Wednesday, November 24, 2010

The Iced Tea Party

Since the recent mid-term elections of 2010 the Tea Party movement has been gaining a lot of publicity.  There is no denying the influence this political phenomenon has made in Washington and in State Legislatures across the land.  Many Christians have eagerly jumped on the Tea Party bandwagon.  But have they looked before they lept?

The Tea Party is a conservative element within the Republican Party.  According to the web site http://www.teaparty.org/ they see themselves as "a grassroots movement that calls awareness to any issue that challenges the security, sovereignty or domestic tranquility of our beloved nation, the United States of America.  From our founding the Tea Party is the voice of the true owners of the United States, WE THE PEOPLE..."

Well, I want to go on record as saying that the Tea Party does NOT represent MY voice!

For the next two years we will be forced to listen to the proposals and the ideology of this right wing element within the right wing sector of the Republican Party.  Those views include some questionable points.  Fifteen issues or positions are identified on their web site.  These include the following.
  • Illegal aliens are here illegally
  • Pro-domestic employment is indespensable
  • Stronger military is essential
  • Special interests eliminated
  • Gun ownership is sacred
  • Government must be downsized
  • National budget must be balanced
  • Deficit spending will end
  • Bail-out and Stimulus plans are illegal
  • Reduce personal income taxes a must
  • Reduce business income taxes is mandatory
  • Political offices available to average citizens
  • Intrusive government stopped
  • English as core language is required
  • Traditional family values are encouraged
That's a pretty bold list.  Of course, one can be bold when one is in the minority and wants attention.  To that extent the plan has worked.  The Tea Party has indeed grabbed the attention of the American public.  And that includes me.  For this reason I would like to offer my take on some of these foundational points that shape the thinking of Tea Party enthusiasts.

First, let me say that they make some valid points.  However, I take issue with most of the items on this list.  Here are just a few observations and rebuttals.
  • Pro domestic employment is indispensable - Well, yes, I guess that's a no brainer!  If no one worked in this country we would have a real challenge on our hands.Now, of course, what they are really saying is let's ban NAFTA and all the other Trade Agreements that have resulted in American jobs going overseas.  But that's not what their rallying cry claims.  On the other hand, if it weren't for the greed of the American workers, who have insisted on ever-higher wages, most of thoes jobs would still be here.  Another factor is our fatal attraction to buying cheap.  I often marvel at how the multitudes are attracted to the big box stores and discount centers to buy the products that are offered at such low prices.  Why are the prices so low?  Because the products were made in foreign countries, frequently at the expense of child labor that we would never tolerate in the United States.  If the Tea Party wants to promote domestic employment why not organize a boycott of all products that are produced in foreign countries (except for those that are traded fairly through such vendors as SERRV and Ten Thousand Villages, to name only two)?
  • Stronger military is essential.  Oh dear, don't get me started!  Let me begin by saying this is not going to lead to a balanced budget, which is another item on the list.  The Defense Budget is already at sinful levels and the major reason why we have an unbalanced budget.  So here we are, in the final days of the occupation of Iraq, with a game plan for withdrwaing from Afghanistan, and the Tea Party want to invest more than ever into our military.  This, while they balance the budget.  The only way these two goals can be reconciled is to eliminate  virtually all social programs and lay off thousands upon thousands of government employees (as in another point: Government must be downsized).  The problem with this is the obvious skyrocketing effect on unemployment that such a layoff would bring.  Since we are going to balance the budget, however, we can't go on to offer very much in terms of unemployment compensation for these displaced workers.  As if this were not enough I must ask:  How strong does our military need to be?  We are already capable of destroying this planet several times over.  Do we seek the potential to destroy the entire solar system with the push of a button?  A stronger military does not make sense if we look at the whole picture.
  • Reduce personal and business income taxes with no room for compromise.  Here is another example of a contradictory statement when placed along side the one that says National budget must be balanced.  Again I emphasize that the only way both of these conditions are feasable is if the poor, the disabled, and the disenfranchised are to suffer immensely.  Remember, a balanced budget by definition means INCOME must equal EXPENSES.  Reduce the income drastically by lowering income taxes on citizens and businesses alike, and even more outlandish reductions must be made to expenses.  Translation:  The poor will become poorer and the voiceless shall be victimized!  Don't get me wrong, I am not opposed to a balanced budget.  As a former banker and as an quasi-intellegent man I see our unbalanced spending and National Debt as harbingers of horror in the not-too-distant future.  In fact I expect I will post another article on that topic soon.  Still, the means by which we balance the budget must be thoughtfully and wisely executed.  Otherwise we will certainly create our own demise.
  • Intrusive government stopped.  This one is almost comical.  First, who created the intrusive government?  Was it not the Bush Administration and the conservative Republican Party, which includes the Tea Partiers, who gave the FBI the authority to tap our phone lines and learn more about us that we know ourselves?  Now they are saying STOP!  I am always amused at how we rewrite history to fit our needs and our agendas.  Of course, the second objection to this point is the fact that we want to feel safe in this age of terror.  So while WE do not want to have our privacy compromised we certainly want to bad guys to be under close survelience at all times.  Hum, if only we knew who the bad guys were!!!
  • Gun ownership is sacred.  As an ordained minister I must object to the use of the term "sacred".  The connotation here is that owning a gun is a holy thing.  Somehow that just makes my hair curl - - I don't even have too many hairs to curl and the ones I do have are naturally curly!  "Sacred".  Are you kidding me?  If that is the case then all the tea-toting folks better start packing their sacred guns and taking them along to Church on Sunday morning!  You can rest assured, however, I won't be there!  Worshipping the Prince of Peace with a hand gun strapped to my body or neatly hidden in a purse has got to be the ultimate contradiction.  Even setting aside the concept of worship, this point offers nothing to the discussion of national security, budget struggles, economic hardship, or a sane society.  Why don't we just turn back the clocks to the 1800's and all ride a horse to get to work while we are at it.  At least that would have a positive impact on the environment, but then, environmental issues are noticably missing from this list.
At this point I have touched on nine of the fifteen planks on this shaky platform.  I have much more to say but will refrain for now.  I would like to comment for a moment on what is MISSING from this platform, however.  As pointed out above environmental issues are ignored.  Here are some others.
  • Energy concerns.  How are we to power this nation in the near future?
  • Care for the poor
  • Care and support for the disabled, including the physically disabled, behaviorally challenged,  mentally disabled and more.
  • The problem of drug and alcohol abuse
  • Education including, but not limited to, Special Education
  • Disaster relief work
  • Research for the fight against cancer, AIDS, developmental disabilities and more.
  • Health Care reform
I am thinking quickly here.  I am sure there are other issues that need to be addressed by a truly successful society.  Even the ones listed above need to be fleshed out.  But then, the Tea Party web site did not really flesh out their agenda, either.

