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I think the media is doing their best to keep this race interesting. In fact, most people believe it will be a blowout. I think we’re talking Bush vs. Dukakis numbers for Obama in November. Bush won 80% of the electorate in 1988 and I think Obama may win more than that.

Here’s why I’m predicting a landslide. (Please note, I’m not “endorsing a candidate.” Truth is, I’m voting for GW Bush. He bought my vote again!)

• The pendulum is swinging. The more McCain tries to appeal to conservatives the more the swing voters realize he’s not their guy. Americans wants a more liberal president… McCain is pandering to the wrong people.
• Abortion means nothing in this cycle. Pro-life people, like myself, recognize that if Bush couldn’t move legislation on abortion no one can. Plus, both candidates are pro-choice so we are left to pick the less of two evils.
• Obama owns the green crowd. Green is the biggest marketing term of the year. McCain is big oil and Obama is big green.
• It’s an age thing. You’ve got a young candidate talking about change and an old candidate saying “stay the course.” Which message appeals to voters under 30? Have you seen the numbers from the primaries? People under 30 will vote in 2008.
• Obama has a recession proof message. The worse the economy looks the more he can say, “Do you want to keep doing what we’re doing? Then stay republican!“
• Obama owns the web. I’ve long said that the candidate who masters the web in 2008 will take the White House. Look at McCain’s website and then look at Obama’s.
• Obama owns the unions. Let’s face it. In states like Michigan, New York, and Ohio that matters.
• Young evangelicals are disavowing the politics of James Dobson. Check out this site, jamesdobsondoesntspeakforme.com. In fact, I said the same thing on March 17th, 2007. He’s not my guy, hasn’t been my guy for a long time. While Dobson isn’t endorsing McCain just yet, it’s not like Dobson is going to endorse Obama!

In 2000 and 2004, the media said that evangelicals like me elected George W. Bush as president. It’s my prediction that a massive shift will happen in 2008 as young evangelical voters decide they are ready to cease single issue voting. And the truth is, once you get to non-abortion issues that evangelicals care about… the pendulum will shift.

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Megan (7) has started to feel what is happening. She told mommy today, “This is a brave things we are doing together.” I think that that may have come from a conversation she and I had on Saturday. I told her, as we worked together, that this was probably the last time we’d be trimming these bushes. She shot back at me, “Yeah, we’re moving and we’ll never come back here again!”

The word “never” lead to a discussion about God’s sense of humor and how God was laughing at our move to California. Just a couple of months ago we joked that “We’d never live in California again, we just don’t like it. It’s not for us!” Who is laughing now? I think God is. He has a funny way of rewarding my “never” with a “Oh yeah?”

I believe God calls us to recklessly follow Him. I don’t mean we are called as Christians to be fools. But I think we are called to have “stupid faith.” God wants us to put faith in Him beyond logical fact.

And the McLane family is learning exactly how that works. We’re taking a major step of faith. We’re leaving the security of people we love. We’ve walked away from a job we loved. We’re leaving the perfect house on the perfect street. And why? Well… because daddy (me) is pretty sure God has called us to leave.

That’s why we can look at these tough few weeks ahead with a smile through the tears. You better believe there will be tears as we pack the truck and watch it head down Bailey Street. We’ll hug one another as this chapter of our life departs for the next one.

I know that the kids are sad. I know Kristen is sad. And I know that life will never quite be the same for all of us… because daddy is pretty sure God has called us to leave Romeo.

Where do you go when you’re entering times like this? I run to the classics. I think of Moses. I think of Joshua. I think I don’t want to be Jonah. I want to look into God’s eyes (figuratively, of course) and say… “It’s a crazy plan, but I will wrecklessly follow You.”

Everyone in our house is more brave than I am. Let’s be blunt about that. For me, there is little fear because I’m not stretching myself as much as they are. I know what San Diego is like and I know where I will work. I don’t have to start at a brand new school. I don’t have to find all new friends. I don’t have to find a job. But Kristen and the kids do. Heck, even Stoney and Lovely (our dog and cat) are more brave than I am. You don’t see me getting in the cargo area of a plane.

We’re brave together. I like that about what Megan said. To be honest, it’s a good thing to be brave together. I want to take big, bold, crazy steps of faith together as a family. God has proven Himself to me over and over… I know I can trust in Him. And I love teaching that to my kids.

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Thanks to Matt over at BlueHost for correcting the problem.

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Since we’ve not bought a car in over 10 years I was expecting that the car buying industry was a little different. 

It isn’t. Not a thing has changed. You can find limited information online. You certainly aren’t invited to do most of the transaction online. And overall I think car dealers websites stink. It’s as if car dealerships have no idea that people regularly buy things over the internet simply to avoid the unpleasant “Fast Eddie” experience.

