Overcoming sexual abuse: The Wounded Heart by Dan Allender

Most prostitutes are victims of sexual abuse.

If you know more than a few people, odds are that you know someone who has been sexually abused. One study indicated that as many as 38% of women had been sexually abused by age 18 (Allender, rear flap). Sexual abuse victims are male as well as female, but girls are at a higher risk than boys.

Most abuse is committed by a family member or someone known by the victim. National statistics show that 29% of abuse is committed by family members and 60% is by acquaintances (Allender, p.92). Stop It Now! Georgia reports that in Georgia 82% of cases involve members of the immediate or extended family of the victim. Often the abuser was a birth parent (37% of cases) or a sibling (22%). Abusers can be men or women, but more often the abuser is male (95% in cases of girls and 80% in cases of boys) (p. 272).

If you are being abused, you can get help through stopitnowga.org or by calling 1-800-CHILDREN. The telephone call is free in Georgia and is confidential.

The effects of sexual abuse can be overcome. Dr. Dan Allender, himself a victim of sexual abuse, has written a fascinating book on the subject of overcoming sexual abuse. The Wounded Heart: Hope for Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse provides guidance and hope for victims of abuse as well as those who love them. Recent studies have shown that there is hope for abusers as well. They often respond to treatment and can rejoin society.

Allender begins with a discussion of the long term psychological effects of abuse. Often the victim feels dead inside, as if they are a zombie (Allender, p. 44). Often the victims feel shame for what happened to them. They fear both being exposed before the world (p. 66) and possible rejection as a consequence (p. 71). As a coping mechanism, they often place their trust in what Allender calls “false gods” (p. 74), which can include people, objects, or beliefs.

Abuse victims also frequently experience self-contempt. Self-contempt may range from physically destructive actions such as suicide or binging on food or alcohol or sex. The majority (66%) of prostitutes were sexually abused as children. The majority of these (again 66%) were abused by their father or a father figure such as foster father or stepfather. At the other extreme, self-contempt may take the form of something seemingly innocuous, such as not being able to accept a compliment (p. 80-82). Contempt serves to deaden both shame and longing for the victim, and makes them feel that they are in control. In effect, Allender calls contempt the “Great Masquerade” (p. 88) because it takes the place of sorrow and conviction over sin, replacing it with self-directed anger. Often anger masks the victim’s own pain and shame.

Allender also points out the stages of abuse. In some cases, such as a rape by a stranger, abuse is a single incident. In most cases, however, it is part of a pattern (p. 97-102). The abuser first gains the trust of the victim and draws them into secrecy. Next, physical contact is established in a manner that is not inappropriate. The abuser then takes the final step into full scale sexual abuse. In many cases, there are long periods of time between each step. Finally, in cases of ongoing abuse, the abuser may threaten or use special privileges to keep the abuse secret.

After the abuse, there are several common reactions that victims experience. First is a feeling of powerlessness. Not only was the victim powerless to stop the abuse, they were often threatened to maintain secrecy. Many victims respond by becoming numb or dead to escape the pain (p.117-122). This can translate into a dislike of their body, lying and deceit, or poor judgment in relationships.

Second is a sense of betrayal. This is especially prevalent if the abuser was a family member or if other family members were complicit in the abuse (p. 133-138). The fear of betrayal leads the victim to hyper vigilance, suspiciousness, and lack of objectivity. The victim focuses on each detail and overanalyzes them. This is because the victim questions the motives of people who extend kindness and warmth.

The third major symptom of sexual abuse is ambivalence. This is caused by the conflicting emotions due to stimulation of the senses in the abuse that is normally pleasurable and the shame of the abuse itself. This leads to more shame and possibly a fear of pleasure (p. 149-151). Many abuse victims view themselves as a whore, whether they live that sort of lifestyle or keep the image private in their fantasies (p. 155-156).

There are other symptoms as well. It is common for abuse victims to struggle with depression (p. 161), lack of self-esteem, and problems relating with others (p. 168-69). Sexual dysfunctions from lack of interest to addiction to perversions are also common in abuse victims (p. 164). A long list of dysfunctions such as “exhibitionism, voyeurism, pedophilia, homosexuality, transvestitism, and fetishism” is “often highly correlated to abuse” (p. 164). Abuse victims may suffer from a variety of compulsive disorders, such as bulimia, or the stress may manifest itself as a physical illness (p. 166-167).

