PhxP Election Central
Thank God, it’s finally over.
Today feel free to talk about what voting means to you, what local issues might have drawn you out to vote.
The real work begins now…the work of healing from all that was said before today.
Thank God, it’s finally over.
Today feel free to talk about what voting means to you, what local issues might have drawn you out to vote.
The real work begins now…the work of healing from all that was said before today.
Voter fraud is rampant here in south Orange County – the seat of Republican politics. The Chicago arm of the Obama administration has infiltrated.
I went to vote this morning and none of the voting machines were working – how those Democrats got in there to do such dastardly actions is not known.
I am going to go back at lunch time to see if the problem is fixed, but let me just say that this will go unreported in the news media – but tonight, you will hear, with great wringing of hands of identical situations in black, urban, highly democratic precincts… with no mention how us old white guys were deprived of our vote.
I am ready to go back to my radical student days of the 60s – burn it all down.
Amen…… I am disappointed at how many believers have been so distracted from the greatness and power of the All Mighty God during this campaign and election…. Indeed, when the Son of Man returns, will He find faith on the earth?
A hand can obliterate the sun….. or so it seems……. No wonder Jesus also asked “why do you doubt?” “is your faith so small”
Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ Blood and Righteousness. Blessings, y’all
MLD, Did you put in three quarters before pulling the lever? I know how you older folks are so easily confused!!
I notice that Chrysler has given its entire work force the day off, to vote.
What are some of my believing friends going to do if President Obama is re-elected? I couldn’t take four more years of the garbage I’ve been subjected to for so long now. A pastor friend quoted scripture on his FB page to declare why he is voting for Mitt Romney! Might that influence his congregation??
I am also sick of some democrats referring to me as immoral, homophobic, non caring because I have conservative values.
Politics has replaced faith for many. The constitution has replaced God’s word.
I fear anarchy is now an option for many. That scares me.
I personally need to grow closer to my saviour as time moves on. It’s a privilege to vote and whoever wins deserves my prayers, not e-mail forwards.
Chrysler can afford it – they have all that Obama money. Oh wait, that was my money.
As you were. 😉
Voted this morning…among a group of well-behaved, quiet voters. Checked out FB just to see what my friends were saying, and overall I was really impressed. Here are two statuses that caught my attention:
”I met those of our society who had votes in the ensuing election, and advised them: 1) To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy. 2) To speak no evil of the person they voted against. 3) To take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side” Journal of John Wesley, October 6, 1774
and…
From Nashville resident Mike Salva, an animator and writer: “Folks, let’s all take a pledge for Tuesday night. If your candidate loses, don’t fill the FB news feed with griping and moaning. If your candidate wins, refrain from “spiking the ball.” It’s a pretty safe bet that half of your FB friends will feel like crap that night, and you’re only going to make it worse.”
I was glad to see some sensitivity to the “other” side…from friends who are liberal and friends who are conservative. There were a couple snarky comments, but by far most of them were encouraging people to vote, and to be gracious regardless of outcome.
Already voted in Kansas this morning with no issues.
I do wish we could vote on the NHL lockout, before the whole season shot to heck in a handbasket. They just cancelled one of the best events of New Years day – the Winter Classic.
Paps, I don’t like hockey, but I do like watching the Winter Classic – hockey outdoors! 🙂
Have not voted and probably won’t today. First time since 1992 that I haven’t voted in a Presidential election.
Both mainstream parties were a disappointment to me this year, usually I can find someone to get behind even if I don’t agree on all the issues. I thought about 3rd Party candidates as protest for awhile, but that would be pointless to me. No ballot initiatives that will change the world here in South Dakota. The race for the House between Kristi Noem (R) and Matt Varilek (D) has soured me. Nothing but ads for (blank) didn’t do this and voted with (blank), nothing that actually says what they will do.
The latest that had me mad today was the endless “Look at how many people died to give you the vote! Don’t squander it!” Usually from republicans. Well, I served my country for 21 yrs. and have the combat action badge to prove it. If I don’t feel that voting will be useful or that both major parties will in some way be harmful in an unacceptable way to me then guess what I feel I have earned the right to do as I please. Besides, SD is not going to fall out of the Romney camp today and my vote for him, Obama, or any 3rd party is pretty useless.
