My Honest View of Faith vs. Trump

Every once in a while I have a discussion with my thirties-something son about politics. This intelligent and thoughtful man child has observed that there’s a divide among evangelical Christians regarding Donald Trump as commander in chief. Apparently generations below my own do not understand why conservative Christians enthusiastically support Mr. Trump. They looks straight through the person and see all of the purity issue failures in his past. They also observe evangelical support of him as blatant hypocrisy. My son (and many in his age group) are curious (and somewhat appalled) why a true Christian would openly embrace or support such a person?

Early in our discussion I made it known that I’ve never personally liked the individual holding the highest office in our land now. This person behind the office doesn’t embody the type of person that I would ever admire. A 3 time husband and father with multiple marriages and likely affairs he doesn’t embody the kind of man I would befriend or admire. He’s an odd mix of liberal social thought coupled with a seemingly solid current family unit. Perhaps the man closed the book on his playboy lifestyle some time ago and settled into being a committed husband and father? Maybe he lived his early and middle life off the rails and then somehow found his way back to the tracks?

This businessman turned president has traveled in circles with the rich and famous globally. He’s rubbed elbows with elite and powerful people all of his adult life. As a reality TV show host he displayed his brash and bold business style. He made many of us cringe to think we would ever have such a boss who would fire people on a whim.

He is a mover and a shaker. He’s made things happen in the business world that few could ever claim. And he brags about it. Most of us were taught to keep our bragging rights to ourselves. He uses his infamous tweets to springboard his ideas into our media frenzied society. I said early in his presidency that he lights a firecracker with his words and then while the critics and pundits rail on for days he moves on to the next item on his list while the arguments ensue. His bully pulpit really stirs the pot.  He enjoys lighting the firecracker and then watching his detractors run and squeal. He fuels a debate and then while everyone is all stirred up he moves on to make another deal.

Donald the businessman appeals to people with big money because he provides them places to visit and enjoy. With fabulous golf resorts and fancy hotels in exotic locations he pleases the wealthy nicely and is rewarded handsomely for his efforts. The people who are able to visit his properties aren’t concerned with the cost. They are the ones looking for the opulent choice. Such places might be a dream to mainstream America because they (we) might never have the opportunity to be one of his customers.

Mr. Trump has found a friend in rural and urban America. One reason I think he has gotten this grassroots support is that he is not afraid of poking people in the eye for what many of us see as injustice.  He sees the status quo as stale and outdated. In business and international affairs he ferrets out bad deals and shatters them. He calls people out. He shoots from the hip and says what many were already thinking. His way of relating to the common man in America is unique in modern politics. He appears to “get” how many are feeling and masterfully taps into that with a folksy off-script style. He draws and energizes crowds more than we’ve seen in generations. And his audiences are lock-step with him, flaws and all.

He is a capitalist to the core. Capitalism is freedom – in its truest sense. Individualist freedom is what made America great from the beginning. We were given the opportunity to create and live and thrive by a group of people who had been under bondage. They paved the road of independence and we traveled that road. If you think up a product or service which others might need or enjoy, you have the freedom to create a business and if you do it well, you can soar.

When we elect someone to public office it is natural prospective voters to review every aspect of a candidate’s life and background. They are sized up to see if we like who they are as people. We also (rightfully so) evaluate them on the merits of what they might bring to the table in skills and expertise, based on the office they will hold. We do no elect a president as if we are choosing a pastor, priest or rabbi.

In the case of Donald Trump we find his willingness to take on the status quo (in both parties). That appeals to many who are tired of political gamesmanship, that’s been part of our landscape WAY too long. If capitalism is something we embrace then the office of the presidency should lead the charge for business, whether we like it or not.

Trump may not be my candidate of choice based on my social or personal view of him. We elect someone to preside and command. When he was elected in 2016 I rather doubted that he would embrace conservative values and programs. My greatest hope from his election was the hope and possibility that he’d be able to re-balance the Supreme Court. Gladly he did follow that path and his choices kept the court from straying too far left. In my opinion, the balance of the court was the most important aspect of the 2016 election, period.

It’s my belief that evangelical believers have been watching closely to see if this president really supports conservative values by actions, and not just words. So far he’s done that bidding in big ways. Those same watching Christians would never employ his  tactics in own their pursuit of change. I think Trump’s personality seems to be viewed like a Goliath facing and taking down Giants in the political arena (on both sides).

Underdogs seem to find a strong friend in Donald Trump.

So we are left with a choice. As I told my son, I just don’t see anyone on the other side side of our political spectrum promoting hopeful or encouraging plans that would lead  our country that I can positively embrace. So for the time being this right-wing social conservative deplorable will stay in his basket with a flawed guy who oddly enough wants to make America conservative and Christian again.

Democratic Bickering Resolution – 101

I avoid political things nowadays (on social media and other places).

But everything political, governmental or social issues are now IN OUR FACE  – and controversial to the core. Current topics and issues in our country are dividing and conquering us. We are becoming bitter enemies by things we believe or state (either out loud verbally or by posting to some form of social media). We are in one continuous slug fest with family, friends and co-workers.