Dr. Allender goes on to describe three basic types of personalities for abuse victims. Speaking female terms, the first is the Good Girl (p. 175). The Good Girl keeps her self-contempt hidden and often struggles with sexual fantasies. She limits and controls her emotions and is often viewed as unfeeling. She is a hard worker, often sacrificially, but does not ask for help. She doesn’t want conflict.

The Tough Girl (p. 178) is a hard woman who is suspicious and critical of others and often becomes angry at her perception of others. She views emotion and longing as a sign of weakness. People tend to keep their distance from a Tough Girl to avoid rousing her anger. The Tough Girl erects walls and thrives on conflict.

The Party Girl (p. 181) can be “intense or mellow.” Her moods are constantly changing. The Party Girl personality is a response to fear and ambivalence. She avoids commitment and flits from one relationship to another. The Party Girl has been described as “an emotional tapeworm” (p. 184) who is never satisfied.

The same victim can exhibit characteristics of each style of relating, depending on the situation. The common thread is that all are based on aspects of self-contempt. Each is also a coping mechanism that causes its own problems.

Mark 9:37

Thankfully, Allender does not merely dwell on the symptoms of abuse, but also prescribes a course of healing. Allender’s plan is a three-step process that is based on Biblical principles. The first step is for the victim to be honest with herself. Allender lists eight truths that abuse victims must be willing to acknowledge in order to move forward (p. 200). These truths include admitting to oneself that abuse has occurred, it has damaged her soul, and that healing requires change from the artificial coping mechanisms. Honesty may also require that the victim stop attempting to suppress memories that are being repressed.

Second is repentance. The victim does not need to repent of being abused, but for choosing to be dead, choosing to mistrust, and choosing to despise passion (p. 223). Allender notes the difference between repentance, admitting helplessness, and penance, which “presumes the ability to make amends on one’s own” (p. 221). Repentance softens the heart, while penance hardens it.

The final step towards recovery is forgiveness and bold love. Being able to love and forgive the abuser frees the victim from hatred and anger. In this context, love refers to the “commitment to do whatever it takes (apart from sin) to bring health (salvation) to the abuser” (p. 241). To heal herself, the victim should work to forgive the abuser. The victim should not seek revenge (but this does not preclude seeking justice) (p. 243-44).

These steps can (and should) be applied not only to the sexual abuser, but surrogates that often bear the brunt of the victim’s anger and even those who merely get on our nerves in a normal day-to-day manner. In many cases, the victim’s spouse becomes a surrogate for the abuser.

Whether the victim is you or someone you love, The Wounded Heart is valuable resource to help understand the emotions and actions involved. The one weakness is the book is the lack of an index. This article provides only a brief overview of the material presented. If you are or if you know a victim who struggles with the personality disorders that this book describes, I urge you to read the whole book, which actually comes with a money-back guarantee from the publisher. You have nothing to lose but your pain.

Source:
Allender, Dr. Dan B., The Wounded Heart: Hope for Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse. Navpress, PO Box 35001, Colorado Springs, CO, 1995.

Photo credits:
Prostitute by Tomas Castelazo
Scared toddler by NeonZero

A world without America

The President awoke with a start. His head swam for a moment as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and tried to remember where he was. He was in his bedroom in the White House, of course, but what had awakened him? As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw a dim figure standing beside his bed.

Not recognizing the man, he tensed. “Who are you? Who let you in here?” he demanded. Where was the Secret Service when you needed them?

He could see more clearly now. The man was an elderly white man dressed in an old suit, bow tie and fedora. Tufts of white hair could be seen under his hat. At the sight of his kind and friendly face, the President relaxed somewhat.

The man began to speak in quiet tones. “Well, good morning, Mr. President. Don’t worry. I’m not here to hurt you. But don’t worry about calling for help. You are the only one who can see or hear me.”

“Who are you?” demanded the President again.

“Why, I’m an angel. Name’s Clarence. Don’t you recognize me?” the man replied.

“Is this some kind of joke?” the President barked. The man did look like the angel from that old movie. But that would be crazy.

“No joke, Mr. President. You are being given a gift. My Boss saw your interview last night. The one where you said that America is exceptional in the same way that the British believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism. You told the interviewer that the US is arrogant. My Boss thinks you see your country as international bully.”

