Yes on Prop 8

For those of you who live in California, we have an important ballot measure on which to vote. My friend Christina is advocating for a "yes" vote on Prop 8. Ian and I agree. Here's her message to us to request that we join her in supporting Prop 8:

Hi Friends & Family,

Well, it’s in the air and politics is everywhere. For me personally, I have decided to help campaign a YES Vote on Proposition 8. This is probably the single most important proposition to me that I will be voting on in November.

It started for me when I heard Barbara Bradley-Hagardy on NPR give a report on Gay Rights and Religious Liberties http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91486340 (Barbara actually spoke at the Mosaic’s Women’s Brunch a few years ago). It was during her report that I realized that churches and other religious organizations could lose their rights and possibly their 501c3/non-profit status if they did not agree to conduct services for homosexuals (including counseling, ceremonies, etc). The report made me think, “What about the rights to the religious organizations?” Will we have to succumb to changing our values, ethics, and the way we run church due to the law?

This is why I taking advantage of our freedom in this still beautiful country and I am advocating YES on proposition 8. I’ve attached 2 flyers if you would like more information. (Fact Sheet & Questions and Answers). Please check out: www.protectmarriage.com

I hope you’ll join me and e-mail as many friends, neighbors, and family members in California that CAN make a difference and help protect the sacred bond of marriage between man and wife. Vote YES on Proposition 8.

Because of Him,
Christina Storm

At any rate, under California law, “domestic partners shall have the same rights, protections and benefits” as married spouses. (Family Code §297.5.). My opposition is that the world over understands that marriage is between one man and one woman. Any new definitions will take us down a slippery slope. I don't think same sex partners are being denied civil rights as they claim. They have the rights. This is an issue of accepted definitions. Please do some homework and support Prop 8.

Clarice

The Final Stretch

So the last debate is over and we're coming into the final stretch. We had an interesting evening last night. We packed up the kids and went to a restaurant (and nightclub) in the Miracle Mile to watch the debate with members of the Los Angeles Republicans Alliance. It was rather surreal. A bunch of Hollywood-like people actually hooting and hollering over McCain.

I was glad to hear McCain bring up some of the issues that make me question Obama's judgement. I was a bit disappointed in his style. He seemed to jab and jab, but then retreat before the knockout. Obama had a few good comebacks and points. Ultimately, McCain ain't the smoothest talker, but he's earnest and seems far more trustworthy than Obama. There's something about Obama that creeps me out. Probably the way he obfuscates and talks his way around the issue at hand, like how he responded about his votes on the Born Alive Act and on William Ayers. So I'm with the Frank Lutz group in not wanting to trust Obama.

For your homestretch entertainment, here's a ten-minute rant by a local musician that has been linked by a number of my favorite bloggers. On why he's voting for McCain/Palin...and a hit piece on the far left. Opinionated, charismatic, controversial, but thought-provoking and funny.



Clarice

Debate Frustrations

I was so disappointed and frustrated in the debate last night. Neither Obama nor McCain said anything they haven't really said before. In terms of their general policy differences, they didn't really seem that different. So, what probably counts more are issues of character. Obama's associations with folks like William Ayers, ACORN, Jeremiah Wright, Tony Rezco really cast a shadow on his character...and his judgment, which he has been touting as a substitute for experience. McCain didn't take advantage of opportunities to bring attention to these associations. I was so disappointed. The mainstream media sure isn't covering much about these folks so these debates might be the only places for folks who don't follow the investigations of the conservative blogosphere to find out.

I'm starting to resign myself to the idea that Obama just might win it. I was telling Ian last night that I would really be bummed if that happened. But I would live. My hope is not in Obama. It's in Jesus. But I tell you what REALLY scares me beyond the Presidency. It's the idea of a Democratic President, Democratic Congress, and Democratic Senate. Losing division of power is incredibly dangerous. That means the judicial appointees over the next 4 years will not be constructionists. They will probably be marked with judicial activism. So for any of you fence-sitters who might happen to read this...think on that. Are we really ready to have all three branches of government dominated by the left?

Clarice

McCain FINALLY talking about the economic issues

Okay, so we know McCain is supposed to be more experienced than Obama in foreign policy. But polls indicate that economic issues trump foreign policy right now. Now McCain finally seems to be talking about his understanding of the current financial crisis and the roles he (and the Republicans) and Obama and the Democrats played.



