I’m a Sarah Palin fan. Let me just go ahead and state that from the outset of this post. I knew about Sarah Palin before McCain tapped her as his running mate and I was impressed. I thought “a female Republican with the right stance on all (or most) of the issues who has fought corruption even among Republicans in her own state? That’s incredible!”

When McCain became the nominee and began his VP selection process, I was definitely pulling for Mitt Romney, as he had been my favorite candidate during the primaries. However, when he selected Sarah Palin, I was not upset in the least. In fact, I was glad. I felt like she lent some much-needed conservative credibility to an otherwise moderate McCain campaign.

Having said all of that, I believe that Palin’s decision to resign was a poor political move. Many conservative pundits are praising it as a smart and calculated decision that is true to her style, claiming that she is setting herself up for a presidential run in 2012. Certainly, it would give her the freedom to move about the country and build up a nationwide organization like Romney and other candidates are able to do. Sean Hannity is defending her by comparing her to people like Kathleen Sebelius, Rahm Emmanuel and even Barack Obama, all of whom left their jobs to pursue more prominent ones. The only problem is Palin doesn’t have another job secured for her on the horizon…at least not that we know of. Those 3 Democrats did.

Maybe a 2012 presidential run is in the works.  But if such is the case, let me go ahead and tell you what the press and her opponents will say: “if she quit when the pressure got to be too much as governor of Alaska, how can she handle the pressure of the Oval Office?” No matter what the reason for her resignation, that’s a question she will have to answer.

I’d love to believe that this is all part of her grand scheme to be one of the greatest women in American politics and that perhaps when her history is written, this event will be thought of as a wise strategic move on her part. I just don’t see it. At first glance, a large chunk of Republicans already think that it was a bad idea. A new Rasmussen poll shows that 40% of Republicans believe that her resignation has hurt her chances for 2012, compared to 24% who believe that it helped.

My message to the GOP concerning Palin is: don’t give up on her but at the same time, don’t hang your hopes on her alone. Remember when Romney made that comment about how there were more influential Republicans besides Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin (see post Romney vs. Palin)? I think he’s definitely right. There are  more influential Republicans out there. There’s Michele Bachmann, Bobby Jindal, Haley Barbour, Eric Cantor, Tim Pawlenty, and I would even say Ron Paul. We can’t afford to put all our stock in one person.

I truly hope that Sarah Palin is able to spin this whole situation in her favor. Maybe she will. But until she does, I suggest we look elsewhere. We don’t have to abandon her, but we do have other options we need to consider.

A recent Gallup Poll has found that more Americans are pro-life than pro-choice. I personally don’t find this to be terribly surprising. I’ve always thought that when the choice between the life and the death of an unborn child is on the table, most individuals that value life would logically choose life. And while a CBS poll taken back in 2007 indicated similar results, this is the first time in the history of Gallup’s poll that pro-life has ever overtaken pro-choice.

We’re hearing a lot about division in the Republican party these days. The mainstream media loves to point out how weakened they are due to their back-to-back losses in 2006 and 2008. However, they seem to ignore how Americans are beginning to trend towards Republicans near the close of Obama’s first 100 days according to current Rasmussen polling. At any rate, I find it silly that such squabbling is going on in the GOP. Rush Limbaugh said this. Mitt Romney says that. Sarah Palin says this. Michael Steele says that. It’s childish. Can’t I like all these people and share the majority of their collective viewpoints without having to pit them against each other?

A lot of this stemmed from a CNN interview that Romney had in which he was asked about the fact that Time Magazine’s World’s Most Influential People list only included two Republicans: Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin. So in response to that, Romney said “I think there are a lot more influential Republicans than that would suggest.” Many took this as a jab at Palin. I tend to disagree. Keep in mind that the question was about how few Republicans made the list. Romney was simply stating that there should’ve been more that made the list like perhaps Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Eric Cantor, or even Michele Bachmann. So to say this is an attack against Palin is really being a bit disingenuous.