The President thought before he spoke. “Well, that is somewhat true. This country is just a country. I love this country, but it is no better or special than any other country. In fact, we’ve done a lot worse than many countries. We’re imperialists and our corporations spread greed and misery around the globe. We almost annihilated the Native Americans. And, what’s more, if I lived a hundred and fifty years ago, I might well be a slave. Why the world would probably be a better place if America never existed. There would be more peace and stability in the world.”

Clarence smiled, “Well, that’s the gift that I brought you. You and I are going to see what the world would be like if the United States of America had never existed. Are you ready to fly?”

“Fly? I didn’t think you had wings,” the President replied. “Besides, I think I’d better stay here. I don’t want to upset the Secret Service.

“Oh yes,” Clarence answered. “I got my wings years ago. I’m an excellent flyer now. And don’t worry! We’ll be back before anybody knows you’re gone.”

Clarence snapped his fingers and suddenly he and the President are flying through the night. The President realized that somehow he is now dressed in his suit and tie. Both men were wearing overcoats against the cold night wind.

After a short flight, they arrived in a bleak war-torn city. It looked to the President like the fighting has passed long ago, but its effects were never fully erased. Soldiers patrolled the streets while civilians carefully avoided them as much as possible. The President saw soldiers taking handcuffed civilians from an apartment building to waiting trucks.

“Where are we?” he asked.

“This is one of many cities in this shape in Europe,” Clarence answered. “It doesn’t matter which one. These countries have been fought over repeatedly in twentieth century. Do you realize that the United States has saved the free world no less than three times in the past hundred years?”

The President answered, “You’re talking about World War I and II. I know history. But there was no third world war.”

“Wasn’t there?” Clarence asked. “You’re right that the United States arrived just in time to break the deadlock of WWI. Then, in WWII, it entered late again before riding to the rescue. Before entering WWII formally, the US still provided aid to England and Russia through the Lend-Lease Act that enabled them to survive until the US entered the war.

“But don’t discount the Cold War. Stalin would have taken Europe – and as much of the rest of the world as he could – just as Hitler tried to do. It was the United States that kept the communists in check, mostly through peaceful means, but occasionally through military action. Even with America countering them, the communists killed far more people than the Nazis. Imagine the horror if America had not existed.

Clarence went on, “Without the United States, not only was there no force to tip the scales against the armies of darkness, there would also have been no aid to rebuild Europe. The American military prevented ruthless dictatorships from sending their armies and secret police to crack down on the people who lived here. The American Marshall Plan provided money to help rebuild the wreckage of Europe. Without America, there is no freedom here. There is only poverty and fear.”

“Okay,” said the President. “I admit that our help was valuable against the Germans and the Russians, but we’ve lost our way today. We are engaged in imperialist wars and globalism that we created is causing problems around the world. Remember Abu Graibh?”

“That’s not quite true, Mr. President,” Clarence answered gently. “Both the wars that we are fighting now are really part of one war. It is a struggle against Muslim extremists. These people are like the Nazis and communists in that they have no respect for human life and are bent on control of the world. Resisting them is protecting the world just as surely as fighting Hitler was.

“Abu Graibh was a terrible tragedy,” he went on, “but torture was not part of US policy. Even waterboarding was only used on very few prisoners and then only when time was of the essence in order to prevent attacks and save lives. Now, let’s go fly again.”

From the bleak police state, Clarence and the President traveled to a small jungle village. The men are no longer wearing their coats. In the jungle heat, their shirt sleeves are rolled up, though they still wear ties.

The President noted the flimsy huts. The villagers wear threadbare, tattered clothing and most have no shoes. Their gaunt frames show that food is in short supply. The President hears wailing and turns to see villagers bearing the body of a small child, ready for burial.

“What is this place?” the President asked, shaken at the sight of the dead child.

“This is one of thousands of villages around the world,” Clarence answered. “That child could have been saved if America existed.

“American farmers help to feed the world,” said Clarence. “If the United States existed here, these people might not be starving. The US is one of the largest agricultural producers in the world. It is a top producer of most major food crops. When there is a disaster, much of this food goes to those in need. Remember the famines in Ethiopia and Somalia, the Southeast Asian tsunami, and the Haitian earthquake? American food and aid was there.

“America didn’t just bring food and medicine, though,” Clarence continued. “American ingenuity has led to countless inventions to raise the standard of living around the world. These American ideas make life easier as well as save lives around in villages like this. When the miners were trapped in Chile, it was American companies that made the mining equipment that helped to rescue them.

