Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts
Saturday, February 23, 2008
My old roommate from HS debate camp
Here's a story from The Economist magazine about my old roommate from high school debate camp, Austan Goolsbee. We roomed together for two consecutive summers in the dorm rooms of American University. Very nice guy - and very bright too. I'm not at all surprised to see him become famous. A little history on his very succesful high school and college debating career can be found here at Wikipedia. An article he wrote for the New York Times can be found here.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Huckabee fades out (posted by John)
Alright, Mindy promised you I would at some point update my thoughts on the political process. Here it goes:
Well, tomorrow will most likely mark the end of the Mike Huckabee for President campaign. Let me share some things that I really liked about Mike and then some things that gave me pause for concern along the way. The first thing I loved about Mike was his winsome, gracious attitude and the excellent way in which I thought he represented the pro-life position. "I'm a conservative but I'm not mad at anybody." I loved it. I loved the fact that he was willing from the start to go on shows like Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. And when on these shows, I felt like he spoke for my moral convictions without embarrassing me. So many of the Christian representatives they put on TV say ridiculous things that make me cringe. Second thing. I love the fact that even though he was strongly pro-life, he also had an appreciation for the working class, the arts, education and expanded health care coverage and a moderate stance on immigration. He was not a libertarian Republican that saw no role for the government whatsoever save national defense. I appreciate this. Many have accused him of being economically liberal. I don't know. Perhaps he is more so than, say, a Phil Graham of Texas. But to me that's not necessarily a bad thing. Every year since 2000, our family has made the drive from Dallas to Philly and back again. We drive through Arkansas. We saw first hand the terrible conditions of the roads there. Under Gov. Huckabee, a tax bill was passed and they fixed the roads. Driving from Memphis to Little Rock now is not a high anxiety affair with constant rattling, bumping, and disconcerting road noise. So I believe that the tax increase to fix those roads was a legitimate function of state government. As you can tell, I'm a social conservative, but more moderate on economic issues. I think that a libertarian approach to government (no role except defense/police) underestimates the power of social sin and the need to have a state that acts as a restraint against the natural corruption of the free market system. Who wouldn't, for example, want a government that doesn't regulate lead paint and food safety so that multinational corporations don't cut safety corners to maximize profit? When you start thinking about it, you begin to realize that there are plenty of legitimate exercises of government function in society beyond merely defending us from Jihadism or the next big red threat.
There have been some things over time that have given me pause concerning Mike. First, the fact that he routinely preaches in churches on Sunday morning blurs a line for me. The church should be the church, with a prophetic voice to society and government. And those in politics should listen to the voice of the church proclaim God's Word and seek to establish justice in the land. But I don't think our politicians should become our preachers. It's better if these roles are kept distinct. I would prefer Mike to not preach from pulpits on Sunday morning. Second thing. I didn't necessarily buy the "he's too inexperienced" argument since he was a governor of a state when Obama was merely a state legislator in Springfield. Huckabee would have more experience under his belt entering the Oval office than Reagan. He would be about on par with Bill Clinton in this regard. So that hasn't concerned me too much, though some make the point that in this age of Jihadism, you need a President with lots of foreign policy experience. Perhaps. Reagan didn't have any foreign policy experience, but he knew intuitively how to deal with the Soviets. And that was a pretty big deal back then. But here's my concern: as the political debate wore on, I just didn't get enough substance from Huckabee. The fair tax idea is novel and attention-getting, so it served its political purpose for him. But no doubt it's a pie in the sky proposal without any chance of enactment. And so I was waiting for more policy to be fleshed out. It never came. I began to doubt whether there was substance behind the style I appreciated so much. And for those two reasons, I began to have doubts about Huckabee.
Would he make a good VP pick for McCain? I think so. I'd personally love it. Some have argued that he'll be attacked on creation/evolution issues and that McCain doesn't want to have to spend time answering those questions. Perhaps. But I think the positives for McCain will outweigh those potential political risks. Huckabee could definitely help McCain unite the Republicans. And I think the exposure of being a VP will round out Huckabee's experience, and put him in a great position to be a future presidential candidate. That would be great.
