A while back I posted this and some of you were disappointed in my decision. I have wrestled with this decision more than I have ever wrestled with a political decision. Normally I am totally sure who I am going to vote for, normally I vote party lines. However, something happened to me between 2004 and today. Something that changed how I view politics.

My post about why I would vote for John McCain still stands. Foreign policy experience is why I would vote for him. However, last Sunday when Collin Powell announced he was endorsing Obama, things changed for me. Powell was the only voice of reason in the Bush Administration, he was the sole practitioner of “diplomacy before invasion” policies and he was completely shut out and then dismissed. I have always respected Powell, he was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and he is a Four Star General, which gives him major street credentials in foreign policy.

As I sat and listened to Mr. Powell’s brief explanation of why he was voting for Obama, I realized that I had a decision to make yet again. As a Christian and a long time Republican, I have always stood for the following principles:

• small government
• reduced taxes
• limited government interference in the private sector
• limited use of “choice” i.e. – health of the mother, rape/incest
• energy independence i.e. – the use of multiple sources vs. oil/gas only
• states rights -meaning the right of each state in the union to decide on certain policy issues for themselves
• no “nation building” foreign policy exercises

The above list is what traditionally the RNC has stood for – until the Republican rise to power in 2000 and the complete hijacking of the party by the “religious right” and Karl Rove. I know, you are wondering why I would be concerned about the religious right when I proclaim to be a Christian. The answer is simple – I don’t believe those in the religious right have my beliefs in mind. I think they are fundamentalists who wish to preserve a certain way of life, not a Biblical perspective. They have hijacked the Republican party and just like any other lobbying group – became drunk on the power. Karl Rove knew that Christians have certain “hot button” issues like abortion and he completely extorted the Christian community by making us all believe that if you are a Christian you can only vote Republican because of this issue and a few others. My friends, this simply isn’t true.  George W. Bush proclaims to be a evangelical Christian. He appointed two judges to the Supreme Court. He and his party had total dominance in Congress until the 2006 election. NOTHING HAS CHANGED ON THE ISSUE OF ABORTION. It is a total falsehood to think that if you elect a Republican the issue of abortion will be dealt with.

So, here I am, lost in a sea of political confusion and turmoil. I keep going back to a book a I read a few years back called Blue Like Jazz. Donald Miller is a writer I look up to for so many reasons but mostly because he challenged my worldview. When it comes to churches and government – really what would Jesus do? What would he think? Was he not most concerned about the needy, the helpless and the lost? Where are those people in today’s politics? In today’s churches? Have we as Christians been completed co-opted by the Republican party to think there is only one way to represent our God? I call shenanigans on that.

Let me be clear that I don’t believe the Democrats are any more sincere or moral than the Republicans. The truth is, politics are ugly and the people elected to higher office are mostly self-involved. They may not have started that way but the system leaves you very little choice – trust me, I’ve seen it firsthand. What now you ask? Throw up your hands and walk away? Don’t vote? Absolutely not.

This election has caused a deep and visceral reaction from America – we must be growing as a country because it appears that we are going to split at the seams. Since my vote for Bush in 2004, I have been in a confusing and awkward slow dance with politics. I love it but I am sick of my feet being stepped on. I am sick of being led in a direction that I fear is wrong. So, I am going to do what my heart has told me since the beginning of this election when I bought that t-shirt and sparked a controversy at Starbucks in Washington, D.C.

I don’t think that Obama will change the system or the world. I don’t think he will always represent me and my beliefs. I do however, think that he has the leadership qualities that this country is currently lacking and I think his ideas are worth a shot. We have had 8 years of failed policies – policies that frankly don’t even represent true republican beliefs. I am ready for change and I am ready for Obama.

Today I read two of my favorite bloggers, then sat staring at my computer in total disbelief. Let me explain…

I am a woman. I am a woman who has been pregnant 5 times. I am a woman who only has 2 children to show for those 5 pregnancies. I am a woman who had to have a D&C three times in order to remove embryo’s that had unexpectedly died in the womb. I understand the issues related to pregnancy, pregnancy loss and fertility. I understand them more than I would like to.

