by Mark West | Apr 6, 2016 | Donald Trump, Faith, God, Political, Republican Party, Ted Cruz
Since my teenage years, I can recall a dozen Presidential elections, beginning with the Nixon, McGovern campaign in 1972. Even though many of my early years were spent growing up in Spain, my interest in US politics was high, stemming from my father’s close following of political issues. But as I think back over all the Presidential cycles since 1972, I can think of no election that has been more interesting and contentious than Campaign 2016.
I suppose the soil was fertile for a candidate to surface and to take on powerful and corrupt men and women in Washington, particularly when those leaders have grown completely deaf to the will of the people. So when Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders appeared, many voters were eager to embrace the populist themes of these two men. It’s ironic though that in the case of Trump, his policies and solutions are either vague or non-existent. And in the case of Sanders, his approaches are the antithesis of the values that enabled our nation to become the greatest economic force ever known to man. (As a side note, I believe Ted is the one candidate who has been taking on the corruption in DC for some time now and the growing support for his campaign is validating his consistent anti-establishment and conservative record.)
But my comments here are not so much about individual politicians and their policies, their track record or who can restore our nation to greatness. Rather, I have given much thought to whether God is relevant in this election cycle. Or perhaps the question we should ask is, given that God created the entire universe and all that is within it, does He even concern Himself with something as “trivial” as US Presidential politics every four years?
To answer this question, we must go beyond our mere opinions, and we should go to God Himself, and study His character. I have long contended that we understand a person through their track record. Likewise, we can surely arrive at valid conclusions about God by testing His track record. It’s worth noting that God Himself said that He is the same “yesterday, today and forever” so His behavior, actions and statements throughout the millennia can still be relied upon today.
In our very first account of God, we find Him in Genesis to be engaged and interested in His masterpiece, from the details of creation, to His interaction with Adam and Eve, and the choices our original forefathers made. God offered the first couple unimaginable blessings for their good choices but unthinkable repercussions for bad ones. Sadly, as we have seen in the thousands of years since their cursed choice, man consistently leans in the direction of harmful and destructive choices. As a side note, I suppose if we are honest with ourselves, we too often see this same behavior in our own personal lives.
Fast forward to the book of Judges in the Old Testament and we see the nation of Israel, willfully choosing to unmoor itself from its founding principles. Those principles, established by God, were ones which promised unlimited blessings. But the citizens of Israel rejected those principles, preferring to do “what was right in their own eyes” and they suffered the dire consequences of their disastrous choices. And in Judges 2, we see this hopeless statement for the citizens of Israel: “Every time Israel went out to battle, the Lord fought against them, causing them to be defeated.”
What greater foe and loss could one experience than when God is fighting against you? Do you ever wonder if perhaps God is fighting against us and our nation?
Later in the same book of Judges, we read the story of Samson, someone who, while still in his mother’s womb, was predicted to be the rescuer of Israel. As Samson became a man we see God was regularly engaged in his life, providing Samson with unimaginable success and victories. But we read toward the latter part of Samson’s life, these ominous words about this giant of a man: “…he didn’t realize the Lord had left him.”
It’s a sad day when a man no longer knows that God has left his side. Perhaps as sad is the day when a nation no longer realizes it has left God’s side.
If we had the time, we could cite hundreds of examples in God’s revelation to man, where God is not only concerned about mankind, but He is intimately engaged in our lives. But while God is interested in the individual, He is also engaged and actively involved in who our leaders and rulers are. In Daniel 2:21 we read these words, “He (God) controls the course of world events; He removes kings and sets up other kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars.”
Yes, God is engaged in who leads a nation, and thus, He is relevant in Campaign 2016.
Consider this real life scenario that all of us have likely experienced in some fashion. We have all worked for a company, or perhaps some reading this have even owned a business. There is likely no one more interested in the direction of a business than the owner of that business. The owner may employ managers to assist him in overseeing his enterprise, and even allow them certain latitude with their decisions. But at end of the day the owner reserves the right to step in at anytime and overrule their decisions. And if his managers’ decisions are contrary to his mission, the owner can choose to discipline them accordingly. Now in this example we are referring to a fallible man as the owner, who, while he may have good intentions, he is nonetheless imperfect. But in the case of God, as the “owner” of this universe, His intentions are good and perfect and He desires only the best for those who call Him “Lord.”
