Too holy to vote

I've run across a number of Christians who proclaim themselves unwilling to vote for either major presidential candidate, because neither comes up to their standard of holiness. It might be that Kerry is pro-abortion and Bush is pro-war or pro-capital punishment or a Protestant (a Catholic woman I know has this objection to him), or that Kerry is pro-abortion and Bush is actually a big-spending liberal who doesn't obey the Constitution either.

To these people, I say with all due affection and respect, get over yourself. Jesus Christ has never run for office in the United States and never will. I know quite well that the perfect candidate is one that will agree with me on every issue, but I don't expect to find one.

We are facing the most important election of the past 50 years and people are willing to throw away their votes on the Constitution party or the Libertarians (I'm not complaining about the people who vote Pacific Greens or Ralph Nader; that's Kerry's supporters' problem).

The 1972 Libertarian candidate for president has endorsed Bush. He says:

"There is a belief that's common among many libertarians that there is no essential difference between the Democrat and Republican Parties – between a John Kerry and a George W. Bush administration; or worse: that a Bush administration would be more undesirable. Such a notion could not be farther from the truth, or potentially more harmful to the cause of liberty."

What sent me off on this rant was running across the laughable Constitution Party candidate for Oregon State Treasurer (formated as much as possible like the original):

Carole D. Winegarden
Constitution
Occupation: Wife; Home-school mother; business owner

Occupational Background: Treasurer; Accountant; Licensed Tax Preparer; Carpenter

Educational background: David Douglas H.S.; Mt. Hood C.C. [Community College]; Portland C.C.; B.C.T.I. [whatever].

Prior Governmental Experience: voter

FOR THE RECORD:

As your state treasurer I will uphold my oath to both the Oregon and United States Constitutions. Therefore, as an elected official honor bound to this oath, I could not in good conscience sign a check to fund abortion, as is now being done. All other expenditures, such as programs that benefit illegal immigrants, would be reviewed and funding cut off, if found to be unconstitutional. [She doesn't mention it, but she's apparently running for Justice of the State Supreme Court at the same time.]

THE GOOD NEWS:
I am a candidate that serves and obeys the Lord Jesus Christ, and with His help will strive to glorify His name as State Treasurer.

The idea that this woman thinks she can be treasurer of Oregon because she managed the family checkbook is almost as amusing as it is maddening.

But wait, her husband is running for U.S. representative: His prior governmental experience is "disappointment."

If you don't vote for what you believe in, you'll NEVER get what you want!

It's the Jiminy Cricket political creed: If you just wish hard enough, your dreams will come true. You don't have to try to persuade anyone who doesn't already agree with you. You don't have to get trained in the field; you don't even need to acknowledge the need for training--being disgruntled is qualification enough. Just throw your money and your vote away on lost causes, and then you can feel righteous that you've never "compromised," never supported anything less than perfection.

As if God is keeping copies of your ballots, and if you vote for an achievable improvement, you'll get a stick in the eye at the last judgment. No wonder so many people think Christians are idiots.

Spare me the righteous.