Mr. President; Shut Up, Sober Up, and Start Mending Fences

The upcoming election this November is far and away the most monumental in my lifetime.  This nation is at a crossroads and the path we take with our government beginning January of next year will determine the future of generations to come.  I fear our President does not fully comprehend how important he is to this decision.  Oh…I realize that he is convinced that every thought, issue, news story, accomplishment…essentially any daily item of note…has right dead in the center of it a capital “T” glowing in neon orange.  But the fact is…they don’t!   Everything is not about you, Mr. President. 

And if you continue with your careless self-centered rhetoric, sophomoric juvenile behavior, and totally irresponsible tweeting…you run the very real risk of presenting all of your critics (there are many and they are powerful) with an opportunity to take your beloved presidency away this November.  You are bleeding and if the number of cuts continues to rise (as it surely will), you may not survive.   Please come to grips with the position you occupy and its importance to our nation.  Whether we like it or not; he is the man carrying the torch.  May he use it to enlighten; not to inflame. 

Let your deeds speak; not your mouth.  I continue to marvel at the political and policy instincts of Donald Trump.  There have been numerous times when I was certain that he had stepped in it up to his kneecap only to find him coming out shining like a star.  I am still not convinced that most of this good fortune is intentional rather than pure luck; but either way, it somehow seems to work for him.  If he could only learn to trust those instincts, act on those instincts, and then allow the results of those actions to speak for him.  As long as he continues to broadcast a biased play-by-play of his tragic melodrama through the White House looking glass, the benefit of being right on policy is going to be severely mitigated by the downside of his irresponsible behavior.

Give more thought to what you say, how much you say, and when you say it.  A leader must sometimes speak to the moment.  President Trump has had many moments in which to speak and he will have several more before November’s election.  Trump does best when he says the least.  Trump does best when he understates the obvious.  Trump does best when he allows the heat of the moment to pass and then aids the calm after the storm with thoughtful and deliberate language.

Help the nation heal; be empathetic.  Our nation is absolutely asunder with turmoil, angst, partisan venom, racial hyperbole, ailing institutions that are struggling to regain credibility and respect, and the yearning for some sense of national pride that can somehow bring all of our citizens together.  The President has the unique opportunity to speak to these issues.  He owns the premier bully pulpit.  No one expects him to come up with silver bullets to solve difficult issues.  We do, however, expect him to recognize the rips and tears in our culture and society and demonstrate that he understands they exist.  Without promising miracle cures and solutions, simply speaking to the issues is oftentimes adequate.  People are hurting and they earnestly want a President that understands that fact.

Reach out to law enforcement, minority communities brown and black, the military, our government entities, and yes….even the Democrats.  During this election campaign, it will cost Trump little if anything to strike a conciliatory note with many of the factions that he has been at odds with.  He has a solid record on race-related policy and that should be his focus.  He has selected many outstanding people of color to serve in his Administration and they should be spotlighted and empowered to speak to the current issues. 

The President and the military have too many common agendas to allow personalities to disrupt their congeniality.  Talk to the generals behind closed doors and mend your fences.  The President and our military need each other and they sorely need to find a way to make it work better between them. 

AG Barr can restore dignity, respect, and credibility to law enforcement in our government.  He can also lead the fight to institute some badly needed reforms to our law enforcement entities at the state and community levels.  Let the Attorney General tackle this thorny issue and give him some latitude and authority to do the job right.  He will not disappoint. 

The paint is on the wall; the score is up there for everyone to see; and the chickens are coming home to roost…in flocks.  The jarring impact of Democratic Party leadership from top to bottom across America is plain to see.  It is a disaster.  There is no need for Trump to embellish it, dwell on it (other than by occasional comparison), or attempt to hammer it into the consciousness of American voters.  Mr. President…take the high road in your approach to the Democrats and let them have sufficient rope to tangle themselves up nicely.  Like the AG, they will not disappoint.

