Single-Issue Voters- Part 1

Not too long ago, Barack Obama said something (and I'm paraphrasing, hopefully correctly) along the lines of: the current economic crisis is the final verdict on the failed economic policies of George W. Bush. I offer a slightly different take. Yes, President Bush is the guy in charge. And yes, there is a Congress (albeit a spineless one) controlled by the Democratic Party. But who put those people in those positions? The American people, that's who. It may sound a bit callous, but some of the fault lies in certain segments of the voting public.

I'm writing about Single-Issue Voters (or, SIVs). There are folks who vote for certain candidates based on their stance on a particular issue. This is most often associated with the pro-life movement. But, the SIV phenomenon is not limited to them. No, it spans all political ideologies and has infiltrated both parties. Anything can be an item for a SIV: abortion, 2nd Amendment issues, the environment, gay marriage, you name it. Even general angst with a political party can work in this capacity.

This is not a good thing. It implies that that issue is the only thing that matters. Life is much more complex than many SIVs would have us believe. The current economic crisis is proof of that. The collapse happened for many reasons. However, none of the reasons include gay marriage, abortion, or guns.

This is why I say that single-issue voting is not good. True, the economic crisis could be construed as an extreme example. But, I believe it does serve as an indictment of such voting habits. Plenty of good, decent hard-working, innocent Americans are affected by this economic crisis. Why? I believe part of it is due to too many people with tunnel vision.

To be continued...

Disclaimer: I am writing this as a private citizen. My views are totally my own. These views do not necessarily reflect my congregation, my church body, other clergy, etc. I am solely responsible for the content of this post.