11/07/2004 Entry: "Why I voted for Bush"

I voted for Bush because I think we're facing a moral crisis in America. Bush is a leader who can improve things, and Kerry is a man who would certainly have made things worse. Bush makes his positions and his reasoning known, and expects them to be debated in the political system. Kerry tries hard not to have any positions which he can be called to account for.

I disagree with Bush about gay marriage, stem cell research, and abortion, but I admire his unwavering moral seriousness and commitment to creating morally and politically legitimate policies. He is a politician I can disagree with respectfully, and I believe that in the long run good debate will happen and the political system will make the right policies.

Kerry seems to see Bush's moral seriousness as nothing more than a desire to impose Christianity on all Americans. I do not want a man who is unable to appreciate this excellent quality Bush has representing me, even and perhaps especially on issues upon which we agree. I want a politician who argues that the positions I favor are morally correct, not a politician who argues that morality is irrelevant to political issues.

This difference between Kerry and Bush would be important enough in a time of peace, and it is even more important now. We're facing an incredibly brutal enemy which cannot be fought in the old ways. We need new policies which reflect the reality of the situation, and only a morally serious President can lead us into them. Bush understands what's at stake, and he knows that we must both kill terrorists and address the root causes of terrorism. Kerry does not have the tools needed to do either.