Stop Obamacare

It's getting down to the nitty gritty on this health care vote. I cannot even begin to describe how against this thing I am. The more I hear about it, the more I hate it... seriously. I don't know if there's any turning back if this thing is passed. I see it only getting larger, more wasteful and more out of control. Has the government been able to manage or run anything well that's out of its God-given jurisdiction (i.e.: public school system, social security, medicare)? They always turn in corrupt, wasteful, under-performing performances. Why would we think that health care would be any different?

I don't have time to give a breakdown of all the reasons I'm against this bill. (You can read some of our earlier thoughts on the matter). But if you're with me in opposing this, now is the time to act. I don't know if it will do any good or if they're even listening, but call Congress and let your voice be heard.

Here is a link to a list of 30 swing congressmen and their phone numbers. The vote could be as early as Friday or Saturday. Call now! (If you have trouble viewing the link, go to www.dickmorris.com and find the list from there).

ACORN

Have you been following the ACORN story?

Simply ridiculous. Tax payer money should not be going to this organization. If you haven't seen some of the undercover videos released recently, this following clip will give you a good summary. Not to toot Bill's horn two posts in a row, but his talking points memo on the ACORN scandal is spot on and a good overview of the entire story. So here ya go...

Obama-care: Straight Talk

The healthcare debate rages on in our country, and it's hard to get your hands on any cold hard facts. Obama himself gave a speech September 9th to a joint session of Congress, and though I watched it in its entirety, I still came away with lots of questions and unanswered concerns. Obama made a lot of good promises, and aside from the fact that I disagree with him ideologically, common sense still caused me to question many of his claims. For instance, he maintained that most of this bill would be paid for by cutting waste and fraud from already established government programs.

Two questions: If such waste and fraud can be eliminated, why hasn't it already been done? And I'm sorry, but if government-run programs currently have lots of waste and fraud, how are we to believe that a new healthcare bureaucracy overseeing 1/6th of our economy would have any less waste or fraud? To me, such a bill just opens the door for more government negligence.

Below is a clip of Bill O'Reilly's talking points memo the night after Obama's speech. It's only a couple minutes long and a good look at some actual numbers involved in making Obama-care a reality... a few hard to find facts. What do you think? Can our country sustain such numbers? Is it even constitutional?

Obama-care, cont'd

Yet another alarming fact about Obama's proposed health care plan...

Senior citizens would be required, every five years, to have an "end of life" consultation, at which time it will be determined if society is better served by not keeping said persons alive. Like we've pointed out before, government-funded health care is simply not financially viable. So you have to cut costs somewhere, right? If the cost of keeping someone alive is too high, then society would be better off without them. You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Me.

So, according to Obama, we don't really know when life begins, but now we're presuming to know when it should end. Or better yet, the government will decide for us when our life is no longer serving the greater good of society. They get to decide who does and does not get the medical care they need. You better hope you don't need a medical procedure--even one you'd be willing to pay for--that your government deems not necessary or cost-effective.

I don't think I need to draw all the conclusions of how scary this would be. In the words of Thomas Jefferson, "A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have."...including, apparently, your life.

This one's so shocking to me, I still have a hard time believing it's true. I mean, do we live in Nazi Germany or the Untied States of America???

Obama-care

Here is the link to an informative article from CNNMoney about Obama's health care plan--"5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform." It does a good job summarizing a few of the ways this proposed legislation would look practically and what it would mean for the average American.

Just So You Know...

Obama's new healthcare legislation currently includes mandatory coverage for abortions in both government and private insurance plans. The implications of such legislation are vast and alarming. For one, you would in essence be paying for abortions. For two, private insurance companies who choose not to make abortion a mandatory benefit would be discriminated against. If you don't want abortion to be a mandatory health benefit in our country, click here to sign your name to a petition created by the American Center for Law and Justice, asking congress to remove abortion services form mandatory insurance coverage in any legislation passed.

Ok, let's talk healthcare...

I've been meaning to write a post pertaining to the issue of healthcare for a while, and due to some issues raised by my sister's last post, I decided to go on and do it. I by no means consider myself an expert in the field, so I'm mostly curious to hear your opinion in regard to healthcare--does our current system in America work, and if not, what can be done to fix it?

I personally think healthcare in America needs some major revamping. My husband is a small business owner, so we have to buy our own health insurance--I know firsthand that it is ridiculously unaffordable for the average American who doesn't have this benefit through their job.