I used to have faith in the system, but that has diminished. That is actually a good thing, because I don’t feel as beholden to it as I once did and I can see more clearly on spiritual things than I once did. Politics used to be an idol to me, not anymore or I would be out there casting my vote for Romney or Obama mindlessly. I think more about the issues and how I think a biblical perspective would look like. Does this mean I am looking for the ideal candidate? No, there is none. As Thabiti Anyabwile said in a couple of recent articles, (and I am a paraphrasing) I am looking for a candidate with ideals. I don’t see that right now, except in Barack Obama he has the “wrong ideals” (abortion) on some things that matter.
The important thing is that I know who really rules and I know the plans He has for me when He returns.
Papias…the NHL lockout has had one benefit for us…the team Zach plays on shares ice time with the Predators, so since they aren’t skating we have a much nicer schedule 😉 We do wish they would wrap this up, though…
Derek & I = same page…. at least in sentiment. I live in a blood red state, so it doesn’t matter if I vote or not. I will though… rules girl here.
I have heard the “you have to vote! You’re a woman”! Part of me feels like voting for someone I don’t believe in is more of a disrespect toward those who fought for my right to vote than not voting at all.
Erunner…..good one about the quarters before pulling the lever! LOL! Hope you are feeling much better these days!
“E”
Votes from BuenO Park don’t count.
http://www.votingforjesus.com
http://www.votingforsatan.com
This is the kind of crazy I will be avoiding on FB today. Sounding off!
I have say….one of my status updates, about being thankful to live where we can have heated debate and make up our own mind to vote, made me smile because the people who are ‘liking’ it:
One staunchly Republican, Tea-party, gun-toting Christian.
One grandmotherly incredibly kind-hearted Republican, but very caring to all.
One extremely liberal yoga instructing Buddhist.
One liberal, outspoken, highly intelligent Christian.
One Canadian (!)
I love it…and they’re all my friends! Sorry…I’m feeling too energetic and positive today (and it really has nothing to do with the election…but I’m really, genuinely proud of how my friends are carrying themselves today, on both sides of the aisle).
Paige, I hope MLD didn’t mind! I’m doing betterbut still working through stuff. Thanks for asking.
GW, As you know all the ‘Big Guys” in my area I’m just going to casually state I know you and you know where they live!! “)
It’s funny that you never hear of any “get out white man” vote programs.
Women, minorities, people with sexual weirdness – get out the vote
E, when I go back at lunch time, I will try the quarters 😉
MLD – I often am told “get out” . . . maybe they forgot the “and vote”?
Good prayer for today…pray that the election ends with a definite leader and is spared another 2000.
MLD, there is no “get out the white guy vote” because FB and twitter already do the job. 😉
I can’t even imagine not voting. It’s shocks me to hear peoria say they choose to sit an entire election out. There’s such a thing as a “protest vote” you can go to the polls and sims choose not to mark your ballot for anyone. Id do that before I’d stay at home.
Not vote?!?
“”There is another way for Christians to think about today’s elections besides using our influence to compel people to cast votes that may possibly lead to improving the moral and spiritual condition of our government and society. Think: “prophetic observation.”
In a democracy, the majority vote represents the will of the people and that determines the course of the nation (at least in theory).
By carefully considering the election results as they come in, we can discover what those results mean. That is, we will be able to discern the voice of the nation–the will of the people. Knowing the turn our country decides to take will give us a good idea of the role God intends for us to play as “salt” and “light” in our culture.
God has always been addressing people, nations, and leaders. The response has too frequently been like that reported in Jeremiah 7:24, “Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward.”
God did not place us in this historical moment to create an idealized world, but to work with the world as it is. If we find ourselves disappointed with the outcome of this election, let’s turn our attention to what we can do to rescue, redeem, and beautify our small corner of the world. And let’s do so in the name and love of Jesus Christ.”- chuck smith jr
Note: The following post should not be read as though I am mad at anyone.
Yes, not vote. I am in no way compelled to vote as if I lived in Australia. I am an informed voter and choose to sit this one out. I am called to be a good citizen and follow laws, but like I said there is no law that says I have to vote. I have heard the arguments for weeks and they aren’t persuasive to me and quoting scripture with a bent toward trying to convince me that is my “christian duty” is not persuasive in the least. As Michael’s comic at the top says The sun will still “rise on Wednesday” whether I vote or not.
