Elections, Dodging a Bullet, Sovereignty of God

The 2024 US Presidential election is in the books with Donald J. Trump the overwhelming winner. From the earliest days, I was not a Trump fan, but I gradually changed not because he's some kind of knight in shining armor but because the other side is so given to false and threatening values, so anti-American - not just patriotically but in their ideals - and so seemingly bent on leading the USA into greater socialism, authoritarianism, and decline. Trump is for sure not perfect, but neither am I. I do appreciate, though, that he follows through with most of his economic and political promises and he does indeed seem to have the good of the country at heart. So, did we dodge a bullet? Or in Christian terms, did we experience a reprieve and an opportunity based upon the sovereignty of God? I think both, and I am grateful. For more Christian commentary check my website at rexmrogers.com, or my YouTube channel @DrRexRogers. #Elections #Conservative #CommonSense

Transcript

If you are conservative, you probably feel like the country dodged a bullet in the last presidential election, whatever your feelings about the winning candidate. If so, what now?

Hi, I’m Rex Rogers and this is episode #183 of Discerning What Is Best, a podcast applying unchanging biblical principles in a rapidly changing world, and a Christian worldview to current issues and everyday life.

The 2024 U.S. Presidential election is in the books, and former president Donald J. Trump, Republican, soundly defeated Vice President Kamala Harris, Democrat. While I don’t think the President-elect walks on water and in fact have a few concerns about his persona, I confess that I was greatly relieved at the election results. 

I am one, in fact, who believes the U.S. dodged a bullet – or rather based upon my Christian faith, believe that in God’s providence this country has been spared what could have been a rapid spiral into greater socialism, authoritarianism, and consequent diminishment and weakness of America. And I believe, or at least I hope, we’ve been given an opportunity to adjust several threatening policies and trends – including an ongoing politicization of government agencies like the Department of Justice, FBI, and more, a continuation of so-called “woke” or DEI policies rooted in Marxist, racist theory, an escalation of abortion on demand and the promotion of sexual libertinism including the mutilation of children in the propagandistically-named “gender-affirming” care, and much more direct threats, most especially those undermining the First Amendment.

I believe this because the Democrat Party has long since been captured by what’s called the – ill-named again – “Progressives.” While President Joe Biden promised in his 2021 inaugural address to govern in the middle, on his first day in office he tacked left—not liberal, people who still believe in the U.S.A., but left, people who reject nearly every ideal upon which the United States was founded, and Mr. Biden then governed in a way promoted by these extremists in his party. 

This produced a highly inflationary economy, a debacle in Afghanistan, weakness on the world stage including the Middle East, and an intentional, some say treasonous, policy that ruined U.S. borders and invited a host of military-age men to flood the U.S., not in a desire for freedom or a chance to work, as was the case of millions coming through Ellis Island a century ago, but rather displaying an aggressive entitlement desire for handouts—smart phones, free hotel rooms, free food, transportation, health insurance, monthly income – which political leaders foolishly gave out in a brash effort to secure future votes and power.

Not every Democrat for sure, but the national Democrat Party is now decidedly not the party of my father-in-law who as a Marine fought on Guadalcanal, coming home with a Purple Heart and a Silver Star. Back then, the Democrats were the working- or middle-class man’s party that cared about opportunities for the economic have nots. Now, national Democrat Party leaders and activists are elitist, leftist, woke, pro-choice, anti-capitalist, open border globalists who seem to despise their own country and the freedom ideals that made it strong in the first place.

This does not mean the national Republican Party is the epitome and emblem of all that’s peaches and cream, right and good. While the Republican Party’s policies, including what we’ve seen thus far of what will be the new Trump Administration, focus on law and order, fiscal responsibility, peace through strength, traditional morality, and the rediscovery of truth, standards, excellence, and common sense, still, Republican politicians are just people, at times drawn into unwise political initiatives or, as we’ve seen in the so-called Establishment, “do-nothing,” “keep your head down” efforts to maintain their positions.

So, yes, I think our Sovereign God blessed America, gave us another chance to be “a shining city on the hill” and a beacon of freedom and prosperity for our citizenry and to the world. But the election is only a beachhead. We must follow through. 

In this podcast and, actually most of my writing over the last 30 years, I’ve tried not to write in a simply partisan way. One reason is that I believe biblical teaching and a Christian worldview should be brought to bear on all things political, social, and cultural, including political parties. In other words, as in the title of this podcast, we should exercise “discernment” in all things.

