Even though one might think the political season has been open year round it is really only beginning. Here are a couple of things I will be doing over the next few weeks.
I am not an official member of any political party. I have leanings of a Constitutionalist but my voting record is largely Republican. I refuse to be bullied in or out of a vote. I am, what I’ve come to learn, a values voter. I like to say I never violate my conscience when I vote. But I will vote, Lord willing. I do pay attention. I actually attend city council meetings in my city on a regular basis.
No one gets to blame me for wasting my vote if I vote for a third party. No one gets to accuse me of being among the 20 plus million Christians who typically don’t vote. No one gets permission from me to have my vote.
I made a commitment years ago to be “a well informed and responsible follower of Christ” not men.
Here are the typical things I do as the political season opens.
- Pray.
- Read the party platforms of all candidates.
- Pray
- listen to the candidates.
- Pray
- Read as many of their speeches as I can. (I don’t trust any media to give me a fair treatment of any speech.)
- Pray
- Vote
- Pray
I start with the final draft platform. This week, the Republicans are in the spot light first. Here is the full, final, voted on, copy of the Republican Party Platform (66 pages long). It is, admittedly, a platform I can be excited about. It’s good to know what others think, here is the Human Rights Campaign rebuttal (if you will).