by Tracy Baker

Created on: April 14, 2009

Although the First Amendment of the United States Constitution states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibit the free exercise thereof...", religion is almost always a huge influence over a persons vote. That has never been more apparent than it was during Bush Jr.'s two terms in office. In the beginning, while he was still burning his campaign trail, I had the opportunity to travel from my home in Tennessee to Northern California where I attended a non-denominational church service. As I approached the two-story modern building I began to wonder if I had come to church or to the local Republican headquarters. Not only were there gigantic election signs that read, "VOTE FOR BUSH" taped to the huge tinted windows leading to the chapel but every member of the congregation wore a "Vote For Bush" election pin as well. Walking through the chapel doors, I too was handed a pin to wear but I quietly shoved it down into the eternal depths of my purse. I hadn't come to church in order to support Bush. I had come to hear about God. As the pastor moved through his sermon, however, I soon realized that I was not going to hear about God without also having to hear why I should vote for Bush. After the service was over there was no doubt in my mind that Bush would earn the vote of every member from that congregation. Not because Bush was the best presidential candidate or because he had magnificent ideas that would improve our country, the congregation would vote for him simply because their pastor had told them to and because Bush was a Republican.

With many American citizens being a part of one fundamental religion or another, the Republican Party almost always gets their vote. because they have many of the same fundamental principals. Like most fundamental religions, the Republican Party doesn't support gay rights, they don't support womens liberation and they don't support other issues that fundamentalists would consider "sinful" like stem cell research. Because of these common principals, many citizens votes are influenced more by their faith and less by a candidates political agenda. As strong as a citizens religious beliefs might be, however, it is never a good idea to cast a vote that is influenced by faith. Church and State were separated for a reason. Bush Jr.'s second term in office being a case in point. Although he led America to war during his first term and mislead us as a means to do it, he was still voted in for a second term. If those who voted for him simply because of their religious convictions had chosen to consider what was best for the country instead, maybe, just maybe, we wouldn't be in the economic mess we are in right now and all of the young people who make up the troops over in Iraq would be safe and at home with their families by now.

Even though religion is an important aspect of many citizens lives, faith alone should never influence a person's vote. A vote, even if it's just one, can change the outcome of any election and cause the wrong person to become elected. In a country that is currently wracked with turmoil and grief, isn't it time we learned from our past mistakes?

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