Monday, November 03, 2008

Monday Editorial: Either way, we'll be OK.

And so we come down to the moment we've all been waiting for, tomorrow. Most people have had their mind made up for months, one way or another. I did read yesterday that one in seven voters is not firm in what he or she is thinking.

Just for the record, before it all comes down, I wanted to register my sense that we will be on a better path, no matter who is elected. A lot of people hate both candidates. I think both candidates have something to offer us. I thought I'd share what I personally think are the strengths of both candidates today.

Economy
Most of us recognize deep down that since around October 6, the economic plans of both candidates were drawn deeply into question. After all, who could have predicted 8 years ago that President Bush would sign a 700,000,000,000 nationalization of private debt? Both candidates signed the bill, and both candidates will have to deal with this new reality.

McCain will sign any legislation that the public clamor for, and if things continue to go south, they will clamor for lots of help. He will certainly keep taxes as low as he can in these new realities, and he will take the advice his advisors give him to keep business strong. But he will respond. He is not an economic ideologue. He will do what the public tell him needs to be done, and his advisors say isn't suicide.

Obama will certainly look out for the person most likely to be run over by a depressed economy. Retirees looking to lose their health insurance right now will get health insurance with him, if it is at all possible economically for him to go forward with his plans. Most people will have health insurance available, which I think will bring down costs in the long run, given the degree to which the rest of us already have to pay for those without.

It is a little scary to think that his administration might completely revamp social security, Medicare, and Medicade. But we know that they need to be fixed. It's a little scary, but an administration with him will have the first real shot at really changing the system. It could turn out really good. I know it could also turn out really bad, but not trying anything is surely not a good option either.

Education
I would again say that McCain's strength over Bush here is that he will not pander to the ideologues. One of the reasons certain ideologues are having a hard time with the election is that neither candidate will let them go on doing whatever they want, forcing the ideologies of a few on the many.

A lot of people are spreading fear on what Obama will do with sex education and non-discrimination. Given that pregnancy is rampant in American middle schools and high schools, I think a little training is in order. Children are talking sex even in elementary schools these days given what they've been exposed to. I personally believe the number of abortions will go down more under Obama than they have under Bush, all things being equal. Of course the kind of "good touch, bad touch" thing they would teach in kindergarten has been twisted as usual.

Science and Environment
McCain and Palin have said some things that I don't believe at least he means. I would fear her as President right now, I regret to say. I was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt as some of you will remember when McCain first announced her, but I don't think she is ready and suspect she is probably ruined for a future in politics if McCain is not elected.

But McCain will pursue environmental issues and alternative technologies. He will not pander to extreme science ideologues like Bush did. I don't know the science of global warming, so I won't pretend to be competent to judge the evidence. But there is a serious problem when an administration's default mode is to empower those who hold positions against the vast majority of scientists and experts. McCain will not pander to the oil industry in the way that the double whammy Bush-Cheney duo apparently have.

Obama certainly will lead us away from foreign oil and quickly. This is of course the way it needs to go. And scientific decisions will be based on evidence rather than ideology. The science advisor will return to having the president's ear. I don't remember if it was Bush or Clinton that removed this person from the cabinet. Apparently the science advisor has never had less influence in an administration than this position has had under Bush.

Public Good
McCain will follow the lead of his party on issues like abortion and gay marriage. Of course that lead has given Christians zilch-o. During Bush's administration the number of abortions has gone down less than they did during Clinton's administration. McCain will appoint more conservative judges than Obama will. So we'll get the right decisions with McCain's picks when the right decision is conservative, and we'll get the right decisions with Obama's picks when the right decision is liberal. Sometimes the right decision is conservative, and sometimes the right decision is liberal.

Both McCain and Obama have the same position on gay marriage and civil rights for gay couples. Both oppose gay marriage and both believe homosexual couples should have rights in relation to their partners. Obama will further non-discrimination far more than McCain, but then again he has also supported the continuance of faith based funding, which earned him some flack from his own party (the maverick :-)

I remain convinced that the legislative approach to such issues is counterproductive if it is merely the attempt of one segment of the population to impose its will on another. I believe both McCain and Obama recognize this fact, while those Bush has empowered generally have not. I do believe that Obama is serious when he speaks of reducing unwanted pregnancies and increasing support for adoption. I believe the number of abortions will go down significantly under him, all things being equal, probably more than under McCain.