Playing from a position of strength and committing unforced errors is just…well, it is unforgivable.  Donald Trump had the good fortune of running for President against perhaps the most flawed opponent in political history.  He squeaked out a victory over Hillary Clinton.  And now competing for his second term, he is opposed by the barely sentient Joe Biden; whose own party leadership is encouraging him to conduct his campaign from his home basement in order to limit his exposure to the real world.  How lucky can Donald Trump get?  With a modicum of restraint, deliberation, reflection, humility, pragmatism, and simple common sense…Donald Trump will be our next President.  The Democrats cannot defeat him; only he can defeat himself.

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I greatly fear that the Democratic Party and all of their cohorts in the mainstream media will do everything possible to make this Presidential election a choice between Donald Trump, the man, and Joe Biden, the man.  That is a contest that the Republicans could easily lose.  As shallow and unprincipled as Biden is; Trump can easily be depicted as equally so.  To allow a contest with such profound ramifications to be decided on the least of two evils premise would be a colossal mistake and a denial of what is actually being determined; a false choice indeed.

I am afraid that Trump is so taken by himself that he actually believes he can get Democrats to vote for him.  Yeah, he might get a few; but damn few.  Anyone paying attention must now admit that if Democrats have not yet abandoned their lunatic leadership for a more rational path, it simply is not going to happen.  They will clearly follow their Party over the proverbial cliff if it somehow validates their hatred for all things Trump.  If Trump is to win, he must win in the critical Mid-Western states and he must win by modestly increasing his percentage of black votes and Hispanic votes.  This he can do.  It is within reach.  The Democrats’ votes are not and I fear the female vote might also be chiseled in stone…and not to Trump’s advantage.  FWIW…check on the temperature of that Mid-West race here: https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2020/06/22/pollster_who_got_it_right_in_2016_michigan_a_dead_heat__143512.html .

Read about how close the last Presidential election was here: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/weekly-standard/the-election-came-down-to-77-744-votes-in-pennsylvania-wisconsin-and-michigan-updated .  There is no reason to think it will be much different this time around.  The mainstream media will be even more determined to defeat Trump at all costs.  The Democratic Party is even more united in their unnatural hatred for Trump.  The coronavirus pandemic will provide cover for various manners of election manipulation; especially the mail-in ballot initiative.  And of course, recent events in our federal judiciary give little reason for confidence in any ruling of theirs that might come into play.  The Democrats can embrace the national polls that show Biden comfortably ahead of Trump.  The Republicans can proclaim the enthusiasm gap that is so obvious by comparing the Trump rallies with the lukewarm Democratic confidence in Biden.  Neither side has anything to hang their political hats on.  As of this moment, the November Presidential Election is truly up in the air.

President Trump has to somehow learn to become President “t”rump.  He must contrast his policies and accomplishments over the last three plus years with what we have seen in areas ruled by the Democratic Party.  Give Americans credit for using their common sense to choose between the nation envisioned by Pelosi, Schumer, AOC, and the other assorted nuts and clowns that populate Democratic leadership these days and the Trump record over his first term as President.  This bunch of Democratic, hypocritical, political harlots more resembles bad vaudeville than they do responsible statesmanship. 

In spite of a stacked deck against him and a level of persecution heretofore unrivaled by any sitting President, Trump seems to have finally realized how to accomplish something by utilizing the awesome power of the Executive Branch.  Given another four years with a Republican Senate and, at a minimum, maintaining the status quo in the House; President Trump could move this nation back towards its founding principles in a way that will last for generations to come.  And if he can somehow manage to find a new respect and dignified approach in how he treats his appointees, President Trump could restore some credibility and trust to many government departments and agencies that frankly have lost their way. 

Can President Trump subjugate his monstrous ego to the greater good of principled government?  Can he resist the constant baiting and provocation that will be coming his way in the campaign months to come without getting down in the mud with his critics and opponents?  Can he somehow come to grips with the irrevocable right and privilege of American voters to decide for themselves who will lead this nation and not yield to his arrogant browbeating of those he considers intellectually inferior to his almighty self?  Can he allow some of the best people money can buy to professionally conduct a presidential campaign that will demonstrate maturity, vision, national pride, and respect for all Americans?  If he can do these things, this nation’s voters will roundly reject the idiotic chaos promoted by the Democratic Party and their liberal leadership.