Rush Limbaugh has also attacked Romney and Jeb Bush for conducting their “listening tour,” claiming that instead, they should be conducting a “teaching tour.” Okay Rush, I agree. The American people, by and large, do need to be educated on what Republicans can do (or at least, should be doing) for this country. But isn’t that what you’re on the air for? Would it not be a good to at least listen to the American people and find out why they voted for Barack Obama? Or even better, would it not be good to listen to conservative Americans and find out why many of them didn’t vote for John McCain? I guarantee you that most of the Ron Paul crowd didn’t vote for McCain.

It’s ridiculous for this infighting to be going on. For the most part, we agree on the same basic principles. Granted, I will say that John McCain was definitely not a true champion of those principles and that’s why many conservatives didn’t support him. But we need to band together. There’s no reason for these little skirmishes. Personally, I think a Romney-Palin ticket in 2012 would be a dynamic force that could defeat Obama. Who knows? This could be the biggest kiss-and-make-up since Reagan and Bush in 1980.

Romney and Palin campaign for McCain

For example, I think that for the most part, Romney and Palin agree more with each other than Palin and McCain did in 2008. Both are pro-life. Both oppose gay marriage. Both support drilling in Alaska (unlike McCain). Neither of them support the FairTax. Economically, they’re generally the same although Romney is much more experienced. Both of them take strong immigration stances.  I’d being willing to say that they generally line up on the majority of the principles and values that conservatives hold dear. Both of them are worthy of carrying the Reagan banner. So let’s not beat each other up too bad. We’re going to need all the help we can get in 2012.

Most people know what I think of Barack Obama. He’s a liberal Democrat with a record to prove it. So obviously, he and I will disagree on a host of issues. However, I just thought I’d lay out some random observations that I’ve had over the past few days. 

I’m seeing a lot of Bill Clinton in Obama. A lot of his cabinet choices are Clintonian (i.e. Hillary Clinton herself). Like Clinton, I think he, in some ways, tried to campaign as a centrist that reaches across the aisle; not unlike John McCain who did that as a conservative and failed miserably. But I think he will also turn out to be just as liberal as Clinton, if not more so. 

Quite frankly, I see almost a sense of genuineness in Barack Obama. That may come as a shock to those of you who know me. But I get the impression that he truly loves his wife and family. With Bill Clinton, everything about his marriage seemed politically motivated to me. It was like watching two leech-like creatures living in some type of strange symbiotic political relationship. Obama’s not like that at all. If it’s all an act, he’s sure got me fooled. 

As much as I loathe many of the things that President Obama stands for, I have to remind myself that he is in a position of authority. He holds one of the most important offices in the world. As an American, I must respect that office. As a Christian, I must respect and honor his authority. 

But, as Christ commanded us to render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s (Matthew 22:21) and Peter tells us to honor the emperor (1st Peter 2:17), I am also reminded that unlike the first century A.D., we live in a democratic society where people are allowed to choose the highest office in the land. 

You see, Barack Obama would exist with his political stances whether or not people chose to vote for him. There will always be people that hold viewpoints like his. So in the U.S.A., perhaps my frustration should not be with Barack Obama as much as it is the people that voted him into office: the people that were swayed by the sweet notions of “Change You Can Believe In” and the mindless, incessant chanting of “Yes We Can!” 

Honestly, Barack Obama will bring change. That’s a fact. He has already signed an executive order to lift the ban on funding for abortions performed overseas. He has promised to allow homosexuals to serve openly in the U.S. Military, which is something that Bill Clinton would not even do. And should it pass, Obama has vowed to sign the Freedom of Choice Act, giving women the right to terminate their pregnancy at any stage.

So, Obama voters, you’re getting your change…and much earlier than I had expected. I must say, I even agreed with the President’s decision to freeze the salaries of White House workers making over $100,000 a year. 

