Politics

As we move into the final weeks of the American presidential campaign, I want to urge my fellow Americans–especially the people of faith–to look carefully at the choice before them. Every election is important, but this one is extremely pivotal because of the issues at stake and the place in history in which we find ourselves. Only one other time have I felt this urgency to speak out boldly about choosing our nation’s highest leader, and that was thirty-two years ago. 1976 was eerily similar to 2008. The Democratic ticket contained a professing liberal Christian in Jimmy Carter and another strong liberal in Walter Mondale. The Republican side boasted two conservative-moderates in Gerald Ford and Bob Dole. I wrote my first book that year on the Carter candidacy (What About Jimmy Carter -published by Third Century Publishers) and accurately predicted that his presidency would be a disaster both socially, economically, and military-wise. During the “malaise” of the Carter years, most of what I warned came true–and fortunately the nation awoke from its slumber and elected Ronald Reagan in a landslide in 1980. Reagan brought “Morning in America” back to the US, started the longest economic expansion in our history and laid the foundation for the fall of Russian Communism.

That was a generation ago. In 2008 the choice that we face is stunningly similar to 1976. At its most basic level, the presidential race boils down to this:

Do we want to “change” into a FAR LEFT (secular) nation or renew and expand our CENTER-RIGHT (Christian) foundations? When it’s all said and done, that’s the choice. It cannot be stated more simply or or clearly. Our choice is either FAR LEFT or CENTER-RIGHT. Which will America choose?

FAR LEFT – Barak Obama is a talented politician. He’s charismatic, energetic, likable, and certainly one of the best orators America has heard in a presidential campaign. After the struggle of the Iraq War, it became easy to believe in him and accept his message of hope. He was young, fresh, ambitious, and he wowed us with his sermon-like message of “Change We Can Believe In.” I totally understand why millions of people–including many people of faith–were drawn to him and his message.

But Barak Obama–regardless of his skin color–is a FAR LEFT politician. he’s a quintessential liberal, in fact, the number one liberal in the United States Senate. He’s to the left of Jimmy Carter and also George McGovern. What does that mean in terms of where he will lead us? Here’s what will happen:

• Abortion will be re-affirmed as a “fundamental right” and Roe v. Wade put in political cement for the next 20-50 years. Obama will choose one-to-three Supreme Court justices who will turn the Court leftward for at least a generation. Barak Obama has said that one of his first acts as president will be to push through the “Freedom of Choice Act” (FOCA) which would strike down most of the state restrictions on abortions. Instead of turning the tide in the battle for the unborn, millions more children would needlessly die–adding to the already 45+ million person holocaust. If you are a Christian, how can you vote for a man who is a strident enemy of life?
• Gay Marriage will continue its steady march toward public acceptance. What’s the big deal you ask? It’s this: Every state in America will go down the “Massachusetts road” of teaching the normalcy of gay sex in the government schools, confusing our children and forcing a mass exodus of Christian families from that domain (please go to our website and click on the “Vote Yes on Prop 8” video to educate yourself on this issue). Churches will eventually be targeted for speaking against homosexuality–and will be punished for their “bigotry” and “intolerance.” And if immorality becomes fully accepted in society–our social end is near as the family disintegrates and judgment falls. As a Christian, can you really vote for a man who is radically committed to changing the moral foundations that made this nation great?
• Government will grow exponentially in size, regulation, taxation, and control. This is the essence of liberalism: the government will control us and provide for us. Barak Obama WILL raise your taxes–that’s simply reality. Liberals believe in freedom in morals (behavior) and restrictions on business. Conservatives believe in freedom in commerce and constraints on morality. The recent economic troubles have already pushed us toward a controlled economy. An Obama presidency would thrust us in the direction of European-style socialism. As a person of faith, do you really want the Government to be your Provider and Savior?
• America will also weaken as a nation militarily–and possibly be attacked–with more people dying. Be honest with yourself. For all the faults of George W. Bush, he has kept us safe since the 9-11 attacks. That’s an incredible feat in the era of global terror. It would certainly change under an Obama administration. The military doesn’t respect Obama, he doesn’t respect it, and our defense capabilities would go down hill under his tenure. The same thing happened during the Clinton years and paved the way for horrors of 2001.
• And then there’s Joe Biden. He’s the number three liberal in the Senate. Do I have to say any more? Number One and Number Three (Ted Kennedy is Number Two). This is the most far left, liberal ticket in the history of the Republic. As a Christian, do you think FAR LEFT is the answer to America’s problems? I hope you can answer that question with a clear and discerning mind. Our future may depend upon it.

