise in taxes makes it less so. The liberal democrats in Congress are already drooling over the taxes they want to raise.

Senator Obama says he wants to give tax cuts to 95% of people but that math doesn't work. 45% of people don't even pay income tax. Despite of what Obama claims, it's on record that he voted to raise taxes on people making $42,000 by repealing the tax cuts they already have. Now giving money to people that don't pay taxes is wealth redistribution or as Obama shared, "spread the wealth around."

Obama has said that because things are the way they are, he won't be able to do all that he has said he'll do. I have yet to hear what he's cutting back on. Which programs won't happen? They only thing I've heard change is the income amount that he plans to tax.

Barack Obama wants to raise taxes on people making $250,000 (or $200,000 or $150,000 or $120,000) a year. Most of these people are the people with small businesses, working hard and supplying jobs for others. If they are only able to keep 38 cents on the dollar, how many people do you think they will be able to continue to employ?

Energy independence is of utmost importance to our economy and our national security. Barack Obama claims that "We can't drill our way out of this.", "they can build their coal powered plants but they will be bankrupted by the fees I will impose on their greenhouse gas" "under my plan, electricity prices will necessarily skyrocket". This summer, Obama said he wished the gas prices hadn't risen so quickly but there wasn't any indication that he was against the price being $4.00 a gallon. Don't drill, stop using coal, electricity prices will skyrocket -- just what does Obama want to do? Tax us more on energy, that's what. Meanwhile, we're still dependent on oil from foreign countries instead of lessening that dependence by using our own oil, natural gas and coal with which our land is so richly blessed.

So when Obama bankrupts the coal industry, job losses explode because of massive taxes on "the rich", how will our economy be? With more people out of work, more unemployment benefits will have to be paid. How will so many more unemployment benefits be paid for? I guess he'll have to raise taxes again which of course will result in less jobs and more costs passed on to the consumers.

When people in government want to raise any costs and/or taxes on companies, those companies make up the difference by passing the costs on to the consumers. When minimum wage goes, every thing in the store or restaurant goes up by at least a dime. For those making minimum wage, the "raise" they just got is spent on higher prices. When businesses' electricity bills skyrocket as Obama has stated they will under his plan, business will pass the cost on to you. You will already be struggling to pay your own electricity bill.

There are so many aspects as to why Barack Obama's policies are bad for our economy that I can't list them all here.

I think government should be responsible in its spending habits, cut back on excesses. When government leaves Americans with more of their own income, people grow the economy, create business and jobs that in turn allow more Americans to better themselves and grow the economy. Americans are generous! We love to give. Americans have ingenuity! We love to come up with new ways to make things work better. Let's not suppress the American spirit to work hard.

Always Vote Life

"This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him." Deuteronomy 30:19

"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people." Proverbs 14:34

Without Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness aren't possible.

The candidates' stands in their own words:

I Have a Question.

Here's a quick thought.

Apparently, Barack Obama doesn't like to be questioned or called to task on what he says. When asked a simple question recently about his tax plan by Joe the plumber, Obama let slip his real philosophy, "I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."
In response to people plainly seeing his socialistic views, he tries to change the focus and attacks a citizen. He mocks Joe at rallies; he has Joe's background invaded.

When Senator Joe Biden is finally asked some real questions about Obama's policies by a news anchor in Florida, he's incredulous. He even claims that "Obama doesn't want to spread the wealth around." Excuse me, Senator Biden, but we have video that Obama wants to do just that.
Instead of just answering the questions, he gets huffy and asks who wrote those questions.
The Obama campaign then shuts that station off from any more interviews or access to the campaign. It doesn't end there. They go after the Barbara West's (the news anchor) husband. They try to say that she is jaded because her husband helped raise money for Republicans. Never mind how many mainstream media members are married to Democrats.

All of a sudden associations matter? Disregard that we've heard all year long that it simply doesn't matter that Senator Obama has associations with the likes of Jeremiah Wright, Bill Ayers, Rashid Khalidi, Tony Rezko, ACORN and more.

Since Obama treats people this way now, when he's simply running for President, what would he do if he becomes President?

10/31/08 update: The Washington Times, The New York Post, The Dallas Morning News. Journalists from these 3 newspapers have been kicked off the Obama campaign plane. Why? Their papers endorsed John McCain. The Obama campaign said their reason is that they just don't have room on the plane despite the fact that these reporters have been traveling with Obama since 2007. This is yet another example of Obama allowing no voice of dissent.