Like I said, I respect the office of the President. I respect the authority that goes with it. I respect President Barack Obama as a fellow human being and as the leader of our great nation. I would even say that his Presidency has already brought a strong sense of optimism to this country. 

But…

I believe that if I have every right to support the good he has brought, I also have the right to oppose the evil that he brings to America. That’s right, I said evil. I believe that the murder of an unborn child for the sake of convenience is nothing but wrong and ungodly. I believe that the practice of homosexuality is unnatural and opposed by God. 

I will not forget what his man stands for. No matter what wonders he works for our country in other areas, and I do truly hope he does, I will not sweep these moral issues under the rug. I will not abandon my principles because some politician managed to win an election based on style over substance, ignorance over issues and eloquence over ideals. 

So as Christ and Peter honored and acknowledged a morally reprehensible Caesar as leader of the land, I honor and acknowledge Barack Obama as President of the United States. But unlike them, I have the opportunity to vote out my leader in four years.

Over the past 4 years, gas prices have risen to absurd levels across the nation. Granted, we generally have cheaper prices than the U.K. does, but it hasn’t been too long since most of us in the USA felt like 2.00 for a gallon of gas was ridiculously expensive. Many would like to attribute this to the Bush administration. Some want to point the finger at oil companies, claiming that their profits have been going up. Still, others would say that catastrophic events like 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina are the ones to blame.

While certainly some of those factors may have played a part in why our gas prices are so high, most would agree that a large part of our problem is our dependence on foreign sources of oil. This is terribly troubling when you consider that the USA as a nation consumes 25.2% of the world’s oil. But before we start hugging trees and throwing cinder blocks at gas-guzzling SUV’s, we have to keep in mind that there are several other products that are made from petroleum including: ink, crayons, bubble gum, dishwashing liquids, deodorant, eyeglasses, records, tires, ammonia, and heart valves. Needless to say, oil is important for making many different things we make in this country, not just gasoline.

We must understand that while it is very important to reduce our oil consumption and aggressively pursue alternative sources of energy, we still need oil. But instead of getting it from countries that hate us like Iran and Venezuela, we need to have our own, which is why we need to drill for it domestically.

So where does Senator Barack Obama fit into all of this?

Obama claims that the problem is not that gas prices are so high, but it’s that the American people should have had a more gradual adjustment to them. In a way, I could give him the benefit of the doubt in pointing this out. However, when you consider that gas prices have risen faster in the past 6 years than they have in the past 30, I believe that Senator Obama is largely understating the problem.

It is no secret that Senator Obama wants to increase taxes on oil companies. Fair enough. But who really pays for that increase in taxes? Do the oil companies generously agree to pay those taxes without raising the price of gas for the average consumer? Hardly! An increase in taxes on oil companies will definitely increase the price at the pump for you and I.

What about drilling? As I said earlier, we must reduce our dependence on foreign sources of oil. In addition to pursuing alternative sources of energy, one of the ways we can acheive energy independence is by drilling here in America. No wonder 67% of Americans support offshore drilling and 64% believe it will reduce gas prices. Besides, basic economic principles teach us that if the supply of oil increases, demand goes down, and therefore the price goes down.

But does Obama support offshore drilling here in America? No.

Sure, it’d be nice to immediately have all hydrogen-powered cars and 100% eco-friendly homes that run on clean energy. And of course, this is definitely the ultimate goal that we all strive towards. But until we are comfortably able to make that transition, we need to keep gas prices low by drilling domestically. We can also pursue alternative sources of energy that are readily available like nuclear power. We simply cannot afford the high gas prices that will result from Senator Obama’s energy plan.

Contrary to what some may believe about Barack Obama, it is a known fact that he is pro-choice. His record and his platform clearly demonstrate that. There is no sense of ambiguity. There should be no doubt. Barack Obama is a staunch supporter of a woman’s right to take the life of her unborn child.

But in an effort to remove all misconception or any form of doubt you may have, allow me to address Senator Obama’s stance on this topic.

