W.W.J.V.F? (Who would Jesus Vote For?)

Every 4 years about this time I hear this question: Who would Jesus vote for?
While I do not believe Jesus would be a member of any political party, I do believe we can find the candidates with the most to offer the Christian voter.

At least this Christian voter.

I will simplify my opinions by restricting them to the Presidential Race.
I have heard many people say that Jesus would be a Democrat because they feed the poor and are strong on the environment. I have heard many say that he would be a republican because he would be outraged at the 30 million abortions since Roe v. Wade.

He is my 2 cents. I am voting for John McCain and Sarah Palin.

These are the issues on my mind this election season...

1.) The Economy / Small Business.

Barack Obama has promised to cut taxes to every American making under $250,000. What he does not tell you is that he plans to raise the taxes for many of those same people by a drastic INCREASE in the taxes for their small businesses. He will FORCE many businesses to offer Health Insurance benefits to employees. (Increasing costs by up to 12,000 per year...per employee.) Many businesses may close under this burden. Many people may lose their jobs due to the fact that their employer had to let them go because of the extra costs. Obama has said he would fine any business that did not comply. When asked during a recent debate what the fine would be...he refused to answer. As a business owner with employees this plan is frightening.

SMALL BUSINESSES ARE THE NUMBER ONE EMPLOYER AND INCOME METHOD FOR MIDDLE AND LOWER CLASS AMERICANS.

He has voted over 90 times to raise taxes or to block tax decreases. Check out his record. The Washington Post and CBS news have recently reported that Barack Obama and Joe Biden Have Consistently Misled Americans about John McCain's Plan. Their claims have failed every fact-check – John McCain is not going to raise taxes on middle class families. Barack Obama and Joe Biden are the only ones in this race that plan to raise taxes. Only after he decided he needed to win this election did he start speaking of lowering taxes.
...check his record...where has he ever helped anyone with your tax money? It's simple. He has no record of doing so.
Unfortunately the Democratic Party falls very short of its promises to help those in need with programs that don't work (welfare for one) the money never seems to get where they promise it will. Instead they give BILLIONS of dollars of our tax money to a "non-profit" organization called Planned Parenthood. The biggest provider of abortions in the world. In fact, in the last seven years alone, Planned Parenthood has earned profits – or built a surplus – of more than $350 million. In that time period, it has been given by the democrats in congress $1.5 billion dollars! I'll get to abortion in a minute.....

Anyways, I don't trust them of him with our money.

John McCain his plan is laid out here:
http://www.johnmccain.com/Issues/JobsforAmerica/smallbusiness.htm

in fairness...
The economy is in bad shape because of greedy bankers and investors, and the media's driving of the frenzy. Neither branch of the government is to blame.

2.) HEALTH CARE.

If you work for a large company or a government agency that offers benefits you may be surprised to know what it costs a non benefited American who must pay their own insurance.

Barack Obama's solution is to force businesses already under a heavy burden by his new tax plan to offer health care to their employees.
One Question. If I am paying for theirs, then who is paying mine? I have no employer. See the problem here? I pay over $7,000 dollars out of pocket every year to cover my family of four.

John McCain has promised a tax credit of $5,000 per family to help pay their insurance. This is basically cash back. This is not a deduction. It is a CREDIT.
This would in essence reduce my insurance from $7,000 to $2,000 a year. Leaving me with 5,000 EXTRA dollars to invest in savings, ministries...etc...


3.) Education / School Choice (Vouchers).
This one is close to our hearts. My wife has worked in the education system for 9 years in a highly successful charter school. They have 2 campuses with well Over 1,000 students. She has spent 4 as a classroom teacher, and 5 as a part time trainer for teachers on the two campuses.
Recently we started home schooling our 4 year old daughter....she is already reading at a level well ahead of many kindergartners...yet she is still over a year away from starting kindergarten. If this success continues, than we will consider doing this for our children long term. However it is expensive and a large tax burden is already being paid by families like us for an educational system that we do not use....and may never use.

