Am I the only person...
...who doesn't have a clue who to vote for this Presidential election?My husband and I have done lots and lots of research and listened to lots and lots of speeches and had lots and lots of lively discussions with friends and family, and we're still undecided.
Every time we think we're beginning to really like a particular candidate, they do something or say something which makes us unsure of whether or not we really feel comfortable voting for them.
I know there's no such thing as a perfect candidate, but it sure seems especially difficult this go-around. Or maybe I'm just being indecisive?
I hope all of you Iowans know who you're voting for tomorrow! I'm just glad we're not having primaries in Kansas on January 3. Otherwise, I might be making an unprecedented move and leaving the Presidential spot blank on the ballot.
For those of you who know who you're voting for, feel free to post and share who you're voting for and why. I'd be interested to hear. Please keep it civil and on-topic. This is not a debate, this is query as to who you are voting for and why. I will delete any comments which do not adhere to those parameters or to our comment policy.
Oh and I promise that I won't do too many more posts on politics. It's just been on my mind so much the past few weeks I guess I can't but help it!
Labels: Hot Topics, Politics
posted by Crystal Paine at 4:30 PM
95 Comments:
Crystal, I am with you! I have no idea who I'm voting for. Hopefully this post will give me some insight...
I am leaning toward Huckabee at this point.
I'm also voting for Mike Huckabee right now... praying about the future and asking God to give my husband and me wisdom regarding this topic as well. And, I don't mind your political posts. We need Christians who care about what is going on in our government!
Oh, and I’m excited about your “new years posts” and the upcoming topics you’ve got planned. You are a blessing Crystal!
I would lean toward Huckabee if not for one thing that keeps bothering me. Does the Lord call people out of the ministry to be a politician? If the winning of souls is THE most important thing then would He do such a thing? Hmmm. I like Ron Paul, sort of, because of his emphasis on state and individual freedoms. He is especially committed to home schoolers.
Oh I must say that I am so relieved to not be the only on who does not have a clue!! :)
I'm praying for the Lord to pour forth His wisdom upon myself and my parents - and that the Lord would bless us with a godly leader for our country!
We, also, may choose not to cast a vote. We sure do wish there were more hope for the Constitution Party (a.k.a. American Independent Party in CA.)
I don't really know who I am voting for either. I have a few more months to decide, however. Good thing!
No you are not the only person who doesn't know who to vote for. I will most certainly be voting republican but my husband and I will not be voting for Mike Huckabee. I lived in Arkansas for most of my life and he was not a great governor. He made huge errors in judgement that cost lives and was very greedy with making money on the side. Sorry for you Huckabee fans, I am not trying to dash your dreams. I just do not support someone who couldn't run a state effectively. Research it if you do not believe me.
Well, I was pretty sure I was voting for Huckabee and our primary is Feb 5th. Although, last week someone on a message board posted a link to a great blog post by Spunky Homeschool that has me rethinking this. Here is the blog where you can read up on Mike Huckabee: http://www.spunkyhomeschool.blogspot.com/
If I don't vote for Huckabee, it will be Ron Paul for sure. I would love to see someone in office who truly supports homeschoolers.
I don't know, but the Ron Paul supporters I know personally are starting to sound like they joined a cult or something...but, I mean that in no offense to the candidate himself, who I know very little about,(how's that for a politically correct and vague explanation of my comment?).
Oh, I'm so glad I'm not the only one who doesn't know!! I keep going back and forth between Huckabee and Paul, I didn't much of anything about Huckabee that was wrong, but thank you to the people who mentioned things!! I just found out some really good things about Ron Paul though... here is the link if anyone is interested: (http://www.newstarget.com/022421.html)
Thank you Crystal for encouraging learning about political canidates!!
Blessings,
Alexandrea
We're voting for Huckabee right now. We really like him and most of what he stands for, even though we don't agree with everything that has come out. I don't care for any of the other candidates at all. I wish there was a perfect candidate-it would make this so much easier!!! I feel strongly that we need to be praying. praying , praying for this election for wisdom and for God's will to be done.
I am totally with you on this one! Especially the leaning towards one candidate only to be suddenly hesitant!
Most election years I am disappointed that as a green card holder I cannot vote, something my family takes very seriously, but this year I am almost relieved!
As someone who is not permitted to vote, might I encourage everyone to both seriously consider the candidates and the issues, and also to get out there and vote? This country gives you the blessing of being able to vote with out fear of reprisal or violence, in fact, every effort is made to make it easy and safe! And your vote is taken very seriously.
Please use this wonderful gift and use it wisely!
I have enjoyed reading the posts about voting, it is wonderful to see people taking it seriously!
