Hillary or Obama? Suddenly the popular vote doesn’t matter?

Hillary or Obama— who really won? Why doesn’t the popular vote mean as much to democrats and their media support team as it did during the Bush/Gore contest? For insightful comment with a cutting edge, see:

 

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=26842

 

 

Steve Cornell

 

Nat Hentoff on the Death Penalty

Columnist Nat Hentoff wrote a piece for our local paper titled, U. S. Supreme Court tinkers with the machinery of death. Hentoff is right about one thing, filling vacancies on the Supreme Court will be among the most important decisions of the next president. Even though I’ve had my hesitations about President Bush, I am grateful for his appointments to the high court. His choices might be his most important and enduring legacy and the best thing he did for our Country.

Hentoff obviously sees things differently—especially regarding the death penalty. Like many death penalty opponents, he carelessly glosses over the fact that we are dealing with premeditated murderers. He champions the notion that civilized people don’t practice capital punishment but fails to address the barbaric acts of murderers in these civilized societies.

Finally, Hentoff illogically equates the act of a murderer with the act of capital punishment. The death penalty is punishment not murder. It’s also a punishment that fits the crime. Those who willfully take the life of another must forfeit their own lives.

Unfortunately, the death penalty is needed to protect civilized society. Elimination of it supports barbarism and anarchy. Those who willfully take the life of another must sacrifice their own lives. Some killing is unjust and we call it “murder.” Other killing is just and this we might call “self-defense” in some cases and “just punishment” in others. When capital punishment is abused by inequities in due process, revisions in the judicial system are needed, not elimination of the penalty.

   

 Steve Cornell

23 West Cottage Ave.

Millersville, PA. 17551

s.cornell@millersvillebiblechurch.org         

 

 

Hillary’s coming to my town

In one hour, just around the corner from my home, Hillary Rodham Clinton will be speaking. For the record, I won’t be there. It’s not merely because I am a Republican that I didn’t pursue a seat in the University Gymnasium. And, it’s not that I am mad about her appearance causing us to move our weekly Noon Hoops to another facility. Perhaps I am just scared to death of the thought of Bill Clinton as the first “man.” Watch out interns, the first man is on the loose in the White House! I think I’m just tired of hearing from and about Hillary on the news. But it’s not just her! The whole process bothers me. Most of the political talk is little more than superficial hype. I prefer more substance. Yes, I know this is the way the political machine runs, but I don’t have to like it.

Elsewhere, I’ve expressed my concerns about democrats winning in the 2008 election, see: http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/category/2008-election/ 

Honestly, I am not thrilled with any of the options for 2008 but I clearly know that both Clinton and Obama have very different visions of what is good for America than I hold. I am most disturbed by the number of evangelical Christians who naively believe that democrats are the justice and mercy party. They talk about these things but their record doesn’t support their talk. Don’t fall for the hype!

Steve Cornell

If democrats win in 2008

Personal thoughts about the 2008 Presidential election:   

1.     The thing I dread most about the upcoming national election is being pummeled by a mud-slinging barrage of negative television and radio ads. The money spent on negative campaigning is unconscionable and the tone dismantles the dignity of presidential aspirations. I am already in the “brace yourself” mode.

2.     Having mentioned money, this is another deeply troubling reality. I have no doubt that the best and brightest of our nation will never get near the office of president simply because they don’t have enough money.  It has been projected that each candidate in the 2008 election will spend approximately 400 million dollars. Ouch! Is the system broken? I don’t even want to imagine the better uses of even half of this money.

3.     The media also troubles me. Most commentators are democrats. This time around, I suspect that their thinly veiled anti-republican bias will not even be detectable. I also suspect that many are still resentful that their tireless efforts did not get their man in last time. Since so many of them have worked overtime to politicize the war against terror, I anticipate more intense politicizing as we near the election.

4.     The fact I must always keep in mind is that, “…duly elected legislative branches of government are not ultimately responsible for abortion on demand, legalizing same sex marriage, protecting pornography as free speech, removing faith symbols from the public square, and undermining private property rights. Instead, these moral and social ills are the responsibility of unelected, unaccountable members of the federal judiciary who refuse to recognize their limited and restrained role as jurists and insist upon acting as social change agents.” In view of this, the reasonable concern should be: “Which candidate is most likely to pick the best judges?” (quotes from John Stemberger).

    

5.     One of my greatest concerns about democrats winning the presidency is that they        will shift our country from an offensive to a defensive posture toward terrorism. They will essentially be obligated to such a change because of their endless war-bashing attacks against the Bush administration. Yet such a change would be disastrous and no doubt lead to more 9-11 atrocities on our soil. 

      

          Steve Cornell