Considering the technology that we enjoy in 2017, have you ever wondered why we’ve not really heard much about solving our governmental and voting differences by doing so using the available technology and being able to vote electronically?

What if we could solve all of the bickering within a matter of days or hours by simply casting an electronic ballot on issues? The electorate could truly have a voice, and a quick one at that. From referendums or new proposals for laws WE could make real decisions on issues facing our country. Our representative form of government needs serious tweaking.

This could be our answer!

Such a plan could be done at every level of governing. Local, state and national elections would all be done this way.  I know there would be naysayers of every persuasion that say this is unfair and that poor people would not be able to cast a vote or it would be a burden on them to do so. Correct me if I am wrong, but most of the panhandlers on the street corners and even people living under the bridge are quick to whip out their smartphones when they need to. In 2017 you are going to be hard pressed to find someone who does not have some form of current electronic technology, usually in their pocket or purse. We know that because of government programs that have given away such phones to people “in need”.

So I propose that every level of government devise a way for people to be able to vote on issues electronically. It would be quick and sure. If handled with all of the security and safety precautions it would be an honest and precise process. And voting totals could be confirmed after a simple keyboard request to tally the results.

Of course the key to the success of such a plan would be in on the front end – the vetting process. Before you could get a login and password to vote as a bona fide and registered voter, you’d have to prove several things.

1. Prove that you are a citizen of our country (electronic copies of birth certificates) 2. Prove that you are still alive (easy through social security number verification). 3. Prove your residency for your voting precinct. Getting all parties to agree on what is required to prove you are eligible to vote will be the biggest fight you’ve ever seen. But once this is resolved and set in stone the real decisions of democracy could be determined quickly and accurately.

I truly believe this would be a fair and equitable way to make up or down decisions. And one of the BIG benefits of such a plan would make it easier for many people who claim to be disenfranchised for whatever reason would be able to be heard. And that could happen easily. But as with everything, the devil will be in the details.

Voter apathy in the United States has been a sad thing to watch.  But with the advent of the internet and things like social media people are now engaged in current affairs like never before. I say that if you take a guy (or girl) who has never voted before in their life and show them a current hot button revision of our law that they could make their voice be heard by a simple electronic vote that would take less than 5 minutes of time from the comfort of a recliner, I’d say we could increase greatly the number of participating citizens. And they could be involved in every decision at every level of government.

I know that such a plan could be easily done AFTER some very heavy lifting required to get us out of the current mode of operation that we languish in. But the results could be realized in short order and implemented without months and years of red tape and delay. If only we would consider making this change.

We really need to stop all of the bickering and fighting and name calling. We are better people that what we see in the news (fake or not) and on social media. The truth is we are not a very social society currently.

We need real and lasting change from our elected representative government types. We (the people) need to be the ones deciding things in this country and not a bunch of loose cannons that vote their own consciences on every conceivable thing – that WE face.

I welcome comments and suggestion about such a proposal.

State Of The GOP – Part 2

Well time moves on and the race for power and control continues to take the normal twists and turns. Super PACS and media gurus work separately and sometimes in unison to promote the current new favorite darling candidate, regardless of who the base of the party really favors. They try and tell us who we favor, but truth be known we have much different ideas that the candidate of the month club.

Debates continue and they also continue to be a manipulative machine favoring and giving time and credence to candidates who are doing the best in the “so called” polls. Media and money favored candidates are given the most air time for questions. Some candidates are down-right ignored in favor of the ones who might cause the most stir. And the pitting of the candidates continues with the crafty questions and directed rebuttals. People like Ben Carson are basically ignored in favor of higher profile personalities. So the beat goes on.

It seems incredible to me that some would-be presidential candidates hang on for so long when in actual comparison (face to face exchanges) they just don’t do well or perform as hoped. Yet they keep spending money like there is no tomorrow. But I guess it is normally other people’s money from their particular special interest groups that are the promotors and pushing them.

Hopefully the issues of the day are bringing all of us to the place where we ponder the questions like, who do I really trust and respect to hold the highest office the land of all lands? We must start drawing our conclusions and distinctions. It’s time to draw the lines of importance. We must decide who we think is a true and faithful patriot that we can trust our destiny with. Who is it that can muster a nation behind him or herself and lead us to higher ground? Who will honestly and faithfully uphold the constitution of our land? Who best suits the fact that their life will never be the same again and who can  also make us proud to be Americans, again?

Pundits abound. Crazy statements are thrown around like cheap candy in a parade. Shocking truths (and half truths) abound. Truth is hard to find. When truth is spoken it is spun into anything but the truth.

We have some tough days ahead of us. With every passing day we see events that undermine our freedoms and give us concern about our common goals of freedom. The current leadership seems to think they are the supreme and ultimate decision makers for us all. Soon, and very soon, we will see a change as we gain control once again of our constitutional republic. We’ve witnessed historic flagrant abuses of power, but that will end. The winds of change will once again bring us back to the middle.

America has had enough and together we will heartily and loudly restore our republic soon. Sensibilities will prevail and we will again enjoy a sense of comradery, pride and peace as we move our values back to a place of goodwill and statesmanship.