“Without America, many medicines are never invented. Twelve of the top twenty pharmaceutical companies in the world are American. Admittedly, these medicines cost money. Without earning money for its products, the drug companies couldn’t research new medicines. But to balance that out, Americans are the most generous people on Earth. America gives more to charity than any other country. The second-place nation gives less than half of America’s contributions.

“On top of that, Americans volunteer at a rate higher than almost any other country. Many of these volunteers are part of religious groups that raise their own support to come to small villages in every corner of the world to teach children, build bridges, show more efficient agriculture techniques, or help the natives reduce disease through modern sanitation,” Clarence said.

“But what about the greedy multinational corporations?” the President blurted.

“Globalization has been good for the world’s poor,” Clarence answered. Much of the world is still poor, but the countries that take part in the world economy have better standards of living, better schooling, and longer life spans than those who don’t. American multinational corporations could be providing jobs for these villagers. The best welfare is a good job. What seems like a low wage to westerners can be a huge boon to family in a third world country.

“What you see as greed is in most Americans a drive to better themselves. They want to work hard to make a better life for their families. American ingenuity is comprised of a competitive streak to find a better, cheaper way to do business. When businesses are successful, they provide jobs for others to support themselves and their families. The money made and paid by businesses also fuels more charity.”

“But you never answered my original points,” the President objected. “This is still a racist country that enslaved Africans and killed Native Americans. We are imperialists who have attacked peaceful nations for oil.”

Clarence shook his head sadly. “No, America is not racist, though there are racists who live there. Slavery was a fact of life around the world for centuries. In fact, it was Americans who banded together to form the first anti-slavery society in the world. Long before slavery was banned in the America, the US Navy was trying to stop the slave trade.

“The Indian wars were tragic also, but again were not a uniquely American evil,” Clarence said. “All around the world, ‘civilized’ nations collided with natives and the natives always lost. At least in America, there were always people who tried to assimilate the Indians, rather than kill them. And don’t forget that the Indians were fighting among themselves long before the white settlers arrived.

“As far as imperialism, the United States has never been much of an imperial power,” Clarence said. “Oh, there have been a few presidents who thought otherwise, but generally American soldiers leave a conquered country better than they found it. They go where they are sent, and they aren’t sent to peaceful nations. When the fighting is over, they rebuild what was destroyed, train a new army and government, set the country on the course to democracy, then leave, keeping only enough territory to bury their dead.”

As he finished speaking, Clarence again snapped his fingers and the President was suddenly back in his White House bedroom. He looked down and realized that he was back in his pajamas. As he looked around the dark room, he saw the sleeping form of the First Lady. The White House was quiet. There were no alarms, no frantic activity. Clarence had been right. He had not been missed.

Clarence still stood before the President. He looked at the President with serious eyes. “I hope that you have seen a different side to your country. It has been a special nation in history and in the eyes of my Boss.”

“Yes,” the President nodded. “I see it with different eyes now.”

“Good,” Clarence nodded approvingly, “because I have another gift for you. The Boss gave me a special message for you. He wants you to know that He has special plans for America. I don’t know what they are -I’m not privy to that- but He is keeping a close eye on you. You will be facing some big decisions in the next few years. Don’t forget that you can talk to the Boss anytime. Good luck.”

With that, Clarence gave the President a cheery wave and disappeared like smoke being dispersed by the wind. The President stood for a moment, staring at the empty space that Clarence had occupied a few seconds before.

Gradually, he stirred himself to movement and walked across the room to an intercom. He pressed the button and said “hello” into the box.

A voice at the other end answered, “Yes, Mr. President? You’re up late this evening.”

“I couldn’t sleep,” the President replied. “Please send in some coffee. I think I’m going to be up for a while rewriting that Veteran’s Day speech for tomorrow. Those guys don’t get nearly enough credit.”

==

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real people is coincidental.

Why the Democrats lost

When the Democrats suffered losses of historic proportions in the midterm elections this week, there was some question as to what message the voters intended to send. Some Democrats believed that the election could have turned out differently if their candidates had simply done better at communicating or educating voters about their accomplishments.

The truth is that the reason the Democrats lost can be summed up in a few statistics. Voters asked themselves whether they are better off now than they were four years ago when the Democrats took control of both houses of Congress or two years ago when Barack Obama was sent to the White House.