I have travelled a fair amount around the world and in some instances have been to far removed locations, including hours by dirt road into the remote mountains of South America. In these isolated areas there are natives who may not actually know of the word “gravity.” Regardless though, the lives of those natives, just like ours, are completely dominated and impacted by gravity. We may not regularly think of this force, but you and I must respect this law of nature. So if we willfully walk off a multistory building, we will quickly reap the consequences of such a foolish choice.
Gravity exists and is supremely relevant, whether we acknowledge it or not.
Likewise, I believe God is not only engaged but as relevant as He has ever been, whether Americans chose to acknowledge His supremacy or not.
I suppose the question we must all answer, though, at this critical juncture in our nation’s history is, what role do we play in God’s “business?” During this election cycle, will we seek to honor God and His principles? Or will we, like Israel, experience a scenario where God is actually opposing us, or like Samson, has God left our side?
As we consider the decisions ahead of us in 2016, and which leaders we will choose to embrace, will we honor God and His values by embracing men who, while imperfect, also chose to honor God? Or will we simply select a candidate who inflames our base emotions but ultimately rejects the principles upon which our nation was founded, ones which sought to honor our Creator? Time will validate which choice we make and whether God is fighting for us or against us… and whether God is no longer on our side.
by Mark West | Mar 14, 2016 | Donald Trump, Freedom, Political
As our nation has watched the rise of Donald Trump from a billionaire celebrity to the front runner for the Republican Party Presidential nomination, the media has claimed that his support is revealing dissension, chaos and turmoil by the party’s voters. While there is no doubt that voters are tired, frustrated and disgusted with the Republican establishment, is it fair to chalk up Trump’s success to simple voter unrest and anger?
While the press has focused to great extent on the anger of voters, what has largely gone unnoticed is the role the Republican Party itself has played in elevating to front runner status a man whose 40 year history has been characterized by values that are the antithesis of the Party. Throughout Trump’s entire adult life, he has used his power, influence and wealth to support progressive liberal policies and politicians which are at total odds with Republicans.
Despite Trump’s unambiguous record though, Republican leadership both nationally and in states across this nation have undermined the values they purport to support by allowing democrats to weigh in on their nominee. Research reveals that much of Trump’s support flows from independents and democrats. So to use a football analogy, what Republican party leaders have done would be akin to allowing the fans of the Carolina Panthers to select the quarterback for the Denver Broncos, just prior to the SuperBowl.
Let me explain why this is the case.
America is dominated by a two party system, Republicans & Democrats. Depending on which poll you look at, Republicans make up around a fourth of voters, Democrats around a third, and independents account for the rest, approximately 40%. However, when polling which direction independents lean, Democrats rise to 48% and Republicans to 39%.
As the nation’s two parties select their candidates for state and national offices, the nominees are selected via open or closed primaries or caucuses. An open primary/caucus simply means that any registered voter can vote in a party’s primary/caucus. So a democrat or independent can walk into a voting booth during a Republican Presidential Primary and help Republicans select their nominee. Conversely, in a closed primary/caucus only registered voters of the party holding the primary/caucus can vote.
In Tennessee where I live, we recently held our Presidential Open Primary. So democrats & independent voters were free to determine who Republicans would select as their nominee for President. Again, using the football analogy, what we have done would be similar to calling on Roll Tide fans to pick the Volunteer’s quarterback. Can you imagine such a scenario ever occurring in college football? Yet, for some insane reason, Republican Party officials have long supported such nonsense in the selection of their “quarterback” for the highest office in the land, as well as local offices.
To illustrate how large of a role open primaries, and thus democrats & independents, have played in fueling Donald Trump’s momentum and victories, let’s look just at some summary numbers that illustrate how the life-long democrat, turned Republican, has fared in closed versus open primaries/caucuses.
To drill down further into the numbers, in the 13 closed contests to date, Donald Trump has won only 5 of them, or only 38% of them. Whereas in the 13 open contests so far, Trump has won 10, or 77% of the open primaries. If one can draw any conclusion from these numbers, it is that when the home team picks their quarterback, they generally win the contest. But when Republicans allow the other team’s fans (democrats) to help pick their quarterback, they will end up with a player whose commitment to their values is suspect, at best.
To be clear, the Republican party should strive to grow its support amongst voters. However, while open primaries allow for new voters to engage in the process, there is no mechanism to insure that democrats with ill intentions are not purposefully meddling in the selection of the Republican nominee. It’s a well known fact that democrats have deliberately crossed over into Republican primaries to undermine the outcome of Republican primaries. As this is done, the votes of authentic Republicans are diluted and their will is marginalized, if not defeated.