Value Voting

Will you vote your morals?

This is an extremely important election. Our nation is at a crossroad. We have a clear choice. Lives are at stake.

The most important issue to me is the protection of innocent lives.

Abortion kills babies. Some would say an abortion terminates a fetus. That’s just a change in terms. Terminate means to end; conclude; finish. Fetus is Latin for baby.

Recently, I came across someone who was convinced that they could be both pro-Obama AND pro-life. This is a deception.

Barack Obama says that the first thing he would do as President is to enact the Freedom of Choice Act. This act would erase all boundaries on abortion. This would override states rights making abortion available at any time for any reason at any age.

Some would say that I shouldn’t impose my values on others.

Impose values? I would suggest that the Freedom of Choice Act is a massive imposition of the values of the abortion industry on us. According to NOW, this legislation would “sweep away hundreds of anti-abortion laws and policies.” Laws and policies that elected officials and everyday people have voted on and passed. The will of the people to limit and reduce abortions. That would be laws and policies protecting girls and women from an uninformed decision regarding a medical procedure that kills an innocent baby and often causes mental and/or physical harm to the mothers. Laws that require the consent of parents before an underage girl can be given an abortion. A Ban that put a stop to stabbing the head of a baby before she is completely born and sucking her brains out.

The biggest imposition is that Barrack Obama wants government to provide health care for everybody. That means that my tax dollars and your tax dollars will pay for abortions.
If that’s not cramming something down my throat, I don’t know what is.

Here are some medical facts to consider:

• At week 5, only 3 weeks after conception, the baby’s tiny heart begins to divide into chambers and beat and pump blood. This is when most women can find out whether they are pregnant.
• At week 6, the nose, mouth and ears are beginning to take shape. His heart is beating 100 to 160 times a minute and blood is beginning to course through his body. His pituitary gland is forming, as are the rest of his brain, muscles, and bones.
• At week 7, hands and feet are emerging from developing arms and legs.
• At week 8, in her brain, nerve cells are branching out to connect with one another, forming primitive neural pathways.
• Week 9, your baby’s organs, muscles and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won’t be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks.
• Week 10, he's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy. If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.

These facts are all from the week-by-week development pages at babycenter.com. There are many more. The ones I listed are all by the time you are two months pregnant.

This is what God says.

• “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you…”[1]
• “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward.”[2]
• "Thus says the Lord who made you and formed you from the womb, who will help you: fear not…"[3]
• “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days.”[4]
• “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”[5]
• “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.”[6]

These are just a few. God has a lot to say about people of all ages. He loves us. He wants us to choose life. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”


[1] Jeremiah 1:5
[2] Psalm 127:3
[3] Isaiah 44:2
[4] Deuteronomy 30:19-20
[5] Philippians 2:4
[6] Psalm 139:13-16

On the Issues

These issues are important to me:

Life
School Reform
Defense
Taxes
Government
Guns
Energy
Experience and Character

Life:
Life is a gift. God created mankind in His image. As we are designed to be a reflection of our Creator, we must treat others as God would have us do – in love.
“What is the most loving thing?”[1]

Life should be protected at all stages: pre-born, newborn, children, adults and senior citizens, healthy, disabled and mentally-challenged alike.