Upon further reflection I might call my list the Iced Tea Party because I would like to address the "cold" reality that we have an obligation to care for and provide for the needs of others who can not provide for themselves.  Or perhaps I just want to put the Tea Party on ice!  Either way I stand in stark opposition to most of their views.

Oddly, the Tea Party agenda is extremely self serving and arrogant.  Rather than seeking a better nation and a better world this group seems only interested in providing for a select few, namely themselves.  Their agenda runs counter to the Call of Christ.  Jesus modeled for us a life of sacrifice and compassion.  He looked beyond the hoopla of politics and offered healing and hope to all who were in need.  I am convinced His Way deserves a closer examination if we are to straighten out the mess we are currently in, economically and especially socially.

Anyone care for an ice-cold, refreshing drink to ease the heat of misdirection?

Thursday, November 11, 2010

AN ALTERNATIVE VIEW ON VETERAN'S DAY

Today is November 11, 2010.  Across the United States Veteran's Day has been observed in many honorable ways.  I am a Christian pacifist.  I oppose war and the horrors that accompany it.  I affirm the position of my Church that "all war is sin".

This does not mean, however, that I do not honor the veterans who have served their country faithfully and valiantly.  My own father served four years in the 82nd Airbourne of the United States Army during World War II.  In those four years he served in North Africa, Sicily/Italy, The Battle of Normandy, and the Battle of the Bulge.  He was hospitalized twice upon being wounded in action.  He is a Purple Heart recipient.

I can easily become quite emotional when I think of my father, a man I greatly admire and deeply love, enduring the most tragic and dangerous years of modern history.  How he ever survived is a mystery to me.  I am very proud of him and I honor him for his sacrifice.