Open primaries have been opposed by many voters for years now. In fact, last year the Tennessee Republican Party party was strongly encouraged by grassroots voters and activists to change its primary from an open to a closed one. Yet, despite the efforts of many Republican voters from across our state, the Tennessee Republican State Executive Committee (“SEC”) ignored our warnings and last year voted to continue the Open Primary system in our state.
And now we see the result of the Tennessee SEC vote. A man who is now the poster child for RINO’s (Republican in Name Only), given his 40 year history of supporting democrats and their leftists policies, is enjoying front runner status. And those who enabled his rise should be held to account for their unwillingness to allow the home team to pick its own quarterback, free from the interference of the other team.
Should a party that willingly and knowingly contributes to its own demise expect the support of voters who warned them against such suicidal behavior? In my lifetime I’ve heard democrats say that they didn’t leave the party but rather the party left them. As Republican leadership continues to dilute the values that made it the party of Liberty, we are now beginning to hear those same comments from its base: “I didn’t leave the party. The party left me.” Or perhaps we should say the party committed suicide and its leaders pulled the trigger.
by Mark West | Mar 8, 2016 | Constitution, Donald Trump, Flaws, Political
As a majority of the nation’s voters have yet to vote in the 2016 race for the Republican nomination, we have heard the cry by many that Donald Trump is inevitable, and his victory is a foregone conclusion. At the same time, many who oppose Trump’s candidacy have begun the #NeverTrump effort to announce that should Donald win, they will find another candidate to support. I too have embraced the #NeverTrump effort in affirming my commitment to certain values and principles that are non-negotiable to me. If one is honest and objective, they must also conclude that Trump’s 40+ year track record reveals he has consistently opposed and vigorously funded the defeat of constitutional conservative values.
But regardless of your views on Trump, one thing is certain, the fat lady has not yet sung.
Let’s consider these facts:
- To date only 23 states have voted and awarded delegates.
- Trump has only garnered 35% of the raw votes, which means that 65% of the voters have either rejected Donald or not affirmed their support for him.
- Out of the 1,032 delegates awarded to date, Trump has received 458, representing only 44%. Ted Cruz trails Donald by only 99 delegates with 359. And Rubio has garnered a total of 151 delegates to date. A total of 1,237 delegates are needed to win the nomination.
In a recent scientific poll, Marco Rubio’s supporters favor Ted Cruz over Trump by a margin of 3 to 1. But consider that this poll was taken before Carson and Bush dropped out. Thus, were Rubio to drop out after a possible defeat in his home state of Florida, Cruz would be the beneficiary of the lion share of Marco’s supporters. And consider that the poll cited was taken before the continuing surge by Cruz and his solid performance last week in the FoxNews debate.- In the contests over the last week, non-Trump voters have for the most part begun to coalesce behind Cruz. Whether this is a rejection of Rubio’s recent strategy of getting into the muck and mire with Trump or whether voters simply recognize that splitting the anti-Trump vote is a strategy that will widen His lead is uncertain. But it is clear that support for Cruz is growing and voters of all stripes are coalescing behind Ted as the only consistent constitutional conservative. In fact, RINO Senator Lindsay Graham’s recent semi-endorsement of Ted Cruz may indicate that not only has “hell frozen over” but some of Ted’s most ardent critics are now uniting behind Cruz to insure a boisterous and profane celebrity does not ascend to the highest office in the land.
- The longer Trump’s fantastic claims are made, with little to no substance to support them, the greater the likelihood is that some who have been wavering in their support will reject the Entertainer in Chief. At some point people grow weary of a brash, boastful, ego-maniac whose track record is diametrically opposed to his grandiose claims.
- It’s clear that there is a certain percentage of Trump’s supporters who will continue to support their brazen candidate, who boasted “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot someone and I wouldn’t lose any voters.” But as time passes and the scrutiny of Trump intensifies, Ted Cruz’ calm, deliberate and superior campaign based on substance will no doubt continue to sway voters who are growing tired and weary of Trump’s gutter tactics and his shallow, void of substance, cliches.