I don’t vote but I will be watching the coverage tonight over dinner. I don’t think there really needs to be healing from any of the disagreements among believers. The Republicans believe Romney is the best solution and the Dems believe anouther four years of Obama is. It’s as simple as that , life will go on after this is all over and the memories of the dissent among Christians will fade.
Thanks for the Post!
Not voting, probably not ever.
Can’t justify either guy in my conscious, plus the process is so screwed up, I just don’t believe in it.
As Christians I think we just need to fufill the great commission and not get caught up in all the politics, let the World fret over those things. My goal as a believer is not to create some Pipe dream Utopia but just to preach the Gospel to a dying world.
Yep. That’s pretty much it.
care to test your luck?
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2012-race-predictions?intcmp=related
That’s neat Em. I got Obama 272 – Romney 266.
My former pastor, ChuckJr, had a nice spin on the voting thing. He’s a nice, nuanced guy.
Me, not so much.
Not voting is not fine. Don’t think anyone will even for a moment take one thing you complain about or praise seriously for the next 4 years.
I’m about practical expediency, and getting off my fat first world privileged arse and doing something about what I believe in and influencing as many people to take a stand and use the power they have, regardless of the tempting, wimpy first world list of excuses and reasons to let all the other freedoms one has to keep one from voting, or to whine about a two party system, or whine about how propositions are written, or how the system is broken.
Ask women how they feel about inequality in the workplace, or the meddling of government in limiting their reproductive rights.
Ask seniors how they feel about anyone messing with Social Security.
Sorry, your citizenship depends on action, and not voting means silencing one’s own voice so one loses the right to bitch about what was on the ballot.
Ask how Syrians feel about having a vote.
…oh yeah, they don’t.
Hey G – I’m cool with your opinion. But it is not even slightly convincing,
I’ve also found your “losing the right to complain” argument to be fallacious. I am very good at complaining, and I have never voted.
Hey man, if that placebo does good for you, gets the blood flowing, keep taking it. By all means. I’ll go watch pro-wrestling, and we will have both been equally useful to our society.
Josh, hmmm … i got O 270 & R 268 … interesting
Wow Em. I don’t care who wins as long as it is not as close as either of our predictions. I want a land-slide, one way or the other.
I voted, thus reserving my right to complain. 😉
#33 You know…if it hadn’t been for Romney being a Mormon. I would have been out there holding my nose and voting for him. But, I don’t want to give those 50,000 plus Mormon missionaries a new talking point. They already convert over 4 people per missionary every year. I don’t want to be responsible for any more of that.
I also don’t want to be responsible for electing someone who actively promotes killing babies (yes, I said it) and as an Illinois State Senator voted twice that they could still be murdered if they were still alive afterwards.
So looking at my two options, I opted out.
I don’t care if anyone takes me seriously for the next four years or not. I try to turn them back from the “golden calf” they have made Romney into and they ignore me and “walk in their own counsel”. Which is fine, it is a free country and they can do that. And as far as I can tell freedom of speech is still around so I am also tired of people seeking to silence me by using that tired argument. Pragmatism or practical expediency is usually just an excuse to vote in what we wanted in the first place, usually prosperity, power in the world and security.
My citizenship does not depend on action…whether I vote or not I was born a citizen and will still be one no matter what your opinion on the matter. And I can bitch, cuss and moan as much as I wish ’cause I have given what a lot of people in this country just post up as platitudes on FB to appease the “god of troops”.
Well said, Derek.
Shouts out to MLD and Sarah for backing me up on the NHL! 🙂
I find myself agreeing with the Gman on voting, which makes me chuckle. I didn’t think it would be so important to him as well.
Josh/Derek – while I sympathize with your cynicism, wouldn’t you rather at least throw your “widows mites” into the pot with the rest of us?
We all know that the Illuminati have already made their choices anyway… 😉
Derek,
You seem tone the only one trying to silence anyone.
No one told you you HAD to vote. You’re taking what people are saying personally even when the are not directed at you. Then you’re getting all pisdy about it and accusing people of trying to silenced.
Sheesh.
Papias, I think I have convinced myself of a way that I could vote next time around, though it would most likely have to be for a write in.
So far, call it cop-out, lazy, or whatever, I’ve just found myself in a moral dilemma where i absolutely could not choose sides. I think I’ve found moral ground where I can allow myself to do so.