Interestingly, it was my father who had the strongest influence upon my life with regards to my pacifist views.  You see, he was drafted at the age of 21 (I think) with no knowledge of Conscientious Objection, pacifism, or any such concept.  He was raised in the Lutheran Church and in his world, when you were drafted, you served.  Period.  So that is what he did.  Several years after the war he met my mother who was brought up in the Church of the Brethren.  After they married he eventually came to join mom's church.  He always knew that war was wrong and considered it to be a terrible, evil thing.  But he had no theological or even social framework within which to understand that.  Until he met the Brethren.

For as long as I can remember my father consistently taught me that war was wrong.  Not many fathers wish for their sons to march off to war, but dad was adamant about it.  He did not like his experience in the Big One, and he made no excuses for it.  As I grew older and began to develop my own faith convictions the teachings of my Church, the example of my pastor, and the words of my father all came together in a way that I could really relate to.  I did not fully embrace the position of pacifism until I reconsecrated my life to Christ at the age of 23.  It was a deliberate, individual decision that became a defining moment in my life.

I do honor our veterans, like my father, for they made a tremendous contribution to this country at great risk to themselves.  But there is a misconception that the only veterans to be honored are the ones who wore the uniform and carried the weapons of war.  I humbly submit to you the belief that we must not forget those who served in Alternative Service, too.  These men and women likewise rendered a tremendous service to their country, in many cases at great risk to themselves.  They, too, deserve our respect.

Alternative Service is an alien term for most people under the age of 50, I suppose.  Since the return to the all-volunteer army the need for an alternative to military service is just not as prominent as it once was.  Prior to that, however, those who objected to military service due to deeply held religious convictions found an appropriate response in Alternative Service.  This was exactly what the name implies:  Alternative - it was an option that could be chosen in place of the more conventional response of serving in the military.  Service - one was bound by the same terms and arrangements as was the soldier.  It was a two-year commitment and the Alternative Service-worker was expected to remain loyal and obedient to his/her superiors in exchange for the pledge that their service would in no way contribute to the destruction of life and property.  Instead, the Conscientious Objector or Alternative serviceworker served in constructive and/or humanitarian projects.  Those who chose this option were permitted by the federal government to avoid conventional military service doing this instead.

I have been blessed to know and befriend several persons who served in Alternative Service.  There were several options available to the Conscientious Objector.  Many served in Civilian Public Service, a national system of workcamps administered and paid for by the three historic peace churches: the Quakers, the Mennonites, and the Brethren.  Such persons risked their lives as fire jumpers or medical guinea pigs who underwent a host of experiments.  Other worked in mental hospitals and institutions, helping to transform them form shameful, unhealthy care facilities into meaningful, humane places of true healing and compassionate care.  It is no exageration to say that our modern mental health & behavioral care facilites owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to these pioneers who blazed a costly, risky path to improved mental health.

There is so much more to say.  I really do not like these posts to get too long and boring.  If you want to study more about the history and reality of Alternative Service you may want to check out this production from the Public Broadcast Network, or PBS.  It is entitled "The Good War: And Those Who Refused To Fight It."  To read about it go to http://www.pbs.org/itvs/thegoodwar/alternative.html

Yes, I can honor the veteran soldier today.  But I can only do so when I also honor the men and women who chose to offer themselves to the betterment of their nation by providing us with "An Alternative View on Veteran's Day.  I welcome your comments and your thoughts.

-gdgehr
11.11.10

Monday, November 8, 2010

POLITICS: THE NEW VOICE OF AMERICAN CHRISTIANITY?

About a year ago a friend of mine told me a disturbing story.  He shared a painful occurance from his life that almost caused him to leave the Church.  Unfortunately his story is far too common.  Admittedly, the presenting issues vary but the end result is similar.

My friend is actively involved in local politics.  Not that he has ever run for public office, but he believes in the process of a representative democracy and feels it is his duty to know the issues and the candidates.  He actually enjoys being involved in campaigns when the candidate is one he really believes in.

It happens that a nearby town was holding its annual parade to welcome the arrival of its Fall Farm Show and Street Fair.  In this neck of the woods we make a really big thing out of Farm Shows and Fairs.  Many other parts of the country where I have lived hold an annual County Fair, complete with judging of farm animals, 4-H projects, home grown fruits and vegetables, crafts and baked goods, and carnival rides.  Here in Lancaster County such an event would be too massive to hold anywhere.  Consequently many of the small towns hold their own such Fair.  From mid-August to late October there is a major Fair being held just about every week in a zig-zag pattern across the County.  Most of them also hold a huge parade upon the arrival of the Fair to their town.  The Parade usually lasts from an hour and a half to two hours.  We are talking some major exhibition here, my friends!  Move over Macy!