In most business transactions, there are two parties involved--the party providing a product or service and the party consuming that product or service. Why in healthcare is there a third party--the insurance company--making a killing off my healthcare? Does this not drive costs way up? Because the insurance company foots the bill, doctors can pretty much charge whatever they want--it eliminates alot of the competition that makes other sectors of our economy work.

And does it not make the consumer much less conscientious in regards to their healthcare? If all I pay is a $20 co-pay when I go to the doctor, I don't really care how many unnecessary things they do--I'm not paying for it. When I recently had a baby, I didn't care how many doctors charged hundreds of dollars to stop by my room and basically do nothing more than tell me how cute my baby was. But because we recently switched our insurance to an HSA, you better believe I'm now an extremely conscientious shopper when it comes to medical care. I've started calling around to pediatricians to find out how much it will cost to bring my child in for a well baby checkup, and do you know what? They can't tell me! They have absolutely no accountability to the customer, because they just bill the insurance company. Now, before anyone does anything to a member of my family at the doctor, I want to know what they're doing, why they're doing it, and how much it will cost. They look at me like I'm crazy. This system is crazy!

I mean, think about the implications in any other business transaction. Let's take grocery shopping for example. If I walked into the grocery store, paid a $20 co-pay, and was then able to get whatever I want with a third party footing the bill, I'd have a hay day! No more looking for good deals. No more comparing prices. No more off-brands for me! Heck, the store wouldn't even need to bother posting prices. Who cares? It seems ridiculous when you look at it in this light, so why do we take this system for granted when it comes to healthcare?

In my opinion, costs would go down if we gave individuals more responsibility for their own healthcare, and medical providers more responsibility for offering good services at competitive prices...not to mention eliminating third party profits.

So why not government funded, universal healthcare? In some ways, I wish I could make myself believe that it was a just and efficacious system. It certainly seems like it would make things easier on me personally to not have to pay for or worry about my own healthcare. But I just don't think it's right, and I just don't think it works.

When I think about someone else paying for my healthcare, I selfishly think it's a great idea. But when I watch my husband's company pay thousands of dollars in taxes to fund current medicare programs, I think "hey! that's the money I was gonna use to feed my kids with this month!" We have a hard enough time now running a business that provides us and others with a livelihood--I honestly don't know if we could do it if Obama increases our taxes as much as he would have to to fund his proposed healthcare plan. So in that sense, I would definitely rather pay for my own healthcare than watch the government tax my husband out of a job. We wouldn't be able to eat or have a roof over our heads, but hey, we'd have free healthcare!

And, as my sister pointed out in a recent comment, it's not right for those who live a healthy lifestyle (don't smoke or do drugs, don't drink excessively, don't have sex with multiple partners resulting in STD's, don't have abortions, eat healthy and exercise, etc.), to pay the medical costs of those who make different choices.

And I'm not even going to take time to touch on the fact that from everything I've read or studied, it is simply not sustainable long-term for the government to pay for universal healthcare, even if it were a good idea.

That being said, I know it's an extremely complex, not cut-and-dry issue. I know there are times when people need life-saving treatments and can't afford them. And I don't know what the solution is. What do you think?

One Question...

With the onset and expansion of so many new government programs and spending (new cap and trade bill, universal healthcare, etc.), I find myself wanting to ask Obama one question. If I could be in a room with him face to face, here's what I'd want to know:

Are you stupid (completely ignorant of history and even present day examples of socialistic failure)? OR Do you genuinely believe that you can do it better than anyone who's preceded you, that these policies will work because you have a new and better way than the thousands who've tried for utopia before you? OR Are you simply power hungry and deliberately deceiving people so that you can make them dependent on you and enslaved forever?

It has to be one of those options, right? I know he's not stupid. So what do you think motivates Obama and other liberals?

A Picture Worth 1000 Words

The caption says: "The Mall after Obama's followers listened to him talk about the new era of personal responsibility."

(Thanks again Aunt Sandy!)

The Superbowl Ad that Could've Been...

CatholicVote.com had an amazing ad planned for the Superbowl, but NBC rejected it. Click here to see the ad and read more about it.... trust me, you'll want to see it.

"A Carefully Crafted Self-Contradiction"

I know my sister already posted some inaugural thoughts, but I wanted to share some additional thoughts on Obama's speech from an article called "We the Government" by Terrence Jeffrey, of CNSNews.com.

Jeffrey points out that Obama's speech makes it clear that, although he talked about things such as hard work, risk taking and personal responsibility, he is attempting to completely change the heart of our nation from "we the people" to "we the government."

