Category: Politics

I continue to stand in slack jawed amazement at how putatively Reformed Christians are acting like two year olds who have just discovered chocolate in their rediscovered passion for the McCain – Palin ticket. The reasons that have been put forth in order to put aside what had been their principles against voting for John McCain and the Republican party have evaporated faster than the buzz picked up by attending a Rock concert of your choice.

In this article I just want to review some things that haven’t changed since the choice of Palin and then perhaps spend some time examining the arguments that are being put forth to now vote for McCain.

First, we should remember that the Republican party, like the Democratic party, is dedicated to the pursuit of Statism. At the top of the ticket remains the guy who in the McCain – Feingold legislation eviscerated first amendment rights thus strengthening State freedom over against individual freedoms. The Republican party is still the party that, completely in the face of vigorous protestations of an energized majority that was its natural constituency, recently sought to ram down the throat of Americans an immigration bill that would have effectively erased borders while refusing to offer any kind of solution to the presence of 12 million illegal immigrants in this county. John McCain was one of the Republican Senators that was vigorously pushing for that legislation which would have strengthened the State by making it the only agency that could bring peace to the strife of the balkanization it was trying to create by the immigration bill. The Republican party, along with their allies in the major media, is that institution that did everything in its power to marginalize the Ron Paul campaign. It did so because the Party realized what a threat to its Statist designs Ron Paul was. The Republican Party under the leadership of George W. Bush has grown the Federal Government in ways that Lyndon Baines Johnson could have only dreamed. The Republican party during the Bush administration grew the State in a massive fashion with its legislation on prescription drugs for senior citizens. In the Patriot Act the Republican party grew the power of the State in its ability to spy on its citizenry. At every turn the Republican party has shown itself, by its actions, to be a Statist party. In this regard there is little difference between it and the party they are supposed to be opposing. If there is any difference between the two parties on their advocacy of Statist government it is that Republicans, for some odd reason, feel compelled to brazenly lie about their intentions with claptrap speeches about limited government. As I’ve said countless times the difference between the two parties does not lie in their mutual agreement on the aggrandizement of the State but rather their difference lies in the differences that divided the national socialists vs. the international socialists in 1930’s Europe.

None of this has changed in the Republican party. What was true of the party before it nominated Sarah Palin remains true on the eve of Sarah Palin’s Republican National convention speech. The Republican party is an old wineskin and the idea that by voting for it we can get new wine into that old wineskin is preposterous beyond imagination.

Now, let us turn to just a few arguments that are being offered by those who at one time were not going to vote for McCain because of principle but now who are reconsidering. Doug Wilson, a influential figure in certain quarters of Evangelicalism is getting all wobbly in the knees over this Palin pick. Here is voice,

Before I would consider voting for him (McCain), I want to see some money down. Sarah Palin could well be that money down.

What Doug doesn’t realize is that with Palin McCain hasn’t put money down. With the Palin pick McCain has put the bait out for the sucker evangelicals who swallow it along with the hook every time. Why Doug thinks that Palin is money down is incomprehensible. Does Doug really think that a President McCain is going to consult with Vice President Palin on social domestic policy? Does Doug believe that Palin is going to give advice to President McCain on Supreme Court justices? Where exactly is the money that McCain is putting down with Palin?

Maybe Doug thinks that it is money down because Palin will be set up to become President when McCain is finished? The problem with that scenario is that before George H. W. Bush, who had the good fortune to run on the coattails of the most popular president in the 20th century, the last time that a VP immediately followed their President into office upon an election from their office as VP was Martin Van Buren in 1837. Gore didn’t do it. Mondale didn’t do it. Nixon didn’t do it. In point of fact nobody did it in the 20th century except for George H. W. Bush. To presume that Palin will follow McCain into the White House simply because she is his VP is a a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge stretch of what looks to be a fervid imagination. Then to go beyond that and to advocate voting for McCain because of the possible likely hood that a Vice President Palin will follow a President McCain is the same kind of twisted reasoning that sees the rapture coming because Russia invades Georgia. So again I ask, how is Palin the “money down” that requires evangelicals to give up their principles and vote Republican?

Who knows … maybe Doug thinks Palin is money down because he plans on praying an imprecatory Psalm against President McCain thus making room for a President Palin?