I have no idea!! My husband and I are really into politics all that much, but we do believe it is a our duty to vote. And we definately want to vote for someone who is going to uphold our beliefs. I will be interested to hear what you all say about it!!
I'm voting for Dr. Ron Paul who has the most consistent Constitutional record in Congress (for over 30 years), is pro-life (delivered over 4000 babies), pro-liberty, and is the "most honest man in Washington" according to Sen. John McCain. Ron Paul is a strict constitutionalist and believes that many of the existing federal powers be handed back to the states. As a Christian, I do not want to support the precedent of having the government regulate anything and everything just because we have a "conservative" or even "Christian" president at the time. What happens when a liberal takes office and enforces his/her agenda with the liberties that we have given the federal government unlawfully? As one great, Christian leader once said, "It is never right to do wrong in order to get a chance to do right." Does not the Scripture command the church and disciples of Christ to "love our neighbor" and do good to our fellow man? If we believe this, we need to limit the size of government and the welfare state and begin to do the things that are commanded from Scripture. Ron Paul gives us the greatest chance for such a government.
Crystal, my DH and I were just having this discussion this afternoon. We do not know how to cast our votes. Sounds like there are many men and women in the same boat!
I am so glad I'm not the only one. I was talking to my husband earlier and we both lamented that we aren't excited about anyone.
All I can think of is that if Hillary makes it to the end, I'll vote against her.
This is the first year I contemplated not voting due to the selection... that was until I found out about Ron Paul!
I saw a sign on one of his ads that said "Ron Paul cured my apathy" and this has been true for me. I appreciate his stand on constitutional liberty and, especially, on homeschooling and being pro-life.
I'm looking forward to our primaries here! ;o)
~ Christina
I know I make these decisions differently from most of the other readers here -- but I am just as confused. I have to decide soon -- and not only do I not know whom to vote for, but I don't know which primary to vote in! Since I am an independent, I can choose whether to vote in the Republican or Democratic primary when I show up at the polls.
Obama is my favorite Democrat (because he is inspiring and because his universal health plan is not mandatory), and Giuliani is my favorite Republican (because he is the most liberal on social issues, although I don't trust him not to change).
On the other hand, I get nervous about Obama's plan for an immediate withdrawal from Iraq, and it would be nice to cast my vote for the first serious woman candidate :) On the third hand, Bill Richardson has the best resume and experience of any candidate in either party -- but he probably has no shot at winning. So it is hard to decide. I will probably figure it out at the last moment. I am thinking that I will let my husband vote for Obama, and I will vote for Giuliani -- that way we will have an influence in both primaries.
I just got off the phone with my grandmother, who is about to celebrate her 92nd birthday. She is very excited about casting her vote for Hillary Clinton. For her it is mainly about the symbolism. My grandmother was born 3 years before women were permitted to vote in federal elections, and she never thought she would see a serious female candidate in her lifetime. My grandmother figures this may be her one and only chance to vote for a woman for President, and is really excited to do so. I feel more jaded about it because Senator Clinton is not my favorite, and I figure I will see many more appealing female candidates in the future.
Of course, I now just changed my mind again, within 2 minutes of posting my last comment. It looks like Giuliani has no shot at taking my state, so I may vote for McCain. Giuliani and McCain are the two Republicans I could live with, and I would like my vote count if I vote in the Republican primary. Even though I generally choose the Democratic candidate, I would love to see an election where I have favorable feelings towards both the Republican nominee and Democratic nominee.
(By the way, notwithstanding my tentative support for Giuliani, I agree with Jesse Paine that Giuliani's infedility in his prior marriage is a definite minus and doesn't say anything good about his integrity. On the other hand, my father always says that if you can fluorish in New York politics without a whiff of any rumor that you are in bed with the Mob, then you must have a great deal of integrity in your public life. All I know is that, integrity or not, based on my socially liberal beliefs I find Giuliani more palatable than the rest of the Republican candidates.)
stacc16-
In response to your wonderings about someone being called out of ministry to be a politician, these are some thougts I had...maybe they will help you continue to think through this topic:
Winning of souls is extremely important, but that does not mean that God calls us all to a ministry career (as we think of them, such as pastor, missionary, evangelist, etc.). We all are to be involved in ministry wherever God has placed us, for example, if you are a mother, you are participating in ministry to others- your husband and children. So just because someone is not a pastor anymore does not mean that they are removed from ministry, or that now they are no longer participating in ministry to others. We all have different seasons of life and God may have different kinds of ministry for us to be involved in at different times. God can use each one of us to win souls, one needn't be in "the minstry" to do so. So it doesn't seem to me that this is inconsistent with God's priorities for His people. There are several examples of God's people in the Bible who were politicians in a sense. Well, that is what immediately came to mind when I was thinking about your question.
