Why Not Trump

Following my last Elisha's Ax Head post "The Growing Pandemic of Foot-and-Mouth Disease" I stated this post would emphasize how we actually avoid the malady. Unfortunately, it has taken me more time than I expected to prepare the second post, and with all that has happened in the month since I last posted I have decide to delay my post for one month. I apologize for the delay but after this post I will return to Elisha's Ax Head

Can anyone explain why for 6+ years under President George W Bush (43) we went without any terrorist attack on US soil, or on our interests overseas, while after 71/2 years of Obama we have had either a terrorist attack, a mass shooting, or riots weekly?

Sometimes Obama says availability of guns is the problem. Other times, he says its because of a racist judicial system. Were guns not as readily available from 2003-­2009? Do we spend too much money on military spending, or have we failed to use our military to create diversity? Why did George Bush's foreign policy result in the liberation of 17 million Muslims, whereas Obama's foreign policy has resulted in the rise of an oppressive caliphate like we haven't seen in 1400 years? Can anyone explain why Bush accepted Don Rumsfeld resignation after Abu Ghraib, and why Eric Holder was still employed after Fast and Furious, Lois Lerner suffered no consequence after the IRS scandal, and Koskinen still has a job after repeatedly lying to Congress?

Can anyone explain how George W. Bush convinced Khadafy to surrender his chemical weapons, when Obama and Clinton policies have destabilized the middle east, installed a more tyrannical government than Khadafy's' left the nation in civil war, and lost the lives of four American diplomats? Can anyone explain to me why the Chinese have effectively annexed the Spratly Islands, while Obama has done nothing to stem North Korean's aggression. Under George W. Bush both countries were  participating in a six-nation negotiation about these matters?

Can anyone explain why the deficit decreased and jobs grew in Bush' first six years before the crash, and in Obama's recovery 91 million Americans have lost their jobs and millions more who have jobs can only work part time, our debt is 17 trillion dollars +.Can anyone explain to me how our medical care is better under Obamacare? Do we have more choice of doctors or treatment? Is it more affordable?

Can anyone explain to me why Detroit has hundreds of boarded up houses or vacant lots where homes used to stand, rats running in the streets? It looks more like Calcutta than it does any American city. Why do we have to bail out Puerto Rico?

Can anyone tell me which Bush Attorney General admitted that he could only judge a controversial case based on his race? Can you tell me which Bush Attorney General declared defendants guilty before any investigation, either local or federal, had ensued, and then refused to prosecute those whom the FBI said had clearly broken laws?Can anyone tell me which group of people George Bush labeled as victims, permitting them to destroy public property and threaten public safety as retaliation against some privileged class? Can anyone tell me how our lives would be better with four more years of this under Hillary?

Christians need wisdom in this election. Conservatives need discernment. We have neither a conservative nor a Christian on the ballot. Nearly every day I read an article or post telling why a Christian can not vote for Trump. He claims to be a Christian yet has never asked God to forgive him for his sin. He has had several very public extra-marital affairs resulting in two divorces and now a third marriage. At times he is loud, rude and bombastic especially towards his opponents. The things he is saying on the stump seems to be different from much of what he has said in the past. Although we do not have to vote for someone because of their faith or lack of, neither can we be guided by situational ethics, voting for the person whom we “feel good about.” Nor is it appropriate to vote for the candidate who is “the lesser of two evils.” The lesser ot two evils is still evil.Although if there is anything the last few years show us it is that every vote counts and that elections have consequences. When I consider all these things, I say “Why not Trump.” Christians tell me that Trump is dishonest, that he can't be trusted, that they are scared of him. Just last week I had dinner with some men from my church many of whom declared they could not vote for Trump for the reasons I've stated. Yet when I look at every objection raised I can in good conscience vote for Donald Trump. Here is how I arrive at that conclusion:

Can any one tell me what court order Donald Trump has ignored? Can anyone tell me what lie has he told to the SEC or to any Attorney General, or to Congress? Barak Obama has been a faithful husband in and a responsible father. Trump lives a hedonistic lifestyle, and at times is downright rude. Yes I prefer gracious speech and firm but tactful leadership. Does his personality disqualify him from being President? Can anyone tell me why the philandering of Harding, Roosevelt, Kennedy, Johnson, Clinton, or the abusive, acrimony, and even profane speech of a Truman, or bullying of Nixon, makes them admired role models whom many Christians voted for and still defend. Since when have American politics been civil. Study the election of 1802 between Jefferson and Adams. Remember Aaron Burr killed his political rival in dual. Ulysses S. Grant was not very like-able perhaps due to being "a few sheets to the wind" a lot of the time. Remember what Johnson said to persuade democrats to vote for the civil rights act, “give those n@#$%^s enough money and they'll vote for you for a generation.” Look at the things he said about Goldwater, and look at the tone of the ads he ran. When Richard Nixon was asked by a reporter why the President did not respect him enough to call on him at press conferences, Nixon said, “you cannot have respect for someone whom you hold in contempt.” Bill Clinton made a racial slur during the 2008 Presidential campaign. During the 2000 South Carolina primary a surrogate of George W. Bush said that John McCain was not a war hero because he was captured. MC Cain took offense at the statement but Bush never repudiated it nor apologized. Barak Obama refereed to Christian conservatives as “bitter people who cling to their guns and religion.” Joe Biden said President Obama would be a good candidate for President because he was clean. Senator Harry Reid once said that Senator Obama would be elected President because he “did not have the negro dialect.” In the 2008 Joe Biden made fun of a wheel-chair bound reporter saying, “stand up, stand up. Oh you can't stand up." There is no excuse or justification for any of these statement or actions, but when Trump is bombastic.  and even demeaning attacks on his opponents I ask is this an anomaly in American politics. Unfortunately there is a lot of "mudslinging in American politics?" How do these character traits disqualify Trump, when they don't others?

Another objection to Trump was his statement in the Iowa primary that he was a Christian but had nothing to be forgiven for in his life. For an evangelical those statements are dichotomous for us Trump confession's and his lifestyle belies any claim he makes to be Christian. How important is a Christian testimony for a Presidential candidate? Every President elected between 1964 and 2008 has claimed to be a Christ-follower, but the country has become more secularized and even anti­-Christian in that period. The two most outspoken Christians ever elected to the office, Wilson and Carter, took the country further down a secular socialist (and in the case of Wilson, racist) direction than any of their predecessors. Since the current professing Christian President seems to oppose every Judaeo-Christian tradition of this country, is it wise to vote for a President based on our perception of their spiritual life? What do we think we are going to accomplish by holding Trump to a spiritual or religious litmus test?

The character of a President is important, but what is the standard by which we judge candidates for a secular office. In past elections evangelical  Christians have supported people whose confession and life style could not qualify for leadership in any of our church's. Many of those who say never Trump, because he's not a Christian voted for Romney who is a Mormon, then rallied behind Ben Carson who is an Adventist. Neither of these men would be saved in the way evangelicals use the term, so how can we say "never" Trump because he fails to understand salvation? Why do we venerate Reagan who was married twice, had several dalliances as a younger man and whose wife consulted astrologers and necromancers while living in the White House, and then disqualify Trump because he's been married 3 times and who lived a carnal lifestyle when he was younger? Whose being hypocritical? Do we understand that the reason our forefathers stated in the Constitution that no religious test should be applied to the office of President, was that when it came to meeting a religious test, no candidate could?

Do we understand that the reason our forefathers stated in the Constitution that no religious test should be applied to the office of President, was that when it came to meeting a religious test, no candidate could?

Do any us think we could meet any religious test? Grover Cleveland fathered a child out of wedlock. Both Roosevelts were Unitarian. Warren G. Harding practically turned the White House into a brothel and his wife spent most of their term in California. Franklin Roosevelt had multiple affairs. There is evidence that Eisenhower was was unfaithful to his wife while in Europe. John Kennedy was a serial philanderer. Bill Clinton's record is well known. Does our vote for someone constitute approval of the way they live their private lives? Like all of us Trump answers to God for his life, it is not up to me as a voter to judge him. Yes, I wish Trump would confess his sin, but if we learn anything from history it is that Presidents like all of us are flawed people. God works through them despite their flaws as he does you and me. Jesus was not able to satisfy the religious test of leaders of his time. If you want to apply a test of character for Trump try the one Jesus applied to the religious leaders of his day. Let him who thinks Trump is morally unqualified "cast the first stone."