Anyway, back to my story.  My political pal decided one year to ride on the float of his political party.  It seemed like the perfect plan.  However, he was unprepaired for the reaction of the crowd.  Don't ever think that politics is not a hot issue, even here in Pennsylvania Dutch Country.  This man tells of a host of vulgarities and obscenities that were shouted at him and his float-mates all along the nearly two hour route.  In a few cases objects were hurled at them.  For him, the breaking point was when he recognized an entire extended family from his Church who were the most offensive hecklers of the night.  Sadly, this included the main lay leader of the congregation.

My friend told me - years later - how he was so devastated that he quit going to Church for some time.  Only after several years had allowed for some healing of the heart could he return.  As a Pastor I struggled with how to reconcile the ideals of the Church as a Faith community with the reality of individuals entrapped by sin and influenced more by culture than by scripture.  How I wish I could say this was an isolated case.  Sadly, it is much too common.

I remember being accused once by a fellow Christian as voting for a candidate whom this person felt was the Anti-Christ.  I am not sure which was more tragic - the fact that someone actually believed one of the candidates was the Anti-Christ, or the leap of logic that led them to believe I voted for that candidate.  The truth is, I did not.  But even if I had I felt violated, to a small degree, because I always thought that the genius of the American political structure was the concept of a secret ballot.  No one needs to know how I vote unless I choose to reveal that information.

Has politics become the new voice of American Christianity?  I certainly pray not!

At the heart of this discussion is the role of politics in American Christianity.  I know I am turning this around, a bit.  Many have already written on the role of American Christianity on politics.  Both are valid and fascinating studies, but my interest is in the affect this has had on the Church.  I have been a Pastor in the Church of the Brethren for the past 27 years.  For those who are unfamiliar with it the Church of the Brethren is a very small denomination (about 124,000 members in the United States) that predates the American Revolution by some 70 years.  We are primarily Pietists who have embraced Anabaptist theology.  We are what some theologians call the "Radical Reformers", a title I personally embrace.  We are non-creedal because we have seen the folly of those who adopted a creed only to change it later.  We also believe that a creed is far to narrow and fails to express the fullness of what we believe and how we relate to the Almighty, All Powerful, Mysterious yet Personal Diety we generally call God.  Believing that the Holy Spirit of this God is constantly providing us with greater wisdom and understanding we are not yet ready to finalize our Creed.  Nevertheless, we have boldly declared certain doctrines and positions that we have consistently upheld.  Here is just a few of the more significant ones for this topic of discussion.

1.  All War Is Sin.
Yes, we are one of the three historic Peace Churches, right alongside the Mennonites and the Quakers.  In short, we are Pacifists.

2.  Servant-Theology .
Jesus modeled the role of a servant to the world.  "The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve. (Matthew 20:28 NRSV).  As his followers we are called to do the same.  This has led us into incredible ministries involving disaster relief, hunger relief, health care, volunteerism and more.

3.  For the Christian Believer the Human Body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit.
(1 Corinthians 6:19)
As a result we seek to avoid smoking, alcohol, illegal drugs, sexual immorality and yes, abortion.

4.  We Oppose Gambling.

5.  We Practice the Love Feast as observed in the New Testament.  This is based on the Last Supper and includes worship, a meal, the washing of feet and the bread and cup of communion.  For Brethren the fulll Love Feast is an Ordinance of the Chuirch, not just the bread and cup.

6.  We Encourage a Holistic Approach to Life, seeking to build up, encourage, improve, and make whole.  This even includes a strong understanding that the Church is more than a local congregation that meets once a week to observe ancient rituals.  Rather, the Church is a living, breathing, nurturing collection of people from all backgrounds united by their faith in Jesus Christ as God's Son and our Savior, and empowered by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.

Oh man, this only begins to rub the surface.  There is SO MUCH MORE that should be said.  But I am not attempting to convert anyone to the Church of the Brethren here.  My purpose at this time is to demonstrate how, even within my small corner of Protestantism, the members of my denomination are just as likely, if not more likely, to be influenced by sources outside our Church than by the teachings of the Church itself.

Talking heads on AM Radio and cable stations have made their mark upon 21st Century Christians in the United States.  Slick-souding preachers, teachers, psychologists and pundits both on FM Radio and on Televison have become the newly crowned prophets of our day.  Some of these are not even Christians but they say what we want to hear.  So we accept their word as truth.

