Change

1. Change -- I read in Newsweek a piece about change occurs gradually, not in jumps. Here in the United States, virtually every one wants major changes, and they want them now. Interestingly, we talk out of both sides of our American mouths -- we want government to fix any major problem that comes up, but then we don't want big government at all. Even economists disagree on whether the Federal Government should fix the economy or just back away and let us fix ourselves.
2. Past and Future -- My reading material at the moment is a recent copy of "U.S. History for Dummies," by Steve Wiegand. It's written for adult idiots like myself, not school children. Also, I doubt if it's marked as "acceptable" on the reading list of James Dobson and his "Focus on the Family" organization. Our Founding Fathers just aren't portrayed quite as in touch with God as his group would like us to believe.
3. Focus on the Family -- I just jumped to the Focus on the Family Website http://www.focusonthefamily.com/ Apparently the website's current hero is former Florida football star, Tim Tebow, whose mother chose not to abort him. Until about a year ago, I studied the Bible with a great bunch of devout Christian guys over at Glendale Christian Church here in Springfield, MO. I'm not able to attend their early morning sessions anymore because I'm caring for a beautiful little one year old granddaughter who was an abortion candidate momentarily before love and common sense prevailed.
4. Abortion -- Through the Glendale guys, I was able to observe that much of their political energies seemed to be focused on the abortion issue. Pro-life was virtually the only litmus test for any political candidate (that and anti-gay rights). I don't think anyone will disagree that political strategists on the right have used the issues to mobilize Christians to vote a certain way. Something happened recently (a Supreme Court decision) that made me think the political right doesn't really want Roe vs. Wade overturned because then the Christians will go back to doing their "churchy thing" (Palin language), and not be so likely to turn out on election day.
5. Supreme Court Decision on Corporations -- if you're reading this from the right wing, I'd like to know how you feel about the recent Supreme Court decision that corporations should not be limited on their contributions to political campaigns -- one of those left-wing commie professor types suggested that perhaps the Supreme Court was really just acknowledging what some feel is already the case; i.e., that we're really governed by corporate and special interest lobbyists anyway, and the five conservative judges just pulled it out from under the table. I'm cool with the decision (or rather resigned to it). But if the conservatives still have a 5 to 4 edge, why don't they overturn Roe vs. Wade? Are you thinking what I'm thinking? The abortion issue is needed to keep the Christians in the voting booth for the right?
6. Voting Republican in 2010? -- I'm a devout Independent who has some Socialist views and a Capitalist wife of 44 years. Still, I'm thinking about voting Republican in 2010. Why? Because some recipients of entitlements are going to have to be told no, and I think the Republicans can do that more easily than the other side.