Another argument for compromising and voting McCain is the idea that Palin could serve as a positive role model for American women oppressed by mean wicked patriarchal fathers who treat them like something on the bottom of their shoes. Doug Wilson also floated this idea but I will quote from someone who reinforced his thinking with thoughts of her own,

What intelligent, articulate, influential women do girls typically see? The women they hear & read about in the news are Pelosi, Boxer, Clinton, etc.. Leftists are the women most girls grow up learning about in our time. They are the role model of strong womanhood American girls are exposed to.

I would love to see generations of American girls grow up inspired to be intelligent, articulate, influential conservative women.

According to this reasoning we should change our minds on McCain because Palin could rescue America’s daughters from being inspired in the direction of feminism by liberal women. The solution, naturally, according to this view, is for America’s daughters to be influenced in the direction of feminism by conservative women. Now we want to be sensitive to the idea that there are daughters out there who are treated like fodder for men but I am highly doubtful that giving them conservative feminist role models is going to help what ails them since feminism, regardless of whether it is of the liberal or conservative stripe, would only deliver them from their oppressive upbringing to a differently oppressive adulthood. Giving women a conservative feminist role model is no reason to vote for McCain – Palin.

Others offer reason to vote Republican due to the evil nature of Barack Obama. Now, this is the most weighty of all the arguments to vote for McCain. I personally believe Obama to be a wicked wicked man. But this argument for voting McCain must be balanced by the awareness that if Obama were elected the Republicans would fight his agenda, whereas if McCain were elected he would, given his past history cross the aisle and govern with the acquiescence of both Democrats and Republicans. There is every bit of a chance that a McCain administration in co-operation with the legislative bodies inflict more damage on America than a Obama administration will.

Some argue that we must vote Republican due to the Supreme Court and judicial nominations. This is always a scare tactic effectively used every four years. Before these fears cause a stampede to pull Republican levers we must keep in mind that we have had Republican Presidents for 28 out of the last 40 years and in that time those Republican Presidents have nominated more judges who voted to create and uphold abortion then judges who voted to end abortion. That is hardly a track record that makes me convinced that Republicans are going to serve as bulwarks against abortion in their Supreme Court nominations. Now combine this with the fact that McCain voted for Clinton’s pro abortion Supreme Court nominees along with McCain’s work as a part of the “gang of 14” to thwart Bush’s conservative nominee justices while in the Senate convinces me that this “fear” argument has little substance behind it.

Nothing has changed in the Republican party with the Palin nomination. The Republican party remains a Statist party. John McCain is a neo-con who remains pro illegal immigration, pro-stem cell research, anti-first amendment rights, member of the Keating five, member of the gang of 14, member of the Council of Foreign Relations, anti-second amendment rights, pro global warming, pro globalism and a believer in the American Empire. Christians who advocate voting for John McCain do a disservice to what Christian governance is all about.

The only difference Sarah Palin could make beyond being bait for the conservative base is if John McCain died in office on day one. I am sure that voting for McCain on the basis of that unlikely possibility is not wise in the least.

Fred Thompson brought out the reality that the Democratic message this campaign cycle is one of blackness and despair. Naturally, Thompson is correct on this point. In order for the party out of power to seize power it is necessary to make the case that the sky is falling. Thompson also sought to paint Democratic opposition to Palin as being proof that this is a sign of elitism as pointed towards small town values and outside the beltway politicians.

Thompson went on to tell John McCain’s story. The description of McCain’s suffering while a POW were astonishing. After listening to this account I found myself wishing that McCain had been as faithful to the Constitution as he was to his fellow prisoners. I wished that his code of honor was as well exercised over the law of the land today as it was over his country while a POW.

Thompson ended this portion of the speech with this peroration,

Now, being a POW certainly doesn’t qualify anyone to be president. But it does reveal character.

This is the kind of character that civilizations from the beginning of history have sought in their leaders. Strength. Courage. Humility. Wisdom. Duty. Honor.

It’s pretty clear there are two questions we will never have to ask ourselves, “Who is this man?” and “Can we trust this man with the presidency?”

The last sentence obviously was a swipe at the Marxist B. Hussein Obama.

Thompson went on to speak of McCain’s maverick reputation in Congress, retelling his willingness to oppose even the great Ronald Reagan. The point in this section of the speech is that McCain will oppose anybody in his drive for what is right.

