Much Ado About Nothing: Election Day

Well, today is the day. The fate of the nation, yea the world, lies in the hands of what American voters do and choose today.

Pshaw! I  believe that as free citizens it is important to vote, to participate, and to do so as an informed and knowledgeable citizen. But The fate of the world does not rest in such things. Yes, great tragedies could befall because of who is chosen today, and the decisions they may make, but that is not fate.

I’d like to blend religion and politics in the direction that it is intended: religion influencing politics, not politics influencing religion. I’ll just pull up one passage and put it here for consideration:

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1-4 KJV)

Fate is in the hands of God, not politics, and in the few passages where the Bible discusses how we should view politics, it does not tell us to use them to bring the Kingdom of God to pass, or for great social reform. In Romans 13 the state is seen as the punisher of evil-doers, and here in 1 Timothy we are told to pray that the state will leave us alone to lead quiet and peaceable lives. It is our lives and examples as individuals and the church that are to transform the world, not our steering the great ship of state.

Yet it seems all most of us want to do is get control of the power of the state to use that power to meddle in people’s lives and not leave them alone. We don’t realize that if it meddles in other people’s lives, it will meddle in ours as well.

My one warning and admonition in voting for candidates is look for those who want to leave you alone, not those promising to meddle even more and more in your lives. This, I think, is a wise, Biblical piece of advice.

My own personal following of this advice means I am willing to vote for someone whose social positions I do not agree with, if that person holds those opinions but doesn’t want to force them on me, but rather holds them personally, but politically doesn’t want to exert them, but wants to leave me alone to live a quiet and peaceable life.

Too many of us have too pet issues we want to change every one about, and want to do it through politics. We need to stop trying to engineer people through the force of government.

There, stepping off soap box now. Instead, I’ll just go through the ballot I am voting on today, and give you a summary of my decisions, who and why:

PRESIDENT: Libertarian: Gary Johnson/Bill Weld. I just cannot vote for Clinton or Trump. Neither is trustable. Both want to increase the way government interferes in our lives. I don’t agree with Johnson/Weld on all the issues, but they are for getting government out of our lives instead of into it.

US SENATE: Libertarian: Jonathan Dine. He quotes C.S. Lewis on the dangers of the state as a moral busybody. He wants to lessen its influence in our lives.

MISSOURI GOVERNOR: Indepentent: Lester Benton Turilli Jr. He is the most middle of the road average American on the ballot. For freedom, marked religious influence on his perspective.

MISSOURI LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: Libertarian: Steven R. Hedrick. Turilli has no running mate, and the Libertarian position was my second for governor, which makes it my first for Lieutenant Governor.

MISSOURI SECRETARY OF STATE: Libertarian: Chris Morrill. His platform is reasonable and free, with not professional politician plans.

MISSOURI STATE TREASURER: Libertarian: Sean O’Toole. He understands the banking industry, at least based on my knowledge of it, and has the Libertarian’s perspective on it.

MISSOURI STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL: Republican: Josh Hawley. Nothing against the democrat, except she declares the republican in unqualified. Yet Hawley is a constitutional lawyer who has won cases at the Supreme Court. Sounds like an original intent type of guy, which sways me to him.

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE, MISSOURI DISTRICT 5: Republican: Jacob Turk. I wanted to vote Libertarian, but he didn’t respond to my request for information. Turk is a definite conservative, though perhaps not Libertarian enough for me. Cleaver is just too liberal, and too much career for my taste.

MISSOURI STATE SENATE, DISTRICT 17: Republican: Ryan Silvey. His opponent is for increasing the minimum wage, and thus making it impossible for my daughter to get a job. So Silvey it is.

MISSOURI STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DISTRICT 18: Democrat: Lauren Arthur (unopposed).

CLAY COUNTY COMMISSIONER: Republican: This is my one race where I can’t make heads or tails of the positions and differences, so I’ll just vote Republican, with reluctance.

JUDGES: Yes for all buy Elizabeth Davis.7th judicial circuit, division #3. I have seen and read people’s concerns about her and family court decisions, and believe anyone with that much pressure against her shouldn’t be voted back in.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS:

1. Soil and Water Conservation: YES.
2. Limits on Campaign Contributions: NO. This favors incumbents.
3. Cigarette Tax Increase: NO. I don’t mind the increase, but am leery what sort of intervention in parent’s lives this new trust fund for early education will create.
4. Limit new types of taxes. NO. Will just put increasing pressure on old taxes, like property taxes, which cannot be afforded by the poor and elderly.
5. NA
6. Allow use of photo ID to verify voters: YES. No hardship for anyone, ensures the sanctity of the electoral process.

STATUTORY MEASURES

A) Cigarette Tax Increase: YES.

SPECIAL ELECTION

Proposition L: Library tax increase. YES Local tax to keep library services current.

Question 1: Remove park property from park system. YES

Question 2: Remove park property from park system. YES

Question 3: Light Rail Sales Tax. NO. This removes money from bus system to create rail system. Spends a lot of  money for a long time without any actual system for a long time.

That is how I plan to vote, and why. I don’t have to tell anyone, but I am also free to tell people my intentions and why, because both are a part of my freedom as an American voter. No one has to listen (or read), but everyone is allowed to. Now, whether someone will hold this against me somewhere, and use my opinions against me, to persecute my via taxes, or job opportunities, or harassment of family, all are possible, and reasons why people don’t express themselves, and let the status quo continue. I have no fear of that now. Only time will tell whether I should have.

But if we get a government that allows us to live quiet and peaceable lives, it shouldn’t be a problem, and if we don’t doubtless I would have had troubles no matter what I thought and did, said or didn’t say.

Go Vote: with consideration and intention on the issues, but don’t put your ultimate faith in the government of political process.