A Bob's Life

On Abortion and Voting

2008-11-03T10:44:00.001-05:00

"I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. "It is clear that this

Beware - The Government Wants to Steal Your Freedom of Thought!

2007-01-17T09:44:00.000-05:00

I promise I am going to post something non-political soon, but I guess I am in the work mindset at present.If I ever want to have fodder to write about, I need to look no further than Focus on the Families' daily policy newsletter. Today they are up in arms about new Hate Crime legislation, which - of course - they oppose. I have not seen the bill not read all arguments, but I can tell you how

Why Must Tax Cuts Accompany Everything?

2007-01-08T17:21:00.000-05:00

This Wednesday, the House will vote on a minimum wage increase that has been almost 10 years in the making. This is the second longest span without an increase since the U.S. instituted a minimum wage, only topped by the Reagan era in the 80s. I understand that those free market folks (in the 80s and now) would just have us do away with the wage floor altogether, which was the rationale for the

Government is Not a 4-Letter Word

2007-01-08T12:17:00.000-05:00

It is no secret that Americans are distrustful of government. In a conversation I had the other day with an employee of a Republican Senator, the same old arguments came up when talking about "helping the poor" - it'll raise taxes, and aren't private and faith-based groups better positioned to help these folks anyway?I am very sympathetic to the accusation that government programs are often

More Evidence That the Tide is Turning...

2006-12-05T10:16:00.000-05:00

EJ Dionne, columnist for the Washington Post and author of the landmark "Why Americans Hate Politics," has noticed something. As he writes, American politics may have taken an important turn in the foothills of the Santa Ana mountains. Check it out...http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/04/AR2006120401048.html

The Simpsons Love Jeebus

2006-11-29T12:55:00.000-05:00

I think it's funny how The Simpsons has gotten such a bad rap over the years from some conservative circles when it is one of the only primetime shows that depicts a sitcom family attending church, saying grace, etc. While it is sometimes irreverent, it also depicts faith in a realistic way, unlike most shows. I shamefully admit that I was one of those pairs of depising eyes until I actually

More Encourging News...

2006-11-29T11:11:00.000-05:00

In case you missed it, the president-elect of the Christian Coalition quit, fearing that the organization was not willing to tackle a broader Christian agenda involving more than abortion and gay marriage:http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/4356876.htmlI think it is a victory. The goal is not for all Christians to become Democrats, but rather, that sincere and thinking Christians of both

What's the Face of True Patriotism?

2006-11-20T18:35:00.000-05:00

I got the chance to post for the Sojourner's "God's Politics" blog! Very exciting for me! Check out the entry at the link below, and feel free to leave any comments:http://www.beliefnet.com/blogs/godspolitics/2006/11/sojourners-interns-whats-face-of-true.html

The Return of Compassionate Conservatism?

2006-11-10T12:07:00.000-05:00

There have been many analyses of the election and what it means for the so-called "values voters" in this country. Although John Green reports that evangelicals voted in similar ways to 2004, there is also reason to believe - based on other polls - that a shift is occurring in the priorities of conservative Christians. Look no further than the following article in the current Newsweek by

Letter to Dr. Dobson

2006-11-10T12:04:00.000-05:00

Dr. Dobson and company:First of all, let me say that I am a committed Christian whose faith is central. I believe the Bible, and one of my degrees is from Wheaton College, the "flagship" evangelical institution in the country. Let me also say that I believe in family values, but I do not think you and your cronies are protecting them. In the weeks leading up to the election, you and other

The Whole Gospel

2006-10-27T14:10:00.000-04:00

This entry is part of a response I wrote at work to someone who wrote the following:"I am glad you see yourself as working for the good of humanity. It does not do them much good, however, to fill their bellies but then be unable to give them a satisfactory answer to this most basic of questions and, of course, satisfactory answers to all of the many questions that any thoughtful person is going

Who Is Really Protecting Family Values?

2006-10-20T13:41:00.000-04:00

In the weeks leading up to the election, Focus on the Family and other conservative groups will be calling for Americans to get out to the polls. And when they motivate people, they will use a familiar refrain: the future of the American Family depends on you. If you let the “liberals” convince you to stay home, Dobson says, “the consequences for the country could be grave.”But who is really

What's Still the Matter with Kansas?

2006-10-20T13:34:00.000-04:00

There is a consistent refrain that is rising up as we creep closer and closer to the November elections: the current political climate is poisonous, and we are in desperate need of an antidote. Gridlock is as bad as it’s been in a generation, and there is a keen absence of space in the political sphere for rigorous yet sensible dialogue about real policy issues that Americans care about and that

2006-09-28T17:28:00.000-04:00

Just what the world needs... another damn blog. More to come...