It’s helpful to have facts to back up your views, but at the end of the day, in order to win a battle, a General needs not only a winning strategy, but he needs the troops to deploy that strategy. And that’s where you come in. If you care deeply about your nation; and if you believe the commitment level of our Founders, which led them to pledge their “lives, fortunes and sacred honor” shouldn’t be limited to them; then, in order to “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity” you and I must also be prepared to do more than simply share articles on Facebook (although go ahead and share this one) and debate opinions with our friends and family. At the end of the day, Ted Cruz, the only consistent Constitutional conservative needs You to help deploy his strategy. And here’s how:
- Pray for Ted. I have encouraged others to commit to Pray for Ted everyday. Specifically pray for Ted’s health and stamina. Ask God to continue to grant him wisdom and discernment. And pray that Marco Rubio will come to his senses and coalesce behind and with Ted to stand for our Constitution and our founding principles.
- Sign up for Ted’s Phone from Home program that is one of the most user-friendly systems to enable you to talk to pre-qualified conservatives who will be going to the polls in the remaining states. Whether you call 10 voters a week or 100, each call is meaningful and require no special training. Within 5 minutes you can be making reaching voters for Ted.
- Send Ted a few dollars. Can you spare $10, $25 or $50 to help take back the ground we have lost over the last 7 years under Obama? If so, go to Ted’s website and make a one-time or recurring donation here. If it’s one-time, be sure to uncheck the box that references a recurring contribution.
Finally, will you share this post with others either via your email or on Facebook? Let’s get the word out that the fat lady has yet to sing. And if we all do our part we can in fact see the Constitution trump both Donald and the forces in both parties who have been undermining our founding principles for too many years.
Credit: Trump caricature courtesy of DonkeyHokey https://www.flickr.com/photos/donkeyhotey/18058245844/
by Mark West | Feb 16, 2016 | Constitution, Faith, Freedom, Illegal Immigration, Leadership, Life, Marriage, Obamacare, Political, Religious Liberty, Taxes
Cruz, Trump, Rubio, Carson, Bush, Kasich? What’s a conservative to do? Who is the right pick? How can one determine which politician to trust?
As I’ve thought about, studied and researched each of these candidates, I’ve certainly seen strengths and weaknesses in all of them. But at the end of the day, you and I can only pick one for our preferred nominee (assuming you’ve already ruled out the two socialists in the other party). So what is the best way to winnow out the candidates who are either not who they say they are or are ill-equipped to lead our nation back to our founding principles?
Over time, what a person does will accurately reveal who they are and what they value. As the saying goes, “you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all the people all the time.” So if one is willing to be objective and truly evaluate a person’s track record, one can very safely predict the future actions of that person. At the end of the day, when we are faced with difficult decisions or stressful scenarios, we will all default to the core of who we are. And so it is with all six of the remaining Republican candidates for President.
If we understand this truth and are willing to objectively apply it, we can rationally mark off those candidates whose track records will not live up to scrutiny. Of course, it will also require us to set aside our own biases, preferences and even the temptation to believe what they claim. But what do we value most, simply being told what we want to hear, or searching for truth and acting out of reason versus emotion? Consider this. When you go to a doctor, would you trust one who is charismatic, handsome, and/or winsome, but he does not tell you the truth of your illness, choosing rather tell you what you want to hear?
So as I evaluated the remaining candidates, I have done what I’m suggesting you do as well. I evaluated each of these candidates, and slowly, deliberately and comprehensively, I concluded that Senator Ted Cruz is the candidate whose track record is the most consistent and verifiable over the course of the last 30 years. While not perfect, Cruz is not simply a “campaign conservative” but rather he is the consistent conservative.
I write this article for two reasons. First, I’m seeking to provide those who are still struggling to select their candidate with some of my reasons for selecting Ted Cruz. And secondly, to encourage others who might be supporting a different candidate to at least reconsider their choice.
The Constitution
If there is one document that separates us from every other nation in the world, it is our Constitution. Our nation’s founding document contains not only the principles that created the most exceptional nation in world history, but it established a form of government that has enabled We the People to govern ourselves through men and women who were to remain accountable to the People. Because of the greatness of this document and the role it is meant to play in constraining the passions and mischief of men, the reverence and allegiance any politician reflects to this document should be of paramount importance to all Americans.
This perhaps is one of the greatest strengths of Ted Cruz. During his years as a teenager, Ted Cruz memorized the Constitution, and its values have guided his political views and ideologies throughout his entire adult life. His years in front of the US Supreme Court as Texas Solicitor General led to many victories for the Constitution on matters that are foremost to conservatives including the 2nd Amendment, US sovereignty, and religious liberty.
Life & Marriage
In an era when the biblical values of life and marriage have been under extreme attack, Ted Cruz has been a stalwart voice to support life and defend marriage. As the murderous policies of Planned Parenthood have been exposed, Cruz has continued to call for the defunding of this organization that profits from the taking of innocent life.