With respect to unemployment, the answer is a resounding no. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.6% in November 2006 when the country’s voters placed Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi in charge of Congress. When Barack Obama took office in January 2009, the national unemployment rate was 7.7%. The unemployment rate just before the election was 9.6% nationally.

In Georgia, the numbers are worse. In November 2006, Georgia’s unemployment rate mirrored the national figures at 4.5%. Two years later, as President Obama took office, Georgia’s unemployment was at 8.4%. Just before Georgians went to the polls this week, Georgia’s unemployment rate was 10.1%.

President Obama and his economic advisors had claimed that if his policies, especially the stimulus bill, passed, that unemployment would go no higher than 8%.

To get that high rate of unemployment, it took trillions of dollars in government spending. In the 2008 presidential campaign, Obama had promised to “… go through the federal budget, line by line, eliminating programs that no longer work and making the ones we do need work better and cost less...." He also has repeatedly blamed the current federal deficit on President Bush.

In November 2006, the total federal debt (the total amount the federal government owes) was $8.57 trillion. Two years later, after the bailouts passed by President Bush and his Democratic Congress, the federal debt had risen to $10.62 trillion. After President Obama’s bailouts and stimulus, the debt had reached $13.71 trillion just before this year’s election.

The statistics for the federal deficit (how much more the government spends than it takes in) show an even more disturbing trend. As the Republicans lost control of Congress in 2006, President Bush’s deficit stood at 1.85% of GDP (gross domestic product). After the Bush-Reid-Pelosi bailout of Wall St., the deficit had increased to 3.18%. After almost two years of President Obama’s leadership, the deficit is at a staggering 10.64%.

President Obama and the Democrats have almost spent us into oblivion with very little to show for it.

Finally, there was the arrogance and hubris of the Democrats. The general attitude was that with majorities in both houses of Congress, the Democrats could pass whatever they wanted and justify it to the voters later. A president that had promised to allow five days of public comment before passing laws urged his legislature to vote on bills without having time to read them. After a promise to “drain the swamp,” the corruption and backroom deals in Congress seemed to increase, if anything.

The passage of Obamacare was emblematic of the out-of-control government. In the months leading up to the passage of the Democrat’s signature piece of legislation, public opinion had turned decisively against the bill. Just before the final vote, most Americans opposed the Democratic version of reform by a margin of 41-54%.

As they disregarded the clear will of the people, the Democrats wagered that either the public would grow to love the new law as they learned what was in it or that President Obama’s charm would salvage their re-election campaigns. Neither came to pass.

Most of what the public learned about Obamacare’s surprises was not pleasant. There was the failure to include the promised provision to guarantee coverage regardless of pre-existing conditions. Businesses were aghast at the provision to require 1099s for transactions greater than $600. There was the government takeover of the student loan industry hidden within a reform of health law. There were rising premiums and shortages of insurance. And there were a host of new taxes.

Just before the election, a strong majority favored repeal of Obamacare by 58-36%. This was an issue on which the opponents held strong opinions. Forty-five percent strongly favored repeal while 27% were strongly opposed. President Obama’s charm did not overcome the deficit of public opinion.

The Democrats lost for a variety of reasons. Their policies were demonstrated to be expensive and unworkable. They did not follow through on key promises to fight corruption and waste. The final straw was to ignore the American voters as they yelled, “Stop!” The problem was not that the voters knew too little about the Democrats; they knew too much.

Is the Democratic Party losing its democracy? - Guest article by Carl Camon

While I may disagree with Carl on policy issues, he is a Democrat that I can respect. I hope that people will listen to what he has to say. I can remember when Georgia was a totally Democratic state. Today the opposite is true. I think that, as Reagan said, Georgia didn’t leave the Democratic Party; the Democrats left Georgia.


Is The Democratic Party Losing Its Democracy?


It is… very clear to me that the people of Georgia and around the country have spoken loud and clear through the electoral process and have elected the Candidates of their choice. As Georgians, it is now time that we unite and try and bring our state back from the brink of economic disaster. It seems as though our state has maintained its “Red Status”, as a majority Republican state. As a Democrat, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand why this continues to happen.