Meanwhile, as the GOP closes the deal with McCain tomorrow (please spare us from Romney!), the Democrats will probably not seal the deal tomorrow. If they know what's good for them, they'll go with Obama. I think he would be very strong in a general election. I think America is yearning for a post-partisan president. Either McCain or Obama have a shot at that, but Obama connects in a way that McCain probably can't any more. If this were 8 years ago for McCain, it might be different. Mindy and I are reading McCain's book "Faith of My Fathers" right now and it is pretty remarkable. You have to respect the man. And that is the GOP's best hope now of retaining the White House in 2008.
So my own personal SuperBowl season continues! Yes, I watched about the last 20 minutes of the Giants beating the Patriots last night. For me, a non-football watcher, that's quite an accomplishment. But the excitement of those last 20 minutes pales in comparison to the exciting, turbulent process of picking our next president. So tomorrow night - Super Duper Tuesday - will be my personal SuperBowl. My predictions: the GOP breaks tomorrow slightly for McCain and the Dems break for Obama by a surprising margin. Not enough to knock Hillary out, but enough to mortally wound her candidacy and let Obama finish her off in Ohio or Pennsylvania.
Well, tomorrow will most likely mark the end of the Mike Huckabee for President campaign. Let me share some things that I really liked about Mike and then some things that gave me pause for concern along the way. The first thing I loved about Mike was his winsome, gracious attitude and the excellent way in which I thought he represented the pro-life position. "I'm a conservative but I'm not mad at anybody." I loved it. I loved the fact that he was willing from the start to go on shows like Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. And when on these shows, I felt like he spoke for my moral convictions without embarrassing me. So many of the Christian representatives they put on TV say ridiculous things that make me cringe. Second thing. I love the fact that even though he was strongly pro-life, he also had an appreciation for the working class, the arts, education and expanded health care coverage and a moderate stance on immigration. He was not a libertarian Republican that saw no role for the government whatsoever save national defense. I appreciate this. Many have accused him of being economically liberal. I don't know. Perhaps he is more so than, say, a Phil Graham of Texas. But to me that's not necessarily a bad thing. Every year since 2000, our family has made the drive from Dallas to Philly and back again. We drive through Arkansas. We saw first hand the terrible conditions of the roads there. Under Gov. Huckabee, a tax bill was passed and they fixed the roads. Driving from Memphis to Little Rock now is not a high anxiety affair with constant rattling, bumping, and disconcerting road noise. So I believe that the tax increase to fix those roads was a legitimate function of state government. As you can tell, I'm a social conservative, but more moderate on economic issues. I think that a libertarian approach to government (no role except defense/police) underestimates the power of social sin and the need to have a state that acts as a restraint against the natural corruption of the free market system. Who wouldn't, for example, want a government that doesn't regulate lead paint and food safety so that multinational corporations don't cut safety corners to maximize profit? When you start thinking about it, you begin to realize that there are plenty of legitimate exercises of government function in society beyond merely defending us from Jihadism or the next big red threat.
There have been some things over time that have given me pause concerning Mike. First, the fact that he routinely preaches in churches on Sunday morning blurs a line for me. The church should be the church, with a prophetic voice to society and government. And those in politics should listen to the voice of the church proclaim God's Word and seek to establish justice in the land. But I don't think our politicians should become our preachers. It's better if these roles are kept distinct. I would prefer Mike to not preach from pulpits on Sunday morning. Second thing. I didn't necessarily buy the "he's too inexperienced" argument since he was a governor of a state when Obama was merely a state legislator in Springfield. Huckabee would have more experience under his belt entering the Oval office than Reagan. He would be about on par with Bill Clinton in this regard. So that hasn't concerned me too much, though some make the point that in this age of Jihadism, you need a President with lots of foreign policy experience. Perhaps. Reagan didn't have any foreign policy experience, but he knew intuitively how to deal with the Soviets. And that was a pretty big deal back then. But here's my concern: as the political debate wore on, I just didn't get enough substance from Huckabee. The fair tax idea is novel and attention-getting, so it served its political purpose for him. But no doubt it's a pie in the sky proposal without any chance of enactment. And so I was waiting for more policy to be fleshed out. It never came. I began to doubt whether there was substance behind the style I appreciated so much. And for those two reasons, I began to have doubts about Huckabee.
