FAIR AND BIASED: POLITICOS LIKE TO POLL THE WIND!

Sunday, October 20, 2024

POLITICOS LIKE TO POLL THE WIND!

Weekly Opinion Editorial

BLOWING IN THE WIND!

by Steve Fair

An abortion is the termination of a pregnancy before a baby can survive outside of the uterus. It can happen naturally, also known as a miscarriage, or it can be induced intentionally through medical or surgical procedures. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) defines a legal induced abortion as a procedure performed by a licensed clinician to end a pregnancy that does not result in a live birth.

Until 1973, most states in the U.S. had laws stating an abortion could only be performed to save the life of the mother. In 1973 in a controversial ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) in Roe vs. Wade ruled women had a Constitutional right to an abortion. For 49 years, Roe was the law of the land, but in 2022, the SCOTUS overturned it, sending the legality of an abortion back to the states. Democrats have blamed Trump for the ruling because he appointed three SCOTUS justices that voted to overturn Roe.

According to the Wall Street Journal poll, abortion is the number one issue for suburban women voters in swing states. A Pew Research poll found 63% of Americans believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases- 36% say it should be illegal in all or most cases. When broken down by religious affiliation, 73% of White evangelical Protestants think abortion should be illegal. By contrast 86% of religiously unaffiliated Americans believe abortion should be legal.

First, the GOP has downplayed the abortion issue. For the past thirty years, the Republican platform was strongly pro-life. During that time, the GOP campaigned on abolishing abortion. Torn between an activist base wanting more restrictions on abortions and the mushy middle that does not, the national Party removed the pro-life plank that had been in the platform for over 40 years at the 2024 national convention. The new language, approved by President Trump, deems abortion be left to individual states to decide. GOP candidates, at all levels, followed suit and have become tentative and timid on the issue, afraid they might offend a voter. Situational ethics and moral relativism is the order of the day, even in the Grand Old Party.

Second, America has become less pro-life. According to a recent Gallup poll, only 41% of Americans consider themselves pro-life. That is down from 54% back in 1994. Among Republicans, pro-lifers are still in the majority, but down by nearly a third in the past twenty years. A sad fact is respect for life in the womb is on the decline in America.

One of the ways, Christian cultures have distinguished themselves from pagan cultures throughout history was by rejecting abortion and infanticide. The decrease in spiritual interest in the U.S. is directly related to the sad trend to excuse the killing of unborn babies.

Third, God says abortion is wrong. God is the Creator. He created man in His image. Life begins at conception and human life has value before birth. It doesn’t matter what the creature thinks- the Creator dictates truth. God’s Word says life begins in the womb. It doesn’t matter what a politician says one way or the other- only God. If a nation or people care more about winning an election than honoring their Creator, they are doomed to the ash heap of history.

Thank God, there are still Americans who believe it is wrong to kill the unborn. While their Party standard bearers (candidates) may have deemphasized the issue, they have remained unbending.

Politicians always like to ‘see how the wind is blowing,’ (poll) before taking a position on issues. The answer to the life issue isn’t blowing in the wind- it’s found in the revealed Word of God. Life begins at conception.

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Why FAIR & BIASED?

FAIR- because that's my name and BIASED because the truth is we are all biased- either for something or against it. What's important is that our bias(opinions) are based on right- on absolute truth and not on changing values. What's right cannot change based on a change in circumstances. That is the basis for situational ethics.

Situation Ethics is a theory that is concerned with the outcome or consequences of an action; the end, as opposed to an action being intrinsically wrong. In the case of situation ethics, the end can justify the means. There are no absolutes. Your actions are guided only by your conscience.

A person's view of right can be subjective. But there is a way mankind can definitely know what's right and that is revealed in God's Word- the Bible. As His creatures, we should be biased toward things our Creator is for and biased against those things He is against. May God grant us the grace and understanding to know the difference.

PARTY AFFILIATION IS IMPORTANT! by Steve Fair- written in 2009

How important is political party affiliation? Some people mistakenly believe only politicians need political affiliation, which they use for support to get elected. They contend the electorate or voters, do not need to be aligned with any Party. These same people often state they “support the man, not the Party.” But whether they recognize it or not, they are supporting a party when they “support the man.”
Most of the Founding Fathers had a negative view of political parties. In his farewell address to the nation, George Washington warned about political parties saying, “However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.” In spite of Washington's warning, political parties were formed anyway.
From 1796 to 1828 the first political parties were formed. Starting with the Federalists and Anti-Federalists, two opposing factions arose. Each was concerned with how the new government was to be organized. The Federalists believed in a strong central government. Their philosophy and beliefs would closely mirror the Democrat Party today. The Anti-Federalists strongly supported the rights of the states. They would more closely align with Republicans today.
Since the mid 1800s, the Ds and Rs have been the two major political parties in our country. Political parties flourished in our government mainly for legislative organization and expediencies sake. Why is Party affiliation important for the average voter? Party affiliation is important for three very simples reasons.
First, party affiliation is the first vote a citizen casts. When a citizen registers as a Democrat, then they are aligning philosophically with the values, beliefs, tenets, and positions of the Democrats on the issues. Party affiliation “defines” you are and what you stand for. It should be taken as seriously as a vote for a specific candidate. Research what each Party stands for, their positions on issues, and then align with the Party that is closest to your values. Copies of both major Party platforms are available on-line or at the local library.
Second, legislatures organize themselves and conduct business using party affiliation. The legislative branch of government is the most powerful arm of the three branches of government. Legislative bodies hold closed meeting of party members, called a caucus to decide on questions of policy or leadership. The Republicans hold a caucus meeting and the Democrats hold a caucus meeting-both at the state and federal level. Unfortunately, conservative, moderate and liberal philosophies do not hold caucus meetings or control the legislative agendas- parties do. When someone says they vote for “the man,” not the party, they fail to understand the power and function of a caucus system in a legislative body. The Party in the majority controls appointments, Chairmanships, the agenda and countless other things through the caucus.
Third, party affiliation should be a matter of conviction, not convenience. Often, people align with a party so they can vote in primary elections or based on family tradition or geographies. Even candidates will align, file and run affiliated with a Party they have little philosophical agreement with. That decision is made out of convenience, not conviction. While no political party is perfect or has all the answers, there is a distinct difference between the two major parties and honest citizens should align with the Party that reflects their convictions.
The Democrat Party is more liberal than the Republican Party. Liberals believe in more government control of business, the environment and speech, using large bureaucratic programs to address real or perceived social ills and constant reinterpretation of the Constitution. Liberals are more inclined to trust government than the people themselves. They see the role of government as a great provider of goods and services and have little faith in the individual to solve his own problems.
Republicans are more conservative than Democrats. Conservatives believe in less government control of the environment and business. They want fewer and less comprehensive government programs to address real or perceived social ills. They believe in personal responsibility and trust individuals to make decisions for themselves. Republicans believe in a strict literal interpretation of the Constitution. A person should find out which of these philosophies best fits their view if they wish to actively participate in the political process.
Party affiliation is important. Washington’s prophecy has come to past, and political parties have been used to empower “unprincipled men,” on both sides of the aisle, but like it or not, political parties are a reality in our system of government. Each concerned citizen should evaluate the philosophy, values, beliefs and tenets of each Party and align their party affiliation accordingly.

FAIR AND BIASED

Sunday, October 20, 2024

POLITICOS LIKE TO POLL THE WIND!

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TEAR DOWN THIS WALL!

PARTY AFFILIATION IS IMPORTANT! by Steve Fair- written in 2009

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