So, with that said… I bring a large amount of bias to the discussion of abortion. I have experienced the “empty arms” of a pregnant woman whose baby is no longer alive inside of her. The thought of choosing that out of convenience is abhorrent to me.  However, I refuse to stand in judgement of those who have, that is not my purpose or place and that is not the point of this post.

However, when I read posts both here and here about how a “thinking woman” couldn’t vote for McCain because of his stance on abortion, I wanted to stand on a hill and scream. First of all, that you would incite women who are well rounded creatures (not unlike their male counterparts) to vote on a single issue, well that alone insults my intelligence. Secondly, to assert that there is only one way to think on this subject is absurdly naive. Have we really come to the point as a society that we want above all else to protect the right to terminate a pregnancy? THAT is what we are going to fight FOR?

What about the children? What about the fact that we as a society haven’t educated men and women enough to know that if you participate in action A, the result could be B? No, instead we just want to make sure that after the “action” a woman can walk into a clinic and “take care of business.”

I understand that Julia (aka alittlepregnant) is talking mostly about the health of the mother issue. I agree that a woman should have “choice” in this instance. However, there has to be a reasonable definition of “health” and John McCain was absolutely correct – the pro-choice advocates have expanded this definition. I am not a doctor so I will leave this definition up the medical community.

However, the stats on abortion are staggering. Twenty-two percent of ALL pregnancies end in abortion. From 1973 to 2005 more than 45 MILLION abortions have been performed. Three-fourths of women having abortions cite financial concerns. Forty-six percent of women having abortions HAVE NOT USED CONTRACEPTIVES. You can read a lot more facts here.

I do not want to demonize the women who have to make this choice. I do however want to point out the fact that a generation of women since Roe vs. Wade have rallied around a cause that is not worthy of celebration and protection to the point where it would be the deciding factor in a political election. We are a country of ingenuity and intelligence and this is the “right” we boast in protecting?

Why can’t we rally around appropriate sex education? Why can’t we discuss options besides termination? Why does abortion have to be the answer for so many women? Can we not keep some sense of self-control as a part of this debate? Or do we legislative to the lowest common denomination and then simply hope for the moral best? I think we can do better. I think our politicians and N.O.W have done this country a disservice. Roe vs. Wade may be here to stay but it is NOTHING to celebrate.

Okay people, I went to an event last night for a Master’s program. I sat and listened to several professor’s speak and I was transported back to my undergraduate eduction.

You see, I am a rebel at heart. Just ask my mom. If you tell me do something, chances are I am going to resist. If you find a way to convince me it is my idea, then I will do it – but if I feel compelled…forget it.  As I sat at the feet of mighty academia for four years receiving an education from a public university in political science, I was crammed with liberal jargon. Seriously sometimes I felt like the prof’s were standing on my head shoving their beliefs down my throat – “Kennedy! Johnson! The Great Society! Reagan was crazy! Capitalism is evil! Lincoln wasn’t really a Republican!”

I hated this – it made me look for answers to the contrary. It made me embrace the seedy underworld of conservative philosophy with a vengeance. By the time I graduated, suma cum laude thank you, I was a full blown member of the Young Republicans. After college I went to work for the Republican Party in California and chugged the conservative kool aid.

This brings me to now. Now I don’t know what I am. Now I wonder if I can stomach either party. I am jaded and lost in a sea of political turmoil. However, last night as I sat and listened to the less than subtle hatred for all things conservative, it began to well up again – that Republican pride. I wanted to yell – Elitists! and run out of the room. I wanted to argue for everything that I don’t even really believe in now just because I can’t stand being told what to believe. I can’t stand the presentation of political theory as truth. There is no one way when it comes to political discourse. To believe otherwise is naive.

So – if you hate me because I am a Republican…blame the public school system.

In 2000 we elected a President with very little experience in foreign policy. He came across as a ”man’s man” and an everyday guy. He led us to believe he would surround himself with smart people in order to fill in his gaps of knowledge.  

