Why I'm not all that upset

I don't think McCain would have been a good president. There. I said it.

Would he have been preferable to Obama in some areas? Maybe. The main reason I supported him was the issue of life and the possible appointment of Supreme Court justices, but I never really had any confidence that he would have been less of a compromiser in that area than he has always been.

He has never been a conservative. He has trampled on the First Amendment. And I'm glad he won't be president.

Does that mean I'm happy with Obama? Of course not. I still think he's a socialist. There's already talking about appointing a global warming czar. (YAY! More government!) But I am going to wait and see what he does. Some of his supporters are going to be disappointed. I won't, because I'm not expecting anything good.

Pastor Petersen has a good post about our new president-elect.

I do think that having a black president is a good thing for our society. I know some of my friends don't see this. Maybe the "goodness" of this is more apparent to those of us who have grown up in integrated areas and have many individual black people about whom we care. It shouldn't matter, but the reality is that skin color has mattered very much in our history. I pray for his safety and that his administration helps to heal wounds.

And I hope he is a good president. Over the past eight years we have heard liberals and members of the media hoping that George Bush would fail. We have heard them gloating about everything that has gone wrong. Let's not be like them. Let's not hope he screws up so "we" can take control in four years. Peace and prosperity are best for America no matter who the president is.

I like this perspective

Evan posted Jonah Goldberg's thoughts on the election to his blog. They are well worth a read.

Time to pray for our president-elect.

Time to chill

As of 6:00 last night I had to put aside my very strong political opinions and put on my non-partisan Election Inspector hat. It always amazes me how easily I am able to do this. It amazes me that I can go have a great day in a polling place that voted 90% for Obama. It surprises me that I can happily instruct person after person, in answer to their questions, exactly how they vote straight Democrat.

But I love it. I love the people at my precincts. I love being a part of the process.

Now I'm home, having my post election gyro and a pumpkin ale. Yes, I am watching the election returns. But I refuse to be stressed. I've been humming--and slowly memorizing--one hymn for two weeks now. I've emailed it to my mom and a couple of non-Lutheran friends. You Lutherans may be able to predict what's coming, but here it is anyway.

"Praise the Almighty, My Soul, Adore Him"
by Johann D. Herrnschmidt, 1675-1723
Translated by Alfred Brauer, 1866-1949

1. Praise the Almighty, my soul, adore Him!
Yea, I will laud Him until death.
With songs and anthems I'll come before Him
As long as He doth give me breath.
From Him my life and all things came;
Bless, O my soul, His holy name.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

2. Trust not in princes, they are but mortal;
Earth-born they are and soon decay.
Naught are their counsels at life's last portal,
When the dark grave doth claim its prey.
Since, then, no man can help afford,
Trust ye in Christ, our God and Lord.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

3. Blessed, yea, blessed is he forever
Whose help is in the Lord most high,
Whom from the saving faith naught can sever
And who in hope to Christ draws nigh.
To all who trust in Him, our Lord,
Counsel and aid He doth afford.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

4. God the Almighty, the great Creator,
Ruler of sky and land and sea,
All things ordained, and sooner or later
They come to pass unfailingly.
His rule is over rich and poor,
His promise ever standeth sure.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

5. Penitent sinners, for mercy crying,
Pardon and peace from Him obtain;
Ever the wants of the poor supplying,
Their faithful God He doth remain.
He helps His children in distress,
The widows and the fatherless.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

6. Praise, O mankind, now the name so holy
Of Him who doth such wondrous things!
All that hath being, to praise Him solely,
With happy heart its "Amen" sings!
Children of God, with angel host
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

The Lutheran Hymnal
Hymn #26
Text: Ps. 146
Author: Johann D. Herrnschmidt, 1714
Translated by: Alfred Brauer, 1925, alt.
Titled: "Lobe den Herren, o meine Seele"
Tune: "Lobe den Herren, o meine"
1st Published in: _Seelenharfe_
Town: Onolzbach, 1665

A few final thoughts

Of course, we all knew I couldn't let this week pass without one last political post.

First my friend Jenny shares this. Sorry Obama fans, this is scary stuff. Combine this with Obama's long-standing antipathy to individual gun rights and it's no surprise that sales of guns and ammo are up.

Then we have the usual libs threatening to leave the country if McCain wins. Please. Go already.
Then there are those who predict violence if Obama loses. These are the folks who consider themselves so reasonable.

Obama surrounds himself with such thoughtful people.

Enough. I'm getting all agitated again.

I've done my part

I've voted.

I waited in line for 2 1/2 hours to vote. I had to vote today since I will be working at a precinct other than my own on election day. Next election I'll go back to an absentee ballot.

Not much to say

I can't stand to write any more about the election. Right now I'm just praying.

Actually, I'm praying lots, because I got my Treasury of Daily Prayer, yesterday and I've spent quite a bit of time geeting familiar with it. This is going to be a very good thing!

I've ironed more cloth napkins. And listened to more Issues, etc.

I've filled two recycling bins and a black garbage bag with junk from my office.

We're getting pirate costumes together for tomorrow night.

This and that

The kids and I are going to see Governor Palin Saturday when she visits Fort Wayne. We don't normally get many national candidates here, so I'm excited that my kids are going to have this experience.

The closer the election gets, the more worried I get about the results of an Obama presidency. When we talk about nominating Supreme Court justices the focus tends to be on abortion, and Obama does have an abortion "litmus test" for potential justices, but there are many ways an activist liberal Obama court could change America.

By the way, in the last debate Obama said that no one is pro-abortion. I beg to differ. If anyone can be said to be pro-abortion, and I believe some can, Obama is.

