The Conservative Son

Let me be, perhaps, the first to predict that in a year when President Obama kicks off his reelection campaign, the experience that he said didn't matter two years ago, will be his main argument for reelection. The experience that didn’t matter for John McCain will be the salient reason for reelection of our president.




Funny how a thing like that works. You don’t have to have any experience to set on the president’s cabinet, to be a Supreme Court Justice or even to be President of the most powerful nation on the planet.



You don’t have to have ever had a real job. You don’t have to have ever have hired or fired anyone. You don’t have to have ever had to have met a payroll. You don’t have to have ever have had any accomplishments whatsoever! You don’t have to have ever done anything more than get yourself elected to a couple of political offices. Still, none of that matters if you talk glibly about “hope and change.” Sheesh!



It reminds me of the ‘92 campaign, when military service and/or draft dodging didn’t matter because Bill Clinton was a Democrat. Yet, in 2000, when questions were raised about George Bush’s honorable service, suddenly it did matter since he is a Republican. Well, when the campaign commercials begin next year that talk about the “steady, experienced, proven leadership of Barack Obama,” that explosion you hear is not the balloon going up…it’s my head!

Labels: Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Democrat, George Bush, John McCain, presidential campaign, presidents, Republican, Supreme Court

So, Mancow decided to have himself water boarded. I saw the video on You Tube. He lasted less than five seconds, setting up from the table, coughing and spitting and complaining. He said that it really was torture. Then he rambled on about nearly drowning as a child.

I only know Mancow from Fox News. He's always entertaining and seems to be consistently conservative. Mostly, the guy is manic. Oh, boy, I mean, manic!

So, I see him subject himself to this "enhanced interrogation technique," known as water boarding, only to say, in his analysis, that it is torture. Say it? He couldn't shut up about it! For a man who was just subjected to "torture," he didn't have any problem running his mouth ninety miles an hour just like he always does.

I know John McCain says water boarding is torture, but let's be real about it. What I saw happen to Mancow doesn't even begin to compare to what happened to our servicemen at the hands of the Germans, Japanese, North Koreans or in the Hanoi Hilton.

Come on, people! Let's have a little perspective about things!

If I ever hear a presidential candidate stand up and say, "If we have a terrorist in custody, who our intelligence causes us to believe, beyond a reasonable doubt, has information about an impending plot to kill hundreds or even thousands of Americans, I will personally pull his fingernails out one by one until he tells us where the bomb is hidden." That man will get my vote!

Labels: John McCain, Mancow, presidential campaign, torture, water board

We are all about the "lesser of two evils." We make so many of our decisions thinking, "Well, it could be worse."

Granted, counting our blessings and looking for that silver lining is admirable. Yet, we, far too many times, sacrifice the best for the good.

Now, I'm not one who can set in judgement over anyone! My life is so full of hypocrisies and contradictions that I often don't know which way is up. There are things that I hardly blink at and there are things that I'll die for. Of course, there are many things in the middle that I react to in a host of almost indeterminable ways.

So, what's my point? I'm getting to that.

I certainly don't mean to be harsh or accuse anyone that I'm fond of and respect as being "evil." Still, in this election, as in so many things in life, I hear the words the "lesser of two evils" over and over again.

I am a traditional conservative, (and I know what that means.) I am pro-life, pro-gun and pro-family. I believe their are right ways and wrong ways to do things. I think, with faith in God, we can do the right thing. I am constantly reminded of what my father said, "If any way will do, then no way will do just as well."

Now, we've got a couple of presidential candidates, one of which, is completely unacceptable if you truly believe in a loving, yet, holy God. The other, while a fine man of singular character and integrity, is a hard pill to swallow for us federalist minded conservatives. Yes, John McCain has many good qualities that I admire and respect, but virtually all the Republicans I talk to refer to him as the "lesser of two evils."

Furthermore, I am very traditional in my views on the role of women in the family, society at large and the military. Yet, I am faced with being cornered into voting for a woman to be a heart-beat away from becoming Commander-in-Chief. Ironically, though, I am more closely aligned with Governor Palin, politically speaking, than I am with Senator McCain.

I strongly believe that women should get equal work for equal pay, (but the work must be equal,) should be able to extend their education as far as they can financially and intellectually do so and should be able to have a fair shot at any job they are qualified for, (as long as they are truly "qualified" for that job.)

Yes, women and men are equal in the eyes of God. Still, having differing roles does not degrade one's value as human beings or importance to our nation, family or church. We all have a role to play. None more important than another and all very necessary.

Now, speaking as the male chauvinist pig that I am, I am faced with a great conundrum. Should a woman, even a brilliant, conservative, Christian woman be a heart beat away from the presidency? Simply because she can get herself elected? Even more, should I vote for her?

Supposing I do vote for her and she is elected, what then? If a woman is "qualified" to be president, she is darn well qualified for any job! If she is president, that makes her commander-in-chief or our armed forces. Can we honestly then tell women, who so desire, that they can't be in, for example, combat vocations in the military? If commander-in-chief, why not platoon leader? How about combat infantry? The SEALs? The Green Berets? Where do we draw the line? Will we be able to draw a line at all?

I obviously don't think McCain or Palin are evil, (though, I'm not to sure about the other team,) but I'm just a little tired of hearing people say, "Think of the alternative." I'm also greatly surprised about the many chauvinists that I've been hanging with so many years who seem so easily swayed to cast their vote for a woman.

I really don't mean to degrade anyone...especially women! My mother was a woman. My wife is a woman. My daughter is a little woman. I love them all dearly. I'm just not completely convinced that this move will take our country in the Godly direction we claim we desire.

Furthermore, the homogenization of the sexes sounds like a good idea on the surface to some. Yet, upon closer examination, it opens a Pandora's Box that I fear won't advance our society in the way that some theorize it will.

Finally, I know for whom I'm going to vote. So, I'm going to just shut up, bite the bullet, hold my nose and do what, I hope, is the right thing.

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I Samuel 16

10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.

11And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

12And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

Labels: John McCain, politics, presidential campaign, Sarah Palin