I trust him more than Obama on economic issues. And if we're talking political parties, I certainly trust the Republicans more on strategies to grow the economy.

Here's another one:



Clarice

Why Not Obama?

Why am I fearful of an Obama presidency? Because if Obama wins, there will be a loss of checks-and-balances in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of our government. Can you imagine the horror of Obama, Nancy Petocin, Harry Reid, Obama's liberal Cabinet appointees and the possiblity of 2-3 new liberal Supreme Court Justices? Way too much change in the extreme liberal direction.

Also, any new taxes is the exact wrong thing needed in our economy right now. Obama is for tax increases, letting tax cuts expire and $800 Billion in new spending. Biden says the economy might force them to spend and tax at a slower rate. I say none of the above.

Here are a few more doozies, from the National Republican Trust PAC and other easily found sources:

No solid denouncement of liberal extremists he has associated with; Wright, Ayers or Farrakan. And endorsements from Castro, leaders of Hamas, etc. Some Iranians actually hope McCain wins because they think Obama is more likely to unite the world against Iran. Obama has repeatedly announced choices that had he been in power to make those choices America would have suffered.

Obama wasn't even interested in church until he was advised that he'd better get in church if he wanted to get the backing of many Americans. There was no "faith" language in his speech even four years ago, but in the last eighteen months liberals figured out they needed to jump on the religion bandwagon. Obama's true feelings come through, though, when he talks about Americans clinging to their guns and religion.

100% Liberal Rating by the National Journal.

Most pro-abortion candidate in the history of America. 100% endorsed by Planned Parenthood, the leading abortion provider which receives obscene amounts of taxpayer money to be spent in ways I certainly do not approve of. This makes me sick.

Against gun rights. Rated "F" on gun positions by the NRA.

Approves of strong-arm tactics against free speech when the speech tries to reveal the truth of his past statements and associations.

Spouts vulgar language and racist remarks in his own book Dreams from My Father, which can be bought on tape, read by Obama himself. Read Wayne Perryman's other books on Why are most blacks in America Democrats? Why"for over 150 years, blacks were victims of terrorist attacks by the Democrats and their Klan supporters, including lynching, beating, rapes and mutilations. On the issue of slavery, the Democrats literally gave their lives to expand it; the Republicans gave their lives to ban it. Many believed the Democrats had a change of heart and fell in love with blacks. To the contrary, history reveals the democrats didn't fall in love with black folks, they fell in love with the black vote knowing this would be their ticket into the white house."

It's time for McCain to get the truth into the debates instead of hidden away on the internet. Looking forward to tomorrow's townhall style debate.

Ian

The Bailout

I don't even want to talk about how ticked off I am at this entire situation. But I didn't think I could just keep on blogging away without mentioning it.

A video I saw a week ago went viral before being pulled off YouTube. It's been updated with new music. I must admit the original music was far more compelling to the entire video.



Clarice

Crossing Over

One of our commenters, the mystery fobbiemom, said "Give me information favorable to conservatives from a liberal source, or liberals from a conservative source, and I will have an easier time getting to the truth." I've been trying to think of some such sources. May I present an alternative? I'm listing some of my favorite conservative bloggers, all of whom identified as Democrats until recently.

Betsy Newmark is a history and government teacher. Her blog is one of my first stopping places each morning. She has a phenomenal way of summarizing what she's been reading in the blogosphere.
The Anchoress is my second stopping place. She writes from a Christian/Catholic perspective. She is also great at summarizing the commentariat.
LaShawn Barber was one of my daily stopping places when she was writing about politics on a regular basis. She is now writing on a more diverse range of topics. She also writes from a Christian perspective.
I check out Baldilocks' site maybe once a week. Similar to LaShawn Barber.
And then there's Neo-Neocon...not only a recent convert to conservatism, but one who still lives in the Northeast and works as a therapist. I check out her blog about once a month.
And Tammy Bruce whose site I check out maybe every 6-8 weeks or so.

Hmmm. I didn't realize that my favorite bloggers were mostly crossovers from the Democratic Party...and women. Well to spice things up, here's a blogger Ian and I recently discovered that we keep intending to check out more - Queer Conservative.

But this is one pseudo-crossover that I found to be incredibly intriguing. One of Hillary Clinton's former fundraisers. Here's her explanation for why she's going to vote for McCain/Palin. Poor woman has taken a LOT of hits from announcing her intentions as such.



Clarice