Great political post

My friend RPW has said many of the things I've been thinking but have just been too tired and fried to write.

I will very likely have a political post bubble up in the next couple of days. But for now, go read hers.

On the campaign trail

This is very interesting reading.

Apparently traveling with McCain is more pleassant than traveling with Obama.

Go watch this video

This YouTube video was linked in the comment on my last post. Yeah, those Democrats had nothing to do with this crisis.

Whose fault is it?

I am so tired of seeing Obama's spokespeople today somehow blaming John McCain for what's happening on Wall Street. There's plenty of blame to go around.

Why I find Obama terrifying

Public Allies.

William Ayers. And not just because he's a terrorist.

The way he deals with his critics.

The Second Amendment.

The perfect is the enemy of the good

This Voltaire quote is one that has been important to me over the years, because I am a perfectionist and my perfectionism often leads to inaction if I can't be the best. (In the original French, the word commonly translated perfect is more properly translated best.)

I think that in this election year, there is much danger of the perfect being the enemy of the good.

Many of us who consider ourselves to be conservative have problems with McCain. The problems have names: McCain-Feingold, McCain-Lieberman, McCain-Kennedy. Barack Obama is, of course, not an option. So we've agonized. Do we hold our nose a bit and vote for McCain because he will appoint those strict constructionist justices? Or do we dip our toes into the tepid waters of third-party politics and cast a vote for Bob Barr or Chuck Baldwin?

The addition of Sarah Palin to the ticket has encouraged many of us who are pro-life. She has energized us by showing some of the spirit that we have wanted to see from the Republican Party over the past several years. For some of us, this is looking like enough to make us pull that lever for McCain.

But there are many out there who are still thinking they'll sit it out or vote third party because McCain isn't perfect. Or because Palin is a woman and this isn't her place. Or because they feel like they would be compromising.

The reality is that it will either be McCain or Obama winning in November. Unless something tragic happens one of them will be the next president. It is inarguable that Obama will, at the first opportunity, appoint justices who will protect Roe v. Wade. For me, the appointment of at least two Supreme Court Justices, is a good enough reason to take a chance on McCain.

Those who are teetering and vote for a third party candidate or stay at home will bear some of the responsibility if Obama wins. To quote my favorite band, "If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice." Some of them seem willing to take that chance.

I would ask them to reconsider. Politics isn't religion. In matters of faith, certainty and the Perfect are worth protecting, fighting for, even dying for. But in politics perfection is an illusion and even the most ideal-seeming candidates can let us down. Can we afford in this election to let the perfect be the enemy of the good?

They don't get Palin

The media and the blogosphere has exploded over Sarah Palin. Much of what they've written has seemed tabloidesque. Some of it is factual. Some of it is not.

When they do start to talk about her record, they seem to have trouble getting it right.
I mean, everyone knows she supports teaching creationism in public schools. Right? Wrong! (Note, this is not about what you or I believe, this is about media myopia.)

What about those earmarks? It's being widely reported that under her leadership Alaska received earmarks of $295 per capita, the highest in the country. What they don't tell you is that that is down. Way down. From $800 per capita last year and $1013 per capita the year before that. Now, I don't favor earmarks. In fact, I'd like to see them gone. But I have read several analyses that say Alaska's land mass, climate, and distance from the mainland are among the reasons for the high per capita amount.

Would she have been my first pick for VP? No. But neither were any of the people who were being talked about in the media. Is she a perfect candidate? No. But she is certainly looking better than the alternative.

At what point does a baby get human rights?

There was no way I was going to watch Rick Warren talk to the presidential candidates last night instead of the Olympics. I have my priorities. Besides, one of the gifts of the internet is that you can always find a YouTube video.

I've seen several videos, and a few news reports, and haven't seen anything surprising. I'm still not enthusiastic, but my friend RPW has a video on her blog that shows why I'll likely vote for McCain.

(I love it when Obama says that question is above his pay grade. We certainly wouldn't want to promote him then!)

Political commentary

I keep trying to get excited about McCain. Really. But I keep thinking of how he was involved in filleting freedom of speech, and it makes me nervous.

So I kinda like this shirt.

Not that I'd wear it, but I might consider the bumper sticker.

Election Day

If you live in Indiana, tomorrow is election day. All over the state people like me are arriving at polling places at 5:00 am and staying there all day. The least you all can do is go vote. :)

Patrick gets to cast his first votes tomorrow, since he'll be 18 by the general election.

Common sense wins

The Supreme Court announced its decision on the Indiana Voter ID law today.

Amazingly, common sense won the day. The state can require a photo ID from voters on election day. Indiana has tried to make this as easy as possible. They have made free ID cards available for non-drivers. Nursing home residents who vote at their nursing home do not need ID. A voter who forgets his ID can cast a provisional ballot and has ten days to prove their identity.

I have worked three elections since the voter ID law passed. I worked at a polling place--in a nursing home--that took in three of the poorest precincts in the city. I have never yet seen a voter turned away for lack of ID. We had a couple of people who had to go back out to their cars to grab ID. We didn't have one complaint. People thought it made sense. They were mostly poor people, mostly black and hispanic, mostly democrat, in short, those who the critics say this law will hurt.

This election I will be running another precinct of the same sort. I'll let you all know if there are any problems, but I don't anticipate any.

I'm glad I'll be out of town

The Clintons just can't stay away from Ft. Wayne.

First Bill came to visit and now it's Hil's turn. Her choice of location strikes me as strange, and will doubtless cause some nice congestion in an already very busy commercial area with a convoluted traffic pattern, especially coming as it does on Friday evening.

I am thankful that I'll be safely out of town before her arrival.