CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP & CIVIC DUTY
First, let me address everyone who professes to be a follower of Jesus Christ …
We Christians have a Biblical responsibility to God as stewards of all He’s entrusted into our care, including in the political arena. It is therefore a Christian’s obligation to deliver an America free of persecution and tyranny to our children, grandchildren and beyond (an America that is FREER or at least AS free as that which we received from OUR parents).
Further, as citizens of the United States of America, we have a civic duty to make the necessary efforts to be properly informed and to vote for Biblical values. Freedom isn’t free. Our right to vote isn’t optional. It is a sacred duty that men and women that came before us have fought and died to preserve. The cheaters are going to cheat, and we definitely need to address that issue. But that doesn’t absolve anyone from his or her responsibility to be informed and cast a ballot.
One of the biggest reasons that evil is prevailing in America today is that nearly 50% of legal American citizens that claim to be followers of Jesus Christ do NOT vote! If Christians don’t step up and vote this November, America may very well cease to exist as a nation. Don’t let that happen!
Stepping down off my soap box now …
Below are my personal picks. I also share my reasoning where it’s not an obvious choice. Additionally, at the very bottom, I’ve listed several great resources to help you research candidates and propositions on your own, so you can make intelligent, informed decisions. I hope you find this blog post helpful. Please feel free to share it.
VOTE EARLY OR VOTE ON ELECTION DAY?
Because of the rampant corruption and fraud being committed (ask me), it is ALWAYS better to vote in person on Election Day. Vote in your local neighborhood at your precinct on Election Day, or take your mail-in ballot directly to the Registrar of Voters office on Election Day and place it in the box inside their offices yourself. The fewer hands that touch your ballot in the chain of custody, the better. And remember that voting early tips off the fraudsters as to the number of votes they need to manufacture to steal the election. Don’t help them.
If you MUST vote early, take your mail-in ballot directly to the Registrar of Voters office and place it in the box inside their offices yourself. If that is not possible, ask a trusted relative or close friend to take it for you. If THAT is also not possible, Calvary Chapel Chino Hills and some other churches (there need to be LOTS more!) have programs to receive your ballot, have you sign a log so there is evidence of you dropping your ballot off with them, and provide you with a physical (paper) receipt. By law, they must deliver the ballot on your behalf to the Registrar of Voters’ office within 72 hours. Don’t ever give your ballot to someone you don’t know and trust. And NEVER mail the ballot in through the U.S.P.S.! If you don’t trust the post office with cash, why would you trust them with your vote, which is infinitely more valuable?
Again, please vote ON ELECTION DAY if at all possible, and if you MUST vote early, remember that you want as FEW people as possible handling your ballot along the way.
My 2024 General Election Picks for Irvine, California (Orange County)
In all of these races, there is a clear choice between good and evil, so no explanation has been given. My methodology is now, and always is, this: simply review where each candidate stands on the issues, compare them with what God says in His Word, and pick the candidate that most closely aligns with Biblical values. For each of these races, it’s a no-brainer.
President & Vice President of the United States
– Donald J. Trump & JD Vance
United States Senator – Full Term
– Steve Garvey
United States Senator – Partial/Unexpired Term
– Steve Garvey
United States Representative – 47th District
– Scott Baugh
State Senator – 37th District
– Steven Choi
Member of the State Assembly – 73rd District
– Scotty Peotter
South Orange County Community College District – Governing Board Member – Trustee Area 1
– Katherine Daigle*
*NOTE: As of 10/13/24, I have not yet completed my research for this race, but there is consensus among the resources I list above for Katherine Daigle as the best choice, so I have listed her here as a placeholder until I can complete my research. Note that I was unable to quickly/easily locate an updated website. But her website from her last run for Mayor of Irvine two years ago does contain good information about her background, including the 10-minute audio podcast at that website.
City of Irvine – Mayor
– Ron Scolesdang**
**NOTE: As of 10/13/24, I have not yet completed my research for this race, but there is consensus among the resources I list above for Ron Scolesdang as the best choice, so I have listed him here as a placeholder until I can complete my research. That being said, I also met in a small setting with Felipe Delgado and believe he could also be a good candidate.
PROPOSITIONS
Quick Summary: Vote NO on All Propositions Except #s 34 & 36.
GENERAL NOTE: I always urge taxpayers to vote NO on ALL bond measures. These debt issues are just a hidden tax increase. Instead, let’s require some fiscal responsibility. If this is an important project, let them cut something else to afford to pay for it.
NO on Proposition 2
– Bond Measure, see General Note above
NO on Proposition 3
– If passed, Prop 3 would remove language in the CA Constitution that says that marriage is only between a man and a woman. Nancy’s Picks further states that it would add the words, the “right to marry is a fundamental right,” which vague language would open the door to many additional abuses and perversions, such as allowing for “… child marriages, incest, and polygamy.” The Real Impact Voter Guide additionally states that we opponents of Prop 3 are concerned that it would remove a clear definition of marriage, and is dangerous in that “… stating that ‘marriage is a fundamental right’ makes way for any person seeking to enter a marriage not recognized by California law to claim their right is being violated.” Bad news! God ordained marriage as the union between one man and one woman where the two become one flesh. Anything that redefines this is a perversion and an abomination before the Lord.
NO on Proposition 4
– Bond Measure, see General Note above
NO on Proposition 5
– Bottom line is that this is really another Bond Measure, see General Note above. In addition, though, it also makes it easier to pass MORE bond measures by lowering the percentage of the vote required to pass them to 55% from the current threshold of 66.67% (2/3rds) of voters.
