Straw Poll on the Issues

Excellent breakdown. Not surprising but your graphic helps put things in perspective. Thanks!

It is very, very disappointing to see that 'conservatives' care more about tax cuts and tax relief than they care about embryonic stem cell experiments! How can they be so concerned about abortion and not see the connection?

Further, how can they be so concerned about their pocket book and not be about enforcing obsenity laws, and dangerous "hate Crimes" legislation?
It is disheartening to know that these folks think they can function as conservatives in a society that refuses to enforce obsenity laws.
We cannot just hide out in our homes and churches and hope it will all go away. Our children need a country where wholesomeness and decency are respected by those who make our laws.

Our sons are daughters are putting their lives on the line in the Middle East, many paying the ultimate price--- to preserve our freedom of speech--and 'conservatives' care more about their bank accounts than they care about stopping "hate crimes" laws that will take away our freedom to teach our own children what is right.

What a great idea the straw poll was, and what answered prayer from my perspective.

And now lets hope America wakes up to what reality is, besides the mainstream media's portrayal.

I am a born again Christian, and a live time resident of MA and registered Republican. I plan to vote for Mitt Romney even though he is a Mormon he closely represents my values on all the issues that are dearest to my heart, abortion, homosexuality, same sex marriage, and as Governor of MA these are the things that he defended and stood up against. He has proven where he stands, and was a good Governor in a state overwhelmingly Democratic house and senate, he was able to balance the budget and lower taxes and get health care. He also did well as a business manager in the private sector. If the Republicans want to beat Hillary Clinton they must get behind a man that can beat her. I believe the media thinks that is Mitt Romney and that is why they keep saying that the Christians will not back a Mormon.

Every Republican candidate during last week-end Washington Briefing, vowed to support and nominate judges who are pro-life, no matter what their personal beliefs are. However, if Hillary is President, we KNOW what kind of judges she would nominate. Judge appointments are equal to or even more important than who the president is.

Mitt Romney says all the right things but he is still part of a cult. Romney's worldly work has been successful. But I believe that Mormonism has an underlying agenda in American life.
Mike Huckaby stands for true believers in Christ. He was successful as a Minister and as Governor. Our founding Fathers were clergy that designed our Country's System upon the Bible. Why would we vote for anyone that does not have the same values and beliefs of a true Born again Biblical faith?

20% of you think same sex marriage is the most pressing problem our country faces. Issues such as providing quality health care and nutritious food to poor children, dealing with poverty and ending violence against women don't even make the list. Jesus is sooo proud!

I agree with much of your pie chart. Life comes first, above all - SO, where is the slice about illegal immigration??? That is the GREATEST PROBLEM WE HAVE IN THIS NATION, FOR THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION ISSUE IS A GOOD 30% OF EACH SLICE ABOVE AND THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS FOR THIS CHRISTIAN NATION TO HAVE TO ALTER OUR LIVING BECAUSE OF A GROUP OF CRIMINALS WHO ARE NOT OF OUR CULTURE AND SHOULD NOT BE HERE BECAUSE THEY BROKER OUR "RULE OF LAW" TO BE HERE. WHEN WE DEPORT THIS PROBLEM, ENTIRELY, WE WILL BE ABLE TO CLEAR MANY OF THE PROBLEMS ABOVE TO A LESSER DEGREE, AND RETIRE OUR NATIONAL DEFICIT!!! I AM A BORN-AGAIN BELIEVER AND THESE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE AN ABOMINATION TO THIS CHRISTIAN NATION.