Some would argue that the Judaeo Christian influence on our Constitution requires that our leaders at least confess Christ. Our founders understood that our country's chief executive could never be its spiritual leader! That the spiritual tone of our nation was set in our homes and churches rather than at the annual Presidential prayer breakfast. Can anyone explain to me how the God who used Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, Darius, and Caesar Augustus, to carry out his kingdom purposes, can not use Donald Trump? While the  Us constitution is undoubtedly based on Judeao- Christian philosophy and for someone to truly understand it an execute it I do think they need to have a Judaeo-Christian world-view (That may be what Trump means when he says, "I'm a Christian" The Constitution  specifically prohibits a religious test for any federal office.

When I look at the current group of candidates Clinton, the democrat, Trump, the Republican, or Johnson the Libertarian none of them are people whose lives have been transformed spiritually, none are conservative, none are Christian. Should I vote for the continued corruption of Hillary? Should I vote for the pro-choice pro-open border, pro-gay marriage,  isolationist As for me I will vote for the person who far from measuring up spiritually, seems to at least promise to protect our first and second amendment rights?

Many of us have spent the last fifteen years working to get conservatives Christians elected to office, and all of them to some extent have fallen short of their promises. Even Ted Cruz voted for the Corker Amendment! Can we trust Trump to do what he said he would do? In 1976, many believers pulled the lever for Carter hoping a strong Christian outsider would put an end to the corrupt broken system and would bring revival. What a disappointment he was to Christians! It is true we don't know whether what Trump says truly represents his view, but isn't that all ways the case. Trump is the Republican nominee because after two landslide legislative elections almost no Republican candidate did what they said they would do. You never know what a politician is going to do until they are elected. So how is Trump any different?

Trump is the Republican nominee because after two landslide legislative elections almost no Republican candidate did what they said they would do.

Some don't trust Trump because he is a recent convert to some of his positions. Recently he was liberal. How can we know he will stand firm? Mitt Romney was pro-choice until he started running for President, yet few of us questioned his credibility. Jeb Bush first ran for governor of Fl on a pro-life platform and lost the election. Came back after four years and ran on a pro-choice platform twice. Then when he ran for President claimed to be pro-life. George W. Bush ran for Governor of Texas twice on a pro-choice policy! Ronald Reagan was a liberal democrat until the 1960's. Vice Presidential candidate Mike Pence was a democrat before he ran for Congress. Barak Obama said he believed that marriage was between a man and a woman, and promised that under his program "if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor, and every American would save at least $2500 per year on their health insurance." 

Some politicians have no moral compass. They take the positions they have to take to be elected, then ignore the issue when they get elected. Politicians sometimes grow and change their views, and sometimes they realize the views were wrong, That's not hypocrisy; it's maturity. Sometimes when a person gets in office and has information available to them they did not have as a private citizen their perspective changes. And yes, some politicians lie to get elected. We can not be certain what Donald Trump or anyone else will do when elected? All we can do is take them at their word then hold them accountable when it comes time for re-election. If a politician turns out to be a rascal in four years, we can vote them out and vote for some less rascally, rascal. The problem is not that our government is corrupt, it is that we are, that I am. Any human being we elect is going to be flawed and inconsistent, and will disappoint us in some way. After all this current immigration mess came about through a bill introduce by Ronald Reagan.

The problem is not that our government is corrupt, it is that we are, that I am. Any human being we elect is going to be flawed and inconsistent, and will disappoint us in some way.

The only person we can trust to absolutely do what they say they will do is God. If character is the only test, than no one is qualified. If credibility is the test, it's not Hillary, and it's not Johnson, who has admitted to using illegals drugs up until the time of his nomination, and who chose Bill Weld as a running mate. When you go through each of these questions and answer them honestly, then tell me why I as a Christian can not vote for Trump?