Religious Liberty
As Christians in particular come under greater attack in our nation, Ted Cruz has been a steady and consistent supporter of religious liberty. Cruz successfully defended the public display of the Ten Commandments and the words “under God” in our nation’s pledge before the SCOTUS, kept the cross standing at the Mojave Desert Veterans Memorial, defended Hobby Lobby against Obamacare’s contraception mandate, and so much more.
Repeal ObamaCare
Senator Ted Cruz stood alone in September 2013 in his 21-hour marathon anti-Obamacare “filibuster.” While several other Senators chimed in, Cruz’ has remained the foremost voice in repealing Obamacare seeking to replace it with “common sense health care reform that makes health insurance personal and affordable and keeps the government from getting between Americans and their doctors.”
Illegal Immigration
In 2013, Ted Cruz led the fight in Congress to defeat the Gang of Eight amnesty bill, which would have extended amnesty to over ten million illegals. Democrat Chuck Schumer (D) and Republican Presidential candidate Senator Marco Rubio were the key sponsors and spokesmen for the Gang of Eight bill. One of the bill’s most outspoken critics, Senator Jeff Sessions credited Cruz with the ultimate defeat of the bill saying, “I believe without the vigorous opposition from Ted Cruz, this bill very likely would have passed.” The Cruz plan to stop illegal immigration includes securing the border, restoring the rule of law, and reforming immigration to protect Americans.
Abolish the IRS / Replace with Flat Tax
The Cruz simple flat tax plan would establish one flat 10% tax rate for individuals with a postcard being used to file one’s taxes. A family of four would pay no taxes on their first $36,000 of income. Additionally, the business flat tax would abolish the corporate income tax and payroll tax, and replace them with a 16% tax. The death tax, Obamacare taxes and more would also be eliminated. The IRS as we know it would be abolished.
Defeat ISIS & Secure our Nation
Believing that America is an exceptional and unique nation, Ted Cruz has proposed a six-point plan that would position the US as a shining beacon, to exert world leadership, rebuild our military, defeat ISIS, protect the homeland, and rip up the Iran deal. American Spectator recently stated, “Cruz presents a well-thought out, foreign and national defense policy based on the original, Reagan conservatism. One that focuses on advancing America’s security interests around the world, not on sacrificing American lives and treasure on replacing foreign dictators… birthing new democracies, or building jobs and prosperity in foreign lands.”
Appointment of Supreme Court Justices
Justice Scalia’s death over the weekend has highlighted the strong likelihood that up to four Supreme Court Justices could be replaced by the next President. Given the razor-thin 5-4 decisions that have been rendered on issues as foundational to our nation as religious liberty, abortion, 2nd Amendment and more, the judicial philosophy of the next President’s is critical. Ted Cruz has praised Scalia for his efforts in “returning the focus to the original meaning of the text (of the Constitution) after decades of judicial activism.”
Stand Against the Washington Establishment
Ted Cruz, while only one of 100 Senators, has consistently stood firm for the values he campaigned on, and this has frequently exposed the political schemes and corruption by congressional leaders in both parties. While the Washington establishment has rejected Cruz for his principled stands, this firmness of conviction will bode him well were he to lead from the Oval Office in 2017 as he continues to stand with the People vs. the Establishment. His Five for Freedom plan would eliminate the IRS, and the Departments of Education, Energy, Commerce, and Housing and Urban Development.
Man of Faith
Too many politicians speak of faith, but their walk and particularly their policies are at odds with the faith they claim. Ted Cruz not only professes a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, but his walk aligns with one who is truly a Christ follower. The policies he pursues are ones that both affirm the values of our Constitution while respecting the values of his faith. Hundreds of faith leaders have examined Cruz and have endorsed him for President. At the same time, though Cruz has been quick to acknowledge he is not running as “Pastor in Chief.”
In closing, America is at a seminal moment. We are at a crossroads. The choice we make in 2016 will determine whether we will travel to a point of no return, leaving forever the Judeo/Christian principles of our founders. Will we embrace a candidate who quickens our base emotions or uses eloquent phrases, or will we examine the candidates’ track records to validate whether their talk matches their walk? We may not have another chance. This could be our last opportunity to restore the Constitution, the rule of law, and to call on God’s mercy and grace as we seek to restore our Constitution and the Creator to the rightful place in our nation. I pray you will join me in prayerfully supporting Ted Cruz for President.
Photo courtesy of DonkeyHotey. Used by permission.