I'll quote a couple of the paragraphs I thought summed it up well, but you can read the rest of the article here if you're interested.

Jeffrey said:

"At the beginning of his speech, Obama said 'We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears and true to our founding documents.'

But even as his oath to 'preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States' faded into the winter air, he rejected any limit on government other than 'wether it works.'

If President Obama were to go back and read the founding document whose first three words are 'We the People,' he would discover that from beginning to end it limits the power of government."

Inaugural Thoughts

Facts and Opinions on the 2009 Presidential Inauguration (I leave it to you to decide which is which):

It was a magnificent view down the Washington Mall... Nearly 2 million people in attendance.

It was cold. At noon in Washington D.C. it was about 28 degrees with a windchill even colder (about 17). I guess it's more important to have a designer coat at these things, as opposed to a suit or dress. The warmest January 20th Inauguration was for President Reagan in 1981... 55 degrees.

Best Dressed (at the Inauguration): Michelle Obama. And rightly so. It's kind of like not wanting to upstage the bride at her wedding. Although Aretha Franklin's hat may have come close. :) I was not, however, a fan of Mrs. Obama's ball gown.

As every journalist and commentator noted, and as I likewise agree, a peaceful transfer of power is an amazing thing.

Thought Rick Warren did a great job. Way to mention Jesus and remind all people and nations that they will be accountable to Him one day. Not sure why he received so much criticism for participating in the invocation. Are we not called to pray for our leaders no matter if we agree with them or not?

Obama voted against Justice Roberts' nomination to the Supreme Court... Said he "lacked empathy" (wow... I won't even go there now). Roberts was then the one to administer Obama's inauguration and oath of office.

The only time Obama's full name was used was during his oath of office: Barack Hussein Obama.

Obama was sworn in using the Lincoln Bible... yep, the same Bible Abraham Lincoln used in his inauguration in 1861... pretty cool.

President Obama delivered his speech well... No shocker there. His head speech writer is 27 yr. old Jon Favreau. How does one go about getting that job?

I liked his call to responsibility on the part of all Americans.

Wasn't too sure about lines like "remaining true to our founding documents". We're already so far gone and I highly doubt Obama would take us back. And "remaking America"? Not sure I'm gonna like his way of "remaking" it. It's quite evident that he has a different view of government than I do. I do congratulate him though on inspiring new energy and participation in the political system.

240,000 tickets were available for seating on the Capitol steps.
5,000 port-a-potties were available for public use.
$150 million (estimated) spent on Inaugural festivities... so much in fact that President Bush had to declare Washington D.C. in a state of emergency to get all the public funding needed.
10 Official inaugural balls.

The Military Ball was for me the most touching to see. The Youth Ball got on my nerves. It was like, if you're young and cool, then you must be an Obama supporter. Well, I'm young and cool, and I'm not. :)

Overall a very fascinating day. I know most people are hopeful in what Obama will do. I, personally, am a little scared.

I'll leave you with the words of Rev. Joseph Lowery, who gave the Inaugural benediction, and asked God to help us work for the day when:
Black man no longer told to get back man
Brown can stick around
Yellow will be mellow
Red Man can get ahead man
White will embrace what is right

Ha. Wow. Enough said.

An Insightful Perspective

An African American pastor's thoughts on Barack Obama:  

http://stevemurrell.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/11/post-election-insights.html

Post-Election Thoughts

If you've been reading this blog for any amount of time, you know we are disappointed in America's choice for president. However, life goes on. Here are some of our post-election thoughts (in true Glenn Beck fashion):

This is what we KNOW:

• God raises up one man and sets down another. He is sovereign among the affairs of men and He is still King of kings and Lord of lords.
• As Christians we are commanded to obey and pray for our leaders, to submit to their authority and to malign no man (though we will respectfully disagree with many).
• Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. The government is not the source of righteousness in a nation, the Church is. No matter who is in office, the Church has a responsibility to Righteousness.
  
• Conservatism is not dead. Personally I think it was a lack of well-articulated conservatism that lost the election. Hopefully, there will be a resurgence and a ground-swell of conservative voices and a party organized around them.
• There were some bright spots on election day: In California, Proposition 8 passed, defining marriage as one man and one woman and reversing the court decision that legalized gay marriage. Florida also adopted their own Amendment 2, defining marriage as one man and one woman.
  