Over the past 15-20 years I have watched our the Democratic Party seemingly lose sight of almost everything that the party was built upon. Many of the Democratic leaders have sold out just to satisfy certain groups of potential voters and to retain their positions. Many have succumb to the pressures from various organized groups, such as the Gay/Homosexual/Transgendered community, even if it went against what they really believed. Others, whose parents would probably roll over in their graves have embraced Abortion, when deep down in their hearts they know that it’s wrong. Even more Democrats have distanced themselves from traditional Christian values, and have allowed others to seemingly obtain a monopoly on Christianity and some seem very comfortable in allowing them to do so.

Traditionally, most of my family has voted Democrat, and I chose to become a Democrat because I am a Christian and I believed in the values that our party once possessed. As a 2010 Gubernatorial Candidate, my views were aligned with what most of the “Old Democrats” used to believe, and because of that, many “New Age Democrats”, may have felt that my message seemed outdated. However, it wasn’t outdated, but it appeared to be that way because the “so called leaders” in our party had strayed so far away from traditional Christian values, that what is right seem to be wrong, and what is wrong seem to be right. During my run for Governor, very few if any of the Democratic leadership embraced my message of “Hope for all of Georgia”. Why? I believe that they were set in their ways and felt that they knew what was best and who was best for the people of Georgia, but it is clear to me that most Georgians don’t think so. Many of them questioned why I even decided to run. There were even attempts to silence me by ignoring me or not inviting me to various functions, but I refused to allow that to stop me from representing those whose voices had been ignored for far too long (all the people of Georgia). Several times I wondered if I was in the right Party, then I quickly realized that I was, but it was just our message that was wrong.

After the Primary elections, I still felt an uneasiness, with regards to the Democratic Party in Georgia. I felt that we hadn’t done enough to get back to our roots and our traditional values. It seemed as though things were going in slow motion, at least for some of our Democratic Candidates. As Democrats, we can no longer rely solely on telephone calls from famous or well known Democrats, to get the job done. We have got to start listening to the needs of the people and stop putting all of our eggs in one basket and hoping that most survive the trip without getting cracked. We have got to rethink who we really are and for what and for whom we should be taking a stand for. As a result of the Georgia Democratic Party’s inability to take a stand for what is right and do what is honorable, even if it is unpopular; we continue to see the demise of what was once a strong united force for all of the people of Georgia. As I watched the results come in, I knew that we were in trouble. I didn’t think that we were in trouble because we had elected another Republican Governor, and a majority of other Republican state officials, but rather because the Democratic Party had failed once again to listen to the people of Georgia. I applaud and highly respect former Governor Roy Barnes for attempting to revive our party and for acknowledging the fact that we must focus our attention on issues that affect Georgia and Georgians, rather than what can be obtained by holding a political position. Until we can get ourselves and our party together, we’ll continue to get the same results. Until we stop looking at how much money a candidate has and start looking at what that candidate has to offer, we’ll continue to get the same results.

I was taught to never complain unless I offered some solutions. If we are once again become a formidable force in the State of Georgia and around our country, we must at least make a start with the following five steps:

• Democrats must clearly define what it is that we propose to accomplish for our state and its people and ensure that the people know what that is.

• Democrats must return to a sure foundation, which is based on Christian Principles and Moral Standards and clarify our position on issues of importance to the electorate.

• Democrats must rely on the voice of all Democrats and not just on a small group of party leaders to dictate policy for the party.

• Democrats must embrace lesser known candidates who bring with them a fresh face and logical ideas to the political process and the democratic way.

• Democrats must adopt measures to ensure that the voices of all the people of Georgia are heard, regardless of political affiliation.

As Americans, we should continue to respect our democracy and as Georgians, we should all respect and support our next Governor, Governor-Elect Nathan Deal in any way that we can, as long as he puts all of the citizens of Georgia first.

Written By: Carl Camon (D) – Georgia Gubernatorial Candidate – 2010

What next for Republicans?

As returns come in across the country, all signs are pointing to a Republican landslide of historic proportions. It is apparent that the Republicans will win control of the House of Representatives, but control of the Senate is still in doubt.

Before Republicans celebrate too early, however, it is important to note that most people will be voting Republican, not because they like Republicans, but because the Democrats have made them angry and afraid. Over the past eighteen months, Democrats have rammed through a string of unpopular, expensive, and ineffective programs over the loud objections of a majority of Americans. It was assumed by the Democrats that when these programs took effect, they would become more popular. This has not happened.