The result of all this leaven in the Church-dough is staggering.  Well-respected congregational leaders can hurl insults from the sidelines of a parade at fellow Church members.  Campaigns are launched via emails and word-of-mouth to boycott a local store simply because they do not sell the American flag.  (That one is kind of involved to explain here, but its true -- and shameful !)  Pro-choice people are called "baby killers" by the pro-life camp.  Can someone tell me how a person can be "pro life" when it comes to abortion yet also be a hawk when it comes to war?  Why does the "sacredness of human life" argument end at birth?  A little consistency here, please!!

Currently in my denomination the hottest and most divisive issue is the question of homosexuality in the Church.  This one is getting ugly and has all the makings of a denominational killer.  Yes, we Brethren have taken a stand on this matter as well.  In 1983 we adopted a formal position paper entitled 'Human Sexuality From a Christian Perspective".  It was a landmark document filled with honesty, integrity, biblical scholarship and beautiful dialog.  Oddly enough the paper was more about heterosexual relationships and integrity than homosexual ones.  What it did say about homosexuality was powerful, however.  In a most careful and Spirit-filled way it says that for the Christian homosexual covenantal relationships are unacceptable.  Yet it also declared with equal boldness that we will remain in dialog with the homosexual community, seeking common ground where possible, listening to and engaging with them.  (This is my paraphrase of what the document literally says.)

This does not satisfy many, however.  There is a growing movement that wants a more firm and exclusive position stated.  Many are threatening to leave the denomination if they do not get what they want.  This has raised a number of key questions for me.
a)  Why has this one issue of homosexuality become the litmus test for whether or not we are truly a follower of Jesus? 
We declare all war to be sin, yet we fully accept the warrior as a member of our Church.  We declare gambling is sin, yet I can't begin to count the number of members who engage in casino gambling and state lotteries.  We elevate the Love Feast to Ordinance status yet it is fair to say most of our members do not attend or participate in the simple meal or washing of feet, as Jesus commanded us to do.  (John 13).
What is perhaps most striking to me is that we Brethren have always claimed the words of Jesus were the most significant for us.  Yet to my knowledge Jesus never directly addressed the question of gays and lesbians at any point in the New Testament.  All the other items I mentioned above are addressed by our Lord, but not homosexuality.

So why the shift in emphasis?  That's a hard one.  I can't fully describe it.  I only suspect it is closely related to the popularity of too many self-appointed gurus who hold greater influence over Christians than the Christian scriptures.  The Jeff Becks, the James Dobsons, the late James Kennedy, the Rush Limbaughs, the Liberty Universities,  and so muuch more, these are the new  spokepersons. 

The result is division.  It is hard for me to grasp that we are willing to throw away 300 years of witnessing to the values and the teachings of that which we call the Church of the Brethren.  Yet that is what many are suggesting.  Not I, however.    I cast my lot on the side of reconciliation; unity; tolerance and the New Testament.  If I am going ot listen to anyone it will be Jesus, who prayed that his followers may be one, "brought to complete unity to let the world know" that Jesus is God's Son and that God loves us the same way he loves Jesus (John 17:20-26  NIV).

This discussion is far from over.  I suspect I will be addressing it again as it continues to unfold.  Feel free to post your comments and responses, as I am convinced that dialog is healthy and will lead to clarity and growth.  All I ask is that the conversation remain wholesome and respectful.  May the Peace of Christ be with you.

-gdgehr
This post is the second in a series addressing the problem of prejudice.  It was preceeded by "Seeking Sanity In the Face of Ignorance".

Thursday, November 4, 2010

ELECTION REFLECTIONS 2010

The airwaves are remarkably quiet and peaceful these days.  It feels like I've passed through some kind of time warp and landed in an alien society.  In reality, however, I realize it is all due to the fact that the 2010 Mid-Term Election is over!

All those repulsive campaign ads are finally laid to rest.  No longer will I be bombarded with half-truths and unsubstantiated claims about what a horrible leader the "opponent" has been or will prove to be.  No longer will I hear the empty, self-serving lies about taxes, deficit spending, Social Security benefits, the Health Care Reform Act, and so much more.  Best of all I do not need to look at those ugly, distorted black-and-white pictures of some wanna-be's opponent.  You know the ones, where the person looks like they just swallowed a fly!

