I VOTED THIRD-PARTY

Once again I stared my ballot (this time electronic) and couldn't bring myself to vote for the GOP candidate for President. Again I voted for the Constitution Party (formerly the US Taxpayers Party).

Bush says he's pro-life. I'm grateful for the minimal progress against partial-birth abortion and fetal tissue research and same-sex marriage, but the facts are that we are still k1lling a million babies a year and pretty soon civil unions are going to happen. He's not leading a charge, only giving us rhetoric and a few token efforts to convince Christians to support him.

Bush says he's a Christian. but he thoroughly embraces the American civil religion that considers Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Shintos, Buddhists, and Pagans on a level playing field, all worshiping the same God. I don't get that. Maybe US Presidents simply cannot express their faith, faithfully while in office.

Bush says he's a conservative. He did cut some taxes. But on any other standard of economic policy, he's a wild spending liberal. He's no different with his GOP majority in Congress than a California Democrat approving billions of new spending with no thought for the future. Not close to good enough. Is anyone worried that oil is at $50 per barrel? What are we doing about it again?

I do support the war on terr0r and I don't think it was wrong to invade Iraq. Peroutka advocates an immediate pullout, saying any and all nation-building is unconstitutional. Generally I agree but we have to finish the job in Iraq. This is where the decision got very difficult. I came to the conclusion that fewer lives would be lost if abortion ended than if we cut and ran from Iraq. If I had to choose between having my house blown up and me and my family with it, or d3stroying a 20-week-old unborn child, go ahead -- I'll take the hit.

Another awful compromise I made is that Peroutka has inherited and embraced the support of the League of the South, Long Live the Confederacy crowd. Talk about choosing the lesser of two evils. Ugh.

Of course I knew that my vote was not going to bring Kerry any closer to victory since I live in Texas. I may have been more pragmatic if I lived in Ohio or Florida.

In one sense I prefer Bush to Kerry and think he'll be a better President. However I fear that the spending spree in Congress isn't over and that Bush will continue to be a doormat for them. Hopefully Bush will make wise choices in the judicial appointment opportunities that are sure to come. But I am not optimistic that any substantial reduction in the number of abortions will come in the next four years.

God have mercy on the souls of our President, legislators, and judges, and may God revive the soul of America.