Would he make a good VP pick for McCain? I think so. I'd personally love it. Some have argued that he'll be attacked on creation/evolution issues and that McCain doesn't want to have to spend time answering those questions. Perhaps. But I think the positives for McCain will outweigh those potential political risks. Huckabee could definitely help McCain unite the Republicans. And I think the exposure of being a VP will round out Huckabee's experience, and put him in a great position to be a future presidential candidate. That would be great.
Meanwhile, as the GOP closes the deal with McCain tomorrow (please spare us from Romney!), the Democrats will probably not seal the deal tomorrow. If they know what's good for them, they'll go with Obama. I think he would be very strong in a general election. I think America is yearning for a post-partisan president. Either McCain or Obama have a shot at that, but Obama connects in a way that McCain probably can't any more. If this were 8 years ago for McCain, it might be different. Mindy and I are reading McCain's book "Faith of My Fathers" right now and it is pretty remarkable. You have to respect the man. And that is the GOP's best hope now of retaining the White House in 2008.
So my own personal SuperBowl season continues! Yes, I watched about the last 20 minutes of the Giants beating the Patriots last night. For me, a non-football watcher, that's quite an accomplishment. But the excitement of those last 20 minutes pales in comparison to the exciting, turbulent process of picking our next president. So tomorrow night - Super Duper Tuesday - will be my personal SuperBowl. My predictions: the GOP breaks tomorrow slightly for McCain and the Dems break for Obama by a surprising margin. Not enough to knock Hillary out, but enough to mortally wound her candidacy and let Obama finish her off in Ohio or Pennsylvania.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Coconut-Curry Chicken and other stuff...
Some of you may be wondering why our blog has been strangely silent on the politics front, especially since the primaries have begun full-force and have been rather exciting and surprising, to say the least. Well, the reason is two-fold: John hasn't had any time to blog his thoughts recently and I'm too self-conscious to publish my thoughts on the primaries since I am fairly new to the love of politics.
It's funny - John will be the first to tell you that I've come a LONG way in my knowledge of the political process, let alone of the people involved since he first met me. Given his natural love and involvement in politics from a very young age, it's a wonder that he even married me, political/historical ignoramus that I was. Case in point, while he was reading 1,500-page biographies of Winston Churchill and Teddy Roosevelt in middle school (for fun), I was more concerned about making the cheer leading squad and which boys liked me. While John could tell you the names of all the senators in each state, I could quote lines from the Breakfast Club. I could really embarrass myself and tell you about the time I reluctantly went with John to see the movie, 13 Days (about JFK and the Cuban missile crisis)...but as I said before, I'm way too self-conscious. And he still married me...
All that to say, just as my sister became an avid Nascar fan after marrying one, I have become an aspiring political nut who enjoys watching Meet the Press and The Chris Matthews Show and enjoys reading The Atlantic, MUCH to John's supreme delight. This year for Christmas, I got John a subscription to The Weekly Standard, and I think I read all or most of it before he did. We scheduled 'date nights' to watch the Iowa Caucus returns as well as the results of the New Hampshire primaries...and I thoroughly enjoyed both (unlike my experience at watching 13 Days...).