Yes, I am this OCD about a lot of things in my life, and it drives most people crazy. I don’t hold anyone else to my convictions, but i can’t go against my own.
And I might move out of the country.
Sorry if that was the tone you saw, but it was accusatory towards non-voters and I have had to put up with that for weeks and I figure if things don’t go well for one side or the other I will be the one blamed even though I don’t live in a swing state. So apologies to everyone and I will be on my way for the day.
“I’m sorry if that’s the tone you saw”
I’ll choose to interpret that to mean you’re sorry you wrote it in a way that would lead me to see it that way and not a passive aggressive way to put the blame on me.
Josh,
Try to have a conversation with anyone after telling them you didn’t vote and you should not be able to miss their dismissal of your views. Basically, if you don’t care to act then you lose persuasion in the mind of the average American.
Go try it
It’s all good, G. I avoid real life political conversations like the plague.
Josh –
“I can’t stop thinking big
In a world where I feel so small
I can’t stop thinking big”
If you dismiss my views on faith, love, life, or art because I don’t pretend I care which of these guys gets to be president, well, that’s your problem.
Pap, a Rush lyric? What do you mean?
We would be remiss to have election central on the ole blog without linking to the ultimate in election night coverage.
http://www.kennethcopelandministries.org/2012/10/1865/
🙂
Josh – yeah, Rush.
It just made me think of your comment on not voting – what’s the pointof it all? I get that. Hence the lyric.
But its not siding with or going ALL IN with one camp. Its choosing the better, not the best candidate.
I hate typing so much on the cell phone…. 🙁
Gotcha, bro. Believe it or not, I’ve wrestled with it a ton. I wish I could be as confidant in a candidate as many of my friends are. Just not there at this point.
Derek –
Thanks for your service to our country.
By the way – there are a lot of other elections today other than the presidential ticket. Those considering not voting at all because of the Obama/Romney choice might consider still going to the polls for their Congressional representatives, local judges, local initiatives, etc.
Tim, those are even more confusing to a dunce like myself 🙂
What Tim said. And, if you are going to vote, do it now – closing time at the polls is approaching fast, especially in the east.
Apathy, apathy, apathy!!!!!!
Democracy? Everyone, including all the politicians continue to call the USA a democracy. The Constitution specifically states that we are a republic. There is a big difference between the two. A democracy would be nothing short of chaos.
The whole world is watching with baited breath…. 🙂
well, since i think we’re on an inevitable downhill slide for the common man, i voted for the one i want to take the blame …
and, yes, to what Tim said … local stuff – we might still have a bit of a say there
By the time they call the race we’re still voting in California!!
OK, I voted – boy was it fun to cast a ballot for Roseanne Barr. 🙂
Josh and EM – I got Obama 49 – Romney 489. I think the election predictor is rigged…
Aren’t these elections just something we do between Baseball Seasons?
“There are only two seasons, baseball season and the void.”
Yep, I watch baseball about once every four years…
MLD said:
“Aren’t these elections just something we do between Baseball Seasons?”
I watch baseball after the paint on my bedroom door dries
Baseball is the quickest cure for insomnia
Both of you guys are ‘girlie’ men. 😉
When I watch ESPN I prefer darts and poker! 🙂
I voted earlier today. I wore my baby wrapped to my chest and someone complemented me and thought that was very ingenious.
One of the people in front of me had to have his first ballot torn up so that he could vote again because he had voted for more than one candidate in the same category. I wouldn’t advocate tests to see who qualifies to vote, but at the same time I seriously question whether someone who evidently doesn’t understand the basic concept of voting should be voting. It was goofy.
Im thankful we can vote. Thank you to all those that fought for that right. One suggestion maybe we could have campaign finance reform?
Agent Smith was called the winner of the election 4 hours ago on MSNBC, so I have no idea what you all are on about.
http://youtu.be/-Na9-jV_OJI
Romney dropping on Intrade. Could be over.
Linkathon part 1 will post in about three hours. I may post an election-related part 2 thread tomorrow night.
It appears President Obama is going to be re-elected.
This is a bit scary but it appears to be a new interrogation technique used on real hard liners. Be warned it is really troubling
http://youtu.be/VkWQeObjkt4
Sorry LOL
NBC and Fox call Ohio – and the White House – for Obama.
http://www.nbcnews.com/
And we now lift up our reelected president in prayer…
And already, on Facebook, the angst.