In another swipe at B. Hussein Obama, Thompson delivered his best zinger of the speech while appealing to the highly heralded character of McCain that Thompson was speaking of,

The respect he (McCain) is given around the world is not because of a teleprompter speech designed to appeal to American critics abroad but because of decades of clearly demonstrated character and statesmanship.

Thompson’s speech winded down by emphasizing the big government, excessive taxing Democratic party. The rhetoric was an appeal to limited government. Unfortunately given McCain’s support for global warming type solutions it is clear that a McCain administration wouldn’t be one that would be anything but a big government, excessive taxing administration.

Thompson was correct when he recited the inexperience of B. Hussein Obama. Thompson was correct when he intimated that B. Hussein Obama was an empty suit gestalt candidate who merely reflects what people desire to see in him. Thompson was correct to say that the Federal Government needs to be grabbed by the scruff of the neck and given a good shaking. Unfortunately the Republican party doesn’t offer anything that passes as a real alternative and give no hope whatsoever that they will be the one to grab by the scruff of the neck.

On a slightly different note, the major Media’s reporting of the RNC included the attempt to make what is going on in St. Paul akin to what happened in Chicago during the 1968 Democratic convention. There are some protesters in St. Paul and the media gave us many pictures of cops firing tear gas and flash bangs to dispel the protesters.

Also, the major media continues to seek and destroy Palin by reporting on stories on her family they would have never got anywhere near for Democratic candidates. ABC treated us with a picture of the cover story of US magazine reporting on the scandal of the Palin family.

Finally, the media suggested that Kerry’s experience in Vietnam should have been received in the same way as McCain’s experience in Vietnam. They accused the swift-boaters of “smearing” Kerry and noted that no like organization had arisen to smear McCain. The Media didn’t bother telling us that the swift-boaters were telling the truth.

I carry no brief for the Republican party but I still groan over the obvious bias of the media against the party they find to be the greatest threat.

Doug Wilson over at Mablog continues to fudge on the issue of how it would be un-biblical to vote for Sarah Palin as a female civil magistrate. Most recently Doug has tried to enlist John Knox on his side. According to Wilson, Knox wrote “The First Blast Of The Trumpet Against The Monstrous Regiment Of Women” aiming at Bloody Mary. According to Wilson, Knox while aiming at Blood Mary hit Queen Elizabeth square between the eyes as Mary died and Elizabeth ascended to the throne just when Knox’s work was being published. Wilson goes on to record that Knox “because of Elizabeth’s attitude toward the Reformation, Knox was more than willing to accept Elizabeth as a godly Deborah, and wrote to Elizabeth, telling her so. Wilson goes on to try and conclude that Knox, therefore, can’t be claimed as somebody who is against women in office unreservedly.

The problem with Wilson’s reasoning is that all that his post proves is that Knox wasn’t against women as Magistrates once they were in the position of Magistrate. If Sarah Palin finally does become Vice President or later President, all Christians would be obliged to work with her and support her, as she rules consistent with Scripture, as Knox supported and worked with Elizabeth as she ruled consistent with Scripture. However, the fact that Knox was willing to accept Elizabeth as a Godly Deborah doesn’t mean that Knox would contend today that Christians should vote for female magistrates to rule over them. Wilson seeks to prove to much by his post in order to serve his movement to supporting McCain.

There is another thing that must be said about this Palin nomination. While Christians must continue to insist that it is against Scripture to vote for a female magistrate as a political covenant head, we must at the same time insist that Palin is right about many of the issues which she has taken stands. There is so much right with Palin’s political positions that we must stand with her in as much as we are speaking narrowly about the issues. We agree with her on 2nd amendment. We agree with her on pro-life. We agree with her on her advocacy that creationism should be taught alongside evolution. (Well, actually we would advocate that evolution shouldn’t be taught at all but being confident that in a battle of ideas creationism would win out we would be satisfied with evolution being taught until it became such a laughingstock that nobody would teach it.) We agree with Palin on teaching abstinence in government schools (Well, actually we advocate shutting down government schools but if they must be tolerated then we are all for teaching abstinence as Governor Palin has supported.) We agree with Governor Palin on the value of life. We agree with Governor Palin in opposition to the coupling of perverts. We agree with Governor Palin in fiscal responsibility. We agree with Governor Palin in the necessity of reforming the political system. Since we agree with Sarah Palin in all these issues we will support her as she speaks to these issues while still insisting that it is against Scripture to vote for a woman to be a female magistrate.

