Tell Me Why I'm Wrong

Today I’m reminded of when I was involved with Whatcom County Youth for Christ. Encountering an acquaintance on the street I might have delivered a greeting like, "Praise God brother, how is the Lord blessing you today?"

As a YFC volunteer, I spent my spare time studying the bible and singing gospel music at meetings. Then I got a job. Within a few months I began to feel that my old associates might be too heavenly to be of any earthly good. It’s only human to desire to fit in, even rebels adjust to their environment. Less than two years later I was a drunk in the bars, my desire to fit in may have been too strong.

I revisited these memories when I stopped to ponder over why Republicans in urban areas tend to be more moderate than their rural counter parts. I think if you spend all your time surrounded by liberals you tend to compromise some of your positions in an effort to get along. The only bulwark against this erosion of conservative standards, is the unchanging word of God. When I got away from it, I was aware of the chasm between myself and my creator. (At the time I was more inclined to be one of the guys)

This undeniable truth that should govern men's lives is inconveniently unyielding in most things. It also illustrates the contrast between urban and rural conservatives. In the farms and fields of the heartland, the problem of acceptance of homosexuality is less prevalent. Thus, if the scripture states that God considers sodomites an abomination, your typical rural conservative has little need to question the validity of such a statute. But say you find a conservative living in San Francisco, the people he works with, his neighbors, maybe even his pastor might find umbrage with such a premise and declare him a homophobe if he should admit to believing such a thing.

Which bring me to my big fat point. The kind of conservative that might appeal to an urban republican is quite different from one that is attractive in the Bible Belt. And there is the rub. More primary delegates come form urban areas than from rural, but the urban areas affect few or no electoral votes in the general election.

Almost all electoral votes from urban areas are awarded to liberals, and almost every conservative presidential nominee owes his candidacy to the same regions. The possible crossover liberals, independents and moderate conservatives may love a candidate, but in the general election they are so outnumbered by their solid liberal neighbors that they will contribute nothing to that candidates election.

My only other consideration in this political season is this. Heartlanders prefer a "man of God" in the White House.

I Like Mike.