In 2008, we reside in a world filled with chaos, both financial and political. On the political side, we are involved in two wars directly, Afghanistan and Iraq. We are also engaged in several indirect battles with North Korea, Russia and Iran. Who is to blame for all of this is unclear. At this point, I am not sure it matters.

This brings me to my point. Obama is a visionary, a skilled orator and a savvy politician. However, he has no experience in foreign policy. At all. He has opposed every action, which is meritorious to a point, however, he has no record of policy development with foreign countries.

McCain is old. He appears grumpy. He has been tied to his “aye” vote to enter Iraq and he has been successfully painted with the Bush Administration “brush” by the Obama camp. I disagree with his politics on some level, however, I do respect his ability to stand up to his party (which he has). I also agree with his stance on nuclear energy and his belief in limited government intervention in people’s lives.

One thing you can not argue about McCain is his foreign policy credentials. You can not look at that man and say he doesn’t understand the tightrope that must be walked internationally. You may disagree with his direction but you can not argue his understanding or experience.

So, as of today, I think that my vote goes to McCain because I think experience matters. This is a really hard decision for me because there are things about both candidates that I really like/dislike. However, safety and international security are really important and I don’t think it is prudent to put these tumultuous times into inexperienced hands. We did that in 2000 and look where we ended up.

P.S. If Biden were on the top of the Democratic ticket, my vote would be different.

P.P.S. If McCain dies, we are screwed. But I can not vote based solely on that fact.

P.P.P.S. I am PMS-ing this week and reserve the right to change my mind again next week.

All I want to do is drink my coffee but the people, oh the people, won’t leave me alone this morning! Emails, texts, phone calls all asking the same question: “What did you think of the debate?” I wish I could say that I have some incredibly original take on last night’s events. All I can offer is the following casual observations and then I will point you to some good reads about the debate, people who said it better than I can.

1. Palin was WAY TO FOLKSY. BTW – why does she have a midwestern accent? She sounds like she was auditioning for Fargo, the sequel.

2. Palin did much better than I expected. She didn’t fall down or say a name wrong or act like a total idiot. However, she did say “Joe six pack” and I wanted to throw things at the television.

3. Biden said “Bosniacs” and I immediately laughed out loud. This man is supposed to be a foreign relations expert. Yikes.

4. Biden was off his game – he is totally stumped by Palin and her “down home” nature. Normally this guy is a bulldog, I guess pit bull trumps bull dog any day.

5. I have worked in politics for years and even I couldn’t stand to watch the whole debate.

Okay, on to some good summaries………..

Dooce’s husband offers some good blow by blow action on the debate at Blurbomat

NY Times has an unusuall good opinion article about the debate. (Mom you will like this one)

Apparently the American people, aka Joe Six Pack, turned in big Neilson ratings for this “Thrilla in Manilla”

For those readers out there who watched – what did you think?

Okay people I get it. For one reason or another those of you who know me personally think that I resemble Sarah Palin. Apparently my fervent love for politics and my outspoken nature (along with my glasses) is enough for ALL of my friends and family to send gobs of emails and text messages saying “OMG, it was like watching you on the television!”

For the past two weeks the Easy Swede has been an infirmary. First Isaac had tonsulitis and bronchitis, then Joshua got croup. Four days ago I came down with tonsulitis and laryngitis. Now Kevin has some “itis” as well – for all I know he is suffering from “pain in the ass-itis” from listening to all of the whining that has gone on here for the past two weeks. So why am I telling you about our malady and what does it have to do with Sarah Palin?

Well, yesterday I went to urgent care, where after being questioned about my drug seeking habits, I was written a prescription for Tylenol with codeine. As it turns out, codeine was the one thing missing in my life! My creative gene was apparently inactive prior to my codeine use and now it has been unlocked and I managed to produce some art for you all to enjoy. Also, I will write more about the urgent care visit later, as it was truly memorable.

Hopefully this will put to rest the Sarah Palin text messages.