Direct Quotes

This is a direct quote from his website: “[Senator Obama] has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving women’s rights under Roe v. Wade a priority as President. He opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court’s decision in that case.” From this statement, it’s very clear that Obama stands by Roe v. Wade and does not want it to be overturned.

When speaking about the importance of sex education, he said “look, I’ve got two daughters. 9 years old and 6 years old. I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.” I’ll try not to interject too much into this statement, but it seems obvious to me that he considers unplanned pregnancies to be some type of punishment to the mother of the child.

Infanticide in Illinois

I personally find this part of Senator Obama’s record to be extremely troubling. As a State Senator in Illinois, a bill known as the Born Alive Infant Protection Act (BAIPA) was first introduced in 2001. This legislation was designed to protect the lives of infants who were born alive after failed abortions. Obama opposed this measure in 2001 and in 2002, claiming that the language used in the bill could have the potential to overturn Roe v. Wade.

However in 2003, the bill was proposed again, with language that addressed the concern that many pro-abortion groups had about it potentially overturning Roe v. Wade. Obama voted against it again, even after NARAL had dropped their opposition to it. A federal version of this bill containing much of the exact same language passed through the U.S. Senate 98-0 in 2002. Obama claims he would have supported the federal bill, but if actually he stood against the same bill at a state level, can you really trust that statement?

When aborted babies were being born alive and left to die alone in soiled utility rooms and there was legislation proposed in Illinois which would have stopped it, Barack Obama opposed it three times in a row. Fortunately, the bill passed through the Illinois Congress in 2005, after Obama had left to become a U.S. Senator.

The Freedom of Choice Act

Barack Obama has voiced ardent support of the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA). In fact, he has said that one of the first things he’ll do in office is to sign it into law as soon as it passes through Congress.

Pro-Choice Organizations complain that after Roe v. Wade, many of the federal and state laws that have passed since then have “eroded” the “fundamental right” to abortion. However, they firmly believe that FOCA will ensure abortion rights in spite of the possibility that Roe v. Wade could be reversed. It has been estimated that FOCA would result in 125,000 more abortions per year due to the nullification of certain state and federal abortion laws caused by its passage.

On top of all that, FOCA would allow for taxpayer-funded abortions at any stage of pregnancy. Just imagine our taxes actually paying for virtually every kind of abortion at any time during the pregnancy. If that’s not contrary to the nature of American values, I don’t know what is.

Conclusion

Speaking for myself as a Christian and as a pro-life conservative, I cannot morally condone voting for anyone who supports abortion. But throughout Senator Barack Obama’s career, he has adamantly, by his own admission, supported abortion rights. Not only that, he has supported the right to abortion at practically every stage of a pregnancy. I cannot fathom how anyone who considers themselves pro-life could support a candidate like Senator Obama. If you believe in the sanctity of human life, I strongly urge you to consider this information when you vote on November 4th.

What a week. This will mostly be a departure from the heavily political stuff I usually talk about. Where shall we begin?

On Tuesday, I saw the Eagles in Alpharetta, GA. Despite the rain, hail, thunder, lightning, and tornado sirens that plagued my arrival, I had a wonderful evening with one of the bands I admire most. A lot of people may think that bands like the Eagles should hang it up since they’re in their 50’s and 60’s, but from what I saw, they haven’t lost any steam. These guys rocked and nailed every single song perfectly.

I have immense respect for artists that can do what they do for so long and still do it well. While they didn’t play some of the ones I had hoped for like “Seven Bridges Road,” “Already Gone,” “Those Shoes,” “Heart of the Matter” (even though it’s technically a Don Henley song), and “Get Over It,” they still played some of my all-time favorites like “Hotel California,” “Life’s Been Good (Joe Walsh),” “Heartache Tonight,” “Boys of Summer (Henley),” and a large host of others.