I will admit that I am getting older and, perhaps, a bit less tolerant of showmanship and hyperbole.  But after taking a couple deep breathes to calm myself I would like to offer my personal "ELECTION REFLECTIONS", based on a few disturbing observations from this recent debacle.

1.  FOLLOW THE MONEY.

NPR estimates at least $4 billion  was spent on the Election of 2010.  That is about $1 billion more than the last mid-term election of 2006 and only $1 billion less than the 2008 Presidential year election, which set a new record.

Four billion dollars.  Not very much compared to the Federal deficit ($1.42 trillion in fiscal year 2009).  But staggering, nonetheless, considering what it bought.  Did you notice how nearly every candidate spoke boldly about the way we need to reel in reckless spending and be more accountable with the use of money?  Yet they did not hesitate to spend like maniacs to promote their own campaign.  And as for accountability, where did all these obscure groups come from that paid for so many of the most offensive ads?  More importantly, where did their money come from?  We will never know, because they do not need to make full disclosure thanks to some handy loopholes in the campaign laws.

How could we be in such dire straights financially as a nation and still foot this bill without blinking an eyelash?  Four billion dollars worth of distortions and defamation could certainly have been put to better use, don't you think?  That's pretty expensive mud those folks are slinging!

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  (Philippians 4:8)"

2.  THOSE FICKLE FOLKS WHO VOTE.

For the third straight time we have seen one party take full power over the Executive and Legislative branches of the Federal government in a Presidential Election year only to lose control of Congress two years later.  The American electorate seems to have no idea what they want - - except CHANGE!  It would appear as if a vast majority of voters are simply swept along by the candidate and/or party that spends the most on negative ads, thus creating a spirit of unrest and dissension.

Perhaps the real issue here is the unrest and lack of patience that characterizes so many Americans.  We want what we want NOW!  When we elect someone to an office they better deliver the goods quickly because we will not wait for back orders.  Such expectations are unrealistic, but they drive our politics just the same.

"Be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.  (Ephesians 4: 2-3)"

3.  EVIDENCE OF FRAUD AND INTIMIDATION.

Again, according to NPR, there were widespread reports of telephone campaigns targeting selected audiences for the purpose of eliminating their vote.  One such effort told elderly citizens that they could vote over the Internet or by phone to avoid long lines at the polls.  This, of course, was a lie.

Another tactic aimed at blacks in the cities claimed that if a person would vote straight Democratic ticket, the vote would not be counted.  Another lie.  Another lost vote.

Finally their were numerous self-appointed "watchdog" groups who claimed to hold vigil at the polling stations to guard against voter fraud.  In reality, many would-be voters reported that they were so intimidated by the presence of these people that they chose not to vote at all.  Such tactics must be renounced and removed from American politics.  Have we learned nothing in the past 150-plus years?

"So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance;  truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter.  Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice.  He saw that there was no one; he
    was appalled that there was no one to intervene;  (Isaiah 59:14-16)"

4.  YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND.

One nice thing about the past two months or so was the opportunity to be reacquainted with some of my old friends (whom I never met before!).  I received personal phone calls from the likes of Tom Ridge, Rudy Giuliani, Tom Corbett, Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin and more.  All these acted like my best friend.  These friends, Republicans all, told me why I had to vote Republican.  Funny, I never heard from them before and I seriously doubt I will hear from them again, though possibly they will look me up again in 2012.

In Conclusion:
I don't know what the solution is.  For all its faults - and there are many serious ones - it is still a rather good system.  However, there remains plenty of room for improvement and we can not be comfortable until we achieve it.
As you may have figured out by my use of scripture above I believe the best answer is to be well grounded in the Bible and if you vote, do so from a FAITH perspective and not a Party perspective.  In my humble opinion, to vote from a Faith perspective is not at all easy, for to do so we must put our personal agenda aside in favor of God's Agenda.  That will require a new look at the issues.  God is not always going to come down on the side of our wallets.    It also challenges us to realize that it isn't always about US.  In fact, it seldom is.  "To whom much is given, much will be expected."  We have indeed been blessed but not for our personal enjoyment.  We are blessed to be a blessing to others.  That seldom comes across in politics.  But then, politics is a concern of this world;  of the powers and principalities of this present darkness, as Paul would say.  We as Christians, on the other hand, maintain citizenship elsewhere - in heaven.  We are the people of God first and Americans somewhere down the line of priorities.  Thus we must heed the voice of Truth as revealed to us by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.

Are we willing to follow His Call wherever it may lead?