Of course the public good is much bigger than these two issues, as a growing number of evangelicals recognize. Issues of the environment, poverty, slave trafficking, human rights, etc. are very important issues too for a Christian. Government cannot solve all these problems, but as the keeper of the social contract, it is its job to try, and we should vote for people who recognize this. I believe McCain would respond positively to these concerns, and I know Obama would proactively.

National Security and Foreign Policy
I think both candidates have strengths in these areas too. McCain will certainly stand up to any powers that threaten the U.S. On the other hand, as someone who actually served in Vietnam, he won't glibly lead us into war with other countries because of some ideological strategy drummed up in some think tank in Washington.

Somehow I suspect that we will end up leaving Iraq on pretty much the same timeline no matter who is elected. Obama will not be able to withdraw quickly if the consequences are severe, and McCain will have to accommodate a political situation in which we are wanted out. Both of them will fire on Al-Qaeda in Pakistan and Syria and use the new technologies at hand to do it. Neither will use waterboarding or torture.

And Obama will be good for America's position in the world. Few Americans realize how badly Bush has affected our standing in the world, how the whole world is longing for him to leave office, both among our friends and our enemies. If some Americans still stupidly think Obama is a Muslim, you can imagine a lot of people in the Middle East think he is. Ironically, that may mean that he will be able to restore dialog toward peace in the Middle East in a way that has been stalled since Bush launched the Iraq War.

They're wrong, of course, about Obama being Muslim. He's a liberal Christian of the non-historical sort. He probably does not believe that Jesus literally rose from the dead or in hell. I don't know these things for sure, of course. I'm guessing. I think he decided to be a Christian because he believes in the Christian ethic, in the ethical teachings and goals of Christianity. I believe he made an intentional decision to change from atheist to Christian for that reason.

I don't vote for a President because I agree with all his or her positions or even because I like him or her. I vote for a President because of how I think they will govern, for the good or for the ill. An election is not a popularity contest or a vote for the person who looks like me. It is a vote for a set of probable representative decisions, plain and simple. It is not wise to vote for whether a candidate looks like me. Wisdom is to vote for the person who will best represent my interests and the interests of others.

Either way, I think we will be better off on Wednesday than we are now. Both have strengths!

9 comments:

Angie Van De Merwe said...

I don't think that our hope is in the candidates, but our form of government. Even if Obama wins and we have Democrats holding the reigns of power in Congress, there will be another election in two years where the American people will get their say. So, if too much change is made that is not in line with American ideals, I think that there will be a change in Congress...

But, my concern is the global scence, where today it is reported that the IMF will be giving Saudi Arabia a big say in the IMF, as they will be underwriting bailing out nations on the verge of collapse. While this is just, in giving a say to those who are giving, I'm not so sure I trust the agenda of Muslims. I have a major problem with prejuidice here. And it does not come about through reading hyperventilating conspiracy theorists, but in reading those who have lived what it means to be a Muslim. The Christian ethic is the Golden Rule, but its application and practicality is suspect when it comes to global issues. It is foolish to think that every American citizen will understand their quandry when it comes to the conflict between the real world and the "ideal one".

As far as Obama's faith, he believes that things get done by (leaders) and not God. I agree, but, I also beleve that he is committed to rectifying the injustice of discrimination, which I have written about on my blog site. Liberty must come before equality, because the law should protect freedom under law....otherwise, there is no equality, because those in power will decide how equality will be protected, which is reverse discrimination...Law always gives a freedom of choice in a free society. So, the decision is not one of atheism versus a Christian ethic, but treating another as a eqaul before God. That means practically that any decision that is made hears all voices and all sides. There is a social contract and volutary commitment. I have read some of the material on Gestalt therapy in leadership material where those who have a particular "function" are left out of the decision making process. This is not a Chrisitian ethic, it is manipulation and discrimination!!

Mark Schnell said...

Ken, thanks for this excellent evaluation of where we'll stand come Wednesday morning. I think you are right on the money. I think all of us could use more of this kind of perspective.

I was just thinking back to Clinton's first election. I was just 23 and it was the first election I really paid attention to. I remember walking into the church office where I was working and feeling like I had been punched in the gut. When Clinton was elected I thought it was the end of the world. Larry Wilson, who was the senior pastor I was working under, wisely shared with me the perspective that it wasn't the end of the world. And while some things may change it wouldn't be as radical and overnight as I was fearing. He was right. And Angie is right to point out that we'll have another election in two years and if people don't like what is happening they'll vote change.

Mike Cline said...

"And scientific decisions will be based on evidence rather than ideology."