Abortion:
I believe that God knows us and has a destiny for us before we are even conceived. I believe abortion cuts a life grievously short. I believe it endangers the health of women. It protects abusers because of cases where incest is hidden and not reported. I believe men and women alike suffer tremendously mentally and spiritually knowing they didn’t stop the abortion or were responsible for it. The “what if’s” torture.
I know women and men who suffer nightmares. I know women who battle depression those times of the year when their child was aborted and when that child would have been born. I know women who were not able to ever again carry a child to term and long for a child to hold in their empty arms.
God loves each of us more than we can ever imagine. When we are harmed, when we cause harm, God grieves. He desires the absolute best for us. He provided a way, Jesus Christ, for us to be forgiven and restored. Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”[2] When we mess up and we all do,[3] the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.[4] If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.[5] Forgiveness and a full life have been provided for us, we need only to accept God’s free gift.
Death Penalty:
In contrast to abortion which kills the innocent and causes harm to women and men alike, the death penalty saves lives by putting to death a person who has viciously murdered and will most likely do so again. Countless lives are saved when we hold murderers accountable for their actions. I believe we can be forgiven for anything and everything. I also believe there are consequences for actions taken. A person on death row may very well repent but the consequences/punishment of their action should be carried out. I believe if we were tougher on crime, there would be less crime.
War:
I believe there is a time for war. When I was in third grade, a neighbor boy grabbed me by the throat. My brother quickly came to my aid and put a stop to it. I believe when a ruler, regime, or nation abuses its power and kills, tortures or terrorizes its own people or other people groups, we have the responsibility to come to the aid of those in need. By fighting, removing and killing the enemy in battle, defenseless and innocent civilians can once again have the freedom to live their lives.
Assisted Suicide:
God gives life. We are created for relationship – relationship with God and relationships with other people. Suicide is the taking of a God-given life because of depression and desperation. Anytime we deem a life not worth living, we cheapen the lives of others in similar situations.
A friend of mine saw her uncle battle cancer when she was a youth. Her uncle was in great pain and one day shot himself. This made a deep impact on her. When she struggled through abuse, she remembered her uncle and wanting to end her own pain, attempted suicide several times. She was institutionalized – where she suffered further abuse. It wasn’t until she was introduced to Jesus that she was restored. She realized that she has a God-given purpose and destiny. She was healed and is being healed.
Depression and desperation skew our vision. We think all is lost. Why not end it? Suicide kills the body. It causes grief to all around. It cheapens the lives of others. Suicide does not kill the spirit. Are you ready for eternity? If you say yes, are you ready for the consequences and effects of your actions on others? Difficulties come and go. Some are harder and longer and maybe even more frequent but they will pass. God is love and he desires the absolute best for us. When we give our lives to Him, He forgives, He heals, He restores.
When we approach the slippery slope of assisted suicide, euthanasia is just a heartbeat away. Then it becomes the duty to die when you are no longer a “productive member of society.”

School Reform:
By removing “God” from our schools we have caused great harm to our youth. Our youth have no reason/purpose to treat others well. The schools tell them that they came from animals by teaching a defunct theory as a fact. Why not act like animals? If we are all here by accident, why should I treat anyone else with any kind of respect when, according to the theory of evolution, we are equivalent with a rat or even a rotten tomato? Without God there is no moral compass.
Schools cannot be a Constitution-free zone. It is outrageous that schools try to silence our youth when they want to speak of their deeply held convictions. It is a gross infringement on freedom when student are told they are not allowed to pray or even to read their Bible during their free time.
So much is done in the name of tolerance. Tolerance used to mean treating others with respect, now it seems to have been redefined as accepting every notion as equal. Now those who are not tolerated are those who would speak up for their own convictions. There is right and wrong. Apparently, it’s wrong to say when things are wrong.
Teach the students. Show them their potential. Don’t indoctrinate them. Let them reason. Let them soar.

Defense:
I believe our nation is strong and should be strong. “We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” To weaken our Armed Forces is to invite attacks, hinder our ability to come to the aid of allies and/or victims of genocide, and dangerously stretch our ability to respond to disasters.

Taxes and Government:
I believe that we should pay taxes to the government. I believe the government should use that money wisely. I do not believe that the taxes should be excessive especially since the government has shown over and over its inability to budget and spend wisely. Infrastructure, Armed Forces, Police, Firefighters are all examples of right and wise spending. When the government wastes money, refuses to give accountability for how it spends and won’t listen to the moral values of the people, it is wrong and needs reformed.
When “We the People of the United States” are ignored and looked down upon, dismissed or demeaned, we need to hold our representatives responsible and elect new ones if need be.
As a republic, we are represented be our senators and congressmen. Therefore, we should be aware of issues in our nation and government and let our views be made known to our representatives. As Christians, we should pray for our nation, our leaders and our representatives. We should pray for good government that we may “live peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty.”[6]
“Good government maintains law and order, it keeps communications open, preserves civil liberty, and protects freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.” [7]
Good government does not tell us how much to eat and at what temperature we should keep our house. Good government should not try to micro-manage people. It should provide us the freedom to work hard and succeed.