And now may I say that I too am not quite sure who I would vote for either (though I have a pretty good idea of who I will most certainly NOT be voting for!). It is so hard to decide when you hear bad things about every candidate, everyone has an opinion and it is hard to know which are truthful.
As a fellow Arkansas resident, I would not recommend voting for Mr. Huckabee. Please do your reasearch on his time as governor of our great state. In all my 67 years here, I have never had the dissatisfaction with a "Christian" politician that I have with Mr. Huckabee. It is just my opinion, but Mr. Huckabee throws his Christian values around, yet does nothing to follow them. I have decided to vote for Dr. Ron Paul, because I love his consistent record. I love that he doesn't pander to the special interests. I cannot say the same for Mike Huckabee. I am also pro-life, I would homeschool if I was a younger woman with children and Dr. Paul is going to protect these rights. I know this because in all his years in Congress, he does exactly what he says he will do. How many other candidates can say this?
For us it is also between Huckabee and Paul, but we honestly don't know who will get our final vote. There are ups and downs to both candidates and we're not 100% thrilled with either. Hopefully God will inspire us all as to who He is voting for!
I am confused also.As the voting starts it will get easier to weed out candidates as some loose and drop out from the race.Since God already knows who will be the next president I guess we can pray that our country will be in good hands as God is in control.
Have fun voting!
My dear husband and I are voting for Ron Paul - he is the only one who appears to be consistently conservative. Mike Huckabee looked good at the beginning, but with a little more research into his voting record and some of the things he implemented in Arkansas, he doesn't seem to be a better candidate than Ron Paul.
To live in the US and have the option to vote is a freedom that I am so grateful for. We vote pro-life. We are voting for Mike Huckabee. There are several that we would never vote for because of their beliefs, and our convictions. There are so many issues, and I admittedly do not know where the candidates stand on all the issues. One of my goals this year is to become more knowledgeable on politics.
Carla from Maryland
I don't even know when our primaries are being held. I have no clue really! In our state though the only candiate that I have seen any signs for is Ron Paul, we are a very conservative state though.
I guess out of all, I sincerely hope Hilary Clinton is not elected as I was not impressed with with the way they ran the country the last time.
Yes, we're vacillating a bit on this too. We're leaning toward Huckabee, but have heard some concerning things, and from some of the comments I'm reading here, there is more research we need to do. My husband had some concerns about Ron Paul, but I honestly don't know much about him at all. We definitely have more work to do before our state votes in February.
And as an aside-- if you and Jesse do decide on a particular candidate, we'd be interesed to know who it is and why you chose him.
While many of us may be undecided at this point based on various issues with each potential candidate, may I encourage your readers to all at least vote, and not opt out of voting simply because they are too confused to decide. My husband and I have always felt that to not vote is not only shirking our civil duty, but is like "giving" a vote to the opposition. If we are sick and tired of the state of politics in America and want things to veer back to being pro-family, pro-small government, etc. then we simply MUST vote, and for someone who we think has an inkling of doing something in the right direction.
I say keep the political posts coming, Crystal! :) We mamas need to stay abreast of these things and have more of an impact than we may think we have.
Christy W.
I agree. I don't know yet either. I lean toward Huckabee, but might vote for Thompson if he's still in it by the time of Illinois' primary.
I guess I will be the first to put my 2 cents in for Mitt Romney. I was at a loss to know what to do. Yes, it's great that Mike Huckabee is a Christian and is not ashamed of it, but when you are in the spotlight proclaiming Christ you have to be so careful you don't cast a bad light on all Christians because of what you are saying and doing. I don't like Huckabee's record as govenor. I think Mitt Romney is the only one that has a shot at beating Hillary or Obama. I came across this website that has some great articles and discusses the issue of a Christian voting for a mormon. Gives you some things to think about. May God's will be done in November! http://www.evangelicalsformitt.org/
I think both parties are taking us in the same direction, one just faster than the other. There is nobody I'm even remotly hopeful about. At first I was excited about Huckabee until I looked at his record on taxes and the border. There is no way he could even be called a fiscal conservative with that record. The only one that really understands the constitution and the founding fathers is Ron Paul, but he doesn't seem to have a clue about the reality of the threat we face from islamic extremists. If we could vote for a domestic president and a foreign affairs president I'd vote Ron Paul for domestic. The economy would go through the roof and he respects liberty. Foreign affairs president - Giulani seems to understand the threat we face, but even that I've got some concerns about.
