and the other side

Beings I am a registered Democrat, part of that base you read about as I have even donated money to Democratic candidates, it's hard to write about Republican candidates. I do pay attention to them, but disagree with them all.

The Republican candidates appear to be mostly me-toos where it comes to George W. Bush. If they see Bush as having done a good job, right there, it's a major conflict with me-- like what kind of judgment would they have if they got in power? They want to keep all the tax cuts for the rich (gotta keep that debt building). Except for Ron Paul, they plan to stay in Iraq forever and maybe bomb Iran in their the military's spare time. There is no contradiction in their minds between an expensive war and lowering taxes that could pay for it. Their stance on torture is just as tortured (except for McCain who knows a bit about the subject).

So you have Mr 9/11, Giuliani, who brags about how he'll keep us safe from another terrorist attack because he's such a tough guy-- but you never hear him talk about why the command center for the Port Authority, which basically meant the fire and police for NYC, were all in the World Trade Center, long targeted by terrorists, where others with better judgment said, don't put it there. His blind stubbornness does not make one think he'd make a good president. The corruption in his background doesn't make you feel he'd be trustworthy in any aspect of leadership-- not to mention how much he likes dictator powers.

In this election, I believe there is also something new for Republicans to consider--two fundamentalists. Before I go farther, I better define some terms as I will use them. Others might define them differently-- these are my terms.

Christian: follower of Jesus Christ's teachings but might update what they mean for a modern era

christianist: claims the name but would consider Christ's teachings socialism, ignores the parts about not judging others, praying in a closet, difficulty of a rich man being spiritual [Christ used the metaphor getting into the kingdom of heaven which can be taken to mean after death or enlightenment during life]

fundamentalist Christian: takes what Jesus said in the King James Bible to be exactly what one should do; and if it's not there, well let your pastor explain what you should do. All spiritual truth has already been explained and you don't need to learn more.

Mormon: if jack Mormon, you don't take the teachings of the church seriously. If Mormon, the president of the church decrees how to live your life and you follow it or you are out. There are strict rules. Some say Mormonism is not Christian but Mormons claim it is. They are fundamentalists in that they have to believe what their leader says is true or they revert to part one above.

So Huckabee is a fundamentalist Christian, in my opinion. It seems most likely that his religious fervor has convinced him that's reason enough to be the president, as he hopes it will be for many voters. He doesn't appear to believe he needs to study up on foreign policy or even know what those issues are. Like our christianist president, he seems to count on divine guidance in the tough times.

Why I say he's a fundamentalist Christian is he says he doesn't believe in evolution, appears to take the Bible literally (even when it was not meant that way), believes in helping the poor, and appears to think one should live a gospel-driven life (who knows if he does but that's what confession is for).

I do not think being a member of any religion is a reason to vote for or against them unless the religion teaches something bad-- or encourages purposeful ignorance. Fundamentalism (of all sorts) follows the latter path.

I do not believe, that someone who let their church leader tell them being black was the sign of Cain from the Old Testament and therefore that person is unfit to be a priest, can be anything but a fundamentalist. Sorry it's that way but nothing the members can do about it. It's how it is from god on high who speaks direction on these important issues only to our religious leader. I'll pull over to the side of the road and cry when I hear our Mormon president has gotten new divine orders (as Romney claims he did regarding the bigotry of his church).

I would personally not vote for someone who dismissed science, didn't bother to get educated as to what science can teach us. If your religion is able to dictate something illogical to you, like that mark of Cain nonsense, what else can it tell you to do or think? Side note: What is there about religion that seems to turn off some people's brains?

In my opinion, it's important to do your own research on the candidates you prefer. For instance, supposed you were a fundamentalist Christian (unlikely you'd still be reading this blog but just pretend) and liked Huckabee's religion. Check out his record as governor, the questionable paroles, the corruption, the gifts he personally took, what he did versus how he talked.

A lot of people are so disillusioned with our system that they don't want to think about it. They do not want to research candidates. They want information spoon fed them. I hear it a lot regarding Obama-- we don't know anything about him. Well Ingineer66, a frequent commenter here, went looking, and wrote about it in the comments here-- information that didn't come to him through god's special messaging system.

This is no time to be lazy about your leader. We are in a war, maybe a second on the horizon if some of these chicken hawks get their way. We have a president who has been gutting and even selling off our infrastructure, given tax breaks to the richest while he spread pennies to the middle class, and took programs from the environment and the poorest. He has set in place a structure that enables a president to ignore laws Congress passes, break civilized rules that have been considered to be the standard-- all at his whim. The next president matters a lot if any of that is to be reversed. Don't count on simple blogs like this one or speeches during a debate or campaign. Research the facts for your children and grandchildren's sake-- maybe even your own generation as it's going. Find out for yourself what these people do and what they say they believe

As a small example of Hucakbee's beliefs, he favors eliminating the income tax and replacing it with a national sales tax, which some economists also like; but which, unless it is not on food and drugs, is hardest on the poor. He follows the Old Testament guidelines about homosexuality (but am guessing he doesn't favor stoning gays to death nor disobedient children). He has gone back and forth on whether torture is okay but wants the prison in Guantanamo to stay-- last I read.

These Republican candidates are making John McCain look good and given how McCain has kissed up to Bush, wants to lock in the tax cuts making our debt spiral, and supports staying in Iraq fifty years, if not more, you can see where that puts the rest.

Not that any of them care about my opinion, since in Oregon you have to vote in your own primary and if you were registered as an Independent you can't vote in any-- which is why I am registered as a Democrat. I will have a voice in my primary and I will do the work to be informed on at least what these people say they believe. I know... it doesn't always rarely ends up being what they do.

If you are informed, you are less apt to be influenced by something that probably helped win Hillary the New Hampshire primary when a guy yelled out iron my shirts or when she got teary. That guy could have been a plant given the rest of how her bunch operates. This is how campaigns are won, but it only impacts those who are not informed and thus easily swayed by soundbites. Know the positions and you won't be one of them.