And now to the other choice.

CENTER-RIGHT – John McCain was never my first choice for president. He has been a centrist moderate much of his life though his core values (such as on issues like abortion, taxes, and the military) are fairly conservative. He’s the only moderate in this race. In a brilliant and courageous move, he chose conservative governor Sarah Palin as his running mate. She has the most executive experience of anybodyon either ticket, is the highest rated governor in the entire nation, and is a non-elite politician who has a Reagan-like charm to her personality. In the same way the liberal press tried to marginalize and destroy Ronald Reagan, they’ve attempted to do the same to the Alaska governor. But it didn’t work. She did well in the VP debate and is currently drawing bigger crowds than Obama around the nation because of her spunk, values, and down to earth likability. Sarah Palin represents the traditional conservative values of America–and along with John McCain, creates a balanced center-right Republican ticket.

Where would McCain-Palin lead America?

• They would likely appoint one-three Supreme Court justices that would bring the Court back to its normal and historic center-right position. Roe v Wade might be overturned for the despicable law its always been and abortion rights sent back to the States. Babies would live, not die. Judgment would be lifted from the American nation if accompanied with repentance and renewal. Life and not death would make a resurgence in our back-slidden nation. As a Christian, wouldn’t you like to see our Constitutional right to “life” restored in this nation?
• The tide would also turn against the social tinkering of moral relativism. Gays could be gay but not force their views on the rest of the nation. Kids would be less confused and families could be strengthened. Schools would stop being a social battlefield and could be revived and changed for the better. As a part of the faith community, don’t you want the 2000 year moral underpinnings of our nation to be strengthened to bring blessing and stability to children and families?
• Taxes would be lowered for all Americans. Government would still be large–but not the controlling Behemoth of the alternative party. Many restraints would be taken off small and large businesses, and America could begin to soar again. As a Christian, don’t you believe also in economic “liberty and the pursuit of happiness” which has been the basis of the American Dream?
• The military would proudly serve a man who is truly their hero. Their president wouldn’t blink when faced with foreign dangers–and the terrorists would fear America and her God. No one wants war–and fighting in wars is a difficult, but necessary evil. But wouldn’t you want a man in the Oval Office who has fought and suffered for this nation, and understands more than most people the need for peace through strength?

America–the choice is very clear in 2008. What kind of change do you want?

FAR LEFT or CENTER-RIGHT?

Choose wisely–for your children, your grandchildren and the glory of God in these United States of America.

I have never been a great fan of John McCain. In the 2008 primaries, I preferred Mike Huckabee due to his strong traditional values, great speaking skills and humor, and ten years of executive experience. Mitt Romney was my second preference due to his strong values, economic acumen and similar leadership skills. But Governors Huckabee and Romney split the conservative vote and John McCain rose from the political dead to claim the Republican mantle.

Yet, even as a third preference, there was never a doubt in my mind that I would support and vote for John McCain to be the next president of the United States. Early on some evangelical leaders did not take that position—and I said they were wrong. That’s because this election hinges on one crucial issue.

Supreme Court Justices. The next US president will set the direction in law for America for the next twenty or thirty years. Why? Because our next president will likely choose one-to-three justices for the highest court in the land. Those picks will make a huge impact on the direction and future of our civilization.

That’s why I’m voting for John McCain. The stakes are too great to do anything else. Before I explain my reasoning, let me be honest about the evolution in my thinking about Senator John Sidney McCain.

I’ve always respected John McCain as a war hero. His years in a Vietnamese POW camp are legendary and hard for most of us to comprehend. He has gone through more pain and agony than any human being I know. That experience deepened his character and produced a love for this nation that I greatly admire. In terms of choosing a “hero” to lead our nation, John McCain is up there in the top five of American history next to George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Ulysses S. Grant, and Dwight Eisenhower.