I have spent the last week or so researching, digging and thinking. I was going to support Huckabee but he didn't thrill me. Then I started reading about Ron Paul and the more I learn, the more I am convinced that he would be a fantastic president. He would reduce the size of the federal government and uphold the constitution...not to mention doing a lot of other things I totally agree with. And on top of that, I like his non-politician-like ways. He seems a lot more real than the alternatives.
I am praying that Ron Paul will be our next President, for the sole reason that he is an ardent supporter or homeschooling and parental rights.
We are definitely voting for Mike Huckabee and yes, we are from Arkansas!! We were pleased with the job he did here at home and are happy to support him on his bid for the White House. I will agree, that things have come out in the recent weeks (we had heard them all years before) that do raise honest concern, my husband and I have prayed about this and will continue to do so, but, I cannot see us changing our minds. No one is perfect. But, I truly, truly believe he has always stood by his Christian convictions, is a good man, but also is very capable in the governmental level as a stong, intellegent leader. I have no reservations.
On aside, I had the opportunity to hear him preach at our church several years ago - it was refreshing and uplifting (and, of course very funny) and we both walked away with a very good impression as he truly seemed so genuine.
Thanks for opening up this issue, Crystal. And, the tone is so great - unlike so many other blogs discussing the same issues out there!!
I'm a registered Republican, but may vote for Hillary for the same reason that the Happy Feminist's 92yo grandmother will.
I'm pro-life, but don't feel the need to vote that way. (I just don't plan to have any abortions.) I'm pro-environment because I think we are going to destroy the earth soon. I don't see any candidate as truly pro-environment. I'm pro-letting people educate their children in any way they see fit. I don't think Hillary's pre-K plan means you can't homeschool your kids (at least I hope not); I think maybe the idea is to provide for kids with parents not as involved or as good as you homeschoolers.
It's impossible for me to find a candidate who agrees with me on everything. I'm still pretty clueless.
Well I had not given this much thought yet. I guess I kinda assumed that since many are nothappy with the way things are going right now (including many republicans) that the Rep. did not have much of a chance at all this time around. It seems that each time ppl get throughly frustrated with one party the other wins the nesxt election. So I just thought that there would not be a chance for a rep to win. However I am not sure that is so much the case this time.
I have no idea who we will vote for, but since my DH is a teacher I am liking some of what I see about Ron Paul. The tax credit to teachers would be great as well as having more local control. Just my thoughts
I am really not sure why no one mentions Fred Thompson very often in our circles, but my husband and I have been watching and reading up on him for a few months. He sounds to us like the conservative we are hoping for. He hasn't voted one way on issues in the past and now dances to a different tune, at least as far as we have seen. There is a great video clip that he put out just today that we thought was so encouraging and inspiring. If you go to
www.fred08.com
you will see his video called "Fred's message to Iowa voters." He is the only one we see with ideas that not only are conservative, but might actually work and get through congress, which is where we have a hard time with Ron Paul. He has great ideas and some good things to say, but one man cannot tell congress to get rid of the IRS, the federal reserve, and other things, though we certainly wish he could!!! Anyway, that is our opinion. thanks for letting us share.
Without question or reservation, I am voting for Ron Paul. He is the only true conservative on the ticket. He is very pro-homeschooling. He is pro-life. He doesn't believe that the federal government should interfere with the personal affairs of citizens. He is hard on illegal immigration and favors building a fence to protect our borders, ending birthright citizenship etc. He has decades of political experience in Washington. He is the first candidate about whom I've felt the least bit of passion and interest in eight years. His is the first political campaign to which I have ever donated.
Huckabee might be a social conservative, but he's not conservative on economic issues and we need BOTH in this country right now. I second the suggestion that your readers head over to Spunky's blog to read up on Huckabee.
And to be honest, I am sick and tired of voting for the lesser of two evils. Romney might be able to beat Clinton, but is he the best man for the job? I don't think so. Am I so afraid of Hillary Clinton that I'm willing to compromise my political conscience just to keep her out of office? My answer is no.
Politics in this country has been boiled down to who will do the least damage and that is absolutely tragic. We've been reduced to voting for the person we hate the least.
There's another reason I'm voting for Ron Paul- not only do I not dislike him, but he is the first candidate that has actually ever made me optimistic about America's future. He has cured me of my political apathy. Can't wait for February 5th.
Ron Paul, Crystal. Mike Huckabee would be a second, but while I like his position statements, his trackrecord is unimpressive. Ron Paul votes according to the Constitiution. Consistently. Anything that I don't agree with fades in the light of what he would try to accomplish by limiting the federal government. I've tried to take a long term look at this election and I've found that some things will really not matter a hundred years from now, other things will make or break us. I'm focusing on those things. And Ron Paul is giving us a serious opportunity to turn the clock back and take back our liberties. We've been talking about this dream of the government being the way it was meant to be since high school and now too many of us are afraid to reach out and seize the opportunity. If enough people embrace personal responsibility and a return to true Consitiutional government, anything becomes possible.
