John F. Kerry is the candidate of status quo autocracy. George W. Bush is a 21st century, small-d democratic candidate. Economically, he wants people to control the expenditure of more of the money they earn. Socially, he wants voters and legislators rather than nine justices in robes to decide what should constitute a governmentally honored marriage.

 If we have a second Bush term, I hope that principles of liberty and democracy will be extended to social welfare expenditures, with taxpayers directing more money to poverty-fighting attempts they believe in, rather than those preferred by governmental autocrats. I hope those principles will be extended to education, so that poor parents as well as rich ones have school choice. A second Bush term will bring the opportunity for new growth and also new disappointments. A Kerry administration, though, will cement over all such hopes and substitute for them one swinging hotspot.

Late last night I heard the
Screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi
Took away my old man
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot.

 Don't let it happen. Vote. If you're a Christian conservative and like President Bush, vote for him and drive your friends to the polls. If you're a Christian conservative and you don't like President Bush, vote for him anyway. You won't be able to elect anyone better, and with John Kerry you'll have someone far worse.