Thursday, October 30, 2008

Let's talk politics

***FYI, this is a LONG one, and you may be offended if you choose to be.... you have been warned!!***

Ok, so I have been very hesitant to talk about this on here, but this is my blog, and I cannot remain silent any longer. Please know that I am not attacking anyone here, or judging you for your beliefs or decisions, merely trying to understand. I don't think that anyone is "right" or "wrong". I know it's a personal decision for everyone. But... honestly, I just don't get it. Even though the election is now only days away... I just have to know where some of you are coming from. 

I think I must be getting some different kind of news coverage out here or something, because from what I hear and see, John McCain and Sarah Pailn are complete morons who don't know what they are talking about, and use nothing but scare tactics to promote their campaign. In all honesty, I don't know a ton about what McCain "promises" to do for our country, because all he ever talks about is how supposedly horrible and "scary" Barack Obama is. I'm sorry, but I just don't see anything scary about that man or what he proposes to do for our country. From the very beginning of the primaries, when there wasn't a thought of voting for him in my head, I have only ever thought that he was a kind hearted, good man. He's a family man. I personally (emphasis on personally) think that John McCain is mean, manipulative, malicious and stupid for choosing Sarah Palin as his running mate. I mean really, if he dies, SHE will be our president. Talk about no experience. And I don't know about you, but I don't want someone who is "just like me" to be running our country. Would you want a doctor who is "just like you," "your average Joe", to be doing your surgery?? I wouldn't, I would want someone more educated and experienced in that area. If she is "just like me" (and I know hardly anything about the economy or foreign affairs or energy solutions, as many Americans don't) then that would be pretty scary for her to be leading, or even assisting in, things. What she is saying to the American people when she says that, is that pretty much anyone could run the country. Hmmm... If on the other hand, what she means when she is saying that (that she is the "average Joe"), is that she has come from a middle class home and knows what it's like to struggle and have to work your way up, then I believe Obama, and Biden for sure, are able to relate to the American people just as much as she. 

I don't pretend to know what is best for the economy, or our country, because I don't. I really don't. But what I do know, is that the healthcare & tax plan that Obama is suggesting is not socialist. Basically all he will be doing is giving people who are uninsured the option to have affordable health insurance. He has corrected McCain time and again during debates, that people who are already insured through their employer or wherever else, will by no means have to give up their insurance, or change anything at all. But people who need insurance but can't really afford it (like our family, for example, who happens to be self-employed as well as students), will be offered an affordable option. I don't understand what's bad about that. 

The whole raising taxes thing... ok so paying more taxes stinks, but honestly people, all he is going to be doing is taking away the tax cut that President Bush put into place. It's like a 3% difference. You will be paying just as much in taxes as you were before that happened. And your hard earned money will not be going to people who have been sitting on their butts all day. Let me tell you, just because you are poor DOES NOT mean you are not hard working. And, there are other areas where taxes will be cut, like the capitol gains tax, for example, not to mention the 90% of Americans whose taxes will be LOWERED!! AND, I don't see how these particular taxes are any different from all of the other taxes that we pay that go towards all the government funded projects and organizations that have existed for years and years. Is it just because he used the words "spread the wealth"? Oh, and also, this is exactly what John McCain was proposing to do during his last presidential campaign! So if this is in fact socialism, wouldn't that mean that McCain supports socialism as well??

Ugh, see? This is why I hate politics... skewed truths, outright lies, name calling... it's all about who said what and did this and that 10 years ago, bringing up past issues that aren't even relevant, saying he contradicted himself here and there. It's all just so stupid. Why can't they just say what they want to do, and have it be done with? If that were the case, then I might actually vote for McCain, because I wouldn't be able to see what a mean nasty man he is. Which leads into my next point... 

I don't agree 100% with all of Obama's issues... 

I am very much aware of his views on abortion and gay marriage. Lest any of you think that I have gone and lost all of my morals, I am very much pro-life, and would vote yes on Prop-8 if I were in California right now. I know that everybody has their own reasons for voting for a particular candidate... some are strictly moral, some are based purely on their character, and some are based purely on what they propose to do for our country, and some are a mixture. I find it hard to believe that people can agree 100% with every word that comes out of a candidates mouth. 

