This is our second episode of Right Mom/Left Mom. Elizabeth Esther and I will be doing weekly segments in which we talk about politics and current events in a way that hopefully models empathy and civility . . . even though the two of us are coming from very different places. This week, we are discussing the new GOP vice-presidential pick Paul Ryan and how this will or won’t change the campaign. We also discuss Paul Ryan’s affinity for Ayn Rand, and whether or not Rand’s philosophy is antithetical to the Christian faith. We also discuss McCain’s campaign and where he went wrong, and our feelings on Sarah Palin. We touch briefly on the relationship between the Republican party and the evangelical Christian movement. We hope you enjoy it? Leave a comment and let us know your thoughts on the following:
- What do you think of the Paul Ryan nomination? Do you think it will effect the outcome of the election?
- What’s the deal with the Republican obsession with Ayn Rand? Are her philosophies compatible with Christian tradition?
- Could John McCain have been the next Ronald Regan? And what did you think of Sarah Palin?
- What are your thoughts on the relationship between the Republican party and the evangelical Christian movement?
If you’ve got topics you’d like us to cover in a future episode, leave a suggestion in the comments as well! What is Right Mom/Left Mom?
Elizabeth and I have been friends for a while, and we have some differences (she’s a Catholic with conservative political views, I’m a liberal-leaning post-evangelical). At the same time, we are both really passionate about improving the current discourse surrounding partisan politics in the U.S. We got the idea for a webcast after being pitted against one another on an episode of Fox and Friends. Both of us have done enough tv spots to know that the 24 hour news cycle is all about highlighting extremes and creating debate. We want to create a space where we can talk without the pressure of needing to notch up the drama for ratings . . . where we can be thoughtful and honest about politics, and find the places where we agree as much as we disagree. And thus, Right Mom/Left Mom was born. We hope it can be interesting to our readers in the lead-up to the election this November.