This takes us to another issue and that is the necessity to defend Palin against all those who would destroy her. We must keep in mind that those who seek to destroy Palin are not trying to destroy her because she is Sarah Palin, but rather because she has the Christian convictions that she has. I believe the pregnancy of Palin’s daughter confirms that Governor Palin and her husband might have been better served paying less attention to their respective career and job and more attention to their family. However, having said that I will not stand by and let people rake Governor Palin across the coals for this when it is the case that if they had been in the same position they would have solved it by taking their daughter to the local abortion butcher to have the child in the womb tortured and killed.

On the campaign trail in March B. Hussein Obama called the prospect of one of his daughters having to have a baby because she got pregnant out of wedlock as a “punishment” to be avoided. A person who believes that a baby is a punishment, nor any of his acolytes, has any place to be criticizing Governor Palin because her 17 year old daughter is pregnant out of wedlock.

My opposition to Palin as Vice President is not going to find me in bed with others who oppose Palin for all the wrong reasons. I oppose Palin for honorable reasons and will defend her against those who will attack her because they want to destroy her for the convictions that she holds.

And now we learn the 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, is pregnant. She and the father of the child plan to marry. This may be a hard one for the Republican conservative family-values crowd to swallow. Of course, this can happen in any family. But it must certainly raise the question among the evangelical base about whether Sarah Palin has been enough of a hands-on mother.

Washington Post Article
Sall Quinn

It is now reported that Governor Sarah Palin’s 17 year old unwed daughter is 5 months pregnant. Now, there is and can be no proof that if Governor Palin had been more attentive to her family and less attentive to her career this would have been less likely to occur, but one has to wonder. It is possible if the Governor had not had her daughter in Government schools that this pregnancy would have been less likely to happen.

Clearly, 17 year olds today get pregnant out of wedlock quite frequently. As such I doubt that this will have a great deal of impact on the campaign, though I can’t help but wonder if only thirty years ago if a vice presidential nominee’s 17 year old unwed daughter being pregnant would have been a deal breaker to the American people.

The McCain campaign says that they knew of the 17 year old daughter’s pregnancy before Palin was tapped as VP. I seriously have my doubts about that.

The left will have a field day with this accusing Palin of hypocrisy I’m sure.

Remember, in an earlier article I said that the left would try to destroy Palin because of her pro-life, pro-gun, pro-Jesus, pro-drilling, anti-global warming, anti-buggery stances. Consider this only the first step.

Don’t be surprised if another shoe drops yet on this story.

First, your vote is not your vote. Your vote belongs to Jesus Christ. You are merely exercising it in His stead. As such, as a Christian you can not vote for either of the major parties because they are the embodiment of evil. Voting for Democrats gives us international socialism. Voting for Republicans gives us National Socialism. Both positions are anti-Christ.

Thus Christians are in the position of voting for third parties such as the Constitution party. Now, it may be the case that such a candidate doesn’t win but when one votes third party they are hoping to have real influence in the major parties in an indirect fashion. Recall that Eugene Debs ran third party candidacies on the Socialist ticket several times in the early part of the 20th century. We all know he didn’t win. What we don’t remember is that the Democratic party eventually adopted large sections of the Socialist party platform that Eugene Debs ran on. The Democratic party moved towards the Socialist party, partly because of the influence of Eugene Debs and the votes he received.

The same could have been true of the Democratic party in 1972 and 1976 when George Wallace was shot. Wallace had run as an independent in 68 and brought those votes into the Democratic primary in 72 and 76. Wallace very likely would have won the nomination in 72 if he had not been shot and he would have likely won in 76 except because of a flare up in the assassination injury he received in 1972 he had to be carried into Florida on a stretcher. Florida went to Carter that year because people would not vote for a man for President who had to be carried about on a stretcher. The point here is that the Democratic party would have been changed by Wallace’s third party candidacy in 1968. Other examples could be elucidated. The point is that your vote for a third party is not a wasted vote because often the major parties move towards the third parties in order to capture their voter base in subsequent elections.