The only real qualm I had with the show was when they played “Dirty Laundry” (amazing Don Henley song) with a backdrop video of clips from Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Elizabeth Hasselbeck, Rush Limbaugh, the Drudge Report, and other prominent conservative journalists. Virtually nothing from CNN, Matt Lauer, or Katie Couric could be seen in it, possibly because CNN is based in Atlanta, but more likely due to the political views of the Eagles. I understand if you don’t like Fox News, but at least be a little “fair and balanced,” if you’re going to slam the media.

But despite all of that, I have to say that if you think bands like the Eagles are outdated and irrelevant, you’re probably a hater with poor musical taste in my humble opinion. That’s right, I said hater. 

On Friday night, I saw Sheryl Crow in Birmingham, AL. I’ve always been a fan of her music, which is why I went to her show despite the fear of being assaulted with a barrage of mindless uber-environmentalist liberal nonsense. I have to say, she wasn’t that bad when it came to pushing her political agenda on us. She did say “I’m going to vote for Obama and I don’t want to hear about it,” to which I thought to myself “I’m…….not going to vote for Obama and…….I don’t want to talk about it.” I mean, what am I going to say? “Well, I’m voting for McCain!” No, for several reasons. First, McCain makes me nauseous. Second, if I do decide to vote for him, it’s not something I’d be all that proud of and/or enthusiastic about. Anyway…

Sheryl played a lot of stuff from her new album including “God Bless This Mess,” “Love is Free,” “Gasoline,” and “Out of Our Heads” (which is ironically stuck in my head). And she played some older stuff like “Strong Enough,” “Can’t Cry Anymore,” “A Change Would Do You Good,” “All I Wanna Do,” and “If it Makes You Happy.” She rocks. And she’s gorgeous. She’s in her mid-forties and she could be supermodel. My hat is off to her. She got dumped by Lance Armstrong (what was he thinking?), beat breast cancer, adopted a baby, and can still rock like she’s 25. I don’t care what her political views are. I’d go see her again in a heartbeat. 

Saturday night I went to see “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” I had heard mostly negative reviews from my friends and family that had seen it, but I always want to make a judgment for myself when it comes to movies. I have to say that even though I liked a lot of it, it was generally disappointing. Spielberg needs to move out of a certain genre (those of you who’ve seen it know what I’m talking about). The acting was great, as can be expected considering the cast, but the story was just…silly?It’s hard to put into words. It just wasn’t good.

What a week! I’m tired and I’m off tomorrow for Memorial Day. Being the nerd I am, I’m still hopelessly pining for “The Dark Knight.” Not because I want to see Heath Ledger’s last role, but because Christopher Nolan is an amazing director with an incredible cast. Let’s just hope he doesn’t pull an Indy 4 and waste it all with a poor script, which I highly doubt would happen considering the tangible awesomeness that is “Batman Begins.” Wow, I’m past nerd….I think I’m headed to dork territory. I’d better stop. 

O John McCain, how you torture me. After a bitter and tumultuous primary season that ended in a heartbreaking victory for the one candidate I liked the least, I was beginning to think I could stomach McCain. His pro-life credentials appeared legit (even though he specifically said that he did not care about “social issues”). He supports the war on terror, almost to a fault that could be considered hawkish at best, if not neoconic (is that a word, if not I’m claiming it). He is opposed to raising taxes, even though he voted against the Bush tax cuts. And well, he’s not as bad as Obama or Hillary, right?

It was bad enough that his success in the primaries was due to a split among real conservatives between Romney and Huckabee, along with some fortunate winner-take-all victories and open primaries that allowed Democrats to vote for him.

And sure, I’ll readily admit that John McCain is the lesser of the 3 evils currently left in this race. However, while that may be the case, I find myself wondering how great (or small) the margin of evil is between McCain and his future opponent.

As I’m thoroughly enjoying the mudwrestling match that is Hillary v. Obama, hoping that their infighting will result in a Republican victory in November, I can’t clear out of the back of my mind that I still don’t even like our nominee. I hate to paint a gloom and doom picture, but to me it seems that America is just going to have to take one for the team for the next four years.