So until John has a few minutes to gather his thoughts and blog them, I thought I'd post another recipe...something I am very confident in blogging about! John is at a session meeting tonight, so I thought I'd take advantage of his absence from dinner and cook something that he wouldn't normally eat (at least on purpose). The kids and I gobbled it up, so here it is:
Coconut-Curry Chicken
1 large pkg chicken legs (about 14) - skinned and seasoned with salt, pepper, curry powder, coriander
It's funny - John will be the first to tell you that I've come a LONG way in my knowledge of the political process, let alone of the people involved since he first met me. Given his natural love and involvement in politics from a very young age, it's a wonder that he even married me, political/historical ignoramus that I was. Case in point, while he was reading 1,500-page biographies of Winston Churchill and Teddy Roosevelt in middle school (for fun), I was more concerned about making the cheer leading squad and which boys liked me. While John could tell you the names of all the senators in each state, I could quote lines from the Breakfast Club. I could really embarrass myself and tell you about the time I reluctantly went with John to see the movie, 13 Days (about JFK and the Cuban missile crisis)...but as I said before, I'm way too self-conscious. And he still married me...
All that to say, just as my sister became an avid Nascar fan after marrying one, I have become an aspiring political nut who enjoys watching Meet the Press and The Chris Matthews Show and enjoys reading The Atlantic, MUCH to John's supreme delight. This year for Christmas, I got John a subscription to The Weekly Standard, and I think I read all or most of it before he did. We scheduled 'date nights' to watch the Iowa Caucus returns as well as the results of the New Hampshire primaries...and I thoroughly enjoyed both (unlike my experience at watching 13 Days...).
So until John has a few minutes to gather his thoughts and blog them, I thought I'd post another recipe...something I am very confident in blogging about! John is at a session meeting tonight, so I thought I'd take advantage of his absence from dinner and cook something that he wouldn't normally eat (at least on purpose). The kids and I gobbled it up, so here it is:
Coconut-Curry Chicken
1 large pkg chicken legs (about 14) - skinned and seasoned with salt, pepper, curry powder, coriander
minced garlic (I used about 6-8 cloves...but I love garlic)
1 chopped onion
2 potatoes (red or russet), chopped
2+ lbs carrots, chopped large
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup chx broth
1 Tbsp curry powder (or 1/2 jar Lee Kum Kee's coconut curry sauce)
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1+ cup frozen peas
In a dutch oven or deep pan, saute onion and garlic in a little oil then add seasoned chicken legs and brown.
Mix cornstarch and curry in coconut milk and broth and then add to chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer (covered).
Meanwhile, chop carrots and potatoes and add to pan. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until carrots are tender.
Add frozen peas and heat through.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with cous cous or rice. Mmmmmmmmm.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Dallas Morning News endorsements
Our local paper, the Dallas Morning News, made two endorsements this morning, one for each party. The DMN endorsed Mike Huckabee for the Republican nomination and Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination. I think they are both good choices.
If you're a reader of this blog, you will know that I've been following the Huckabee campaign closely since last June. I personally like the fact that he is socially conservative but a bit more moderate when it comes to issues such as race, the environment, and education. This matches my own political philosophy well. I have to confess that I was disappointed with the incident of the cross in the background of the Christmas campaign ad. I don't want Christianity being used as a political tool by anyone under any circumstances. It's hard to believe that it was strictly an accident. I agree with Peggy Noonan on this one. But overall, I like Huckabee's gracious demeanor and sensible, practical approach to government. I do have a lot of respect for John McCain as well and I am actually grateful that he has been forthright about his reservations with the Christian right. At least the man talks straight. I respect his candor, experience and especially his strong stand against torture.
I'm also happy that the local paper went with Obama over Clinton for the Democratic nomination. I think Clinton is very smart and a hard worker and has done a good job as Senator from NY, though I disagree with many of her positions. But I don't trust her.
I think Obama is highly charismatic and a fantastic orator. I like his language about a purple America rather than a red or blue America. I don't buy the whole "he's a Muslim" thing. I researched it and it's just not true. I think he is a Christian in the liberal UCC tradition. I have no reason to think that he doesn't genuinely believe what he professes. I think he's very liberal on both social and economic issues, though he seems more moderate on national defense issues. He has had some people in his political past who have been connected with corruption and that concerns me. We don't know this guy all that well.