I think for me, one reason is that I sincerely do not like John McCain and never have. I just haven't been able to get rid of the sour taste he left in my mouth during the primaries with good ol' Mitt. That was what originally forced me to pay closer attention to this election and even consider voting for a Democrat. It has actually been a little bit of a struggle for me to come to this decision. My family is very much Republican, so it has taken a lot for me to convince myself that I am not a horrible, immoral, person for voting Democrat. I realize that it doesn't even matter which way I vote, as New York is hands down for Obama, but it's still important to me that I make a decision for myself and show my support one way or the other, and do my part, even if it goes unseen.

What the rest of it boils down to, is that I think Obama would do a much better job getting our country out of an economic crisis. A friend of ours put it simply, that it's not necessarily what the person says they are going to do during the election, it's those unseen crises that come up and need to be dealt with... who is going to be able to look at the crisis from all angles and deal with it in the best way?? Who is going to use the knowledge that he has to do what is right and best for our country? 

For me, I trust Obama to do that. Nate pointed out that he seems very thoughtful and careful about the decisions he makes. Even Republican Colin Powell, a huge military guy, has complete confidence in his ability to handle things. He said, during his interview with Tom Brokaw, that that was what decided his vote, when the whole bailout issue was going on, Powell said that McCain seemed very unsure and kept changing his mind from one minute to the next, but Obama was very careful and wanted very much to understand everything. I take confidence in that.  Who knows, I may totally eat my words in a few years.  We shall see.

After all of this, in all honesty, I think either candidate will do just fine.  I really don't think it's as dramatic as everyone makes it out to be.  But what do I know.

Ok, so I have said what I want to say, now I want to hear what you have to say. Please be nice to me. I don't want to get into a big political argument or anything.  I don't imagine that I am going to be getting a lot of "Amen Morgan" or "I hear ya sista" comments, but an example of a nice comment would be...

"that's a very interesting point Morgan, thank you for sharing. this is why I am voting for McCain..."

or

"Morgan, you are a genius, you have totally changed my mind!"

Haha, just kidding. But really, I would love to hear everyone's views and opinions.

I will say though, that I am with you all on this point... I am SO done with this election.  It seems like it has been going on FOR-E-VER.  I'm so sick of thinking about it!

39 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great point Morgan... do you know where this is going? I vote based on records and action. Talk is cheap, especially with politicians. I want someone who stands up against the grain for the good of the country (surge) or just takes a stand on issues in general. What has Obama done in the state senate or as a US Senator (besides run for pres) where he took a difficult stand? I am very leary of him because he hasn't proven anything to be trust-worthy even in this election. He said he would focus on all the states (57 according to him!) and not just the tie-breaker states and he wouldn't agree to public financing without sitting down with the Repub nominee first. When he says one thing and does another, that is worse than anyone's inexperience. I haven't put much credence on anyone's experience, because they can choose from the best advisors around, but the people in his life he has chosen is also a concern because their views are way-left of what Democrats even claim to be. This is the only record he has shown me, so this is why I'm for John McCain and Sarah Palin.

Angie said...

Hi Morgan I enjoyed your post. I found your blog through Amanda's and I love reading about your life in New York. Although I'll be voting for McCain, I will say that your thoughts did make me understand better why people are voting for Obama. I don't think he's the best guy for the job, but maybe it won't be awful if he is elected.

Angie said...

hmm not sure my last sentence made sense. I meant I don't think Obama would be awful, I just think McCain would do a better job. OK it's late. Happy voting on Tuesday.

Michal Thompson said...

Morgan, I can't tell you how glad I am that you posted this. I have been feeling really bad about wanting to vote for Obama myself. But I feel the exact same as you and I am glad there is someone else out there!!!You have given me the courage to vote the way I deep down want to! EVERY canidate is going to have his ups and downs, pros and cons!!!

Sara Newton said...