Not sure the two will ever be divorced so easily in any field, but especially in environmental science. I know you don't really believe "the view from nowhere" that this line seems to head towards even exists, so I'll drop it. :)

So come on, who are you voting for? I've admitted that I'm a nonvoter to just about everyone but my parents...why is it that people are so hesitant to tell others who they are going to punch in/write-in come November 4th?

Mike Cline said...

One more thing, have you heard about the video that Piper shot concerning his voting dilemma?

If not, you should scamper over to my blog and watch it. He's actually right on about a few of the issues (minus the whole "Sarah Palin shouldn't be running for office because she's a woman")

Ken Schenck said...

Thanks for the link, Mike, and for still talking to me, Angie and Mark. I look forward to Piper's piece with great interest! Hope Bethel is doing well. One of your deans is coming down to talk to us about what an IWU seminary might best look like later this week.

Angie Van De Merwe said...

I wanted to respond to the categories you addressed, as if there is any hope of changing anyone's mind on Obama, then I want to use the opportunity...

1. The economy is going to be undermined for the cause of "good ends", the poor, not just in our own country, but internationally. I imagine, because Obama supported the legislation that increases our dole out to the U.N., he must support international equality, which means that there will be no sovereign nation, as far as how it decides economic decisions. This will bring about some balance of power, but the problem becomes one of allowing those who have a different kind of government. I don't think that our country's economic prosperity should be resolved by dismantling our country's openness to innovation and hard work.
2.)Education will be emphasized on a broadscale. This is a good goal, but how it is implemented and what is taught is of importance as well.
3.)Science and technology and the environment is emphasized at the costs of job security and national security. This concerns me as there is no way to control or contain all the variables in the limitations to our physical world. So, it becomes a matter of priority and Obama's is to environmental concerns, as equal to economic concerns. While some may think this is Christian stewardship of the natural/creation order, it does limit means to men in finding economic sustenance to support their families. There should not be an impulsive abandonment of previous "ways of life", but a slow transitional one, where there is some place already prepared for thsoe who would loose their jobs in the closing of the coal industry. And why is it okay for China to have a coal industry? Are their prople not important to take care of, when it comes to environmental issues?
4.)The public good is where everyone agrees, but how does that look in practical terms? Legislation is making laws concerning how one lives their life, which is morality. Our culture's freedom has been the demise of morality because of the family's crisis. But, even if the family values are intact, what and where one commits to moral values is still a question of conviction and commitment. I think that the family is stressed because we sometimes prioritize things we shouldn't.

David Drury said...

Well said, Ken...

I told a class of mine here at the church that I've spent much of my life thinking "do I have to vote for either of these guys?"

This is the first time I seriously felt like I could vote for either.

Now, I know that people on both sides would cry foul at this and scream and tear my clothing and pour ashes on my head. But, I wonder why everyone wants to win by destroying the other one. I had hoped for a more statesmen-like campaign from both sides than it turned out. But I have often found myself thinking: both of these men should be respected and given earthly honor--and whomever wins I will give that to.

Of course, my life is more concerned with another kind of honor and a differen't kind of kingdom. So, even if you're completely wrong and either one of them turns out to be a horrible leader and runs the country into the ground... I shall not fret. Even if McCain or Obama even turns out to be the Anti-Christ, although not likely, perhaps it could be true. Even then I cannot stop it. In fact, if you have that kind of eschatology I figure let's go for it an get over with it. Even then Christ is on the throne... not them.

And I didn't have to elect Him.

-DD

Anonymous said...

Ken,
While I don't agree with you that we will be better off on Wednesday morning either way, I do believe that we will be ok. Regardless of who wins on Tuesday, God is still God and while I don't have great trust in politicians, I do have great trust in God. God was on the throne during the reign of Nero and He will be on the throne during an Obama or McCain. administration. As Christians we need to spread His message, and let God change lives. Regardless of what Mr. McCain or Mr. Obama say, the only real CHANGE you can believe in- is when Jesus Christ Changes a persons life. That is CHANGE I can believe in.

-Dave Hansen

Mike Cline said...

Which dean is coming to visit?

Bethel is doing well. Their MDIV is a bit heavy on hours compared to some places and their internship requirement is MASSIVE! I just keep telling myself I'll be a better pastor-theologian because of it, but on days like today when I'm doing 2 hours of Greek reading, 3 hours of Hebrew vocab/syntax, followed by ministerial duties at the church...i start to wonder what the heck i'm doing.