I find it ironic that people are giving Obama a pass when it comes to experience, but at the same time assert that Huckabee is inexperienced. I would just point out that when Barack Obama was in the state legislature in Springfield, Illinois, Mike Huckabee was already governor of Arkansas. (Though I do remember Ross Perot's line about Bill Clinton: going from Gov. of Arkansas to President of the USA is like going from manager of the local convenience store to CEO of Wal Mart.)
I do like the idea of an African-American President and I think that an Obama presidency would have a healing effect on race relations. But the curative effect might not be as much as some hope. I like the idea of having a woman President, but just not Hillary.
So at this point I'm still a Mike Huckabee supporter and John McCain is my second choice. I could see either guy getting the GOP nomination, which is pretty amazing given where we were 6 months ago. I am deeply committed to the pro-life cause and that is a top concern for me. I think it is the ultimate justice issue. Supreme Court nominees notwithstanding, I don't think the pro-life question is ultimately going to be decided by who we elect as our President. Our politics simply reflect our culture, and it's our culture that must ultimately be transformed. So I'll put my efforts in preaching the gospel. Our culture is ambivalent about abortion, and therefore our politicians are too.
Presidential elections are for me what Super Bowls are for other guys. So I'm having fun with this volatile race!
If you're a reader of this blog, you will know that I've been following the Huckabee campaign closely since last June. I personally like the fact that he is socially conservative but a bit more moderate when it comes to issues such as race, the environment, and education. This matches my own political philosophy well. I have to confess that I was disappointed with the incident of the cross in the background of the Christmas campaign ad. I don't want Christianity being used as a political tool by anyone under any circumstances. It's hard to believe that it was strictly an accident. I agree with Peggy Noonan on this one. But overall, I like Huckabee's gracious demeanor and sensible, practical approach to government. I do have a lot of respect for John McCain as well and I am actually grateful that he has been forthright about his reservations with the Christian right. At least the man talks straight. I respect his candor, experience and especially his strong stand against torture.
I'm also happy that the local paper went with Obama over Clinton for the Democratic nomination. I think Clinton is very smart and a hard worker and has done a good job as Senator from NY, though I disagree with many of her positions. But I don't trust her.
I think Obama is highly charismatic and a fantastic orator. I like his language about a purple America rather than a red or blue America. I don't buy the whole "he's a Muslim" thing. I researched it and it's just not true. I think he is a Christian in the liberal UCC tradition. I have no reason to think that he doesn't genuinely believe what he professes. I think he's very liberal on both social and economic issues, though he seems more moderate on national defense issues. He has had some people in his political past who have been connected with corruption and that concerns me. We don't know this guy all that well.
I find it ironic that people are giving Obama a pass when it comes to experience, but at the same time assert that Huckabee is inexperienced. I would just point out that when Barack Obama was in the state legislature in Springfield, Illinois, Mike Huckabee was already governor of Arkansas. (Though I do remember Ross Perot's line about Bill Clinton: going from Gov. of Arkansas to President of the USA is like going from manager of the local convenience store to CEO of Wal Mart.)
I do like the idea of an African-American President and I think that an Obama presidency would have a healing effect on race relations. But the curative effect might not be as much as some hope. I like the idea of having a woman President, but just not Hillary.
So at this point I'm still a Mike Huckabee supporter and John McCain is my second choice. I could see either guy getting the GOP nomination, which is pretty amazing given where we were 6 months ago. I am deeply committed to the pro-life cause and that is a top concern for me. I think it is the ultimate justice issue. Supreme Court nominees notwithstanding, I don't think the pro-life question is ultimately going to be decided by who we elect as our President. Our politics simply reflect our culture, and it's our culture that must ultimately be transformed. So I'll put my efforts in preaching the gospel. Our culture is ambivalent about abortion, and therefore our politicians are too.
Presidential elections are for me what Super Bowls are for other guys. So I'm having fun with this volatile race!