Morgan, you do make a very good point about McCain, he seems to be a big jerk! I'm not sure I like him at all. My husband and I have struggled and struggled about who we want to vote for. We were looking at 3rd party candidates for a long time because we just don't like McCain or Obama at all. I think he's leaning towards McCain because he is the "lesser of two evils" as Michael put it. I'm still unsure...I might just write down that I vote for Dave from the movie "Dave" if you remember that one!

Ashley said...

I see your point. I have to say I'm not thrilled about either of the candidates, and to be honest I don't think either have the ability to make the kind of changes we want in our country. But I do agree with more of what McCain wants to do than Obama. I've heard the argument of people being so worried if something happened to McCain and Palin took over, but in all actuality, Palin has more experience than Obama... Something to think about. Good luck voting!

Anne said...

great post, morgan. i am with you on this one.

DaNae said...

I love ya girl but I strongly disagree. I don't like either of the candidates very much, but I voted (early voting) for the lesser evil of the 2. If you want to talk about inexperience, bama is a Jr. senator and before that a community organizer. Palin is far more experienced than he is. She has run the largest state in the US-even though it is not heavily populated. She knows a crap load about oil and energy resources. Sure she sounds stupid at times at gets names wrong of foreign leaders, but she is far from being dumb. And plus she is a hottie and a marathoner. Obama wants to help the poor and screw the people who have worked hard to get where they have. I am all about helping people but most (or all) of his programs will benefit low income people. He is very much socialist. People like him because he talks smooth and excites a crowd. That doesnt mean he is the most capable. He has too many bad things on his record for me to consider him (ie: ayers, acorn.)Especially with the controversy about gay marriage and abortion right now, with him in it will only get worse. But obama will win , and I don't think our lives are going to change that much. But NObama.

Anonymous said...

Wow, brave girl. I've been very much into everything going on and have to say that I'm completely for Obama. It's been frustrating browsing through mommy blogs these past few months that seem to be getting all their political information from youtube email forwards saying how Obama kills babies. I've wished to not be so close to Utah through all this because they practically worship Palin on the news every night. Scary. Please don't yell at me other commenters....but apart from the couple of moral issues associated with the parties I do not understand why it is that Mormon=Rep!! Maybe it's taking it a bit far, but shouldn't we be extra willing as Christians to pay more (even though we currently won't) to help people? Even if those people are low-income and we don't think they deserve it as much as we do? And really, is it up to us if they deserve it or not? Yes, we should do what we can to support ourselves, but why the need to be so greedy with the extra? I don't get it. And now people think I'm crazy. That's okay. It is late. Looking at the type of men they are I'd be wary of the man who's wife is years away from the ages of his children who picks a hottie to attract votes. Rant over. It is sad to me that so many young people in this red state next to mine just vote along with their parents and cannot seem to see past the issues they've been told are important and the way they've been told things are. Not proofreading all that because I'm scared :)

MacKay Olson said...

I totally agree with you Morgan. I didn't think I'd be voting Democrat this year, but it looks like I will be... if I could have received the absentee ballot in time.

Morgan said...

first of all, i am so glad that i am not alone. i literally lost sleep over this post. allie, don't feel badly about your comment, i agree with you 100%, this has been one of my biggest issues. everything you said about mormons=republican, and being so peeved about the tax thing, and giving their money to the poor. is that a bad thing? i don't understand how that makes obama a bad person. he is not just out to help the poor, he is out to help our entire country, but right now, he needs to help the poor in order to help our economy. and he is NOT a socialist.

true, palin may have more executive experience... in her own bubble of a state. she has come across as VERY uninformed about the economy and foreign affairs. the mere fact that dozens of prominent and respected Republicans have come out in support of Obama as a result of McCain's choice in Palin shows me that she really is a problem.

lovin' the comments so far people, keep em comin!

DaNae said...

since I read your post late last night I totally had dreams that I was hanging out with Sarah. Weird! I think it is wrong when people think that mormons have to vote GOP. Noone has ever said that. That is the cool thing about voting is that you can pick the best candidate for you. So people shouldnt be influenced by their parents etc. Dont feel bad you are voting the way you are..unless it is your conscience telling you something.....!!!