I was leaning toward Huckabee until he pulled a "fast-one" with the press ("This is the ad that I'm not showing on T.V.")
I agree with you...just when I think I have my mind made up...there they go again!
Ruth, PA
This is not to create debate, but just to make you think... Feel free to comment if you can do so in a considerate manner, though. :)
On the voting for the lesser of two evils - Aren't we always, in essence, voting for the "lesser of evils"? Even if a candidate is very well-qualified, no candidate is perfect, so we're always just choosing the least "evil" in seeking to choose the best qualified, right?
Just a quick thought that I've been mulling over for the past few years. :) And now we return to the discussion at hand...
I'm registered Independent. I'll vote in the general election after you guys have narrowed the field down! Thanks!
Even if my vote doesn't count for much, it WILL count against Hillary, and that is my main concern.
My husband and I have decided at this point to vote for Mitt Romney. Out of all of the conservative ones, we are the most impressed with him. Some of the speeches he has given has been more like one of our forfathers speeches, not being ashamed to talk about God, and JESUS. You hear so many talk about God, but not many talk about Jesus. We think he would do a great job. We don't agree 100% with any one of them though....but Romney is our top pick.
I am not voting for Romney soley because he can beat Hillary. It was one reason among many and I chose to list that in this short amount of space. I believe he is the best man for the job and that is why I am voting for him. My political conscience is clear. :o)For more reasons why I'm voting for Mitt, check out http://www.evangelicalsformitt.org/
This is not a shameless plug for this site. It really helped me make an informed decision.
Dear Crystal,
Mike and I do not know who to vote for either. We may cast a vote against Hillary.
It's hard to decide because Mike and I both believe that the parties are for big business and not families. And our government and both parties has allowed our economy to be compromised. We have too much reliance on foreign cash and the dollar is falling compared to the Euro. If this continues, who knows what shape we will be in in the near future.
MP
You and I are on the same page. My husband and I have said this may be the first election where we cannot vote. Sad. I want someone to vote for, to believe in, someone I can trust! Not happening for me so far.
But, the scariest five words in the English language are...
Hillary Clinton, Commander In Chief
(makes your blood run a little cold, doesn't it?)
We have known about Ron Paul for years and have always thought he would be a great president but never dreamed he'd get this far because he is so principaled.I realize that sounds cynical. Listening to him is like a shot of sanity in the insane political machine. Like he said, he "gets his marching orders from the Constitution." Even when doing so makes him unpopular. Very refreshing!
Go Ron Paul!
I almost think it would be better to have a Democrat in office if not Ron Paul. Nothing seems to mobilize Republicans to restrict gov't growth than Democratic opposition.
My husband and I are in the same position. There just don't seem to be any candidates decent enough to vote for. In the primaries we most likely will vote for whoever is most likely to beat whoever we like less, or against Hillary! We're registered independent, so we can decide which party to vote for in the primary on election day, which is really nice.
I'll be voting for Ron Paul! The 2 main reasons are 1) He is for small government and more power for individuals 2) He consistently votes the way he says he will, which leads me to believe that he has a lot of integrity.
We are leaning towards Fred Thompson. His track record in the Senate reflects the values we believe in, and we trust him. We also think he has a good personality, very grounded and mature.
We can't support Ron Paul due to his statement that his first act as President would be to call every soldier out of Iraq. We believe that would be a "killing fields" situation on a scale more massive than that of Vietnam, and is a very irresponsible position.
I'm a Libertarian, and a moderate, and I'm stumped. Out of the "biggies", I SHOULD like Ron Paul, but I don't, and I don't think he has a chance at getting the nomination, so I'm not getting worked up about liking him either. I also should theoretically like John McCain, but I don't think he has a chance at the nom either.
I have to wait to see who is REALLY running before I focus on figuring out who to vote for. I don't vote in the primaries anyway, thank God!
We're Ron Paul supporters as well. [And I agree that some of his supporters have gone off the deep end. We would not be some of those! :)] DH & I are for LESS government and dealing with things on the state level. Don't like what's going on in your state? Head to one you like better. That's what we did almost 10 years ago.
That said, Dr. Paul has a snowball's chance in Florida, in July, of actually making it. I would rather vote my conscience and have peace about it than choose the "lesser of two evils" and regret it.
Thanks for the link to Spunky's information about Huckabee. As a homeschooler, that confirms what we've felt all along.