But heroes don’t necessarily translate into great presidents as Grant’s administration proved. Besides, I had my doubts about McCain due to the following question marks in his career:

• A somewhat wild past including divorcing his first wife for no good reason.
• McCain-Feingold – a well intentioned but ineffective law that did not help with the corruption of money in politics.
• McCain-Kennedy – the comprehensive immigration bill that would have basically granted amnesty to some twenty million illegal aliens. (McCain did realize his error when the populace rose up and defeated it.)
• The Gang of 14 – McCain’s leadership over a bi-partisan group of senators who allowed filibustering of judicial appointments under certain circumstances.

I had a number of reasons to worry about a President John McCain. However, in the past six months my view has changed. I now have far more than one reason to vote for him—and I believe many Americans share that same journey of political discovery.

In the past few months I have become far more acquainted with the real record of the man. It is much better and more consistent than I had previously imagined. For example:

• John McCain has been a true pro-life champion for over thirty years of his public career. He believes in a culture of life and has a 100% rating on this vital issue by numerous organizations.
• His anti-earmark stance has been amazingly principled. He is the only senator in America who has never taken a pork-barrel earmark for projects in his own state. That’s amazing—and worthy of praise and emulation.
• He opposed the Bush tax cuts, but only because he wanted to link them with necessary spending cuts. He may be one of the few leaders in Washington who is really serious about shrinking the growth and size of Big Government.
• He was resolute and prescient in his support of the surge in Iraq which put the US on the path to victory and totally removed the Iraq War from the center of the national debate.
• His performance in the Saddleback Civil Forum showed gravitas, clarity, and wise positions on many areas of public policy. He creamed Obama in that setting, looking very presidential while the Illinois senator looked tentative and nuanced many answers.

In some ways Saddleback was the turning point in my growing enthusiasm for John McCain. But there were two other factors that sweetened the deal. First was Cindy McCain. Previously, I’d viewed her as just another blond, wealthy, trophy wife that was a great visual by his side. But in the last few months, we have all been exposed to the marvelous philanthropist and mother that she is who would make a superb First Lady. That’s no small deal these days when presidential picks seem to be more of a “package deal.” Cindy McCain is a terrific woman who has been involved for decades in humanitarian projects around the world. She brings a sweetness and grace that would make her a fantastic global ambassador. They’re a great team.

But the dealmaker in my final evaluation of John McCain was his stunning and brilliant pick of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate. Whereas Barak Obama looked backward and chose Joe Biden, a consummate Washington insider for his running mate–totally destroying his credibility to bring change to America—John McCain looked forward and chose a woman, a typical American we all can relate to, a principled leader who is outside the Washington establishment, and is the highest rated governor in the nation. That pick was a home run. And if choosing a VP is an early barometer of judgment and success, then the current box score is McCain 1 – Obama 0.

John McCain has grown on me. He’s a much better and wiser leader than I imagined and has better overall policy principles than I gave him credit for. Yet the main reason I will vote for him remains the same.

Supreme Court Justices. Much of the recent societal deterioration of our nation has been engineered through the courts over the past few decades. Prayer and the Bible have been tossed from the schools; we made it legal to kill innocent babies–a mega-holocaust number of 45 million– since 1972. Now we’re fighting to save the institution of marriage, faith in the public specter, and a host of other issues. Secularists can’t win at the polls so they’ve circumvented the will of the people through the courts. George Bush chose two excellent justices in Chief Justice John Roberts and Samuel Alito. The balance of the Court now stands at four justices who are strict constitutionalists, and five activists. Activist John Paul Stevens is 88. Activist Ruth Bader Ginsburg is in poor health at 75.

One pick could bring a traditional values- faith-based renewal to America that many of us are praying for. In 2008 we are literally battling for the world view soul of a nation. That’s why the secular-left is desperate to get Obama elected. His presumed picks would cement a secular and humanist agenda for decades. That is what this election is fundamentally about—and why I am voting for Senator John McCain.