AN EVANGELICAL ON BIDEN AND TRUMP

As a passionate Christian, since childhood (over 50 years now), I have spent my whole adult life trying to help others turn their lives over to God’s control, and develop a growing victorious obedient ongoing God-controlled life. Over-and-over-again, I have seen that this is the only way to see lasting change in individuals and society. In effect, individuals must have a heart change before there can be a change in society. 

For when we have a heart change, we will follow the two greatest commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[a] 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31)

As someone who has followed Christ for so many years, I am also passionately committed to my family, protecting children, helping people walk in victory, calling out sinful behavior and walking in obedience as a good steward of the earth which God created. It is for this reason that I want to identify areas of concern regarding both presidential candidates, knowing that I will likely be verbally attacked. I will start with Biden.

BIDEN - SOME MAJOR CONCERNS

1)    ON RACISM

Below are quotes written about Biden’s political activities in the 1970s. (footnotes in comments)

“Once he arrived in the Senate in the early 1970s, Biden prioritized the fight against busing to integrate public schools, pushing for an amendment that he said would expose liberal doubts about the practice.” https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/06/bidens-anachronistic-comments-race-and-civil-rights/592252/

“Biden began working in the Senate against busing with a ferocity that some civil rights leaders still resent. His argument that the concept was “bankrupt” was accompanied by remarks through the 1970s that resembled statements made by some Southern opponents of integration.” https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-biden-delaware-race-20190711-story.html

“Biden continues to hedge on disavowing the past statements on race, alliances with bigoted colleagues and anti-busing crusades that marked his early career. He argues his lifetime achievements in advancing civil rights legislation and his partnership with President Obama should foreclose questions about his previous record.” .” https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-biden-delaware-race-20190711-story.html

It is not hard to find confirmation of these Biden 1970s actions. I suggest that if we need to go so far back to support racism, bad treatment of women, etc., we need to shut up and look at more recent actions. People CAN and DO change as they age!

2)    ON THE IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL

Biden wants to reinstate the horrible Iran Nuclear Deal! We know from past-experience terrorists only respond to a show of strength. You cannot reason with, or trust, people who are unreasonably dedicated to killing anyone who disagrees with them!

Iran continues to be the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism, backing terrorist organizations Hezbollah and Hamas, both of which have been responsible for the deaths of American citizens. While the deal was in place Iran was continuing to financially support the families of suicide bombers, who are killing Israelis, Americans and others around the world. (“Pay to Slay.”)

“The Nuclear Deal did not confirm the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program and provides a clear pathway to nuclear weapons.”

The Deal did not require Iran to submit to "anytime, anywhere" International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections, and gave them opportunity to hide nuclear weapon development.

The deal emboldens and enriches an “extremist anti-American terror state thereby furthering Iran's expansionist and destabilizing activities, along with freeing up tens of billions of dollars to finance Tehran's many destabilizing activities. Iran increased its military budget 145% over the course of President Rouhani's first term.”

Iran continued to take Americans and other Westerners hostage, brutally continued to repress its own people, and test-launched at least 16 ballistic missiles.

Why would anyone choose such a short-sighted deal?!

https://www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com/iran-nuclear-deal?gclid=CjwKCAjw_-D3BRBIEiwAjVMy7E4Tlfhy1GpjSNVMG_g-HNNmEKvPqniBrVBWiitNb45aLpETPUUszhoCW7UQAvD_BwE

3)    ON THE EQUALITY ACT

Biden has already stated that the Equality Act will be his TOP legislative priority!!! (full act pdf here -https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-116hr5rfs/pdf/BILLS-116hr5rfs.pdf.) Below are concerns that should be held by all.

Under the guise of anti-discrimination protections, the bill redefines sex to include gender identity, undermines religious freedom, gives males who identify as females the right to women’s spaces, and sets a dangerous political precedent for the medicalization of gender-confused youth. It also further opens the door for lawsuits directed at doctors and parents trying to protect vulnerable minors from making potentially tragic sex-reassignment surgeries.

As written, the act could be construed to “require a biological female to face competition from a biological male in any sporting event.

An amendment was presented to ensure that physicians cannot be sued for exercising their professional medical judgment, but it was rejected. Another amendment relating to protecting parents from being sued for discrimination for the act of parenting was also rejected. 

The bill dismisses a vast and complex range of social and psychological problems a young person may be facing in relation to their gender, under the catch-all of “gender identity,” and under the assumption that affirmation therapy (social/chemical/surgical transition) is best for every child. This severely damages the quality of medical evaluation and care that that young person can receive.