Haters. I am. Are you too?

 

I hate poor quality. I hate poor customer service. I hate liars and thieves. I hate having to be at work by 8 A.M. I hate Mondays. I hate that America now apologizes for exceptionalism. I hate to see our veterans get pushed aside and forgotten. I hate the media that doesn’t report the truth. I hate taxes. I hate being punished for my beliefs. I hate able bodied people who won’t work for a living. I just hate where our country has ended up and headed. On the flip side I am a lover.

 

I love quality products that last. I love merchants that actually like doing business with me. I love truth. I love doing the work that I do. I love each day of the week when people leave me alone and let me excel. I love the ingenuity and exceptionalism that my parents and grandparents taught me. I love the sacrifices that our veterans made for us and our freedom. I love it when journalism is not tainted and just reports what happened. I love paying my fair share of taxes that adds to and increases capitalism. I love the rewards of faith in God, who loves me and is in control. I love when I see people stand up and make it on their own financially by hard work and ingenuity. I love America and the freedoms we’ve enjoyed for at least 238 years. I love my wife and my family. I love my life.

So in the end I am more of an optimist and a lover than I am a pessimist and hater. You know, the true haters are the ones who take truth and twist it into a lie.    

Trying to Understand the Liberal View

I’m trying to understand!

My upbringing in Dallas, Texas was smack dab in the middle of the so-called bible belt of the United States. The Bible belt was and is a microcosm with a diverse mix of cultural values that have been embraced for a number of generations in the south.

My wonderful parents instilled in me a basic understanding of right and wrong. Also instilled in me was a basic respect for authority at every level. I knew instinctively that I would always be subservient to someone, and many times that would be applied to my relationship with an employer or other authority over me that controlled some part of my life. I would be lying if I didn’t say some of the required submission to authority didn’t stick well in my craw and I mumbled about it every chance I could, at times. But the facts remain that I was and still am subject to the authority of greater powers than myself.

 

I think about a lot of different issues just in the course of any day. During our most recent election cycle I was deep in the mire of keeping abreast of every event or newsworthy tidbit related to the election. I listened to a lot of facts about both sides and sifted through the facts and disseminated fact from fiction the best I could, and as carefully as I could.

Although the candidate on the “right” side of the debate was not my first choice, I resigned myself to the realization that he was the better choice of the candidates we were given to vote for. My guy was not as conservative as I would have liked him to be, but he had faith and family values and virtues that I admire and embrace in my own life. But the rest is now history and we know the outcome didn’t appease the conservative voting block of the nation, of which I count myself a part of.

As I’ve surveyed what’s happened in the past few years I’ve learned some invaluable lessons that I didn’t think I would ever be faced to learn. Like the fact that our society has changed. And in my own opinion these changes have happened in rapid succession in recent history, perhaps over the past 10 years. Having lived through the many changes of the 1960’s and the social revolution that took place then, I compare what’s happened in the past several years to the 60’s in some ways, yet in a deeper more drastic and dramatic way.

Until the past decade I didn’t really think of myself as a true conservative, until I realized what a large difference there is in my own values contrasted to the “new” way of thinking about everything. And, dang it, I find myself really as far right as you might be able to swing. This thinking is really deep seated and very dogmatic.

I’ve tried to think about and embrace, in some way, the thinking of those who have turned the apple cart up on its side to include morality, trustworthiness, and the overall view of fiscal matters at every level. I know that in every generation some of the accepted practices and beliefs are altered, toned down or even flat ignored and changed. Some of this is a generational cycle that bucks the norm, but at some point that pendulum swings back in the other direction, at least to some degree.

But from what I’ve observed (and this is open to debate) I think our society has been and continues to make significant changes to what I call the “liberal way”. What troubles me greatly is the fact that there no longer appears to be middle ground. No serious debate occurs between both sides with any negotiable outcome, left or right. It seems that when the majority view (or voting block) leans to the left, there is a complete and utter ignoring of any alternative view or proposition toward the right. In previous generations this was called “stonewalling”. But stonewalling happened so as to prove a point, so that middle ground could be achieved.

The atmosphere of our current age (liberalism) is that “they” will change things to “their” way of thinking and will not compromise or take any part in the “right’s” positions or view. They will not even consider them, whatsoever. If this is really true, we have a serious problem in our society that is not easily remedied. From the view of the right, it appears that we are on a collision course and even though every red flag, bell, whistle or other warning signal is being used, the course of our destinies will not be changed. It is utterly and ignorance of truth.

That is what I see. I would hope that this is only my view of things, but I’m afraid that we are perilously close to a full collapse in our society on every level. Unless the powers in control do not come to some place of discussion and serious debate and concession we will be forced to take a road that will not be a fun or smooth ride. Considering the great and many strides we’ve made as a people in every form of our society might be greatly diminished or destroyed. What Americans love and expect could be gone.

Think through and decide you own convictions. Give future generations a chance to carry on our precious liberties. Speak the truth to those you know and car about. Stand up and be counted. Vote in every election and vote for people who share your values and convictions. Don’t waiver and give up. Stand strong and be counted.