• Barack Obama is our nation's first black president... an amazing thing when only half a century ago blacks couldn't even drink from the same water fountain as whites.
• Obama ran a brilliant campaign (with a little help from the media).
• Some pretty amusing things were said last night on TV and in the blogosphere. Two of my favorites: Brit Hume of Fox News when commenting on Joe Biden said "He is loquacious, nay, even garrulous." A friend's facebook status: "I hope socialized medicine covers post-election depression syndrome."

This is what we DON'T KNOW:

• How Obama will govern. Will he remain consistent with his far-left, liberal voting record and associations? Or will he do as he promised in his campaign and move toward the center in efforts to unite the country?
• If the Republican party will return to its conservative roots or continue its shift to the left.
• If our country has reached the point of no return in our slide toward Socialism.
• If abortion rights will increase or all limits be removed.
• If things like the Fairness Doctrine will be reinstituted (what is up with the liberal obsession with unjust "fairness"?).
• If electing Obama as the first black president is worth the chains he may place on his own people (and more). I believe several of the policies he has presented will further enslave people to poverty, or at least to himself and a big-handed government.

So that's it from us. What are your post-election thoughts?

The Folly of Fairness

Obama used the word "fair" or "fairness" several times tonight... especially when referring to taxes and the economy: McCain's tax policy isn't "fair"; It's only "fair" for the rich to pay more; etc. News flash for you Obama: Life isn't fair and legislating fairness is actually a form of injustice.

(Side note: I thought the debate was horrible. Is anyone else really disappointed with our choices this year? Obama, because I disagree with just about everything he says and McCain because he does not articulate the conservative viewpoint at all... maybe because he's not one. Is there no politician who can explain a conservative worldview?)

Back to "fairness." I was reading a parenting book recently and came across an excellent section on the concept of fairness. I thought I'd leave an excerpt here because it's so appropriate in making my point and in addressing the state of our national psyche. Now, granted, the excerpt is dealing with children, but you have to admit that Obama sounds quite like a playground child when whining that "it's not fair":

"There is a universal tendency to try to make life fair. 'You had your turn, now it is mine.' 'You already have two balls and I have none, so you should be fair and share with me.' 'Daddy gave Johnny one, so Suzy should get one also.' We tend to think of legislated fairness as equality, when in fact it is inequality. This is so ingrained in us that we equate fairness with justice. The communist system is built on a principle of forced fairness. In contrast, the American system of government is based on individual rights.

"Pure fairness is as unlikely and as undesirable as making all mountains the same height. It is unnatural and can only be achieved through forced injustice. When it is a rule handed down by 'Big Brother' it will never be carried out with benevolence on the part of the one being stripped of his abundance, nor can it be received with thankfulness on the part of the one expecting legislated equality.

"This indulgent demand for fairness begins at the earliest age. You can know you have already cultivated self-centerdness in your children when Grandma must buy gifts of equal value for each grandchild in order to keep feelings from being hurt. Trying to keep equal accounts, whether in things, privileges, or discipline, is not wise. It trains children to believe they have the right to weigh and balance, to demand equal share, or to veto the good fortune of another. They are turning selfishness into a childhood occupation. Evil covetousness is being rewarded. Parents are missing one of the greatest opportunities to teach their children to rejoice in the good fortune of another.

"It should never be our intention to show favoritism, but circumstantial inequality is not only just but essential to the very foundations of individuality. Some are naturally tall, while others are short. Some are gifted in many areas, whereas others appear to be gifted in little. One farmer receives rain while another suffers drought. One is born into a family of opportunity while another is born into social bondage. One gets a promotion while another loses his job. Many run the race, but only one takes first place.

"When your child gets knocked down, don't reward his whining of unfairness. Teach him how to get up and walk away with dignity. If the other children run off and leave him, teach him how to organize play that will cause them to want to be a part of his activity. But never make your child the unwelcome tagalong of despising peers. When rain falls on his neighbors' crops but not his, teach him how to irrigate. When his wages are lower, teach him how to manage his finances. When someone else gets the job, teach him how to start a company that provides better services. If he has fewer gifts, teach him how to expect nothing and to make little into abundance. Rather than whine for equality, teach him how to give until others are blessed above himself."

How did we get to the point in America where we feel we are owed something by someone, usually the government? Why is fairness now espoused as a virtue? Why are our candidates afraid to tell people "NO" and willing to promise them everything they desire? Clearly our mommies and daddies did not tell us what we needed to hear, so I will: Quit whining and grow up. Life is not fair.

(All quotes taken from "No Greater Joy. Vol. 1" by Michael and Debi Pearl)

Just wondering...