I'm prayerful as I plan to vote for Huckabee. He is who I've decided to vote for but I by no means believe that the salvation of this nation or hope for revival or freedom comes from a human president. I long to see the Church in America purified and full of zeal for their own right living for God to be glorified in them as the called out ones.
I'm torn cause I don't want to contradict my husband's vote which as of right now he plans to vote for Guliani. I have a hard time voting for him because of his lack of personal ability to lead in his home and his stance on life: abortion.
So I've been very prayerful and openly talking with my husband about my thoughts
Crystal, this is a good discussion. You always have to be careful with my family, discussing religion and politics can be deadly! : ) But, as I've told my mom before, I already have a savior, Jesus, so I'm not looking to vote for a perfect man who will fix all the ills of the United States. I usually end up voting against a man rather than for one. But I do tend toward the Republican/conservative end of things. We shall see.
AmyR.
Obama for me. I think it's really unfair to think that a fundamentalist of ANY religion should run the country.
I'm with you, it's hard this time around to pick a candidate. I'm also not registered in any party so I can't vote in the primary.
I personally like John McCain, Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee. I think McCain is my favorite, because he's pro-life, socially conservative, against torture, against "pork barrel" spending, is the only candidate who’s a war hero, and has lots and lots of experience. Some of these other candidates don’t have much experience at all. He doesn't seem to be much of a neocon (which I think is a disastrous ideology), but at the same time he wants to stay in Iraq, which I think is the best thing to do, at least for the time being, since things are starting to go better there.
I like a lot of Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee’s positions also, but when it comes down to it I don’t think either is quite ready to be president. I’m actually surprised McCain isn’t getting more attention and support, since he has so much experience.
We're not sure either! But, for the first time I'm thankful we just moved away from Iowa, so we have a bit more time to decide! LOL Our biggest thing is we want a President who will stand for LIFE, so that narrows our choices, but we're still a bit undecided.
Debi
Ron Paul, hands down, no one is changing my mind on that! Please educate yourselves about him!
I was going to write a short, in my words, comment to say why we support Ron Paul, but I think it would be better for you to see it all for yourself. This is his website:
http://www.ronpaul2008.com/
Please take a while to really look into it! He is a Christian too.
Also may I recommend that you get a copy of the constitution, if you don't already have one, and do a little reading and see for yourself why his stand on this is so important. We have learned a lot just by doing this ourselves.
You may also find this to be interesting:
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/31/huckabees-remarkable-play/
I could more easily tell you the down side on all the candidates then tell you my top pick. To tell you the truth, I am depending on my Dad and brother's judgment on this one and so far it is Huckabee. Ron Paul sounds "good" but I can't get over his love affair with the neo Natzis. He does seem to lean toward the libertarian way. We actually have say in this here in MI, being the third in the nation (Jan. 15) so that makes it even more scary. If McCain wins the first two we may go with him. Sometimes I think he has the best chance at winning the national election. The three off my list are Guliani, Romny, and Paul.
God being the One Who instituted government to deal with evil(Romans 13) makes it fairly difficult wanting to vote for the "lesser of evils or lesser of two evils" where evil is still the result. Yet, we know there are and have been unrighteous leaders in the world ordained by God and He just may have a bit of that in mind for this country with the ways of so many turned toward doing what is right in their own eyes rather than His.
So who to vote for? When doing a quiz months ago that I can't put my fingers on at the moment but similar to this one(search google for "presidential candidate quiz"), the candidate that had the most matches with what seemed the most Christian perspective of points suggested was Thompson(which surprised me though if I did the quiz now, my thoughts on what is the most Christian perspective may have changed with more thought). When reading from a link(read the archived columns, too) on another blog(Carmon ~ Buried Treasure Books), color me undecided but still sifting so many voices and desiring the Lord's will and leading.
Hi, We have decided to vote for Ron Paul. I second everything "dovey" said previously. He doesn't get much press coverage though, so I wonder if he will get many votes. If more people knew about him, I think they would like him. What is there not to like about him? Lori
Found the link ~ 2008 Presidential Candidate Quiz. The "View Candidate Positions" tab is interesting.
I want two things...less federal government in my life and more of my hard earned money in my pocket. Very few candidates have convinced me that they can do that. I think this is the worst pool of candidates we've ever had running for president. Nobody really jumps out at me as the candidate that I can fully get behind. It's just disappointing. But I feel I have to select someone so I am currently leaning toward Fred Thompson. He seems to be the most trustworthy candidate and the most solid conservative. I could be swayed though. It sure is helpful to know what others are thinking and why...sometimes political posts are ok, Crystal. :)
We are leaning toward Huckabee at this point. But there are others who might be viable options. We know more of who we won't be voting for. For example if Giuliani or McKain get the Republican nod and John Edwards got the Democratic nod then we would actually vote for John Edwards. We will not be voting for Obama or Clinton no matter who the Republican canidate is.