Beverly Mangone makes a questionable statement - she says she is born-again, yet she will vote against her "born-again" principles for a cultist. Makes NO DIFFERENCE WHAT THIS MAN DOES TO IMPRESS YOU, HE IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE WHITE HOUSE BECAUSE HE IS A MORMON - THEY HAVE THEIR OWN BIBLE AND THE DEITY OF THE HOLY TRINITY IS NOT HONORED ACCORDING TO THEIR MAN-MADE CREATED DOCTRINE BY JOSEPH SMITH. DO YOU NOT KNOW THIS IS THE SAME "RELIGION" AS THAT RAPIST WARREN JEFFS WHO WAS RECENTLY ARRESTED AND CONVICTED? AND ALSO DAVID KARESH WAS KILLED ALL THOSE PEOPLE IN THAT FIRE SOME YEARS AGO. THIS PLASTIC PHONY PERSON IS NOT PRESIDENTIAL MATERIAL, AND IF YOU FEEL HE IS GOOD ENOUGH TO BE IN OUR WHITE HOUSE, YOU ARE MISTAKEN - HE DOES NOT FIT THE BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN COMMANDMENTS GIVEN BY OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. THIS NATION IS FOUNDED ON CHRISTIAN SOVEREIGNTY AND SUCH AS THIS PHONY MAN WOULD BE A TERRIBLE THING TO DO TO PUT HIM IN THE WHITE HOUSE. RETHINK YOUR VOTE - SAME GOES FOR HUCKABEE - HE DESERTED HIS FLOCK IN PRIDE FOR A SECULAR INTEREST, GOVERNMENT. A PASTORATE IS THE HIGHEST OF A CALLING FOR ANY MAN - WHICH SHOULD NEVER BE LAID ASIDE FOR ANY REASON. GOD GIVES; HUMANS SHOULD OBEY. ALL BORN-AGAIN BELIEVERS HAVE A PLACE AT THE POLITICAL TABLE, BUT A PASTOR SHOULD NEVER LEAVE HIS CHURCH TO BE IN A POLITICAL OFFICE: IT HAS NEVER BEEN AND NEVER WILL BE FOUND IN THE SCRIPTURES THAT ANY "PREACHER" DESERTS HIS CHURCH. IF ANY MAN, WHATEVER HIS POSITION IN THE CHURCH, LEAVES IT, HE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO RETURN; HE SUCCUMBED TO APOSTASY. IN OTHER WORDS HE CHOSE A WORLDLY NOTION OVER A MISSION GIVEN BY GOD.

I think there are a lot of families and Christians who need to wake up and look more carefully and pray for wisdom in discernment. Especially those who believe that the "hate crimes" bill is that, instead of what it truly is, and that's a bill to take further bite against unrighteous acts away from the Church and conservatives and give power and control to the great deceiver and the gay community that he is using. America will not find good leadership from a man who believes in a cult and is being deceived ! How will he be able to make moral and Godly decisions when he doesn't know the truth about GOD! Jesus told us to watch out for deceivers in the last days. This election coming in '08 is going to be the most crucial in Americas history ! If the wrong choice is made it could bring America to it's fast slide downhill to destruction.

Everyone should take the "Select A Canadidate Quiz" that had a link on the Family Research Council site. ALL family issues are "very important to me" as well as the security of our country and the quiz showed that Duncan Hunter thinks most like I would like for a president to think.
I am so thankful that God has held and strenghtened George Bush during these extremely troubled times.

That is an interesting set of values that FRC came up with. I wonder if our brothers and sisters in Darfur and China ("Matt. 25:40) have a similar list.

Hi!

All of us need to remember: Think not what Jehovah Gods' word means to me, but, rather what does my word mean to Jehovah God.

Sincerely,

Forrest

I would like to say that if we are not united in our pro life candidate our votes will be split and then it won't matter about other issues because we won't win. If abortion is stopped God will bless our country!

Sometimes Iam a calm Christian but when it comes to voting i will be there.
....................GOD Bless.

I believe FRC is being less than honest - call it deceitful - in this particular straw poll. Specifically, of all the important topics from which to choose, national security (freedom from terrorism), immigration issues and Supreme Court Justices are not even listed. The results of this straw poll imply abortion is THE over-riding concern of responders, but that may only be because other more important issues were not offered as possible responses. For the record, eliminating abortion is very important to me but strong national security (including secure borders) takes precedence.

