Politics - and Religion

As I have walked around my neighborhood and talked with people about what concerns they currently have - I have heard only three issues named (no one has mentioned the war on terror).

The three are: jobs, gas prices, health care costs.

To me, this boils down a single complex issue - THE ECONOMY !!!

The fix involves at least all of these:

• affordable health care and insurance;
• less dependency on oil, domestic and foreign (I'm not for more offshore drilling - now or later);
• creating jobs while building a more environmentally-friendly national infrastructure;
• and real national security, not based on politically generated fear and war-mongering, but based on peace-building.

The biggest drain on our economy has been fighting the wrong war in the wrong place - Iraq! Anyone who wants to keep us in Iraq, at the cost of $10 billion per month, is not the person who will be thinking of the "Country First" and will not be offering any real economic "Service" to ordinary people.

I'm praying (since I am a Believer) for a new era of freedom for the common folks, and a national security system built on peaceful alliances and fair treatment to people around the world! I'm praying the days of Empire Building are over, by our nation, and by other nations as well.

In other words, as a follower of Jesus I understand that my LOVE FOR GOD leads me to LOVE OTHERS, not only as myself, but above myself. Since God loved the world so much that He gave His best, then my prayer is for the entire world, not just the USA. When we work to bring about a better world, then we'll have a more peaceful world - then we'll have true national (and world) security.

Can we ever bring about a peaceful world? Probably not, but I can do all that I'm able to do within my circle of influence. If others will do the same, then we can make a difference. Jesus said, "BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS." I believe peacemaking is a spiritual activity that should be practiced by all people, including our nation's leaders.