Mark said...

I agree with danae. I don't know why some mormons feel shame when they want to vote for a democrat. It's probably the fault of over-zealous LDS republicans. Moderate people will often feel torn between two candidates, which is a good sign that neither candidate is that bad. I'd be happier with either candidate from this election than either candidate from the last election. With that said, go Obama!

IronLawGirl said...

Very thoughtful Morgan. I love this post! Good for you for coming out and saying it! And I think you are right about the different news coverage. All the news stations are not unbiased, and definitely have their own agenda.
As far as why Mormons tend to vote GOP, I have an OPINION. I think because with what we are taught in the scriptures and from modern day prophets, we know that America is the chosen land that will be protected until the wicked out number the righteous and we will experience the Nephite pride cycle all the way to the end. Sin will be what destroys our country. So many LDS vote not really on what tax reforms are proposed, or what health care plans are suggested, because lets face it, our church very much encourages giving to the poor and being self sufficient, and our country will survive it. I think most vote on the moral issues at play, doing what they can to keep us fearing God, not allowing issues like abortion and gay marriage to become constitutionally protected rights, because our country can't survive that. We have been told that what was going on in Soddum and Gumorah (abc?) is no worse that what we experience today.

Morgan said...

danae, you totally crack me up. i love that you had dreams about pailn. i know that everyone is free to choose whomever works best for them, but i do think that there is a little bit of a stigma that mormons should be republican, which i think is a little weird actually, as besides the whole abortion/gay marriage thing, democratic views seem to be a little more in line with christian values as far as everyone helping and supporting each other, instead of everyone out for themselves. i know it's not that black and white, and i definitely don't consider myself a democrat or liberal at all... just some thoughts.

Morgan said...

very good point kristin... very well spoken too!!

Sarah said...

I totally agree with you, Morgan. There are a few issues that I agree with McCain on but as far as running the country, I have to go with Obama. We will see how it all turns out soon..

Anonymous said...

I hear ya, sista! Amen! Okay, so you can also tell Sara that it doesn't really matter who she votes for because for crying out loud, she is in Utah, THE most republican state in the nation.

B said...

Wow lots to digest here on this post and the comments! I will only give my opinion on one thing... the Obama tax thing and the "spreading of the wealth." My sister's husband is an orthodontist. He makes good money and so he gets taxed a lot. With Obama's tax plan people like him get a huge tax hike, by the time they will pay federal, state and tithing they will end up with 30% of their income. Most people say, it doesn't matter because he makes a lot of money, it won't really affect him... but the truth is that even though they live well within their means and don't have lots of worldly things they still have 4 children to support and loans to pay on their schooling and their practice, the cost of living keeps rising and so they still have to be careful and stay on a budget. If that tax hike hits their only choice will be to let go of one or two employees. Then two middle class families will be out of work because he won't be able to afford to keep them and still support his own family. That's the thing that scares me about the Obama "spreading the wealth" thing. If every small business owner has to let go of employees to keep afloat, then we are going to have A LOT of unemployed people to make our already crappy economic situation worse. I don't think I LOVE McCain, and I don't really want Obama in office either, it's too bad those are our choices! BUT... I did want to share my two-cents about Obama's tax plan because I think we all need to look at it from all angles! :)

Jasmine said...

Great post Morgan. Bob and I had a good laugh at your intro. I'm not going to say whether we agree or disagree, but being on the opposite side of the country, we actually get the same point of view. Anyway, thanks for the awesome post!

Michael said...

Hey, it's Michael Newton. Thought I'd follow up on Sara's post. We do feel like we don't really like either candidate, but I can't vote Obama for two reasons: His statements that he believes in the redistribution of wealth and his statement that he believes the constitution is fundamentally flawed. I personally am scared to death to think that the government thinks it has the power to choose who gets my money regardless on the amount I make. Also, if my president doesn't believe in the constitution what does that mean for the future of the country?

I actually like Obama better as a person and I think he would do better at building relations with other countries, but the above statements scare me to death, because once we start turning against the Constitution our country will be in big trouble.

