I consider myself an independent. I am somewhat libertarian, but usually end up voting Republican. Mainly because they are the guys pushing for a smaller government. So, like most conservative non-believers, I hold my nose and pull the lever (yes kiddies, there use to be levers) for an irrational theist.
For the first time in my adult life, I voted in the Georgia primary for a democrat. I voted for Barack Obama. Yes, I know he lacks experience. Yes, I know he is the most liberal of the candidates. I debated all this myself.
When I was looking at the candidates, and thinking about my past votes, it became clear that it didn't really matter who was in the White House. They all ended up pretty much the same. Except in one area, their appointments to the Supreme Court.
If Bush Sr. (who I voted for) would have been reelected in 1992 we would no longer have a Supreme Court that valued the separation of church and state. America would be quite a bit different than it is today. Bill Clinton, whether you like him or not, replaced White with Ginsburg and Blackmun with Breyer, preserving our civil liberties.
Today, there sits on the Supreme Court four Roman Catholics with religious presuppositions, and five Justices who fight to uphold our secular government. There is a very good chance that the next President, whoever that may be, will have the opportunity to appoint one, if not two, Judges. The influence of these appointments will long outlast those of the President himself (or herself).
With the above in mind, here is how I judged each of the five now running for President:
Republicans
1. John McCain: Though better than most Rebuplicans, he has said that America is a Christian nation.
2. Mike Huckabee: Do I need to even discuss him. He denies the fact of evolution and he says we should change the Constitution to agree with the Bible.
3. Ron Paul: I really like him. I agree with about 90% of what he says. However, there is no way, at this point, he is going to win. Also, it could be argued that he is somewhat of a Christian Nationalists.
Democrats
1. Hilary Clinton: Even though she is Methodist, I have no doubt that she would choose Judges in support of our civil liberties. However, I believe she is to polarizing of a candidate and might not be able to beat McCain.
2. Barack Obama: He is a member of the Church of Christ, which is a very liberal church. His father was a Muslim who later became an Atheist, and his mother was Christian, who was somewhat skeptical. He no doubt would support religious and non-religious freedoms.
It was the below speech that helped me make my final decision. I hope you all would take a moment to watch it, It is about 40 minutes but very worth your time (especially if you are on the fence about for whom to vote). Though clearly, defining himself as Christian, he takes several strong position on church and state separation.
I am a former associate minister of a 12,000 member mega-church in Atlanta Georgia. Over the years, I had pushed God into this little, out of space out of time, deistic box. The God Delusion helped me realize my atheism and encouraged me to come out of the "religious closet"
If you have been voting for Republicans because you think they are for smaller government, you have been voting because of a misapprehension. Governments have continued to grow larger under Republican Presidents, the lastest example being the vast expansion of federal powers under President Bush. The Republicans have been able to make most people think they are the party of small government because of their continuous attacks on the Democrats as the party of big government. But the reality is in marked contrast to what they profess.
A closely related widespread false impression is that the Republican Party is for fiscal conservatism as oppose to those "tax and spend" Democrats. However, the allegedly fiscally prudent Republicans have been practicioneers of BORROW and spend instead of tax and spend. It was during the Regan Presidency that the deficit became so large that the fear that the U.S. had dug itself into a financial hole it could never get out of became widespread. The Clinton Administration made substantial progress in reducing the deficit but the Bush Administration has dwarfed the deficits of the Reagan years.
I agree with the statement about Republicans being borrowers and spenders. I should have referred to the "smaller government" Republicans of old--who would be pretty liberal according to today's standards. (i.e. Goldwater).
Plus, I need to mention my former irrational belief systems.
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