It could also make victims less likely to report sexual misconduct and police less likely to get involved, for fear of being accused of discrimination. ... The Equality Act defies the purpose of anti-discrimination laws.

The Act explicitly nullifies the Religious Freedom Restoration Acts. “The RFRA and RLUIPA were the basis of a U.S. Supreme Court case, Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. (2014), in which the court held that the religious freedom of Hobby Lobby Stores, a for-profit corporation, and its owners had been illegally infringed under the RFRA by the so-called “contraceptive mandate,” a regulation pursuant to the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010; PPACA) that required businesses employing 50 or more persons to provide health-insurance coverage of all contraceptive methods then approved by the FDA.” https://www.britannica.com/topic/Religious-Freedom-Restoration-Act

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-116hr5rfs/pdf/BILLS-116hr5rfs.pdf

https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/the-equality-act-is-a-time-bomb/

4)    EXTREME LEFTIST LEANINGS OF HIS PARTY

I am concerned that Biden will be unable to stand up to the potentially destructive extreme leftist leanings of his party.

TRUMP – SOME MAJOR CONCERNS

1)    TRUMP’S CONTRADICTORY PAST

Based on aspects of some of his past ungodly words and actions, Trump is not someone whom I would have wanted to be president or representative of our country. Yet, even in the past, I saw contradictions. The women he married were not only beautiful but were strong AND smart AND great moms! Trump’s children have turned out amazing. Instead of being raised as spoiled brats, they were raised to be self-reliant hard workers. Certainly, daddy’s money helped them get started in business, but they have used that investment responsibly to create businesses they can be proud of, while the self-indulged children of some Christians are train wrecks.

Am I appalled by his past ungodly actions? YES! Do I condone them? NO! I hope that he has repented of those actions or will repent. The man I see today, though, is different than the man of the past. He is still arrogant but seems focused on serving our nation. As I stated of Biden, “People CAN and DO change as they age!”

2)    TENDENCY TO RESPOND IN A DEMEANING WAY TO THOSE WHO CRITICIZE HIM

Now, as appalled as I am by some of Trump’s past actions, I am more concerned about his present actions. His tongue is what I find most offensive. I do not find him racist or misogynistic, because his unacceptable offensive and demeaning comments include men and women of all colors and ages, and do not seem focused on race or sex. I do not like how he attacks people who have left his administration and express criticism of him. (It seems like he must have the last offensive word.) I believe that his own tongue has released others to be less restrained in saying horrible and unfair things to/about him and his family. His own demeaning words and theirs are totally unacceptable. (Recently, I wrote an email to our President saying that he needed to carry a bar of soap with him and wash his own mouth out with it regularly.) 

3)    IMMIGRATION

I am concerned Trump has proceeded like a bull in a china closet, especially with immigration. I feel that if he had proceeded more slowly and with more care, there would not have been such an uproar. He could have begun by just hiring more border patrol and reinforcing the fence that was there. Could have earlier emphasized modifying the procedure by which current legal immigrants could become citizens, making it a cheaper faster process, and could have hired more personnel to process persons who are requesting asylum from other countries.

4)    DISHONORING OF PAST PRESIDENTS

Every president we have ever had has enacted some policies, and undertaken some actions, which have had good or bad consequences. Every presidency has had some scandals. Yet, we need to honor them, for the good they have done, and try to rectify the bad. I am disappointed that Trump has not honored them for their sacrificial service, honoring and building on good policies they have passed, while modifying or only getting rid of bad policies.

5)    RACE

Though Trump has also proceeded clumsily with regards to race relations, I have seen him reach out diligently to the black community. Numerous times he has met with black leaders seeking help in addressing areas that are of concern to those caring men. They have reported that he has listened to them with respect and has worked with them to find solutions. Sadly, those caring men were “shamed” and criticized by some in their own community for even meeting with the President! (Why?!) The criticizers seemed sure that he is racist because of some of his actions in the 1970s, or because he described some impoverished countries as “sh….h.” (It is not something I would have said, but I took it to be a criticism of the corrupt leadership of countries that take global financial aid, meant to help their people, and use it to enrich themselves.)

     While some 1970s actions, and words taken out of context, are constantly replayed, the media avoids later actions that showed his deep rejection of racism. For example: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/every-moment-donald-trumps-long-complicated-history-race

1990 “Criticizes a whites-only club.Trump tells Vanity Fair he did not want to join a Palm Beach, Florida, club because it does not allow black or Jewish members.”