And in response to Amanda's comment: yes, we do live in Utah, but we still take the responsiblity of voting seriously. This is based on our belief in democracy as a system.

Gretchen said...

Hey Morgan. I loved your post and I love that people are taking their votes seriously. I personally agree with you regarding Palin and McCain, but mostly I'm encouraged to hear from others who are trying to see beyond the "politicking" to figure out what these four figures (McCain, Palin, Obam, and Biden) stand for. This has been such a long campaign with lots of smoke and mirrors, and hopefully when all the dust settles, America will be on a better path. Anyway, thanks for always having really honest, "tell it like it is" posts! They're great. And I hope you and Nate are settling into grad school life! :)

James, Cameo, Jacob, and Eli said...

I never really liked McCain's character from the start - like you I just couldn't stand him during the debates with good old Mitt Romney. But my values are much more inline with Republican values, and although if elected McCain will be man #1, there are a lot of advisers and other people who will be helping influence his decisions. Obama is smooth and a likeable guy, but his experience is very limited, and I think he will get walked all over by his own Democratic party if elected. The scariest thing for me is to have a Democratic president along with a Democratic congress. That puts a lot of power into the hands of people whose values and beliefs are completely contrary to my own. So in this election, although I don't really like either candidate, I am voting for the party and hoping for the best!!

Anonymous said...

I solidified my opinion when I read a book that examines Senator Obama's choices, voting records and his associations and even friends. It's very revealing of Obama's true character. This book wasn't written to scare people or to slander Obama. In the beginning of the book he says this: "Too many of those criticizing Obama have been content merely to slander him," he writes. False rumors about Obama's religion and ancestry have produced, Freddoso writes, "an intellectual laziness among the very people who should be carefully scrutinizing Obama." Freddoso is careful to use information that can be backed by facts that he cites throughout the book. Anyway, this book is great not too shocking. Barack's just another corrupt politician, not the savior of the world as many liberals seem to believe.

The book is called The Case Against Barack Obama: The Unlikely Rise and Unexamined Agenda of the Media's Favorite Politician.. It is written by David Freddoso.


It talks about how Obama won his first election (to the Illinois State Senate) by having his lawyers knock all his opponents -- including the black, female incumbent -- off the ballot on technicalities, so he could run unopposed.
- How Obama voted to deny medical care to babies born alive after abortion -- a bill too extreme even for Nancy Pelosi. He voted NO more than once to give medical attention to babies that survived a failed abortion. The nurse who witnessed this said that these babies were old enough to be saved but were left to die in dirty utility closets.
- This alone would be enough to change my vote if I were voting for Obama, so I don't understand how anyone can vote for someone who didn't see the problem with these abortions.

-In an 2001 interview he was quoted saying that he wanted to "break free from the constraints of the Constitution" You can hear the whole interview clip on Glennbeck.com. If he wants to break free from the Constitution may be American isn't the place he needs to be.

-If Barack Obama is the man who is going to save everyone from bad loans and from paying their mortgages how come he hasn't done that for his own family? He hasn't helped his aunt who's home was foreclosed on or his half brother in Africa who survives on a dollar a day. His words are empty and his past actions and associations contrast greatly with what he stands for.

-And yes, the media is biased.

Josh and Michelle said...

I and my wife are supporters of Obama. We respect everyone else's right to believe and think as they see fit. However, I am sick and tired of holier than thou members of my own church telling me how there is some divine sanction that rests with the Republican party. The bottom line is there are good and bad in both parties. Neither party is sanctioned by the Church, yet most members (especially the republican ones) somehow think that their party is "gods party". Tell me one significant thing the republicans have done since rowe v. wade to overturn or change that decision? If any of you watched the debates you would have noted that Sarah Palin and Joe Biden gave the exact same response when questioned about their stances on gay marriage and both said their respective Presidential candidates felt the same.
My point is this, as responsible Americans and Latter Day Saints it is our responsibility to seriously study the candidates and their messages and then make our decisions prayerfully. This may shock some, but after doing this, I feel Obama is the best candidate, and I respectfully admit that others may feel differently than I do and that is okay. My point here is we should not tie ourselves so strongly to one party or the other because they are both flawed. Too often members of our church vote republican withour seriously considering the other choices. You are all going to be strongly disapointed when you get to the celestial kingdom and find that the Lord has saved some room there for Democrats as well. Maybe you should look at reading the biography of Harry Reid, he's the majority leader in the Senate, he's a Democrat and yes, hes a FAITHFUL member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and by the way, an Obama supporter.

