Republican does not equal Pro-Life

[SpyridonOCA]

Before you vote Republican, simply for the issue of abortion alone, ask yourself this question: How much funding has President Bush given to Planned Parenthood? You might be surprised. What exactly, since Roe V. Wade, have Republicans done to end, or at least curb, the tragedy of abortion? What have Republicans done to end the root causes of abortion, such as improving access to childcare, promoting adoption, and providing equal access to contraception?

Please don't be duped by the "culture wars" strategy to win the votes of white, middle class voters. It worked for Richard Nixon, and it's worked for Republicans to this day. As long as abortion remains legal, Republicans can exploit it to win your vote. It was Republicans, after all, who supported legalized abortion in the first place.

It's no surprise to me that while most black and Hispanic Americans are churchgoers, they overwhelming vote Democrat. It's no surprise to me that most Orthodox politicians in this country are not Republican, or are at least not part of the hard right that's taken over politics in the past seven years.

Am I saying that most Democrats are morally superior to Republicans? Of course not. But it's not like the Republicans have been the knight in shining armor for defending the lives of the unborn, of people overseas who happen to look different from us, and of those on death row who committed no crime other than being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

I have enough respect for traditionally Orthodox nations to believe that they've legalized abortion for reasons other than a betrayal of Orthodoxy. Do you remember what happened in Romania when abortion was criminalized? Thinking about abortion on demand makes me feel like I have a hole in my heart, that something is terribly wrong. But better the devil we know...

Why am I creating yet another political thread? Because I'm sick of the hypocrisy that would suggest that if I vote for a Democratic presidential candidate, I am less of an Orthodox Christian. I am sick of that divisive partisan trash, what is exactly why I support someone like Barack Obama.

[nutroll]

This is really ridiculous, Spyridon. I have no real problem with a lot of what you say, but I am sick of reading it. I typically vote Democrat. I really wanted to see Bush out of office in 2004, and I voted for John Kerry in the hopes that it would achieve just that result. But it didn't. And guess what? The world didn't end. And John Kerry has shown himself to be no less a jerk than any of the rest of them. And with Democrats in charge of Congress we haven't created a utopia. Politics has a way of seeming very important. And in a sense it is. It matters who is in office, and it matters what decisions they make, but there is no perfect party, there is no perfect candidate, and no matter who you vote for, you won't get what you voted for. It doesn't matter who you vote for, you're going to get someone who does some good things, and a whole mess of bad things. Barack Obama is nowhere near being my dream candidate. He's a one term senator who hasn't really distinguished himself. He gave what was regarded as a good speech at the Democratic Convention last time, and since then, he's been riding his 15 minutes of fame. He might have some good ideas, and he might even deliver on some of them, but he is an untested, and only moderately qualified candidate. If he is the candidate for the Democrats, I will have a hard time choosing between him and McCain. because at least McCain has experience. I don't agree with his stance on the war, but I've had enough of presidents without experience. Obama will not be the savior of this country anymore than any candidate would be. Politics will never really make the world better, the best it can hope for is to slow the downward slide.

[SpyridonOCA]

He's a one term senator who hasn't really distinguished himself. He gave what was regarded as a good speech at the Democratic Convention last time, and since then, he's been riding his 15 minutes of fame. He might have some good ideas, and he might even deliver on some of them, but he is an untested, and only moderately qualified candidate.

I'm sorry to mention this, but what you are saying could have come directly from the Hillary Clinton campaign. Obama has more legislative experience than Hillary Clinton, and that good work which he's accomplished as a civil rights attorney and community organizer is remarkable. I'd recommend reading his biography, in which he states the case why he is qualified for our nation's highest office, before you are willing to write off his obvious brilliance out of a perceived lack of inexperience. Remember, Abe Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and other presidential candidates were perceived as too inexperienced for the job, and they ended up doing better as presidents than their detractors could have imagined.

[nutroll]

First of all I have no love for Hillary Clinton. If she is the candidate, I will vote against her. So suffice to say I am not getting anything from her campaign. As a matter of fact, I have gotten rid of cable, and have ceased following all of this. But I followed politics very closely for a few years, and am not impressed with Obama. And while you can point to people that were seen as unqualified and ended up being successful, the last time I felt that someone was unqualified, it was with George W. Bush. How did that turn out?

[SpyridonOCA]

First of all I have no love for Hillary Clinton. If she is the candidate, I will vote against her. So suffice to say I am not getting anything from her campaign. As a matter of fact, I have gotten rid of cable, and have ceased following all of this. But I followed politics very closely for a few years, and am not impressed with Obama. And while you can point to people that were seen as unqualified and ended up being successful, the last time I felt that someone was unqualified, it was with George W. Bush. How did that turn out?

Again, Obama is exceptionally qualified to be our next leader of the free world. That lack of experience is the only attack one can make against him shows his strength as a candidate. Barack Obama, like Ronald Reagan, is the teflon man. George Bush is no Ronald Reagan. I understand your desire to not follow politics, but the personal is political, since all our lives are affected by what our governing authorities do. Further, you should understand and appreciate that politics is what I learn about in college, what I've written about for the school paper for the past four years, and what I plan on doing after I graduate. Therefore, it makes sense that I'd be well versed in politics. Can it become a passion? Sure. But it need not be.

[nutroll]

lack of experience is not the only argument that could be made against Obama, it just happens to be the one that concerns me the most.

[SpyridonOCA]

lack of experience is not the only argument that could be made against Obama, it just happens to be the one that concerns me the most.

I understand your concerns. But even if he isn't the greatest of all presidents, at least Obama would help to restore civility in politics and a commitment to the common good.