  

They will vote with their belief in an economy that can work best without undue government regulation; for a justice system that practices fundamental enforcement of the law as it is written; and for a nation that treats its global allies and trading partners with respect, but also holds them accountable for their actions.  I believe they will clearly see that the deep state which has been ingrained and perpetuated for so long in our government is overdue for a deep cleaning.  They are ready for a continuation of the business-like approach to governing that four years of Donald Trump has demonstrated.  They realize that it might have tremendous promise for improving the lives of all citizens.  If Donald Trump, over the next few months, can begin to be the leader we all want him to be and not the juvenile child he sometimes is, perhaps he can lead this nation back towards the ideals of our founding fathers.  He might begin to restore the vitality of our economy that can, in turn, offer opportunities to all people who strive for a better life. 

This is within his grasp.  But so is a devastating and unimaginably crushing defeat to forces that will alter this nation in a way that will make it unrecognizable to our founding fathers and the generations that have kept their faith.  With a few exceptions (examination of his walking habits), his Tulsa speech was a great start.  We can only hope that his better angels take control very soon.

A Colorblind Society: Can We Achieve It?

Not in my lifetime (age 67); but perhaps in the next generation or two.  But if we are going to get there, we have to make some changes.  Those changes will have to come from our government; with a full and honest understanding of the limits that government might achieve.  Those changes will have to come from we the people; with a full understanding that we live in the present and not the past.  And most important of all; those changes will have to come from our children.  They must be nourished and raised with an understanding of equal respect and dignity for all, regardless of skin color.  They should grow into adulthood with a clear appreciation for the words of Martin Luther King, Jr.: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”  How can Mr. King’s dream be achieved in America today?

What is the status of racism in America today?  We always want to quantify and compartmentalize elements of a topic that we consider; it is what we do.  But racism does not lend itself well to this approach.  Racism has a long and complex history and like the coronavirus, it has proven impossible to eliminate entirely.  Is there systematic racism in America?  Do we perpetuate this racism?  Is that perpetuation intentional or a byproduct of our behavior?  These are fundamental questions that need honest answers.

Without a doubt, there exists in our culture and society an element of racism.  I was born and raised in rural Kentucky.  I went to elementary and high school with a small number of black children.  During my college days, I had many black friends.  In my small rural community, there was no discussion of racism; we all seemed to co-exist in a fashion that engendered tranquility.  But looking back on those days; I can see that being a white boy was a lot different than being a black boy.  I enjoyed certain latitude in my behavior that my black peers did not.  I took it for granted.  I never thought about it as white privilege; but that is exactly what it was.  Now with the luxury of age and experience, I can only begin to understand how my black schoolmates lived within an environment of being not quite equal to their white companions.  Oh sure, we played ball together and got into mischief together; but the consequences of mischievous actions going south for me were much different than they were for my black playmates.  I did not know that then.  I took for granted that they felt just like me.  Michael might be black; Joey might be white; Jose might be brown…we were all the same ball team and were only interested in winning.  We were all quite comfortable in our places; or at least I thought we were.

Now that I am grown and have lived a full life; I can better understand the burden that my black acquaintances have carried for their entire lives.  I have known and worked with, been close friends with, people of color who were smarter, more ambitious, and frankly better people than I will ever be.  I admire and respect them for their accomplishments; just as I admire and respect the accomplishments of my white acquaintances.  But it has been late in life that I have realized that many of my black friends that have proven to be so successful in life have had to live with a far greater challenge than the one that faced me. 

I have black friends who have achieved far greater professional status than me; far greater wealth than me; and have been almost universally embraced by their friends and co-workers.  Yet these same people have lived, and continue to live, a life where some people look at them and consider them less than equal.  They are sometimes treated a bit more distant by a store clerk.  They are looked upon differently by a police cruiser or an officer in uniform.  They occasionally encounter inexplicable amazement that they have achieved so much in their lives in spite of their skin color.  In short, they have lived under a shadow that I never knew about or had to deal with.  Is this systemic racism?   Perhaps…but it did not come from a system; it came from people.  People like you and me.