A Little Sass said...

Morgan, Oh I will be SOOo glad when this is all over. I have to start by staying that I don't love my two options. I don't want to vote for either of them. I am with some of the others that have commented, I am voting for the lesser of two evils. But, what is that makes you think that Obama is a "good man"? Have you really done any research into who he is? And what the press tells you is NOT research. The press is very liberal! So what they say about Obama and McCain is very one sided. I have found that so frustrating. Look who he associates with, how he has voted on issues, already how he has said one thing and done another. When you know anything about him you will know that he has already lied to us. I am not ok with that! And bottom line for me ... I do NOT believe in a Socialized government. And that is exactly where he will take us.

For those of you that are bashing Mormons for being Rep. Maybe ... just maybe it is because our values are more in line with the Rep party. For example, Obama is for late term abortion, he voted for it tree times. Gay marriage, big issues that we have strong moral opinions about! So it kinda makes sense that we would vote Republican.

God Bless America ... we are going to need it!

Josh and Michelle said...

Hey Morgs, I had more to say, Josh wrote earlier. you did ea really good job expressing everything I liked what Allie had to say too. First of all in my personal opinion there shouldnt even be 2 parties baceause it skews people from seeing what the candidate positions are and someone from one party can have the same points as someone from another. Abortion and Gay marriage are only 2 isssues affected by government(and I have only heard candidates say thatthey are not going to make changes there) . Mormons have other value too such as caring for our sick and needy. Obama is someone to me who I feel I can trust. He seems like he really thinks things through and does the best with the knowledge he is able to get and wehen he finds better or sees that something doesnt work I think hwe is a person that will admit that it wasnt the best and do better.I do not trust McCain at all! neither candidate is perfect, but I find most of Obamas plans to be better.One of the Prophets has said vote for the man, not the party. I dont have any guilt in voting for Obama, I think he is a really good candidate, though of course not perfect as none of us are. Oh and I have to say it because of someones comment ( I dont remember whos) Just because a person is poor does not mean they do not work hard for what they have. I would consider us pretty dang poor, and Josh works hard and a dang lot of hours!

Sara Newton said...

Holy cow! Lots of comments here. Morgan, you did a good job of opening a discussion! I have more to say on the subject of people just voting for the Republican party because they are Republican... Democrats do it too. Just thought I'd say that. My parents are Democrats and actually my entire family is and many if not all of them vote Democrat just because the person is a Democrat. So I think that happens in both parties. And let me tell you, both parties can be jerks to the other party and can have the "holier than thou" attitude as well. Just thought I'd put that out there. I'm not trying to say that the person who said that isn't right, because they are...many members of the church can be crazy about the Republican party. It just happens on both sides of the issue.

I'm so excited for this election to be over! There are 2 days left...but that won't be the end of it.

Anonymous said...

I've (this is Nate) stayed out of this until now, but I have to respond to the post by anonymous. No one is pro-abortion. Obama is not pro-abortion. Honestly, who is pro-abortion? And there are certain facts that are apparently omitted in Fredosso's book. The reason Obama voted against those abortion bills was because they did not include a clause that would allow those conditions if the life of the mother were in jeopardy. This is even a clause that the church inserts in its discussions about abortion. IT wasn't what happens if a baby is born and can survive that he opposed, it was other parts of the bill. Besides that, I think that Obama understands that abortion is a very complex issue that is "moral" for people on both sides of it. To me, this is one of his strengths, the issue is not one sided, and a candidate who sees it as such is not honoring the deeply considered morality of a large group of Americans who have come to different conclusions. Of course I believe that abortion is dreadful, and I think Obama would agree. Actually anyone would agree with that, so we have to decide what will honor the agency of everyone, including unborn fetuses, including mothers whose lives are in jeopardy, including women who were raped. It's a volatile issue, and not as cut and dry as those who oppose it would like to make it. Its important for us to remember that we live in a society that embraces many different perspectives and cultures, and just because we have strongly held beliefs does not give us the right to discredit those of others. This tactic that I have seen used by those who are pro-life on the internet is offensive to me, and manipulative. It encourages us to be afraid of people and categorize them unfairly instead of listening and understanding. Anyway, there's my $.02. Cool discussion everyone!