Some random thoughts I've had as I follow the news this week:

• How is it possible for a company to fail when the guy running it walks away with millions of dollars?
• How is it right for taxpayers to cover bad decisions of politicians and executives?
  
• Does anyone feel like the government operates like they can just pull money out of the sky (oh wait, they kind of can)? I don't know about you, but if I don't have money to buy milk at the end of the month, then my kid drinks water. If I can't buy gas, then I get a ride. Could someone in Washington please operate on a budget!?!?
• How are bureaucrats gonna be effective at handling mortgages and insurance? I haven't seen them handle much well even in their current jurisdictions.
• Why is president Bush a liberal when it comes to spending?
• Does this change Obama's game plan? I highly doubt all those programs he's promised are possible now. Raising taxes would put the final death nail in the economic coffin. Plus, who wants the government running healthcare if they failed miserably with mortgages... FannieMae and FreddieMac?
• Back in 2005, Alan Greenspan warned of the failing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. There was a bill proposed to reform the institutions. Republicans voted for it... Democrats blocked it.
• McCain was one of the people calling for Fannie and Freddie reform in 2005/2006. Why is he not playing this up?
• Is Joe Biden serious? This gaffe was pretty funny: "FDR president when the stock market crashed and addressed the nation on t.v." News flash: Herbert Hoover was president and people didn't have t.v.'s. I can only imagine the outcry if Palin had made the same mistake.
  

Obama Speech... Palin Pick...

The first black man to win a party nomination... The first woman on a Republican presidential ticket... it's a media feast on all accounts.

Here's my two cents:

It was quite moving to see a black man's presidential nomination acceptance speech on the 45th anniversary of MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech. I'm sure I can't fully grasp the significance of such a moment for an African American, but still it was quite a scene to behold. Though I disagree with Obama's politics, I esteem and applaud what he has achieved.

Two glaring inconsistencies/contradictions stood out to me as I listened to Obama. First and foremost, he kept referencing his "new" and "fresh ideas"... "new times"... and "new politics." However, all I find new about him is his face. The outline of his programs (and all I've seen of his voting record) was a generic democratic platform. Those ideas have been around long before he was born.

Secondly, he had a small sidebar about how the government can't solve all problems and how we need to take personal responsibility. He even challenged fathers to be home and involved with their children. I agree with these sentiments and was glad to hear them. However, most of the domestic programs he's proposing and every increased reach of the government's arm that he stands behind, takes the "personal" right out of responsibility and undercuts the natural duty in each American home. What father, that already tends toward neglect and abdication, would find any more incentive to provide and care for his children if these children can get free healthcare and a "worldclass education" right from the hands of Daddy Obama?

Moving on. So McCain selects Sarah Palin as his running mate. Definitely a surprise! I honestly don't know whether this choice will hurt him or help him, but on a personal level I liked what I saw of her today. She had an attractive personality and story. I don't have much to say about her, just wanted to hear your opinions...

So what did you think about Obama's speech?

And

What do you think about Sarah Palin?

The DNC--Michelle Obama

What did you think of Michelle Obama's speech last night at the DNC?  I believe her main goal was to soften her image, humanize the Obama family, and make herself as likable as possible.  She worked hard to convey herself as a daughter, sister, wife and mother.  I thought she did a good job.  The speech appealed to me mainly on a human interest level...I enjoyed hearing more about the Obama family and Michelle's background.

I, however, am not at all considering voting for Barack Obama, which means that I was not necessarily the target audience.  I'm curious what the speech did for those who are undecided voters, still weighing Obama as an option for President.  If I were looking at it from that perspective, I don't really think the speech would have accomplished much for me.  From what I understand, Obama's main problem is not one of being unlikable--people love him.  The people I know who are considering voting for him have more of an issue with things such as the substance of his platform and his qualifications/experience.  And this speech didn't do much to remedy that situation.  But it was just the first night of the convention, and considering Michelle's objectives, I did think she did well.  I'm interested to hear what happens the next few nights.

One other thing I found interesting about Michelle Obama's speech and life story is the theme of how hard she and her family worked to achieve their goals and dreams.  She was raised in a poor community on the south side of Chicago.  Her father had MS, yet worked hard to provide for his family at a blue collar job.  He was willing to work extra and live on less so that his wife could stay home to raise their two children.  Her parents taught her the value of hard work, education and a strong family unit.  They instilled in Michelle and her brother the belief that if they were willing to work hard, they could accomplish great things.  Both her and her brother were able to overcome the odds of being born into this poor community, go to ivy league schools and become very successful.