I'm not surprise to see that protecting the life of the unborn was and it should be the number one issue, also marriage between a man and woman is part and formost the cornestone of society since
the creation of civilization with Adam and Eve.
But what about Illegal Immigration? that is a family value issue (taking the jobs of millions of American Citizen by circunventing the law)?
The dream team will be Govs: Romney for President and Huckaby for V.P.
Semper Fidelis

Curiously enough the Republican candidates in '96 weren't all that keen about taking a clear pro-life stance. Ambassador Alan Keyes changed all that speaking up about what nobody else had the courage, or eloquence, to say. Now they are lining up on this issue, at least in their stump speeches. Ambassador Alan Keyes has been in the trenches for over a decade, supporting the issues that we find most important.

Ironically, FRC, "forgot" to invite Ambassador Alan Keyes (who, by the way, is running for President) to this Washington Brief.

Yes FRC, we are paying attention out here.

Mit Romney is a Mormon...he may be a nice guy, but as a Mormon, he believes that God was once a human being just as you and I are and he does NOT believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ. Not only that, but he believes that either the Catholic Church is the one true Church of the Mormon church is...and he sure doesn't think the Catholic Church is. He believes that the Mormons were chosen by God to be the ONE true Church. Hello? Mormons are not even considered a true Christian denomination because of their complete and total heretical beliefs. They not only do no agree with the Catholic Church, they disagree with Protestant churches as well. Hello, God was once a human like we are? And, they can't explain the Holy Spirit so they ignore that. So, how can this nice guy do Christians any good?????

That some religious sorts dub themselves "values voters" is pretentious to say the least. They confuse religious dogma with human values. I do not. "Dogma voters" is a more fitting, accurate label.

I am so glad to see that the war on Irak, immigration, children without healthcare, the federal budget deficit, terrorism, global warming, the record trade deficit, darfour, torture in the secret prisons of the CIA, the war on drug, the fight against poverty, outsourcing of US job in China, the collapse of our infrastructure and corruption are not among the proposed issues!

Obviously none of these issues are as important as the prayer at school or the display of the ten commandements. Jesus might be proud of us, we know where are the priorities!

What in the world is wrong with you people? These issues are more important than the war in Iraq? Global climate change? Fourteen million African children dying of AIDS? The threat of terrorism? The ongoing genocide in Darfur? 37 million Americans in poverty? 13 million American children living with hunger?

It's just amazing to see, again and again, this focus on idealogical warfare rather than the basic values of "Peace on Earth, goodwill toward men".

Im with Whiton. There are a lot of very serious issues that need to be dealt with, and a lot of even more serious issues on the horizon. The middle east political situation is worrying, America's oil dependance is creating serious problems, global warming threatens to do considerable damage even if it is addressed right now, the economy is doing well enough but could certinly be improved, the US healthcare system is failing the lower income groups, immigration is near-impossible to control, education standards are the subject of international ridicule, the government has been rocked by scandal after scandal after scandal... it just goes on and on. Yet for the FRC membership, the second-most important issue in politics is making sure that homosexual relationships do not get any legal recognition. Is it really that huge an issue?

I havn't even seen a *good* argument against same-sex marriage - only worthless, empty rhetoric.

If we consider ourselves value voters, we should ponder the sad state of our cause. We must repent b/c the accusations of Frank Rich's sun column in the NYT are becoming mainstream.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/28/opinion/28rich.html?ref=opinion

Um, first, everybody: it's Huckabee. If you're going to vote for someone, spell his name right. Second, he was wrong to say that the Founding Fathers were clergy. Maybe 4 of 56 were or had been.

Further, while the Founding Fathers had a faith in god, they were opposed to a government run by people claiming they knew god's mind. Been there, done that sort of thing. They wanted no part of a religiously dominated government. They wanted their country to welcome all religions.

"God was once a human like we are?" Um, yeah. Jesus was a human, and he's part of god. Holy Trinity and all that. Part of his lesson is that he was tempted, delighted, and so forth by all that tempts and delights humans because he was human.