Bethanne said...

Holy politics, Batman. I've already voted, but I can't wait for the elections to be over. Seriously, I don't like either candidate and just had to vote for the "lesser of two evils". Not that either are evil, but anyways. I wanted to start a massive write-in campaign, but I'm not sure it would've caught on.

Morgan said...

sari~ yes, i have done my research, and no it is not the press and the media. if it were, then i am pretty sure i would believe he was a terrible man like everyone else. for every allegation made against obama, or anyone for that matter, there is another side. i like the point nate made about abortion. who is really FOR abortion?? obama is not FOR gay marriage either, he actually does not believe in it, but doesn't believe in putting a law in place that prohibits it... he respects people's agency and freedom to choose. as a member of a church who believes that agency is an eternal principle, and that God will judge and give consequences according to His own will and time, I can respect a man who believes in free will. of course that doesn't mean that i want to see people continuing to get abortions, or gay marriage legalized, but i can understand his logic.

i know that jon stewart's daily show, is not exactly considered respected news coverage, but the other day, he had one of mccain's advisors, or some one like that on... can't remember his name, but he said that he knows that obama is not really a terrorist and is not really a socialist, and jon replied by saying, oh, so you just want people to believe that he is... and he could not say anything in defense. so i think it's fair to say that every one lie, and every one does and says stupid things. i know obama is FAR from perfect, and it's not like i think he is this amazing gift for our country, but i trust him to get the job done.

anyway... there have definitely been some good points made on both sides. thanks for all the great comments.

only ONE day left! YAY!!

Josh and Michelle said...

Just a note for a little sass,
I and my wife are Mormon. The point I was making is that there are Mormons who support Democrats and it doesn't make us any less faithful or any less committed to our values than you. Also you are naive if you think the media is solely liberal. There is liberal media and there is conservative media and your comments about Obamas associations have been furthered by the conservative media. I also take issue with you saying the values of the Republican party are in line with those of the church. In case you missed the note from the First Presidency here it is "The Church is Neutral. We do not endorse either party." I have no problem with you having different political views than me. I do however have a problem with you telling me that my not supporting the Republican party means that I am not in line with the values of the church. Bottom line is none of us should blindly follow either party. We should take serious time to search the issues, pray about our choice, and accept the fact that others, who share the same faith and values, can see differently when it comes to political views.
Now for Nate,
I loved your post and eco your comments.

alliehoopes said...

Yay for that. Obviously one party/candidate isn't ALL good while the other is ALL bad. It's a complex thing. Until Jesus is around of course. I am completely Mormon (whatever you want that to mean). I do side conservatively on moral issues. But since the leader of our country is just a man and is not going to be leading us morally.....there are a lot of other issues that he can have influence in that can better our country. The moral problems in our country all stem from family life and I don't think a president can change that. I, however, can live my life and help others around me and spread the gospel. That would help. But not having someone in office who's party agrees on a couple of moral issues. Banning gay marriage and abortion doesn't change the type of homes that people were raised in. So even with my conservative moral values, I don't see how that would help. To me, as a latter-day saint, I'm going to say that even more important than telling other people what they shouldn't be doing is helping increase the good that we are doing. Families and children are the most important thing to me. Not only my own, but others trying to do the best they can. Better education, better health care, more opportunities....I think those kinds of things would do more good at targeting the problem. Making families stronger. No government before the second coming is going to be able to do this perfectly, but I still want them to be able to try to make a difference. I do try to do everything I can to make my own family self-sufficient and united. But after that I feel it's our duty to "spread the wealth". I feel blessed that we can get by on our own, but I'm not going to condemn others that haven't had the same opportunities.....especially the children of those others. Okay, I'm done.