Guns:
In the Bill of Rights, the second amendment guarantees our right to keep and bear arms. I believe that when people have the means to defend themselves and their families, there is less violent crime committed or the crime is effectively stopped.
When I was a youth, my home was invaded by at 3 men intent on robbing everything of value. I awoke to see them in my room. After not responding to their questioning of where my father kept the money, I screamed and screamed again for help, for my dad, for my brother. Instead of slicing my throat with a machete at they had told me they would do, they made a quick exit, leaving me alone. My parents woke up. My dad and a young man staying with us went downstairs to see what was going on. When the thieves saw that my dad didn’t have a gun, they returned upstairs and questioned, struck and stabbed my parents. They did not leave until my dad said, “In the name of Jesus, we have nothing more to give you.” When they heard the authority of the name of Jesus, they immediately left and did not come back. Thank God that He gives us authority, that Jesus’ name is more powerful than any weapon. What would have been better? If we had had a gun, perhaps the murderous thieves wouldn’t have returned. Perhaps if they had not returned, I would not have the understanding of the power of God in my life that I now have.
Just because we have a right to something doesn’t necessarily mean we should go out and buy a gun. We need to be responsible with our rights. If we purchase a gun, we should make sure we know how to use it, how to clean it, and most importantly know the gravity of its use. A gun can take a life. A gun can defend a life. A gun can be used recreationally and even as a way to provide meat for our families. With rights come responsibilities. With actions come consequences. If you kill someone in defense of your life or your family, will that fact haunt you? It is your right. Are you ready for the responsibility?
Jim Elliot, a missionary to Ecuador, was martyred because he was willing give up his life rather than take a life which may not be ready for eternity. He said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” He gave his life and in so doing, a people group was changed.
I believe that if we choose not to exercise our right, that is our choice; but we should not presume to remove someone else’s right guaranteed by our Constitution.

Energy:
Obviously, our nation needs energy.
I think it is wise not to be dependent on oil from countries who do not like us. I believe we should use the resources we have within our own borders. I believe we should drill for more oil. When we can buy more American oil, we won’t need to buy as much foreign oil. I believe we should have nuclear energy, clean coal and natural gas. Do it all. Start now.
We need to take care of our country and environment but at the expense of our people. We have the ability both to use our resources and preserve the beauty of our nation. We have always been a resourceful, hardworking, generous people. We are Americans.

Experience and Character:
Experience is good. Ability is a necessity. Character a must.
If you’ve been in public office and haven’t been effective, I don’t consider that experience. Working is experience. Accomplishments are experience. Character is defined as moral force; integrity; a good reputation.

Our choices as I see them:
The McCain/Palin team is pro-life. They want to keep taxes low and cut spending. They want reform to make the government work for the people again instead of people working to pay their taxes to the government. McCain wants to appoint judges that will rule according to the Constitution instead of legislating from the bench, thereby, protecting our Constitutional rights. They are pro-active and will seek energy and protect our country.
Senator John McCain has experience representing people, first as a congressman, then as a senator. He has experience defending freedom and fighting for his country. He has experience in leading. Senator John McCain has the ability to get things accomplished, make tough decisions, stand by his choices, and still learn and apply new knowledge. His character shines brightly through his life and family.

Governor Sarah Palin has the experience of running a town and a state and doing it well. She has shown she has the ability to get the job done, stand up for what is right, balance a budget and plan for the future of her state and nation. Palin’s character is lived out loud in the choices she makes. With an 80% approval rating, there is a state full of people that will testify to her character and abilities.

Senator Barrack Obama has a legacy of death. He voted against the Born Alive Act. He wants to make abortion legal in all instances at anytime overriding the voice of the people and the states that have set restrictions in place. He says that “if my daughters make a mistake then I wouldn’t want them punished with a baby”. Senator Obama says he will “lower taxes on the middle class” but raise taxes on businesses and “the rich”. When business taxes are raised, prices go up and we all end up paying for these new taxes. He wants to cut defense, wants to leave Iraq without finishing the job when the end is in sight. Obama wants to manage our lives by telling us how much to eat and what temperature our houses should be. The Senator thinks government is the solution to the problem instead of needing reformed and reduced. Barrack Obama thinks we “cling to our guns and our religion” because “we have no hope”. His energy plan? All I’ve heard is, “We can’t drill our way out of this.” And we should inflate our tires and tune-up our cars. Senator Obama was an Illinois state senator from Chicago before he was elected a U.S. senator. He was in the Senate for 143 days before running for president. His associations make his character extremely questionable. What has he accomplished? His own career.

Senator Joe Biden wants to serve his country and even seems a nice man. He has experience. He is also pro-abortion. Has he overcome his need to plagiarize?

[1] Deonn McDowell
[2] John 14:6
[3] Romans 3:23
[4] Romans 6:23
[5] Romans 10:9-10
[6] I Timothy 2:1-4
[7] Shaping History through Prayer and Fasting by Derek Prince