Another reason I’ve avoided openly partisan writing is that I wanted to preserve my own freedom of conscience to express my views as I deemed appropriate without allegiance to partisan politics. Finally, the political parties are not always right or correct or even morally astute. At least in writing, I wanted to be free to say this if I thought it was warranted.

I never liked and still don’t when conservative writers or Republicans lob cheap insults at President Joe Biden for his obvious dementia and other indicators of advancing age, e.g., make fun of him when he stumbles or slurs his words. This comes to us all if we live long enough. It seems to me there is a boatload of Mr. Biden’s policies and political initiatives or public statements with which I disagree, all fair game for critique, so why resort to vocabulary borrowed from World Wrestling Entertainment?

Besides, I hold Mr. Biden’s family and staff partly responsible for propping him up in what could legitimately be called elder abuse.

I never liked and still don’t when conservative writers or Republicans lob shallow arguments at Vice President Kamala Harris. By shallow arguments, I mean references to her being a woman, a Black or Indian woman. Who cares about her sex and race? 

Though I will say this, Vice President Harris proved to be what many already knew or suspected going into the coup-based campaign – an inept candidate unable to handle even softball interviews, let alone in-depth questions about national political issues. In my view, President Biden made a mistake during his campaign to become president when he publicly promised to choose a woman as VP. I am not against women being VP. In fact, that’s part of my point. I knew when he did this, he would come under enormous pressure to choose a woman of color.

Nothing wrong with this either, but candidate Biden backed himself into corner where he felt forced to choose from a short-list handed to him by leftist activists.

Point is, there are many women and many women of color who could handle the job of Vice President or President and who could run circles around VP Kamala Harris in talent, political skills, experience, and vision. Yet Mr. Biden chose the weakest in his list. Makes you wonder why.

I honestly feared for Mr. Biden’s health and well-being. I still do. I don’t want any president, no matter his politics, to die in office. But I most certainly do not want this to happen to Mr. Biden, then or now till Jan. 20, 2025, because I genuinely think a “President” Kamala Harris would put the USA in a vulnerable position.

So, if indeed we’ve dodged a bullet – and the Lord has given the USA both a reprieve from what could have been and an opportunity for what could be, what are we going to do with it? I’ll share this here:

1.    Restore what Trump followers call “common sense,” especially in recommitting to the idea of absolute truth in law and order. Arrest and prosecute perpetrators. Respect and reinforce people like Daniel Penny. Re-establish federal government agencies committed to serving the American people by being transparent, honest, and diligent in the maintenance of blind justice and equality before the law. Stop political leaders, starting in the Oval Office, from lying, dissembling, prevaricating, misleading, or whatever fancy word you want to use for spreading falsehoods that undermine trust.

2.    The economy is a funny thing. It works based on tangible goods and services, but it also functions on emotions—people’s hope for a better tomorrow. The Trump Administration needs to keep doing what the President-elect has so far done, talk about “Making America Great Again.” This is a political slogan and a cliché and an exercise in patriotism, but it does capture two things: Tomorrow and Optimism. This together with the President-elect’s business background, hopefully a few deregulation policies, and a plan to “drain the swamp,” including reducing the size of government via the new DOGE or Department of Government Efficiency, is already affecting Wall Street in a positive way. May the power of promise be multiplied. This rising tide lifts all boats.

3.    Give DEI or Diversity, Equity, Inclusion or Woke or Critical Race Theory a quick death in every corner of government, especially the Pentagon, and restore meritocracy, objectivity, individual responsibility, equal opportunity, color blindness, free market principles. If this can be accomplished in American education, the military, government agencies, and the law, the USA will once again become a bastion of freedom of opportunity for all. 

There is much more, of course, but let’s remember what Scripture says:

“Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish” (Ps. 146:3-4). 

And also, “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Tim. 2:1-2).

Well, we’ll see you again soon. This podcast is about Discerning What Is Best. If you find this thought-provoking and helpful, follow us on your favorite podcast platform. Download an episode for your friends. For more Christian commentary, check my website, r-e-x-m as in Martin, that’s rexmrogers.com. Or check my YouTube channel @DrRexRogers for more podcasts and video.

And remember, it is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm.

© Rex M. Rogers – All Rights Reserved, 2024   

*This podcast blog may be reproduced in whole or in part with a full attribution statement. Contact me or read more commentary on current issues and events at www.rexmrogers.com/ or my YouTube channel @DrRexRogers or connect with me at www.linkedin.com/in/rexmrogers or https://x.com/RexMRogers.