We are voting for Ron Paul. The biggest indicators of a candidate worth voting for is character and consistency. He has both in large buckets! And, yes, we have been waving signs on a street corner the last few weeks. :)
Having just followed some of the links on Huckabee and Ron Paul. I now may be leaning more toward Ron Paul. Fred Thompson is also a possibility. These three men are my only real choices. Thank you Crystal for spurring us on to research the candidates more. Let us all be on our knees to seek who God will have us elect!
Well, I could write a big post on this but I'll leave it for my own blogs. Suffice it to say: my husband and I are big Fred Thompson supporters.
I would beg everyone to be sure and research the issues and the candidates' positions. Identity politics (voting for someone because they're a woman, an "evangelical", a certain skin color, etc) is not the best way to serve our country.
Definitely Ron Paul.
I am voting for Mike Huckabee because he is an open enthusiastic communicator, he understands what it means to be an average American, has great relatability, he understands the role of being President and he'll listen to the American people and to his advisers about the War in the Middle East. He also has the most executive experience of the Republican candidates.
The Washington Post's "Choose Your Candidate" Quiz is excellent (http://projects.washingtonpost.com/2008-presidential-candidates/). You get to vote on actual statements from each candidate (anonymously) on the issues and then rank each issue in its importance to you. Then at the end it reveals which candidate you most agree with and which issues you agreed with him on.
I favor Ron Paul and Mitt Romney. I like what a previous commenter said about wishing we could elect two presidents - one for domestic policy and one for foreign. I would certainly vote Ron Paul for running our domestic affairs, but I don't remotely trust his foreign policy.
The quiz shows that I agree with Paul on energy, economy, budget, education, and poverty, and that I side with Romney on Iraq, immigration, abortion, and gun control. Iraq, immigration, and abortion are three of the most important issues to me, so in addition to finding the information on the Evangelicals for Mitt site very informative, I continue to lean toward Romney.
I'm voting for McCain because I think he will be the best on national defense which is my number one priority when voting.
I'm in NH where he is catching up with Romney. I like Romney, but he switches on issues too much.
I like Ron Paul on domestic issues.
I guess since the Bhutto assasination, I am worried about the mid-east again. We are at war and the best war leader should be a major factor in who we elect.
-Zan
Hi Crystal,
I have never voted in a primary before as there never seemed to be any real choice before (all the candidates to me are different flavors of the same brand of ice cream). But, this year I am coming out strong for Ron Paul, and I even got a bumper sticker and a big sign in my yard (never done that before!). In addition to being pro life and pro homeschooling, he has integrity that I see in no others, and he is a consitutionalist.
I like Dr. Paul because he has never voted for a pay raise for himself. He refused to be part of the congressional pension. He is not a career politician. He is against our current tax system. He wants to end benefits for illegal immigrants (paid for by the tax payers), and end citizenship for anchor babies. He wants to bring all of our soldiers home to protect our country (closing all of the overseas military bases).He voted against the war in Iraq. For the record I don't believe in being soft on terrorists, but I don't believe there is a military solution. Terrorism is largely a religious problem but we have not addressed that in our current government who insist it is a religion of peace not a religion of blowing us to pieces.
All of these things make me come out strongly in support of Paul.
My husband and I are definitely leaning toward Huckabee, simply because he seems to be the most conservative, pro-life, anti-homosexual, etc, of the candidates. I have not liked what I've heard about the other Rep. candidates (via Dr. Dobson, Michael Medved, etc). Obviously no man is perfect, neither as a politician nor a human being. We are praying for direction to vote wisely and that God's will will be accomplished in our country... it's definitely going to be an interesting election!!!
I have 2 things to say:
1) First, don't neglect to vote! It's a privilege very few in this world have; don't take that for granted.
2) And, if you're a mama, it's your duty to be politically active - for your children's sake.
God Bless!
http://neatsweetandpetite.blogspot.com/
Ron Paul.
His site has a wealth of great information. Among other things, he believes in:
1. No taxes on tips earned by waiters, waitresses, and service-sector employees.
2. The biggest threat to your privacy is the government. We must drastically limit the ability of government to collect and store data regarding citizens’ personal matters.
3.Homeschooling: My commitment to ensuring home schooling remains a practical alternative for American families is unmatched by any Presidential candidate.
I am most impressed by the fact that he stands behind his word, and votes that way too!