A voucher is in essence a return from your taxes to help you pay for alternative home, religious, private or alternative education. You are already paying for public education even if your kids don't use it. This has been a success in Washington DC where the school system was in shambles. It has helped people pay for a better education. While forcing the public schools to improve or lose money. It is a win/win situation.

Barack Obama. Is against vouchers for school choice. Prompting John McCain at a recent debate to ask him why all American children should not have the same options for schools that McCain and Obama's kids had. (In other words. We had the money to do it...let's help those who don't) Obama had no real response.

John McCain. Supports vouchers and in this quote from his website encourages help for home schooling: "The deplorable status of preparation for our children, particularly in comparison with the rest of the industrialized world, does not allow us the luxury of eliminating options in our educational repertoire. John McCain will fight for the ability of all students to have access to all schools of demonstrated excellence, including their own homes."

4.) The war / Foreign policy.
My thoughts on the war differ somewhat from many who I agree with on most things. I feel that the war was started for the right reasons, but went wrong later on. A man was killing hundreds of thousands of human beings in Iraq. He is gone now. I have many friends in the military that tell me not to believe the media. That they are after ratings and money of course. Peace and success are not sexy and do not sell. My friends tell me that most of Iraq is secure and safe.

However there have been some major failures by The Bush administration in regards to Iraq.

Barack Obama supports a timetabled withdraw from Iraq. Which I do not completely disagree with. I disagree that he should be the one that sets the timetable.

John McCain supports a withdraw dictated by the military leaders. This plan will insure the continued success brought about by the recent troop surge, while making our exit one that is responsible and gradual. A concrete timetable runs the risk of leaving needed work undone.
McCain is also the only one running with any foreign policy/war experience

In fairness: both candidates have been very supportive of the nation of Israel.

5.) Environment.
This is another area of personal importance to me. I am in the process of starting a website called www.mygreendesk.com. It will be a tool that businesses can join and get "points". The idea is to show businesses how to save green (financially) by going green (environmentally). Example: Going paperless by using e-faxes and e-mail invoicing etc...would earn points. Companies will pay a small annual fee and will be able to use the points and display the MyGreenDesk logo as a way of showing their clients that they are environmentally conscious. This will also help "green" conscious customers find businesses that share their belief.

As for the candidates:

I tend to like both views of the environment. Both candidates view a new economy being created by clean energy jobs. John McCain has been arguably the strongest republican ever on this issue that is usually led by democrats.

As Christians we are called to be responsible and take care of the earth. Period.

6.) Abortion.
Last but not least....
The next president will reside over possibly 3 openings in the Supreme Court. His nominations could very well decide the future for millions of children. The overturning of Roe v. Wade would put it back in the hands of the states and the citizens. Polling data shows that Americans are not in support of abortion on demand, and a majority thinks that it should be allowed only in cases of motherly danger or rape. I want a president that gives the "Choice" back to the people. That is what the constitution says, and what the judges got wrong on the Roe case.

Barack Obama voted down a bill that would have given children born a
after a failed abortion medical care. HE VOTED IT DOWN. He thought it would endanger Roe v. Wade. He put politics ahead of human life. Period. Even many democrats had a problem with him on this one. The last Democratic President, Bill Clinton, actually blocked the legislation that would have ended PARTIAL BIRTH abortions.

John McCain is pro-life and subscribes to the belief that all Americans should have civil rights. He just feels that the unborn ones should also have those rights.

He does support abortion in extreme cases.


In closing...

The Palin Factor.

I like Sarah Palin alot. I think she will be a good candidate for president in 4 or 8 years. She has "fixed" many of Alaska's problems.

I feel she would make a great VP in November.

She is the only one of the 4 that has Top Secret Security clearance and experience. (Due to her state being surrounded by two foreign nations, and her closeness to Russia)

She is outspoken about her faith in Jesus Christ...though her Church might be a little loopy. (We are not fighting God's war in Iraq)

...and besides anything that keeps Tina Faye on SNL is OK by me.