As a result of ignoring the wishes of the electorate, the Democrats have lost the majority of independent voters. Since neither party has enough adherents to form a majority, it is the independents who decide elections. President Obama and the Democrats won independents handily in the 2008 election by promising bipartisanship, an end to corruption, and moderate policies. Instead, we have seen the Democrats effectively ignore the rest of the country and shift to the far left. Instead of openness and honesty, we find laws passed without even giving congressmen the time to read them.

Republicans should learn from the mistakes of the Democrats, as well as their own mistakes of the Bush era. The lessons are as many as they are simple.

First, the government needs to listen to the people. Government officials are public employees, not overlords. In the past, incumbents were practically assured of re-election. That has changed. This year incumbents of both parties have realized that they people are now paying attention, they are angry, and they are tired of the same old politics from Washington.

Second, the people are tired of expensive and intrusive federal programs. Americans realize that they can’t go on running up credit card debt indefinitely without facing the consequences. It is high time that our government officials realized the same common sense applies to governments as well. Americans are generally independent and self-reliant people. Most of us just want to be left alone to live our lives without interference. As a people, we don’t like to be talked down to or told what to do. This attitude goes all the way back to the Revolution.

Government has a legitimate role. Americans aren’t anarchists. We believe that the role of the government is spelled out in the Constitution. We don’t generally mind if the government establishes a temporary safety net for those who are down on their luck. Most of us don’t want this to be permanent however.

Americans don’t want either party to rule unilaterally. The Republicans will need to seek a consensus with the remaining Democrats, who will hopefully realize the errors that they made and shift toward the center. In any case, a consensus will likely be necessary since the Republicans are unlikely to win a veto-proof majority (this year). Most importantly, Republicans will need to ensure that any compromises meet the will of the people.

Americans do want our elected officials to be honest. Republicans (and Democrats) should hold themselves to a higher standard and avoid any appearance of impropriety. As the continual revelations of misconduct from both parties appear, it undermines the faith of Americans in their government. Without faith in the institutions of government, democracy cannot succeed for long.

Most importantly, America as a whole needs to realize that if we continue to put our faith in political parties, we will be continually disappointed. Political parties are made up of human beings and human beings are fallible. If you put your trust in a human being, you will be disappointed; it is just a matter of when.

Americans need to claim the promise that God gave to King Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:14: “…if my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

As a country, we face many seemingly insurmountable problems. We have a crisis in which trillions of dollars of debt is acting as an anchor on our economy and threatens to enslave our children. We are deeply divided politically and emotionally. Large numbers of our countrymen are out of work and losing their homes. Our young men and women are fighting and dying in two wars. We are under constant threat of terrorist attack. A country that is our sworn enemy is on the verge of obtaining nuclear weapons and missile launch capability to deliver them to our shores. These and other problems may constitute an insurmountable “perfect storm” for men, but not the God of our fathers, the Divine Providence who inspired and aided in the creation of our country.

Finally, Americans do want our elected officials to keep their promises. When we were told that our health insurance premiums would go down, that we could keep our current insurance if we wanted, and that the stimulus would bring lower unemployment, that was what we expected. When the Democrats promised fiscal restraint and to “drain the swamp” of corruption, people voted for them because that was what they wanted. Republicans should remember that they promised to work for the repeal of Obamacare, cut spending and the size of government, and keep taxes low. If they do not keep their promises and listen to the people, the Republicans will not remain in power very long.

Georgians vote against Democrats, not for GOP

If polls leading up to Election Day are a reliable indication, the Democrats will suffer a crushing defeat at the ballot box today. Republicans are almost certain to take control of the House, likely to win a majority in the Senate, and are poised to take control of several governorships as well.

To read the rest of this article and learn what the GOP should learn from this election, click the link below.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5961708/many_in_georgia_are_voting_against.html?cat=8

Analysis of Roy Barnes on abortion, guns and spending

Over the past few months, I have used my blog to educate voters with a series of profiles of candidates for elections in Georgia. In several cases, I contacted the campaigns through telephone calls or email to clarify positions on issues or with question about the candidate’s background. After waiting for several weeks, I finally received a response from Roy Barnes, the Democratic candidate for Georgia Governor.

To read the rest of this article please click the link below:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5960992/roy_barnes_answers_questions_on_abortion.html?cat=9

Photo courtesy of Roy Barnes campaign