This, to me, is an amazing story--it's the American dream, and it's possible for most anyone who lives in this country.  Yet Obama's platform seems to be more about giving handouts to those less fortunate rather than trying to teach them the same values that made both he and Michelle a success.  It wasn't a handout that helped Michelle Obama.  It was a strong family, a present and involved father, a good work ethic, etc.  I think we should take a page out of the book of what actually worked in Michelle Obama's life.  Let's focus on encouraging families to stay together, encouraging parents to make sacrifices to prioritize their children.  Let's teach people the value of honest hard work.  I think this will go alot farther than propagating a sense of entitlement, which instills in people the belief that government owes them something and that they have a right to what others have worked hard to earn.

Saddleback Follow Up

Most agree that the Saddleback Forum last weekend was well-conducted by lead pastor Rick Warren. He had a chance to ask both candidates some straight-forward honest questions (whether they answered honestly remains to be seen). And he did an excellent job. But what does he himself think about politics? Where does he fall on the issues? He has not been as politically outspoken as say a Dr. James Dobson or the late Rev. Jerry Falwell, and that has caused some to criticize him, some to mischaracterize him and some to appreciate him. Warren's lack of candidate endorsement and political rhetoric in no way means he's soft on the issues or trying to appease all sides. I have heard him speak on government/politics a couple of times and he is well-versed in the arena. He is a man of strong conviction and in my opinion has a pretty good grasp of the biblical worldview.

You can read some of his thoughts here in a rare interview with the Wall Street Journal. The article is worth the read but here's a brief summary of Warren's main points:

• He's pro-life and believes abortion is the most significant issue affecting the evangelical vote in the fall.
• He rejects the idea of tolerance as far as it has come to mean that all ideas are equally valid. He is no relativist.
• He views McCain as a limited government guy and Obama as a big government guy.
• He wants a non-government solution to things like poverty and disease, believing that churches should lead the way in this fight.
• Though he's one of the most generous men in the world (giving away 90% of his income), he believes "the answer to poverty is business development, not charity." He believes free market, enterprise and creativity are vital to a society.
• He knows that true answers to societies ills can only come from Jesus and His Church. The government cannot be a savior.
  
• He wants to return civility to the public square, wishing that people could "disagree about the issues without demonizing each other." And Saturday night was one of his efforts in doing so.

All I have to say is "Amen!" (And read the article...)

Saddleback Forum

I’m curious what other people thought about the Rick Warren forum last week. I haven’t been too excited about John McCain, but his answers to these questions were really encouraging. Although I don't agree with all of his positions, he knows where he stands. He answered the questions directly and conclusively.

Obama, on the other hand, seemed to me to waffle throughout, trying to answer in such a way as to include the greatest number of people possible. How can you answer moral questions when for you there are no moral absolutes? All of his answers were “relative”; in fact, he even used that word himself. How can we be confident in a president who has no absolute moral basis for any of the decisions he makes?

Take, for example, the question of abortion. Warren asked both candidates at what point a baby should be given the protection of human rights. McCain’s answer was simple: “At conception.” Obama, however, actually said that question was above his pay grade. Then why on earth is he running for President? What more fundamental question could there be? And if you’re really not sure when life or human rights begin, why err on the side of death? He said a lot about wanting to work with as many people as possible, and about how women don’t come to these decisions lightly. By that logic, if I don’t lightly come to the decision to murder someone, because I believe it’s in my best interest, does that make it okay?

Or what about when Warren asked the candidates to define “rich”. I thought this was a great question. Obama has talked so much about “taxing the rich”, it leaves one to ask who, exactly, is rich. Obama did put a number to it, those making above $250,000, but then admitted that it’s completely relative, dependent on factors such as what region of the country you live in. The problem is, the tax code won’t be relative. It won’t look at what region of the country you live in, for example. It just doesn’t seem fair to tax the rich, when it’s virtually impossible to define “rich”. To most people, rich probably means anyone making one dollar more than they themselves make. Where do you draw the line?

I wasn’t able to see the whole broadcast, so I’d be curious to hear people’s reactions to some of the other questions. And I’m also curious about something else—for those of you who hold to a worldview of moral relativism and have nothing absolute on which to base your decisions and values, how do you go about deciding what you believe about any given issue? Do you use your own reason? Do you try to do what’s best for the greatest number? (And if so, how do you decide which greatest number to be in favor of when it comes to issues like abortion—is it the women or the unborn children?) Anyways, what did you think about the forum and where the candidates stand on these issues?