Do you guys realize there's a war going on at the moment? Do you realize there are 47 million people with no health insurance in this country? Do you realize the gap between the rich and the poor is as wide as it was right before the great depression? Public schools are a shambles. Our infrastructure is failing. Our great country is in dire need for some serious change and you people have the gall to say that abortion and gay marriage are the most important issues in this election! Turn off the Fox News and Rush Limbaugh PLEASE! If you good Christian people really want to emulate the way of Christ, do something real for the least of these. Stop concerning yourselfs with issues that do nothing for the betterment of our country.

I am still surprised that the FRC hasnt told everyone that the online voting system was blocking votes and that it basicly makes all the results worthless. For people that dont have the means to go to DC to be represented and then were told they could vote online this is a complete mess and false advertising.

I expected a christian organization to have integrity. They have had a week or more to announce to the public and repoll and they didnt. Other poor, injured, and for other reason unable to attend value voters wanted to have to their votes counted...and not have their christian vote given away.

Hopefully they do not want their organization destroyed and plan to quickly reconcile this so that the people that are complaining about what happened do not have to go to the media.

That would not only destroy the party but it would make christians look horrible...

I find it sad and more than a little nauseating that this list of important, pressing matters does not mention Iraq, health care, or helping the poor. Read those Bibles closely: How many times did Jesus mention unborn fetuses? How often did he talk about homosexuality?

Now, how often did he mention helping the poor?

Perhaps the FRC (and indeed, all of us) should start thinking about where true Christians' priorities should be.

Byron Johnson
thebyron@gmail.com

"Our founding Fathers were clergy that designed our Country's System upon the Bible."

This is the worst drivel I have ever read. Our Founding Fathers were neither clergy, nor even "Christian" according to your definition. They didn't believe in the inerrancy of the Bible, nor did many accept the divinity of Jesus.

As far as our system being based on the Bible, that's an absolute joke. God instructed Israel to create a theocracy. We have a Republic with a carefully designed balance of power.

Maybe if all of these so called "value voters" would take a step back and look at the bigger picture you would see a correlation between Health Care/Education and the abortion rate. Appropriate and effective sex education along with free/afforable birth control is the answer to preventing unwanting pregnacies before they happen. No one wants a high abortion rate, its an awful thing, and there are means to prevention.

Religion is by far the biggest cause of death, destruction, and suffering in the world today.

Religious belief is an abdication of our responsibilities as thinking beings, and as such, is profoundly immoral.

Where is the War on Terror? Where is health-care? I see tax cuts specifically mentioned (twice even), but no general category for 'Economy'?

I understand that "value" voter means you have twisted priorities. But who designed this poll and how did they miss what are clearly the biggest issues nation-wide?

What a list. How about the war in Iraq and Afghanistan that have led to tens of thousands of US casualties and as many as a million civilians killed and millions more forced to become refugees? Are these lives that christians should not care about? Stem cells are somehow more important?

How about the fact that more than 50 million Americans lack health care and nothing on the ballot about that?

What kind of idiocy is this list?

Everyone votes based on their values. From the list given above, it seems that the priorities and values of the FRC are a little out of the mainstream of what most people are worried about. They even put in tax cuts twice, once with a very unprofessional poll question "permanent tax relief for families". This poll is meaningless except that it shows the bias of the FRC. By the way, the ideological fanaticism of Bush republicans in solving every economic problem with tax cuts leads to higher national debt and slower economic growth. Here is analysis that proves it:

http://www.cbpp.org/9-27-06tax.htm

from the center on budget and policy priorities.

I am a Mormon, and do consider myself a Christian. Among Christ's strongest priorities while he was on the earth was helping and ministering to the poor, the downtrodden, and sinners. By setting the right government and budget priorities, we can vote for policies that help the poor. None of the priorities listed above would do any of that.

It's interesting to read down this list and see how the emphasis changes. I wonder if it is a leading indicator of where the sentiment of the "values" voter is going.

Ditto to every "value" expressed above concerning, war, poverty, healthcare, border and port security, etc.