Friday, December 7, 2007
Mitt's Speech on Religion & Democracy
As you probably know by now, Gov Mitt Romney delivered his speech yesterday explaining how his Mormon faith interacts with his political philosophy. Just as JFK gave a speech in Houston to Baptist ministers several weeks before the general election promising that he would not take orders from the Vatican, likewise Romney tries to reassure GOP primary voters about his own faith. I thought the most striking political line was about Jesus as the Savior of mankind. I take that to mean that he is especially trying to build a bridge with evangelical voters in Iowa to save his candidacy from the Huckabee surge. Two columninsts worth reading today are David Brooks and Peggy Noonan.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Huckabee rises in national polls to within 3 points of Giuliani
Today, in the first full round of national polling completed since last week’s “debate” among
Not only that, new polling data released today shows that Huckabee has pulled to within a single percentage point of Hillary Clinton in a general election match-up. Huckabee is also a frontrunner in Iowa and essentially tied for second in New Hampshire. Some pundits believe Huckabee’s numbers will surely go down as fast as they’ve gone up while others are beginning to consider the possibility that the bass-guitar playing Governor may become a serious contender for the Republican nomination. Full article here.
Here is a pic from our brief hello with him at a home in Plano this past summer. We've posted the pic before, but since we're so proud of him, we thought we'd post it again!
Friday, October 19, 2007
David Brooks: Huckabee is Top Tier
David Brooks, one of the most influential conservative columnists in America, writes today in his NYT column that Mike Huckabee is top tier and and that he has the political skills that merit his place there.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Tune in to Fox News tomorrow
Tune in to Fox News tomorrow at 1:20 CT to see an interview with the guy I had dinner with tonight. His name is Jim Tonkowich, the President of the Institute on Religion and Democracy. Four of us had a 2.5 hour dinner tonight at Nicola's in Plano, and Jim shared with us the work of the IRD. Their history in denominational renewal, but even more so, their thoughtful engagement of public policy with the Christian faith was a breath of fresh air to me. Jim was on CNN yesterday, and is being picked up on Fox news tomorrow. Watch it if you can! I'm looking forward to getting to know these folks better. (As any of you who know me know, I am a public policy wonk wanna-be.)
Friday, October 5, 2007
Friday, September 7, 2007
Peggy Noonan
Peggy Noonan, famed speachwriter for Ronald Reagan and George Bush ("a thousand points of light", "a kinder, gentler nation"), offers a fine assessment of where the Republican nomination process stands at this point. Here. I always enjoy reading her.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Two good political articles
In case you haven't noticed by now, Mindy and I have been tracking Mike Huckabee's Presidential campaign. Mindy and I met Mike a month or two ago in Plano and have been following him since. I have some definite views on the relationship between politics and Christianity (which is a very complicated relationship, with a long history, fraught with danger). And perhaps it is a bit incautious of me to blog about a presidential candidate since I am a minister of the gospel, and therefore not a partisan. But what the heck. Presidential politics has always been in my blood. Here are two good articles about Huckabee. Whether you are interested in him or another candidate, enjoy...
"Huckabee Hits a Chord", Washington Post, here
"Huckabee Charming, Funny in Sit-down Chat", Des Moines Register, here.
"Huckabee Hits a Chord", Washington Post, here
"Huckabee Charming, Funny in Sit-down Chat", Des Moines Register, here.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Michael Medved on Mike Huckabee
Michael Medved (known for his critique of Hollywood) thinks Huckabee could be the real thing. The link is here.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
A great win for the other man from Hope - Mike Huckabee!
Gov. Mike Huckabee, vastly outspent by Romney and Brownback, emerged victorious in Iowa tonight with a suprising second place finish. Go Mike! (See our ealier picture with Mike Huckabee here.)
p.s. - Mindy says I brag too much about Christopher. I plead guilty as charged, but I also plead guilty to bragging just as much about Sarah and Hannah too. They are so much fun to be around!