Yes, he is someone whose spiritual life I would never encourage my children to emulate? Yet, he has asserted a belief in defending the Constitution and the Bill of Rights through his executive action and judicial appointments? Do we know what he will actually do? Of course not, but we have a pretty good idea what Johnson or Clinton would do? All we have to do is listen carefully to what they are saying and look at their record. Remember when asked about her view of the second amendment Clinton has said often, "I believe our Constitution gives the government (meaning her if she's elected) the ability to 'regulate' the Bill of Rights for the public good." In other words, if Hillary gets elected, the law will be what she says the law is and our rights will be determined by what she thinks is best for us. Now consider which President had the FBI surround a religious compound that posed no threat, and burn the people out, killing several men, women and children? Which President sent U.S. marshals at gun point into an American home to remove a Cuban child here legally, and send him back to Cuba for political reasons. His name was Clinton? Do we think tyranny will not come hear? It all ready has! Which President has cast people off government land that they have used for centuries for no legal reason? Which administration compelled businesses to carryout their economic agenda or close? Which administration nationalized an automobile company? Our FBI director publicly declared a litany of crimes that Mrs. Clinton has committed and lies she has told to Congress and the America people, and then excused her because she is a Clinton. Yes, we are not Germany in 1939 but we must never forget that Adolph Hitler was elected to office. The stage is all ready set for for the election of a despot.

This election poses the most difficult choice for evangelicals. No one is running who really represents us. But far from being a choice between Hitler and Stalin, as one friend told me or the lesser of two evils as some have said, I see it differently. Our choice is between a morally and spiritual flawed person, who shows respect and appreciation for our religious liberty and heritage (though not embracing it personally) and the rule of law, and seeks to defend our safety and sovereignty. The only biblical qualification for government leaders is that they do good, punish wrongdoers, and defend their people (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17). For me it is not a case of “the lesser of two evils,” but of the two (or three if you count Johnson) major candidates Trump appears to best fulfill the biblical criterion for secular office. His very interest in the race at this stage of his life, Trump is 69, shows he is more interested in his country than himself versus Hilary Clinton, who is at best a nihilist and a worst a narcissist. If elected she will be a despot, who will put her self ahead of everything. But if Trump wins the election I will sleep far more soundly than I will if Hillary does.

This election poses the most difficult choice for conservatives than any election since 1988. There is not a conservative or a Constitutionalist on the ballot. We have two choices voting for the person who will destroy the American way of life, or vote for someone with whom we with agree with more things than we disagree, but whose world-view seems to be Judaeo-Christian. If we stay home, Hilary wins, if we vote Libertarian Hilary wins. Although we do not vote just to prevent Hilary from winning, too much is at stake not to consider the consequences of her election. I can neither stand by and let the republic be destroyed or stay home because the candidate doesn't meet my expectations.

I can neither stand by and let the republic be destroyed or stay home because the candidate doesn't meet my expectations. 

I believe if Trump wins some of what he proposes will fail, such as high tariffs on businesses. There is much of what he proposes that I disagree with like ending the NATO accord. I cannot predict what things will be like in 2020 when the next election roles around if he's elected, but I can say some things will be better, some things will be worse. We will have another election in 2020 with another opportunity to elect a conservative, or to re-elect Trump if he's done well.

Rest assured if Hillary appoints three Supreme Courts Justices we will at best become a plutocracy and at worst a fascist dictatorship, but the bill of rights and the next election will   both be a sham. I would have preferred someone other than Trump as the nominee, but I am going to vote for him. I started out this election cycle supporting Scott Walker, he fizzled out in a hurry, then I supported Fiorina. When it became obvious she was not viable I went to Cruz (notice he was my third choice). I am left with Trump and I will vote for him in November, not because he is the lesser of two evils, nor because he's the last man standing.I will vote for Trump because of the three remaining he offers our country the best hope for our future. He will be faithful to the Constitution, which will help Christian people advance the kingdom of God.  As a Christian considering our country's future I ask "why not Trump?"