Let's see:

Pro-Life but Pro War (how many babies are aborted each year by your wars)? Oh that's right...they're not American babies, so they don't count.

Anti-Gay but how many of you "straight" men are hiding your sexual activities? Why are you afraid of gays? How many divorces in your church are attributed to the gay lifestyle?

If I walked into any or all of the mega churches in the U.S. today and asked, "What percentage of your followers are Republican?" and the results were less than 98%, I would be shocked! Therefore, we can conclude that your churches are nothing more than political and social organizations and should not be tax exempt!

BEWARE THE WOLF IN SHEPHERD'S CLOTHING!!!

I can understand the interest in abortion. That, at least, is a 'real' issue - lives are at stake here, no matter youe definition of life. There are matters of civil rights to debate and weigh up - who gets them, who doesn't, what are they, and most importantly of all, how to handle the situations when the rights of one individual are in conflict with the rights of another. *That* is an issue worth getting involved with - whichever side you side with, its a cause of importance.

But gay marriage? Thats just an invented scare to get votes. Other than the gays who may or may not get to marry, noone is affected by it at all. All the talk of 'marriage under attack' is meaningless rambling designed to turn a simple matter of equal rights into a precieved culture war of Christians vs Evil - never mind that the enemy as described doesn't really exist.

Regarding the 'founded on the bible' claim, I am reminded of all the times I have heard people claim that US law is somehow built upon the ten commandments - a claim which, every time I hear it, makes me wonder if the person making this claim has ever read the ten and tried to count how many are actually part of US law.

"They even put in tax cuts twice, once with a very unprofessional poll question "permanent tax relief for families"."

I would assume the 'perminant' means the making perminant of various temporary tax cuts. Because, as any accountant will tell you, the best way to handle a bottom line in the red is to reduce income. The 'families' part is just trying to trigger the conservative voting reflex. Its a key phrase that makes many conservatives vote without thought, just like 'environment' or 'freedom' will for liberals. Package even the most complicated issue up as 'pro-family' and you can be sure that people who have no idea what you are talking about will still vote in support.

In Matthew 25 Jesus is quoted as saying that when someone is hungry and he is fed, when someone is thirsty and he is given drink, when someone is naked and he is clothed, and when someone is sick or imprisoned and he is visited - that in these cases what you do to the least of these victims determines how you should be judged. It is apparent from most of your public pronouncements as well as in this straw poll that the poor, hungry, and imprisoned are not a priority for your group. So why should others call your Christians??

All of the people in that poll are Ron Paul voters! www.ronpaul2008.com Hope for America.

I am shocked to see that no one has mentioned Ron Paul. The media has black-balled him because the AICPAC war people can't control his views. He doesn't need their money. He has raised three million dollars just today!!! In fact his diplomatic approach to world affairs would be better for the poor Israelis who have been at war for 50 years thanks to the warmongers in this country who do not have to live with the ongoing strife. Good people, consider Dr. Paul. The more you know about him the better you will like him. Huckabee is a lovely man but we need more radical change than he would promote. Dr Paul is now third choice of the value voters on CNN and he has had no publicity at all. He will move up because he stands for true American values. Watch him in the primaries!!!

I am against abortion, but I find it very interesting that Abortion, Gay Marriage, and Stem Cell Research are the top 3 concerns of Christian values voters.

You would think increasing income inequality, ending the military occupation of Iraq, preventing a war with Iran, and abuses to our constitutional democracy would atleast make it into the top ten concerns. Am I missing something. Maybe I'm just not that right kind of values voter?

Why does the Family Research Council side with the Conservatives when discussing the issues? Moreover, why does the Family Research Council look at things in terms of Republicans and Democrats? I thought this was a bipartisan organization, one that recognizes the added value in both approaches/mindsets.

In this day and age, being conservative is not right. American families have real needs, needs that often require liberal interventions. We must never forget the golden rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Take care, and God bless.

raisedvoice68
www.practicalwritingeditingconsulting.com