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Friday evening with Gov. Mike Huckabee
A couple in our church co-hosted a social on Friday night at a home in Plano for Presidential candidate Gov. Mike Huckabee. We were really impressed with Gov. Huckabee. He is strongly pro-life, warm, funny, has a history of reaching across the aisle to work with Democrats, and accomplished some outstanding things in his 10 1/2 years as Gov. of Arkansas. He was the first Gov in the nation, for example, to get health insurance for all kids in his state. But most of all, he is very thoughtful and strong on culture of life issues. I understand that he was on the Jon Stewart show recently and I'm looking for a tape or download of that episode. I've heard even from liberal friends that he was quite impressive! He was also on Hardball and Hanity & Colmes this week as well. I think that we will see him continue to climb in the polls because the more people learn about him and hear him, the greater and broader his support becomes. He also lost more than 100 pounds - an inspiration for me! You can find out more about him here.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Obama's Church
Here is a very interesting article in today's New York Times about Obama's faith and church.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
dumbing down of American culture continued tonight
The dumbing down of American culture continued tonight, this time in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Tonight the Democratic candidates "debated" one another at South Carolina State. Now when I refer to the dumbing down of American culture, I am not referring to any or all of the Democratic candidates but rather the format of the debate itself. Each candidate's answer was limited to 60 seconds. 60 seconds! You're kidding me, right? We are bogged down in a controversial war, the terrorist threat looms, our culture is deeply divided over crucial social issues, our health care system is a mess, DNA technology is stirring a renewed debate over the death penalty, there are real issues of justice at play in America, our education system continues to suffer and the list can go on. And the candidates are given 60 seconds to answer questions? Give me a break. We deserve better and we should ask for it.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Broder: Why Hillary, Not Barak, Will Be the Democratic Nominee
I think veteran political reporter David Broder (Washington Post) puts his finger here on why Hillary Clinton, not Barak Obama, will be the next Democratic Presidential Nominee. Obama's speeches are initially impressive, but the more you listen, the more you realize how little is being said. I think Hillary continues to be underestimated in her campaigning skills and the size and skill of her political machinery that will be so pivotal in actually winning the primaries. As to who will win the Republican nomination, it is much harder to tell. Guiliani will fade. If I had to put my Las Vegas money on anyone today, it would still be McCain.
Though I believe that Christians are called to be good citizens and participate fully in the political process with thoughtfulness and care, I also love the words of Chuck Colson: "The Kingdom of God will not arrive on Air Force One." Thank God that His Redemptive purposes in this world will not be thwarted or altered based on who is elected. God is sovereign still. I continue to sense that Christians look too much to getting the right people elected to solve the world's problems, rather than seeking for the church to be the church and for God's people to truly be God's people in every sphere of life and with all our mind, heart, and strength. What we need is God-centered, Christ-exalting, Spirit-empowered reformation and revival. An election - or even a good administration - just won't do it.
Friday, February 9, 2007
New York, Sam Brownback, and Rudy Guiliani
Peggy Noonan on New York as the center of the political map in 2008 (Guilian vs. Clinton?): http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/
John Armstrong reflects on how well a Christian candidate for President (Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback) reflects godly values when he is strongly pro-life but rarely goes to work on the Hill when Congress is in session: http://johnharmstrong.typepad.com/john_h_armstrong_/2007/02/if_you_want_to_.html
Guiliani's strategy with evangelical voters: http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1587264,00.html
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
David Brooks nails it on the head again
David Brooks always has good insights. Though a bit dated, this article for the NYT hit the nail on the head. He argues that if Americans want to understand evangelical Christianity, they should put John Stott on Meet the Press, not Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell. Read the article here:
I wish Alexandra Pelosi (Nancy's daughter) had listened to Brooks before she made her sadly distorted recent documentary "Friends of God" on HBO (http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/friends_of_god/). But that is a post for another time...
Monday, January 29, 2007
al-Qaeda and the road to 9/11
If you're interested in understanding the history and ideology of al-Qaeda, look no further than "The Looming Tower" by Lawrence Wright. Larry is a freelance writer, lives in Austin, and has five solid years of research behind this book. It is written as a series of biographical vignettes, which makes for interesting reading (at least to me). Dan Rather (a source I don't quote often) said on the Chris Matthews Show that this book demonstrates that if you really want to understand the world you live in, you can't just watch television. You must read books. I liked that.
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