In my ideal world I would test drive the 5-6 cars we are interested in a single location, then negotiate and purchase my car online. The only time I’d have to walk into a showroom filled with stale coffee, ugly ties, and worn out office furniture would be to pick up my keys, sign some stuff, and tell them to take that license plate cover off.

But I live in a fantasy world. There is no way I’m going to be able to buy my new car without hearing “I need to talk to my manager” followed by “Can I get you a coke?“ 

Hey Fast Eddie. You’re fired homie. 

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There is an assumption at the Romeo School board that if you don’t attend their 6 hour pointless meetings, that your opinion doesn’t count. I am certainly hoping that our community will wake up and start to see how members of the board are sitting by idly while Romeo Community School officials mismanage millions of taxpayer dollars. In November, our opinions are all that matter.

I’ve been very vocal about the sinking fund. This bond issue, the election of which was 90% financed by the companies awarded the contract, rewards the school district with an estimated $2.3 million for building maintenance. School board officials lied to the public and lied to the press when they assured everyone that if the bond passed the items the public deemed most needed would be completed. Here we are a few months later when the checks are being written and the priorities the public identified have been ignored. 

This appeared in last week’s Source newspaper:

 

Concerns were expressed by board members after a preliminary estimated budget for the total cost of all the projects for the next four years was released. The cost for all the projects, which the community compiled with the administration and the board, exceeded $14 million.

The sinking fund will only bring in approximately $9.2 million, or approximately $2.3 million a year. Schwark said this summer’s projects shouldn’t affect the district’s ability to complete most of the major projects on its want list. However, based on the early cost projections, she said some of the major projects for some of the buildings may not be accomplished during the next four years. (emphasis mine)

 

In other words… officials at the district will do whatever they want. In other words… the contractors who financed the bond election are getting to decide how to spend the $2.3 million according to their schedule!

And yet, there is no accountability. 

A couple months back I posted some ways the district could save money. In fact, I was talking about saving millions and millions of dollars by making some pretty simple choices. The easiest way to save money for the district was to make minor adjustments to the health care benefits, freeze raises, and renegotiate with teaches who had an open contract. Of course, the 4 members of the board whose elections are largely paid for by the unions would have nothing of that. (Wreford, Heir, Wilson, and Murray)

Vice President Kathy Wreford said everyone involved worked very hard to make sure the teachers’ contract was fair and appropriate. link

For whom? Giving teachers $278,000 in back pay isn’t fair to the district in any way. Giving teachers a pay increase and not adjusting the cost of health care to reflect current economic conditions is not fair or appropriate. While the teachers of the district work very hard and do an excellent job, it is irresponsible to not renegotiate an open contract in what Superintendent Joe Beck calls, “these toughest of financial times.” In the same action the Board praised itself for raising the fund equity balance (rainy day fund) it also spends from it while the public nods in agreement. Brilliant!

The school board is not leading. They simply refuse to take the districts finances to a place that is “fair and appropriate” for the times we live in to benefit the students. The unions and the contractors are leading the district. (Were they on the ballot? Did you see them? No, but they wrote the checks to get what they wanted passed!) They determine how the schools will spend money, what the curriculum will be, how the buildings are maintained, and how the districts employees will be managed. 

Let’s hope that brave people will be elected in November who will stand up for the children of this district and stop vowing their allegiance to a broken system. 

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Tough to believe it is Saturday already. What a quick week

While I’m doing all of that, music is always playing. Sometimes in my mind and sometimes on my ipod. So… here are the next 10 tunes rocking my eardrums this muggy June afternoon. As always, totally random shuffle, ratings included, no cheating. 

1. The Glory of it All by David Crowder Band ****
2. I Walk the Line by Johnny Cash *****
3. That Was Your Mother by Paul Simon *****
4. Sing, Sing, Sing by Chris Tomlin ****
5. I Won’t Be Silent by David Crowder Band ***** (would be a 6 if it were possible)
6. 1234 by Fiest *****
7. Chanukah Song by Adam Sandler *****
8. Dearest by Buddy Holly ****
9. Portadown Station by Sandra McCracken **** (totally miss Northern Ireland when I listen to this)
10. Beautiful Day by U2 *****

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So, I’m posting this video for discussion. I know she is the most powerful woman in media. I know millions of people adore every word she says. And I know she does “good things” like The Big Give and the school in South Africa.

I’m not the only one asking, “Is Oprah starting a Cult?” FoxNews asked the same thing. Cult watchdog, Rick Ross, is asking the same thing.

I look forward to your response. (BTW, the political junk at the end… yuck, that almost made this video not get posted!)

By the way, all throughout Exodus God says call me jealous. Here’s an example.

HT to Daniel

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