Who to Vote for? That is a Good Question!
by Stephen Frank
Absentee voting has begun. The newly created Voting Centers are opening. The actual date of the election is March 3, when you can go to the polls (if your county has them) and place a mark next to the name of a candidate for Assembly, President, Congress or State Senate. You might also have county and city offices up for election.
In the past weeks, you have seen ads on TV, heard them on radio, and received mailers from candidates and “slate cards” from groups you never heard of telling you how to vote. Maybe you have attended an event, forum or debate with the candidates. They all sound good, sincere, rational and on your side. Like a first date, they are putting their best face forward. But, just like a first date, before you get into a serious relationship—or vote for them—you need to find out more. The hard part is to determine if the candidate is telling you what they think you want to hear, or if they are truly showing their hearts on an issue.
Allow me to suggest some questions to ask and how to get a real answer. For instance, if you ask Speaker Nancy Pelosi her position on abortion her answer is, “I am personally pro-life.” Well, that takes care of it—she is one of us. Actually, she is using a weasel word, “personally.” I do not doubt she is personally opposed to abortion. But as an elected official, how she votes is all that counts. She votes money for Planned Parenthood, votes to allow abortion up to and after birth, she only backs candidates that will vote for the expansion of abortions. The lesson is simple, do not allow a candidate to give you a headline without asking how serious they are about their views.
Then you have the candidate that is looking for a job. As a voter, you need to ask about experience, background, actions. I always ask a candidate to tell me what they do not want to see as a story in the local newspaper. I ask about divorces, arrests, drug or alcohol use, bankruptcies, military service, and more about their personnel lives. If divorced, I ask about the first spouse, what will they say about them?
Do not be afraid to ask these questions. How many times towards the end of a campaign do you see scandals coming out about a candidate?
Importantly, you want to know what is in their hearts. I do that by asking about their religious activities and values. For instance, does the candidate think the Bible is the Word of the Lord, or is it a “living” Bible where the lessons, values and Faith can be changed day by day or based on politically correct, of-the-moment values?
It is good to go to church, but we all know Sunday Christians. What we need to know is whether the candidate values Faith and Family. How deep is that value? Does Faith have a role in the public square and in deciding positions on issues? For instance, I like to say, “Every dollar of taxation is a dollar less of freedom.” To go further, yes, we need government, but taxation that finances projects and programs beyond the real scope of government is theft—and we know what the Bible says about that.
Your vote is sacred. And, like looking for a church that fits your needs, you need to ask questions of candidates wanting your votes. Shining faces, pretty mailers, wonderful TV ads mean nothing—that is just the gloss of a campaign. You need to get to the heart of the candidate. If elected, they will have a large role in your life. Taxations, housing, education, transportation policy—all controlled by government. You would not buy a car or house based on an ad, why vote for a candidate without a serious “kicking of the tires”?
Most importantly, office holders should be moral leaders. They promote or oppose sex-ed curriculum, abortion policy, use government to create “moral” or Immoral” codes for the community. The San Francisco DA has told police NOT to arrest drug dealers on the streets selling product or arrest prostitutes plying their trade. Every office is important.
I urge two things. First, become an informed voter. Then vote Judeo-Christian values. Your family and community deserve a knowledgeable and active participant in the election process. Get involved.
Stephen Frank is Senior Contributing Editor of California Political Review. Read California news that is incisive, hard-hitting, and solution-oriented with a free subscription to Steve’s daily emails at http://eepurl.com/UAspv
NOTE: Blogs published on the Judeo-Christian Caucus website are the opinions of their authors and not necessarily those of the Judeo-Christian Caucus.
