Exit polls from yesterday suggest that the majority of Americans think that it was either a mistake to enter Iraq in the first place or, upon entering the country, we made colossal blunders and thus should begin our exist sooner than later. Strategies for such an exist plan seem almost non-existent. I have my doubts that such a plan could be forced on this president by the new Congress.

Was this war right? And if so, what do you mean by “right” anyway? I am not sure that we will be able to know the answers to these questions for many, many years, if ever. I have read a number of the most robust critics of this war, as well as the thoughts of some who did, and do, support it. It does seem apparent that since we entered Iraq we have clearly made one mistake after another in dealing with an insurgency that we failed to plan for in the first place. We also made serious mistakes in establishing a government there that still seems to need a lot of help […]

Am I the only one bothered by the meanness, and sometimes sheer stupidity, from some on the political right, as well as the self-righteousness pontificating of some on the political left?

First, we have Rush Limbaugh telling us that Michael J. Fox, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, was faking it in a Democratic television commercial on stem-cell research. He suggests that the shaking and trembling Fox exaggerated his symptoms, perhaps because he was not taking his medication. Limbaugh suggested that Fox did this in order to win sympathy, suggesting that “It’s purely an act.” I hope poor Rush never has to watch a family member or friend die with Parkinson’s. It is a horrible disease, thus his mean and stupid criticism of Fox lacks both compassion and the necessary gravitas to address such important issues.

Then we have Democrats who continually tell us that they alone have the real solutions to the problems of poverty. (I do not doubt the sincerity of some who believe that they do! There is a legitimate disagreement about what policies a government should advance regarding […]

Though millions of Americans will go to the polls today to vote, midterm elections generally draw only 30 percent of eligible voters to the polls. (Presidential races draw around 50 percent.) These numbers put the U.S. in 139th place among 194 nations in a ranking of voter turnouts. Numerous reasons are offered for this low number. One may be the partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts that mean most House seats are “safe.” Political scientist Michael McDonald says “Just as sports fans tend to turn off the game when it’s a blowout voters who already know the results of their local races have little reason to tune in. They believe their votes don’t count, and basically their right.”

Numerous Christians have argued, for some years now, that it is a sin to not vote in elections. I seriously doubt the logic of this conclusion. On what specific ethical basis do you argue this case? Surely not Romans 13:1-8, which is the most extensive biblical teaching we have on a Christian’s duty to their governing authorities. I suppose you can make a case for […]

I saw the most fascinating and lively exchange between two political conservatives on C-Span Book TV last weekend. It featured Andrew Sullivan, the homosexual activist who is actually a libertarian politically, and David Brooks, the Jewish columnist for the New York Times. Brooks has an unusually keen insight into evangelicalism, as can be seen in his frequently thoughtful references to them. He is also a wonderfully nuanced political conservative of the very best sort. (He has a streak of libertarianism in his political theory thus he also wants to legalize homosexual unions!)

The televised event was sponsored by the famous Cato Institute. Brooks critiqued Andrew Sullivan’s reaction to religious conservatives and especially his new book, The Conservative Soul: How We Lost It, How to Get It Back (HarperCollins, 2006). The book addresses the recovering of the real heart and soul of conservatism, a misnamed book if there ever was one. Brooks did a masterful job of showing Andrew Sullivan why he failed to understand religious conservatism on the whole. He made several important points, especially regarding John R. Stott representing more of […]