Here is where I stand on political issues. I thought I would post them because it will allow me to flesh out my position and it will give you the information you need to know where I actually stand on political issues instead of just assuming you know ... which happens more often than not. I may add to this list as I think of issues that I have an opinion on.
ABORTION
The Bible says we are not to commit murder. I am pro-life. I believe partial birth abortion should be banned. If the mother's life is endangered, induce labor or do a cesarean. There should be an attempt to save the baby's life as well as the mother's.
If early abortion is going to remain legal ... it should be regulated. I am fine with the morning after pill. I think there should be programs to help pregnant mothers have their children and take care of them after they are born. I think we do need to look at ways to reduce abortion.
EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS
I don't believe for one minute that we need to be making babies just to kill them for their stem cells. If there is another way to get them, I don't know.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
I think if you enter the United States illegally then you are a criminal and should be sent back to where you came from. If there is to be any exception, it should be for people who are fleeing religious persecution. People from around the world immigrate here. If they can do it legally, then so can those who live south of the border.
BORDER WALL/FENCE
If we have to take that kind of measure to stop the flow of illegal aliens into this countrty, then I am for it. I would like for them to try and actually enforce laws first, deport illegal aliens, and beef up border patrols. A wall/fence should be the last resort.
WELFARE
We have a biblical mandate from Jesus to help the poor. Plus, social programs are not just welfare checks. They include disability and healthcare for the disabled, government student loans, WIC, daycare assistance, Social Security, Medicare, healthcare for children, food stamps, veteran benefits, etc.
THE ENVIRONMENT
God created the earth and He made us stewards of it. So, I am for protecting the environment. I do believe global warming exists. I remember studying it back in 8th Grade Advanced Biology, all through high school, and college. The science does make sense and we do need to care about what we do and how it impacts the earth God gave us.
GAY MARRIAGE
Against it. The Bible says that marriage will be between one man and one woman. I am all for homosexuals having partnership rights. They should be able to see their partners in the hospital, help make decisions for them, inherit property and such, and get to take off work if their partner has a child, is seriously ill, or dies. Civil unions are fine with me. Marriage is not.
SEXUAL ORIENTATION
If you want to dress like a girl and you are a man ... or vice versa ... go for it. But, please do not think that I or anyone else should have to hire you while you dress that way. Believe me when I say, I have a few friends that are drag queens and they would never expect that except from businesses that cater to them.
HEALTHCARE
I am up in the air on national healthcare. Do I think drug companies are making money hand over fist at the expense of consumers ... sure do. Do I think that rates are jacked? Yep. Does national healthcare fix that? It may, but other measures may work as well. Something needs to be done though.
I also think something needs to be done with how everything good for you costs a lot, but stuff that is bad for you doesn't. Compare the price of a bag of oranges to a bag of chips. Poor people eat worse than people who can afford more fruits and vegetables. What do you think happens to the cost of healthcare when a bunch of poor people get sick because of their unhealthy eating habits? It costs more for you and me.
CHILDCARE ASSISTANCE
All for it. You want poor people to work or get an education so they can care for themselves, help them do so. Many working families cannot afford childcare.
GUN WAITING
If you can't wait a couple of days to buy a gun, you are probably going to do something with it that you will most likely regret later ... like in prison. Three to seven days is not a long time for a check to be ran on you and clear you to buy a gun. And, yes I know ... thugs don't have to wait to buy guns and they don't care about laws. If you are that jealous of them ... buy on the street and then you can go to prison for that instead.
SCHOOL VOUCHERS
For them. If failing schools don't want to lose students then they can do better. Plus they will give families a choice, something we don't have now. But, I don't think they should just be for the inner cities.
I also think our schools need more funding. When it becomes my responsibility to buy supplies for my children's teachers ... then it is obvious that our government cares more about funding war and millionaires (think recent bailout rescue package) than paying our teachers and funding our schools.
HATE CRIME LAW
Well, this one is tricky. There are people that commit crimes against other people based on their skin color, sexual orientation, or ethnic group. Are their crimes worse than people that commit crimes against people for no other reason than they are a convenient target? Not really, but the hate behind it is. I think it may have gone too far in some cases, but the fact that hate crimes do exist makes this one hard to really decide.
TROOP WITHDRAWAL
For it. It is time to end what we started when we went into Iraq. I have never supported the Iraq War and feel we should have remained focussed on Osama Bin Laden ... whom we seem to have conveniently forgotten. If anything ... that has made us look worse than anything. We have some of the best soldiers on the face of the earth ... we could find him if the resources and man-power were put into that instead of Iraq.
REPLACE THE TAX CODE
Against it. It may need some tweaking, but to replace it completely is stupid. I am for progressive taxation.
OUTSOURCING
Not for it. It needs to stop now. Companies that do it need to have their tails fined bigtime. If they move their company to another country ... then don't let them do business here at all. Companies that are pro-America and stay here ... give them a tax break.
If you take all those positions and compare it against the available parties, who are you most aligned with?
Who knows! Each party has their agenda and each their talking points. I know where I stand and why ... so that's half the battle. :)
I may do a comparison later, though.
Angel,
You and I are alike on nearly all the issues you mentioned (I'd say identical), and I know you identify yourself as a Democrat. I identify myself as an independent - no political party can possibly be what we want them to be so long as we have only choice "A" or choice "B" - and I prefer to choose my leaders based on godly character.
James Dobson would have us believe that we must choose John McCain because of his commitment to the pro-life movement; Randy Alcorn says the same in a letter that would have us choose our next president based on this one issue. Should I be swayed by these two, and their arguments?
I know where I stand, and it is not on the sidelines, or in either camp. I'll be out in the battlefield putting bandages on the wounded of both sides regardless of who wins this election.
Save a few for me. I haven't slept most of the night and I am having a hard time even putting how I feel into words. I am angry and disillusioned ... and that doesn't even begin to touch it.