Monday, October 15, 2007

Electability vs. principles?

James C. Dobson, "The Values Test" (NY Times, op-ed piece, October 4, 2007), reports on a Salt Lake City meeting of more than fifty pro-family leaders, which, after two hours of deliberation, voted a resolution to abandon nominees of the two major parties if neither is pledged to uphold the sanctity of human life and to recommend voting, instead, for a minor-party candidate. The other issue discussed was the possibility of a third party. Dobson personally argues for voting on principle, rather than compromising principle for the sake of electoral success. This is a tough call; but in politics, which is the art of the possible, and not of ideal principles, this may mean letting the worst of two possible evils prevail. Tough call. If it came down to Giuliani-McCain vs. Clinton-Obama, would you vote for Brownback on principle, even if it meant handing the election to Clinton-Obama?

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