Lisa Busath said...

Well, as your mother I definitely need to give you my two-cents worth. Isn't that what mothers do?

I too am not thrilled with either candidate, but unforfunately that's who we have to choose from at this point. I am choosing the lesser of two evils: McCain. My main reason for doing this, of course, is my moral stance on many issues. Another huge one is the power a president has to appoint judges. A democratic president is going to appoint extremely liberal judges who are making HUGE moral decisions that affect our entire country. A republican president is going to appoint more conservative judges that would rule more in line with what I believe.

A perfect example of this is what has happened in California. Four Supreme Court justices ruled that it was illegal to withhold marriage from gay couples, even after Prop. 22 passed by a HUGE landslide several years ago. The moral majority of our state had spoken: We vote for traditional marriage! Those four justices have just made a mockery of our democatic process. They have literally taken away the voice of the moral majority of our state! Who are they to think that they are better and smarter than the rest of us? That to me is the scariest situation of all. It is a threat to our freedom and the basic fundamentals of our constitution.

Being in court every day as a court reporter I see how the law works. You take one case cite and it's always interpreted and argued two different ways, according to who the lawyer is representing. My point is is that the law is open to interpretation, and interpret we all do, according to our moral beliefs -- because face it, all laws are fundamentally moral issues.

For these reasons (and many more that are too lengthy to enumerate on this blog), I am voting for the least scary of the two: McCain. Love, Mom :)

Mark said...

Morgan's Mom (Mrs. Busath?) has identified what I believe to be the most enduring effect of the next administration. It has been theorized that if Obama wins, the four liberal Supreme Court justices (Souter, Ginsburg, Stevens, and Breyer) will retire in the next four years and be replaced by fresh liberals. If McCain wins, it has been theorized that all four of them will try to stay alive for four more years and hope a democrat wins the next election. It is amazing what a difference one or two Supreme Court justices can make in this country, and the next president might get to pick four! It is also amazing (to me) how few people consider this factor while choosing a president.

Clay and Natalie said...

Morgan,
Dude, what a mess this election has been. And a high five for being the brave one because you know a lot of people are not going to side with you. But, also now being a Californian, I have to side with your Mom. The liberal judges out here have turned our democratic process into a mockery and imposed their interpretation of the constitution on us. Unfortunately, you have to go with the lesser of two evils again (since you can't have good ole Mitt as you called him). Wow! You're making everyone come out of their shells aren't ya? Hope everything is going great. Happy Election Day!

Unknown said...

Wow, lots of comments. Thanks for checking out my blog morgan and, of course you can visit anytime. I will visit yours as well! I think it great that you put this on your blog. I got nervous just putting my little post last night. I think to made your point! Go OBAMA! YES WE CAN!

The Waters said...

I don't know who Kristin is but I do really like what she said! Makes alot of sence to me and that's pretty much how I base my decision on the vote because I think everything else between the lines is just a bunch of lies or just way too complicated and those politicians rarely do most of what they say anyway, So I say we stick to our moral guns.

Makala said...

Okay, Morgan, so after "blog-stalking" you for a few months now, I finally feel the "need" to post. First of all... I don't know if you remember me or not.. I went to the same Jr.High/ H.S. as you and your siblings, and was in many of Joel's classes at both Arcade and EC... we were great friends! So anyways... back to posting... I just have to say "THANK YOU!!!!" It is so refreshing to read your post, somewhat knowing your religious views (some of my closest/best friends are Mormon), and to see how you approached this election with such an open mind and truly looking at both sides. Although I agree that everyone has a right to their opinion, I have been ashamed by some people's horribly racist and just plain mean reactions and comments about the outcome of the election. I agree with like, everything you said in your post, which is why I am pro-Obama too. It doesn't mean that I agree with him 100% on everything, but overall, I feel the same exact way you do about Obama and his policies. Okay... so I will step off of my soap-box now, but I just wanted to thank you again, for such a well-written and refreshing post!!!!