Now that the political dust has settled

[Pastor Gary]

Now that the political dust has settled, I have an observation to share. As I thought about the results of the recent Presidential election, and the discussions of the candidates, I have determined that:

• Democrats tend to rate candidates based upon education and intellect.
• Republicans tend to rate candidates based upon morality and shared values.

In other words, it seems to me that Dems don't really care so much what a candidate's views are on any specific issue as much as they care that the candidate seems smart. GOP voters will take a less-than-rocket-scientist intellect if the candidate agrees with their litmus test core issues.

[EagerBeaver]

Now that the political dust has settled, I have an observation to share. As I thought about the results of the recent Presidential election, and the discussions of the candidates, I have determined that:

• Democrats tend to rate candidates based upon education and intellect.
• Republicans tend to rate candidates based upon morality and shared values.

In other words, it seems to me that Dems don't really care so much what a candidate's views are on any specific issue as much as they care that the candidate seems smart. GOP voters will take a less-than-rocket-scientist intellect if the candidate agrees with their litmus test core issues.

Which explains perfectly why I am neither Democrat nor Republican.

[Tim Elston]

Now that the political dust has settled, I have an observation to share. As I thought about the results of the recent Presidential election, and the discussions of the candidates, I have determined that:

• Democrats tend to rate candidates based upon education and intellect.
• Republicans tend to rate candidates based upon morality and shared values.

In other words, it seems to me that Dems don't really care so much what a candidate's views are on any specific issue as much as they care that the candidate seems smart. GOP voters will take a less-than-rocket-scientist intellect if the candidate agrees with their litmus test core issues.

Gary, I'm not so sure about this. Democrats have a different set of moral values. I argued with them about this in Chicago. They would chide conservatives for "pushing their morality down other people's throats," but my response was to ask them, assuming their paradigm, whether they thought, for example, it was a moral issue to preserve the environment, or to provide universal health care, or to protect endangered species. Their answer was always yes, and my next point, of course, was to ask them why they were trying to push their morality down other people's throats.

I find Democrats to hold strongly felt moral values. Those values are informed and shaped, however, by a different sociological ethos. This is where I have found common ground on which constructively to discuss and debate, for example, abortion. If we can see that we have a shared passion for moral values, that gives us ground on which to talk to each other. If we dismiss each other as morally bankrupt, we position ourselves as intractable nemeses. I can't tell you how many times I've heard partisan Democrats express the opinion that conservatives are morally bankrupt, because in their perception conservatives don't care about justice or compassion. And I've heard the same thing about liberals from conservatives. Though you did not specify, your very point was that Democrats are amoral when it comes to electing people.

[Gerald Creasy]

How are these "moral values" established?

It seems that whatever the ideology of the Democrats then THAT is their "moral values", whereas the Republicans tend to favor traditional moral values.

A completeley different set of moral values would definitely explain quite a bit...why, say.....Barney Frank can (at one time) have a male prostitue working out of his residence AND STILL BE A LEADING FIGURE and a Republican can tap a guys foot in a public restroom and loose his job.

[TC]

the problem is we have let the liberals set the talking points. We have heard how much smarter ALGORE or Kerry was when the facts, the numbers prove it wrong. We have allowed the liberals to make false statements and we don't question them on it.

The reason the liberals do it is because they can't they can't stand on true moral values. so they say but we care about the planet or we care about yadda yadda yadda. but for the most part it is all show and no go. They throw out liberal lines like it takes a city to raise a child, yet they should say it takes a pay for a child. When a Conservitive would say, feed a CHILD today he eats today, teach him to fish he eats a lifetime.

Tim for someone who acts like you know it all it surprises me that you have falling into their belief sysytem. So if you belive it does it make it true?

for example, abortion. If we can see that we have a shared passion for moral values, that gives us ground on which to talk to each other. If we dismiss each other as morally bankrupt, we position ourselves as intractable nemeses. I can't tell you how many times I've heard partisan Democrats express the opinion that conservatives are morally bankrupt, because in their perception conservatives don't care about justice or compassion.

so now aborting babies is a moral value? HOW IS THAT? So we share that value? The liberals only moral value is to do what ever it takes to gain power. Who cares what what our guys do as long as we maintain power. I honestly think that if the liberals had a guy murder someone on national TV if dumping him ment they would lose power they would say he had it coming.

[TC]

another prime example of this is the current pardon mess on the main stream media. I saw the story while channel surfing. GWB is getting bashed over a pardon.

It is a long detailed story. It brings up this pardon that GWB gave to someone, it was later found out that this guys dad gave 40,000 to a few different republicans for the recent election. It goes back to the 50's and some President (I forgot who) gave out several pardons every year and some gave out about 2000. The it says the most abuse of power pardon ever given out was to Nixon. It brings up bush again saying he has given out less than 200 and then almost at a side note they bring up clinton and 400k for Marc Rich (sp?)and it was stated he got the money and it was questioned.

then goes back to people buying this whitehouse and buying access. then no pic of Bush, no graphics again like a clinton side note they state that GWB revolked the pardon and the administration says they had no knowledge of any donations to others. Why would they all republicans are not required tell the Pres who gave them money

BUT look at this Ill story, the Obama stealing power early team says we did not talk (even after they said they had talked to the gov) then THEY look into it themself and give a report that say "we did nothing wrong" so we are expected to let it go because they said so. If it had been a Republican we would be hearing cries for Impeachment.

Clinton was disgraceful in power grab and abuse of power, I have a feeling Obama will be worst and will get by with much of it because no Dem will call him on it, first because they are bed together and second because if they say anything they will be called Racist.

[Brian]

I had a good post all typed out but I deleted it somehow. Oh well,......

Tim, they do indeed have a "different set of moral values" but in fact there "moral" values are nothing more than social issues that they have elevated to a moral status. The environment, universal health care, or endangered species are social issues of our day and time and culture. Not that they are unimportant, they are. But they should not be confused with higher moral values no matter how many times they try to equate the two.

I had a list of social issues that I pulled from wiki. Moral value examples as well. Many liberals are on a different thought process in reaching a conclution about the various issues and topics we deal with today. They deminish the moral value system when they move the focus away from the content of an individuals character. Things are said like, "we don't care about the goings on in the private lives of our elected officials, it's only what they do on the job that matters." Well I have yet to be able to walk as a person of multiple personalities and I doubt they can either. The content of ones character defines them as an individual, on the job as well as in the home.

Many liberal demacrats would have you believe something different. I suppose that it matters very little to them if someone is an alcholic drug using wife cheating kid beating womanizing gambling theif....as long as you can balance the budget (by any means necessary) advance the homosexual agenda and clean up the enviorment I guess your the guy for them!????

[Pastor Gary]

Joel Stein: "Lefties just don't have the same feeling about America as the hard right does."

Worth a read.

[Brian]

Joel Stein: "Lefties just don't have the same feeling about America as the hard right does."

Worth a read.

From the article:

"These are the people who are sure Christianity is the only right religion, that America is the best country, that the Republicans have the only good candidates, that gays have cooties."

It is, it is, they do, and don't they?

[Tim Elston]

Joel Stein: "Lefties just don't have the same feeling about America as the hard right does."

For primates tribality is primary over rationality. So it has been, so it is, so it shall be. Amen.

Stein has probably never lived outside America. You don't realize how much you love your country until you live outside it amongst those who criticise it. You don't know how good your country is until you, as its citizen, admit that there is some truth to the criticism. You don't realize how justified the criticism is until you come home to live among your countrymen again.