Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Can Republicans Get it Together and Win?

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Can any conservative, Catholic or Protestant, come away from last night's "State of the Union" address without recognizing America is on the wrong track?

It's deeply concerning to hear the President suggest that the physical borders that define America on the map are actually an impediment to so-called "progress," while celebrating the status of an illegal alien who is the guest of the First Lady---suggesting those who believe in controlling our borders and enforcing our laws are people who have no compassion.

It is equally concerning to witness the incremental "remaking" of our country from being a bastion of the free market to a slave of socialism.

Most concerning to me personally, and to most people of faith, is the assault on religious freedom, Christianity and the Christian principles and values upon which the most free and prosperous nation in human history was founded.

In the Year of our Lord, 2016---that all can change.

But will it? A President Hillary Clinton will not change it---she will advance that destructive agenda.

Only an act of God can turn things around. And God often uses people---like us, to do His work here on Earth.

We must be informed, motivated and prayerful.

The Party seems to be coalescing around Mitt Romney, who has apparently decided to run for a 3rd time after declaring he would not for the past 2 years, and Jeb Bush who, according to the New York Times, recently sought advice from John McCain as to how to win the nomination without "pandering" to the those Republicans on the right.

Can the Republican Party get it together enough to actually nominate a winner?


Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) is so enthusiastic about the president's $320 billion socialistic "free college" plan, he is telling the press we've got to do it because "it's important to the security" of the United States.

Obamacare is a disaster. MIT Professor Gruber, the architect of the health care plan, has repeatedly admitted that had they not misled the "stupid" American people, "it would have never passed the vote in Congress."

Some of the Republicans we elected in November, now in Washington DC, are suggesting that repealing Obamacare is not the best way to go.

What? That's why we gave them their job.

Can we not see it's about redistributing the wealth, not about health care? It's about remaking America.

Why can't Republicans, in unison, call and act for its repeal?

I'm not an economist, but even the "stupid" people in our country understand our economy is not static---it's dynamic---given the proper freedom, it can grow and grow. Lowering the tide through socialism sinks a lot of boats---a rising tide floats all the boats.

Why can't elected Republicans simply stand up and act on conservative fiscal principles? Those principles they talk about back home during election time. Are we no longer convinced they work?

However, it is the assault on Christian values and principles, and the assault on Christianity itself that is most concerning to millions of biblical Christians, myself included.

Our Founders made it abundantly clear that biblical principles were the foundation of their new enterprise called the United States of America. And its purpose was to create an environment for religious freedom to thrive.

And it did.

Today we are in the throes of a cultural revolution, with one side holding to the eternal values and principles upon which this nation was founded---the other demanding they be eradicated in the name of multiculturalism, political correctness and secular progressivism.

Current leadership in our country is leading the assault on these principles and freedoms.

When the families who own Conestoga Wood Products and Hobby Lobby declined to buy abortion-inducing drugs and devices because of their biblical beliefs in the sanctity of life, the federal government attempted to fine both of them $95,000 per day.

A 5-4 decision by the Supreme Court has given them a reprieve---at least for now.

Remember Aaron and Melissa Klein? I wrote about them in this column.

They owned "Sweet Cakes by Melissa" in Gresham, Oregon. They politely declined, because of their biblical belief that marriage is between a man and a woman, to bake a "wedding" cake for 2 lesbians. The lesbians were seeking to get "married" under a federal court ruling that struck down Oregon's pro-marriage referendum.

The two filed a complaint under Oregon labor law. The Oregon Bureau of Labor fined the couple $150,000, a sum that will bankrupt them.

The Bureau also required the Kleins be "rehabilitated" from their religious views on marriage.

Barronnelle Stutzman. owner of Arlene's Flower Shop in Richland, Washington. has been dragged into court by the ACLU and Washington State's Attorney General Bob Ferguson because she, too, holds biblical beliefs on marriage and politely declined to service a homosexual "wedding."

This is happening across the country. Both big and small business owners are being dragged into court for practicing their religious beliefs. Photographers, bakers, florists, marriage venues---all under attack by the government because they will not violate their biblical beliefs and conscience.

Remember the lesbian Houston mayor who tried to subpoena local pastor's sermons because they taught what the Bible teaches on homosexual behavior?

While the Republican Platform actually addresses these and other specific values, those who lead the Party have often not held to those beliefs. Or at least have been unwilling to stand for them publicly.

The reason? Well, they say, we can't win a national election on those "far right social values."

How many presidential elections has the Party won lately?

With all-out war being waged on conservatism and Christian biblical values and principles, we are standing at an historic moment in our country.

Can the Republican Party rediscover their identity, and win the upcoming presidential election?

Or will they choose another looser?

The Republican Party seems to be coalescing around Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush, with a "maybe" on Chris Christie. There is a lot of time between now and November 2016, but the battle the conservative people of Christian faith must fight is now---right now---at the beginning of the primary campaigns.

The Primary election is already beginning to take some kind of form---money is being promised, commitments are being made.

With Romney, Bush and Christie at the top of Carl Rove's candidate list---and other lists as well, it's time to ask about Ben Carson, Mike Huckabee, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and others. Will they be frozen out?

The New York Times reported back on December 12 that Jeb Bush was seeking council from John McCain as to how he could win the Party nomination without "pandering to the Party's conservative base on the right."

McCain told him to "Lock up the center and let them fight it out on the right."

It's not very encouraging, knowing that Bush is seeking advice from McCain. The metaphor of the blind leading the blind comes to mind. And is that the role they see us Christians playing in the upcoming election---"fighting it out on the right" while they nominate yet another so-called "moderate?"

Just yesterday, one of the leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention told the press he had met with Jeb Bush and was comfortably surprised by Jeb Bush's conservatism.

What if the Right in the Party decides not to "fight it out" but to humble ourselves before God, and pray and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways?

What then? They will hear from heaven, their sins will be forgiven and the land will be healed.

That is the light in the darkness. Let's proceed.

Be Prayerful. Be Informed. Be Vigilant. Be Bold. Be Pro-Active. Be Free.