California Politics
The state where I spent seventeen years of my life is headed toward the October 7 climax of the wild-and-crazy recall race.

The current conventional wisdom would seem to show Arnold Schwarzenegger with the most momentum coming out of this week's debate. If I were still a voter there, I'd be sharing the dilemma faced by those California voters who think like me. On policy, especially dealing with the life issues, I would be most aligned with Tom McClintock. Arnold Schwarzenegger describes himself as "pro-choice", although I've heard he would support parental notification and curtailing partial-birth abortion. Since he has not held public office before, there is no previous record on which to judge his positions.

I believe a prolife voter could conscientiously chose either the path of choosing the best candidate or choosing another candidate who is less desirable on the core issues if the voter sincerely believes that that is the best way to prevent a third, even less desireable candidate from attaining the office. The second course would be acceptable if the voter sincerely believes that is the most effective way to advance (or at least hold ground) on the most important issues, and is not demoting those issues for the sake of other valid but less crucial concerns.

I can respect a voter taking either course under the above conditions. I would be careful to avoid attacking the motives of someone chosing the most preferable candidate as a "purist spoiler" or someone chosing a more electable candidate as a "compromising sell-out". I can only pray that the voters of California choose wisely.