On top of all that, I can’t even enjoy opposing Barack Obama the way I want to, not with John McCain’s blessing anyway. He found the following ad offensive:

First of all, the only thing offensive in that ad is Jeremiah Wright. It shouldn’t offend Obama, since Wright is his spiritual adviser. It shouldn’t offend McCain because it doesn’t mention him anywhere in the ad. Second, why does John McCain feel like he has to denounce this kind of ad? He had no problem with viciously attacking Mitt Romney, a fellow Republican, in the primaries. So why can’t he let someone else attack Barack Obama?

This year, I feel as if my hands are tied. John McCain has made this a miserable voting year for many Republicans, including myself. I’m tempted to stay at home or write in a candidate that won’t nauseate me or leave me with a guilty conscience. Maybe I should do a little more research on Bob Barr.

If McCain doesn’t pick a good running mate, I mean like really good (i.e. Mitt Romney, possibly Mike Huckabee, or Newt Gingrich) I may find myself going to the polls with a vomit bag and clothes pin over my nose.

I’m sure you’ve all heard the rumors spread by the Christian right….and the Clinton campaign: Obama’s a Muslim. His father was a Muslim! He had a buddy in high school that was Muslim. And on and on we go. Actually I made up that part about the buddy in high school. See? That’s how rumors get started!

But if there’s ever a time in Obama’s campaign when the people he’s associated with have got him in trouble, it’s now. His pastor, Jeremiah Wright has made some statements that have put him at odds with much of America. Examine exhibit A:

First of all, Mr. Wright, you’re wrong in so many ways. But one thing in particular: Jesus was a Jew that was delivered to Romans and killed by Romans. He wasn’t black. He was Jewish. And the Jewish Pharisees were the ones that were ultimately responsible for His death. So if you compared Him to Barack Obama, the story would have to be that black people formed an angry mob and delivered him to the “white people.” Wait, maybe that does make sense: Wright, a black man, delivering Obama up for political crucifixion… Ah, I can’t make this stuff up. The irony is almost unbelievable.

Exhibit B:

I apologize. Some of that was repeated from the previous video. Notice his words, and I quote “God d*** America!” Thank you, Mr. Wright. I can tell that you’re just oozing with patriotism. By the way, did anyone know about the U.S. inventing the HIV virus as a form of genocide for minorities? That’s amazing! I guess white people don’t get AIDS. I must say though, a slow-killing though incurable virus like HIV seems to be a little less effective than say…Ebola? I’m sure our uber-Aryan scientists have got something better cooking in the labs, just waiting for a chance to be released. Side note: correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t HIV originate in Africa?

Now, it’s not that Mr. Wright is Obama’s pastor. I could excuse that. I mean, I don’t agree with everything my preacher says. But we have to consider the fact that Wright was Obama’s spiritual adviser, which seems to be a bit more significant than just a mere pastor. He’s the one that performed Obama’s wedding. One of his sermons inspired the title for Obama’s book Audacity of Hope. He’s a close friend to Obama. He’s not just some guy that happens to preach at Obama’s church. It’s much deeper than that.

And in spite of all this, I was still willing to give Obama a bit of a pass. That is, until I found out that Obama was endorsed by the New Black Panther party:

Remember the black panthers? The militant group that hate whites and Jews, you know the one. And you know it’s pretty bad when a group of African-Americans is considered to be an extremist hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Obama was so proud of this endorsement that it was featured on his website. However, all of a sudden, it was taken down. I guess someone got offended…

Obama can talk of racial equality, progress and change all he wants but how can he possibly be taken serious when he is surrounding himself with the very people that are fanning the flames of hatred in America?

As you can see, Barack Husayn Obama considers his company to be people who hate America, who cause division, who support extremism, and believe insane lies like the ones his pastor tells from the pulpit. If elected President, I believe that the harm he would do to our country would be almost irreparable. America cannot afford a President like him.