1995 “Opens racially-inclusive club. Trump turns his Mar-a-Lago resort into a private club open to Jews, African Americans and all races, breaking with many other local elite clubs in Palm Beach, Florida.”

2016 - Philadelphia black roundtable. Trump participates in a roundtable discussion with black leaders and community members affected by crime in Philadelphia.

April 2016 - Aide: The president is trying harder than black activists. Trump’s liaison to the black community tells the Associated Press the White House “is waiting, willing to work with [the black] community” but “it’s not a one-way street.”

5)    ENVIRONMENT

I applaud that, under Trump, the USA became a net natural gas exporter for the first time since 1957, thus reducing dependence on Arab nations that support terrorists, and which hate the US. (This makes us less vulnerable while companies continue to explore alternative energy sources.) Along with this, I feel that he was too quick to dismantle some of the Obama environmental acts, although there were things that needed to go. (Please note that over 80% of conservatives are very concerned about the environment.)

Now, I have not applauded every Trump decision as president, but there are many things I applaud.

A FEW THINGS I APPLAUD

…2018 when the US, UK, and France military took out brutal Syrian dictator Assad’s chemical weapons manufacturing facilities, because using banned chemical weapons on his own people, or others, is just not ok!

…January 2020 when the US took out Iran’s military leader Soleimani, who was the leader of Tehran's attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq, including the 2019 K-1 Air Base attack and killing of a U.S. civilian, and the shooting down of a U.S. aerial vehicle. This showed strength. (We did this instead of declaring war. Yeah, we have learned from our past mistakes!) https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/02/trump-just-took-out-the-worlds-biggest-bad-guy-qassim-soleimani.html

…when constitution originalists are appointed to judicial positions.

…when Trump created an environment that brought manufacturing jobs back to America, from other countries.

…that in the tax bill, small businesses have the lowest top marginal tax rate in more than 80 years. (In the past small business owners had shared with me how difficult it was to stay in business and expand with the overload of taxes and the small business insurance requirements of the Obama years.)

…when the FDA approved more affordable generic drugs than ever before in history. And this administration got many drug companies to freeze or reverse planned price increases.

… that the Medicare program was reformed to stop hospitals from overcharging low-income seniors on their drugs.

…that Trump works to advance religious freedom in the US and abroad.

…that Trump signed an executive order to combat sex trafficking and online sexual exploiting and created a position in the domestic policy council to combat sex trafficking.

…Imposed tariffs in response to China’s forced technology transfer, intellectual property theft, and their chronically abusive trade practices. (We have complained for years, but Trump was the first president to do something!)

IN CLOSING

I view the misinformation morally bankrupt mainstream media as the main enemy. I also condemn foreign social media trolls who often succeed in jerking our American chain, in an attempt to destroy us from within.

I am disgusted with the dysfunction of our two-party system, and the inability of our political parties to work together in a civil manner that benefits America. I am broken about the proliferation of evil in our nation and around our world. 

I am concerned for the safety of our children and the sex agenda they are receiving. (How can anyone in their right mind think it is ok to carry out horrible sex change procedures on children or teens?! The internet has been full of testimonies from “I want my sex back” adults and teens. Though I am told they are being removed by YouTube.)

           I am concerned about what is being taught to our children at their school or university. (Why are our kids so ignorant that they destroy monuments of those who gave their lives fighting against slavery????)

           I cannot support anyone who thinks it is ok to rip a late-term baby apart piece-by-piece…pure evil! (Now, I think abortion is always morally wrong and that unwed mothers need to be encouraged to seek adoption, instead. I think it is a tragedy that some unwed mothers are shamed by their society if they consider seeking adoption. What messed up thinking!)

I will never vote for any candidate of a party that has supports such an evil agenda that targets our children.

Conservative and liberals both want to help those who are caught in a cycle of despair, but Conservatives just want to do it differently. We feel that school choice can be a measure which can be helpful in improving individual’s education. Giving a person temporary financial support designed to help them only as they train for a sustainable occupation, is good, for it breeds independence. Supporting them indefinitely, unless they are mentally unable to support themselves, is not acceptable for it breeds dependence. It is not racist to believe that someone has the smarts to achieve, and to help them to do so.

SO PEOPLE…

-        Be informed.

-        Have a civil conversation.

-        Protect your children.

-        Let God control your lives.

-        Pray without ceasing!!!

-        Vote

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