Oregon put him over the top…
Thank you, Oregon.
Kahlua shots for everyone!
Ron Paul wins Yaaaa
“America elects someone it doesn’t really like. Much like the Calvinist God.” –Hans Fiene
LOL :–)
It is absolutely terrible that voters in Florida were forced to endure the lines that they did.
God bless them and their perseverance.
Like our President rightly said, “We gotta fix that!”
This says it all
I need to understand why Christians think we have cried out for a King Saul. Why we are now on the road to what seems to them like destruction or the judgment of God. What in the world do they think of their brothers and sisters who voted for President Obama. After they personally demonized Obama leading up to the election they announce they will now be praying for him. What message will these pastors now convey to their flocks? These are people I interact with daily. I guess I was looking for something more positive. I realize they have convictions but after reading on my FB page I have a pit in my stomach.
Unlike the stories we read in our Book, the outcome of out times and story is not a finished tale. The joy of having a choice in electing our leaders and the blessedness of being entrusted with civic duty should be what our religious community could choose to focus on, and I will be one of those who shall take this moment and seize the day and make it the best I can and ignore the naysayers and fear mongers.
Lutheran’s grandmother’s answer to #87
Em,
I would surmise that your grandparents were rather conservative? My grandparents were,too, but they were glad for government programs in their day that helped them and their offspring. As just one example, my late dad fought in World War II and got through college via the GI Bill. That helped support his family, with included his wife, and two sons.
It helps to know some history with all this and put it in context. For example, when FDR passed the New Deal legislation everything he tried to do was vigorously opposed by the opposition. Not much different from today, IMHO.
Lutheran, strangely, i actually, hadn’t thought about them from a political angle … (i’m from the wedge generation, i think – we overlap the defined eras) the Depression had inflicted cruelty on the average man, starting from Washington D.C. on down; it had been a matter of survival and a few were more “fittest” … my grandparents were sold out to Franklin D Roosevelt during my childhood – but Grandma was definitely a-political and Grandpa was a big supporter of E.V. Debs as i recall
their generation had learned that those who really had the power only saw the common man as an asset or a liability according to business interests … my grandparents had watched the doughboys of WW1 run out of Washington by the Army under the orders of President Hoover (the conservative?) and they knew the score
i know a little history – not much – side note FWIW: Hoover had tried to implement the concept of a Conservation Corps and his opposition in Congress held him off until they took control through FDR and took credit for the program … none of those guys are nice people as we’d define “nice” … it’s an interesting dynamic in the unfolding of history in the plan of God
WW2 G.I.s (the kids of Depression era parents) took advantage of the largess offered the fellows who came home from their war and were men (mostly) who proved the mettle of the common man … they bought little starter houses (those tacky boxes that the next generation scorned) with no money down and 4% (and lower) interest assumable loans … many went to school with motivation on that G.I. bill, he majority lived in married student housing with wonderful wives getting their PHTs – it wasn’t a skate, they lived on beans and rice and a little hamburger (@19 cents a pound) – there are stories of U of Washington students poaching Canada Geese on occasion – but they went on to form the backbone of the calm and deceptively stable world that most who come here think that they can rely on, raised some children who follow their conservative bent and some children that are certain that all we need is to just learn to get along with each other … might help … 🙂
‘But they went on to form the backbone of the calm and deceptively stable world that most who come here think that they can rely on, raised some children who follow their conservative bent and some children that are certain that all we need is to just learn to get along with each other … might help
Em, thanks for sharing from your knowledge znd past.
Yes, my brother and I are recipients of what you speak of in the paragraph I pulled. I revere the World War II generation. They didn’t get everything right — no generation does, really — but they got many, many things right!
Well, I know that I am glad all of the campaign commercials are over. Ever since the conventions I have had the feeling that I was using the wrong toilet paper. But how would I know the best TP to use if I couldn’t watch TP commercials – but there were none, just campaign stuff.
Tonight, I can resume my quest for the best TP. 🙂
the best thing about those TP commercials is that they don’t robo-call
AV,
You said we’d talk the day after the election.
Pre-election, I’m wondering if you were following the same polls that the Romney camp did. They were obviously way off.
http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/romney-defeat-shell-shocked/2012/11/09/id/463525