At the rate things are going in this election year, I believe there are two eventual nominees: Barack Obama for the Democratic Party and John McCain for the Republican Party. While certainly this primary season didn’t go nearly as well as I would’ve liked, there comes a point where you have to evaluate the candidates left standing. John McCain wasn’t really even in my top 3 candidates of interest this year, but unfortunately he has prevailed as the nominee for the Republican party, which forces me to at least consider voting for him.

But then there’s Barack Obama. He’s sharp, articulate, smart, amiable, hip and overall likable. I’d even go as far as to say that he’s definitely got a leg up on McCain in the likable and hip categories. However, that’s just a matter of opinion (albeit an overall consensus opinion). Nonetheless, he’s a very high-profile figure in America right now. In fact, I’d say he’s the most popular Presidential candidate since JFK.

So when I look at Barack Obama, those qualities stand out. They stand out a lot. And if it were about those qualities alone, I’d probably find myself considering him. Unfortunately, if you examine his record, all the glitz of his personality seems to fade away to reveal a man who stands for nearly everything I oppose.

As a Christian American, there are certain issues that are central to my decision concerning a political candidate. I’m talking about social issues, namely abortion and gay marriage.

Abortion/Life Issues

On abortion, Barack Obama is staunchly pro-choice. He was given a 100% rating by the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws (NARAL). In many pro-choice circles, that’s definitely a badge of honor. Conversely, he was giving a 0% rating by the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC).

In 2007, he voted against the banning of partial-birth abortion. Now partial-birth abortion isn’t a typical abortion. It involves partially removing the living fetus (baby) from the mother’s womb and killing it. This procedure is typically performed in the late stages of the pregnancy.

He also supports embryonic stem cell research, which often results in the destruction of human embryos. To me, this is a form of abortion on a premature scale. Stem cell reserach in and of itself is an undeniably good thing. But there are other sources of stem cells besides human embryos. So as a Christian, I believe we should avoid using human embryos for stem cell research.

Gay Rights/Marriage

On the issue of gay rights, Barack Obama is also quite liberal. He has stated that homosexuality is not a choice and is no more immoral than heterosexuality. While he does oppose gay marriage, he believes that it is a matter that should be left up to the states. Therefore, he opposes any federal amendment that would outlaw gay marriage.

While a federal amendment to the Constitution might be open to interpretation, Obama’s core beliefs on homosexuality seem to be in direct contrast to the Word of God (note Romans 1:18-32, 1st Corinthians 6:9). As a Christian, I personally cannot in good conscience, vote for someone who supports these things.

Other Issues

There are some issues that are mostly political in nature, which don’t typically lend themselves to any form of religious debate. However, I also disagree with Obama on a great deal of these issues as well.

As a supporter of the Second Amendment, I find very little comfort in Obama’s positions on gun control. I believe that our Social Security system is headed for bankruptcy. Therefore, I think we should have the option to privatize it at our own discretion. Obama opposes that. On illegal immigration, I believe we should enforce the rule of law by not rewarding undocumented immigrants who are here illegally with any form of amnesty or indefinite citizenship. Obama, along with John McCain, supported a bill that would grant a form of amnesty to illegal immigrants. He supported giving driver’s licenses to them as well.

As a pro-life, pro-family, pro-2nd Amendment, pro-growth, small government, law-abiding conservative Christian American, I find Barack Obama to be the political epitome of virtually everything I oppose.

It’s not about his religion (which is Christianity not Islam). It’s not about his race. It’s not about his charm, flair, charisma, gravitas, personality or whatever you call it. It’s about his policies. I disagree with Barack Obama on policy. And that’s what democracy should be about, voting for someone based on their policies and values, not their religion, ethnicity, or background. It is policy and policy alone why I oppose Barack Obama as President of the United States.

For more on Barack Obama’s record and policies, check out OnTheIssues.org.