NO on Proposition 6
– Reform California more accurately re-titles this Proposition, “Removes Requirement that Criminals in Prison Have to Do Work Details – Allows Prisoners to Unionize and Demand Pay Hikes from Taxpayers.” They further state, “Prop 6 is being sold as a ban on “slavery and involuntary servitude” but it actually just eliminates the ability of state prisons to require criminals behind bars do work to earn their keep. Worse, taxpayers will be forced to give pay raises to prisoners for doing tasks they should be doing themselves like cleaning their cells and common areas, doing laundry, making foods, etc.”
NO on Proposition 32
– Anyone that took Economics 101 in college understands that a Minimum Wage is what is known as a “Floor Price” for labor. A Floor Price artificially imposes a price for a product or service that is higher than it would be if the free market Law of Supply and Demand were allowed to regulate it naturally. The creation or increase of a Minimum Wage ALWAYS results in harming the very workers it purports to help. By increasing the cost to employers, employers react to these higher costs in one or more of the following ways: by firing some employees and requiring the remaining employees to carry a greater workload, by automating jobs to eliminate or reduce the need for as many human employees, by increasing prices to its customers causing inflation, and by other methods that either result in loss of employment, more difficulty finding employment, and higher prices of necessary goods.
NO on Proposition 33
– For all you Econ 101 students, Rent Control is the opposite of Minimum Wage. This is what is known as a “Ceiling Price” – an artificially imposed price for a product or service that is LOWER than it would be in the free market. The government has no business interfering in what a landlord can ask in rent. The cause of high rental rates currently plaguing California and other Democrat controlled states, counties, and cities is not because of greedy landlords. My side commentary is this: welfare is the responsibility of the church, NOT government. If local churches step up and care for individuals in their own communities the way we are supposed to, there would be no opportunity for the government to impose itself in the middle. There are a myriad of different ways individual Christians and churches can step in to help those who cannot afford housing costs. The government’s solution is always one that keeps the people dependent for life. Instead, churches should develop programs that give those who are struggling to make ends meet a couple fish temporarily while simultaneously teaching them how to be better fishermen – instead of the government’s solution of promising them free fish for life.
YES on Proposition 34
– Reform California says, “Prop 34 was put on the ballot because a so-called non-profit (The AIDS Healthcare Foundation) has received hundreds of millions in taxpayer funds for their programs through government contracts and has used those funds to engage in ballot measure campaigns to advance liberal policies. Prop 34 would end that scheme.” On page 51 of the Official Voter Information Guide, in the Argument Against Proposition 34, the opponents argue that Prop 34, “… has only one purpose: to prevent AIDS Healthcare Foundation from promoting rent control.” They have unambiguously stated their agenda here – more rent control. See my Prop 33 argument against Ceiling Prices above.
NO on Proposition 35
– At its simplest level, this is a pretty easy one here. It converts a TEMPORARY tax into a PERMANENT tax. Absolutely not! John Moorlach suggests it would likely result in increased healthcare premiums, too.
YES on Proposition 36
– Reform California restates this title as, “Restores Ability for Police and Prosecutors to Arrest and Punish Criminals to Combat Crime Wave.” Prop 36 would attempt to reverse Prop 47, which is in a very large part responsible for the rapid rise in crime since Prop 47’s passing. For example, leftist “fact-checker” site Snopes.com stated, “July 21, 2021 – The passage of Prop 47 means that thefts involving property valued at less than $950 will no longer be prosecuted in California.” This isn’t because they CAN no longer be prosecuted, but they are NOT being prosecuted because those crimes are now considered misdemeanors instead of felonies, which means the legal system can no longer punish criminals commensurate to the severity of the crime, so law enforcement has no incentive to make arrests because the revolving door is in place. We’ve all seen the videos of the exponential increase in smash-and-grab crimes as a result. Prop 36 reverses some of the damage inflicted by Prop 47. We definitely need to hold criminals accountable for their actions, and this is at least a step in the right direction.
These are my thoughts and reasoning. I welcome to hear from you if you have a different opinion.
May God go before us and protect these elections from fraud!
RESOURCES
(If I’ve missed any resources that you think should also be listed here, please email me and I’ll be happy to add them after first reviewing and vetting them.)
Election Forum – Craig Huey
ElectionForum.org
Judge Voter Guide – Craig Huey (there are no judges on my Irvine General Election Ballot)
JudgeVoterGuide.com/by-state-judge-races
Nancy’s Picks – Nancy Sandoval
NancysPicks.com
Robyn Nordell
RobynNordell.com
Biblical Voter – Salt & Light Council / Dran Reese
BiblicalVoter.com
MyFaithVotes – Jason Yates
MyFaithVotes.org
Reform California – Carl DeMaio “Plain English” Voter Guide (w/o deceptive titles)
https://reformcalifornia.org/voter-guides
iVoterGuide & Party Platform Comparisons – emailed out by FRC Action / Tony Perkins
iVoterGuide.com
FRCaction.org/platforms
Real Impact Voter Guides – Gina Gleason (affiliated w/ Jack Hibbs/CC Chino Hills)
https://intercom.help/real-impact/en/articles/9682890-2024-real-impact-voter-guide
RealImpact.US
QR Codes
Click a QR Code to link through to the page. Save these individually to your photos app on your phone, and you can quickly use them when door knocking, or text them to other voters.