He has never:
-voted to raise taxes
-voted for an unbalanced
budget
-voted to raise congressional pay
-taken a gov't paid junket
- voted to increase the power
of the executive branch
*He voted against regulating the internet
*not participated in any lucrative congressional pension plan
Check his site for mor info. I truly believe his the best candidate! RonPaul2008.com
I'm voting for Huckabee, I'm pretty sure. He seems to be the only true conservative. But I'll tell you that I feel like John McCain could get the job done, defense-wise. I think that man could go toe-to-toe with Osama in a dark alley!
My family is voting for Mike Huckabee. I think it is remarkable how is coming up in the polls. We must stay in prayer for our country. I think Hillary or Obama would be a disgrace for our country.
We are voting for Ron Paul
I have considered promoting a bumper stick that says "Anyone But Hillary '08" The possibility of her as president makes my blood run cold. If she gets the demo. nomination I will vote for anyone to try and keep her out of the white house...again.
Tracy
May I encourage each person to also evaluate a candidate based on economic stance? Until this year, I had always just looked at the issues of abortion and marriage. Now, though, Ron Paul has - as another said - "cured my apathy"!
Yes, he seems "extreme" with his stance on bringing our troops home and cutting back on the federal government, but the truth is that we as a country are on the verge of a financial crisis. We simply can no longer afford to fight pre-emptive wars and police the world.
If we ignore the economic issues of our day, soon the moral issues (i.e. Does America have a responsibility to save the world?) will become irrelevant.
Like the grandma who is voting for Hilary Clinton because she is delighted to have the opportunity to vote for a woman, I have looked forward for years for the opportunity to vote for a woman for president of the United States. However, I just can't vote for Hilary. To me she represents a continuation of whats wrong with this country. I don't know who I'll vote for. Like many of you I contemplate not voting for president for the first time in my adult life. I hope to live long enough to vote for a great woman of honor for president.
Without reading any comments, I was leaning towards Huckabee, because I loved what he said, and the straightforward way he said it. However, he's made some other statements, and his record as govorner are making me hesitate. I was quite dissappointed by the press conference showing his negative add he had "repented" of. That looks like showmanship, and I really wanted him to be the genuine article.
Crystal,
I believe that Christians are called to be single-issue voters. In light of God's creation of the human person in His image, and the possibility of redemption in Christ Jesus, Christians understand the intrinsic dignity of human life and call the state to defend human life at every stage of development, and in every respect. We can thus eliminate every candidate who does not radically purport to defend human life in every respect.
The way a candidate views the weakest members of a society dictates the way that candidate will treat society as a whole; and in as much as we have cast our vote for the candidate who will defend the weakest members of society ("the least of these") we have voted as for Christ.
One of the pastors at my blog has commented on single issue voting, here: http://vocatum.blogspot.com/search?q=single+issue
DH and I are also not sure who will receive our vote, although we will obviously have to make a decision soon! DH is fairly certain that it will be Governor Huckabee, but if not him, then Governor Romney.
I must add my "plea" to the ladies above who mentioned that they might not vote at all . . . I'm sure you will be prayerfully considering what the Lord would have you do, and also please keep in mind what Christy W. mentioned in her comment above - "not" voting is indeed giving your vote to the opposition!
Myself, while I shudder at the thought of voting for Mayor Giuliani, if it came down to it, DH and I would feel compelled to choose him over Senator Clinton in the general election.
Jesus, help us and have mercy on us all!
Everyone in my family is voting for Ron Paul. We know his family personally and have never met a more humble and honest politician. If you look at his campaign platform when he first ran for congress back in the 70's you would have thought that it is the one he is running on today. That is what I call a consistent candidate.
Many people disagree with Paul on several issues, but they are voting for him anyway because they know where he stands, unlike many other candidates.
We're voting for Mike Huckabee. No, he's not perfect (I don't think he is as fiscally conservative as I would like), but I think we will be doing very well if we can get him in the white house! Not only do I agree with his positions, but I think he has the personality, speaking abilities and quickness on his feet that could help him beat the democratic nominee. He also has a way of speaking that communicates well and unifies people, which is important in a president.
I like a lot of Ron Paul's positions, but it scares me to think of him when it comes to national defense. He would let Iraq become a breeding ground for terrorists and open us up to attack. He also has no chance against the democratic nominee.
We are probably voting for Ron Paul. If you don't know much about him, you should check him out!
RON PAUL FOR PRESIDENT
http://www.thebirdman.org/Index/Temp/Temp-101ReasonsToSupportRonPaul.htm
(Reasons Why to Support Ron Paul)
http://www.ronpaul2008.com/
http://www.ronpaul2008.com/homeschoolers/