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The Myth of the 270

Don’t be a pawn of another persons agenda. Be an informed voter.

There is so much focus on either the Republican or Democrat candidate getting 270 electoral votes to win the presidential election that we forget that that is not a hard fast rule. It may be the way it (overwhelmingly) usually goes, but there is the 12th amendment. All of the sudden, government civics education is good to know.

It’s easy to think that this year must be the messiest presidential election ever. It may be. It will go down as the messiest in my lifetime. But what about before? I recently read a biography on John Quincy Adams and I think that may well be in the running for the messiest ever.

hanging-chadOf course there was that hanging chad issue in 2000. The images alone are hard to take in…

Since the invention of the electoral college (governed by the 12th amendment), the only time a presidential election was settled by a vote of the House of Representatives and the the only time a president was elected without receiving 270+ electoral votes was the 1824 election that was finally resolved in February of 1825.

Could it be that this year the 12th amendment could guide the nation through a messy day? Maybe.

I’ve voiced my opinion on this matter often over the past several month.

Before this year, I’ve been an unaffiliated, independent voter, active and intentionally voting my values and my conscience. This year I decided I wanted to formally commit to a political party. I’ve come home to the Constitution Party. So long as the Constitution Party stays true to her platform, I remain a constitutionalist.

Yes, I get it. The likelihood of Darrell Castle winning 270 electoral votes is nearly inconceivable. However, I will vote for Darrell Castle on November 8, 2016. Then, perhaps like you, I’ll follow the election results and listen to the political pundits speak their predictions and then I will bless the LORD for his sovereign rule over all nations and pray for a prepared church to advance the gospel in the day God has ordained for His glory. It is a good day to be the church. Not because “our” candidate wins or the others lose. It’s a good day to be the church because we have a duty regardless of the outcome of a political exercise.

Who knows, we could wake up on November 9th, 2016 and learn that no one got 270 electoral votes. No worries. God has it covered.

Rejoice in the LORD, always!

I’m an advocate of conscience voting. I even support someone not voting if that person cannot, in good conscience, vote for a candidate. It is healthy that not everyone votes the same. Even within our homes and churches.

In passing… Church are you aware of the day we have been given by the LORD? There are other options. We are not slaves of fear, you can do something risky and actually have influence on the process of the election. The blessed republic we live in has rules that govern how we transition the tide of political power.

I’m invested. I’m vocal. I’m hopeful. But I will not let the outcome of the election determine my hope and joy. I will only trust that hope to the LORD, Jesus the Christ. Both in this temporal day and for all of eternity. I will trust in Him!

 


Edited with some grammar and sentence fragmentation.
Photo Credit: http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/joe-miller-sues-to-prevent-intent-interpretation/hanging-chad-guy/

Quick to Hear

Presidential debate hype is in full swing. I’m hearing and reading that potentially 100 million people will view the debate tonight. If true, it will be the most viewed presidential debate in history, dating back to the Carter/Reagan debate.

As always, there will be more said about the debate than any candidate will actually say. My duty in a debate like this is to listen. Not just to listen, but to hear. And better to hear what the candidates say than what others say about the candidates.

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I’m not leaning on the outcome of the debate to decide who to vote for, I settled that up after the Republican primary and my officially joining the Constitution Party. Like before, as an unaffiliated voter, I read the platform documents of all the parties in the race and vote my conscience. I am satisfied to vote for Darrel Castle and able to take all of the verbal abuse my Republican friends can throw at me knowing that I am at peace with my conscience.
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What I’ll be doing tonight is to attempt to fine tune my hearing skills. Here is how I will attempt to listen tonight.

  • I will watch the debate with a notebook and pen.
  • I will award up to 3 points for personal presentation (kind of like a fashion critic).
  • I will score opening statements up to 5 points.
  • I will score closing statements up to 6 points.
  • I will attempt to write down the moderators questions then listen for an answer.
  • If I hear an answer to the question I will give the candidate 5 points. (Even if I don’t like or agree with the answer, I want to hear answers.)
  • I will take away points (at half point increments) accordingly to how I determine the candidate avoided the question. (a net loss of no more than 4 points per question.)
  • I will take away points (at one quarter point increments) according to negative body language and tone.
  • I will give 1 point to any candidate who answers their question before the time limit is up
  • I will take 2 points away from any candidate who has to be interrupted by the moderator for exceeding the time limit.
  • I will give 1 point to any candidate who speaks about the other candidate (positively or negatively) within reason to answer a question.
  • I will take 2 points away from any candidate who says random nonsense about the other candidate to deflect from an answer.
  • I will take away 1 point from any candidate who returns an insult for an insult.
  • I will offer 1 bonus point to any candidate who apologizes for being out of order without being asked to do so.

That is my debate rubric. I’ll offer my conclusion with score card later with personal analysis. Feel free to use my score card and we’ll compare conclusions, or offer your own analysis.

This debate weighs nothing for me to determine who I will vote for. But it will help me in my assessment of the day. Happy debate day hearing.

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