As long as our culture and society continues to constantly harangue the unfairness of the racism I have been speaking of, it will be impossible to get beyond it.  Our governments from top to bottom are obsessed with race and everything they do is tinged with it.  The  federal government cannot legislate law that will change bad people into good people.  The government cannot legislate morality.  The government cannot change the attitudes of people who are locked into a position of racial hatred and resentment.  They can deal with these when they expand those bad attitudes into real action.  But that is it; they cannot change, in Mr. King’s word, the content of a man or woman’s character.  We live in the present.  Until we can cease the effort to saddle descendants of bad people with the sins of the father, we are simply treading water.  All of our fathers have sinned.

As long as we have race-baiting scoundrels who perpetuate racial injustice as a vocation and not a legitimate cause, it is going to be difficult to get past it.  Racial injustice can only be effectively addressed in one way.  That is through a society and culture that maintains, both through law and practice, a colorblind approach to the way it treats people.  Equal opportunity and status is the bedrock principle for addressing racism.  We cannot change people’s hearts; that is best left to God.  We can stop discriminating against people who might be black, or brown, or even white in the case of reverse discrimination.  The government and its laws can do its best to establish a level playing field for all people; beyond that, it is the responsibility of each one of us to achieve what we may.  We must stop looking at people in terms of their color and consider people on their behavior.

Will this remove racism?  Certainly not overnight and quite likely not in my lifetime.  Are we now simply validating Einstein’s rule of insanity by repeating the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results?  Are there so many people, black and white, in our country that are profiting from racism that it is in fact too big to fail?  Can we sever the impossible threshold that some have set in the areas of penance for past sins?  Can we come to terms with the fact that most of our leaders in the history of civil rights were imperfect creatures who struggled to do the best they could in the times where they were placed?  We had no saints then and we have no saints now.  The best we can hope for are leaders who have that character mentioned before; have a true desire to move this nation in the right direction; and have the transparent ability to see people in a way true to Mr. King’s famous quote.  But consider for a moment how, as adults, we are raising our children.  Are we leading them to solutions or are we simply ingraining the very problems we need to solve?

I am not black and cannot claim to understand living as a black person.  But I do have enough common sense to understand human nature and how children, of all colors, are impacted by their environment.  The black community must somehow deal with those among them who perpetuate the focus on racism for nothing more than profit and profile.  I am not a consumer of Hip Hop music or its culture; I have read about it, listened to some of it, and tried to understand where it is coming from.  I have an eclectic taste in music and enjoy many different varieties of musical style.  Go anywhere in music and you will find themes and trends that are not entirely desirable.  The power ballads that were so popular decades ago were produced by white personalities portrayed as bad boys with bad habits.  The promotion and affection for those habits came out in the production of their music.  But they did not dominate an ethnic slice of America as Hip Hop does today.  One thing is undeniable; kids are influenced by their music.  Even young adults are greatly influenced by their music.  My own children won’t take the time to read my blogs (perhaps to their credit); but put the manufacturing process of sausage on a podcast and they will (no pun intended) eat it up. 

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The Hip Hop culture can hide behind the musical trends and characteristics it expounds.  It is no doubt a unique and interesting musical journey.  But there is equally no doubt that it promotes, almost exclusively, a culture of violence and one that diminishes and disrespects women.  Read the lyrics.  This content is eaten up by black youth and unquestionably contributes to the large number of unwed mothers in the black community and the disturbing amount of black on black violence in the black community.  The end result is a huge influence on an ethnic portion of America that is promoting tendencies that will impede their growth as responsible adults.  My question to the Hip Hop culture is this: If you continue to disrespect yourselves, how can you demand respect from others?

And what about our liberal white parents who are instilling a false sense of guilt among their children for past atrocities that they have absolutely no context to understand?  The kids are told that they somehow owe something to their peers who are not white.  They are told that they are somehow burdened by their white skin and need to somehow repay for the transgressions of their predecessors.  Implicit in this attitude is the unintended consequence of placing within these white children the idea that they must look upon peers of color as someone who is different; someone who is entitled because of their skin color.  At some point, the notion must become blurred into one that tells them that their acquaintances of color need an advantage to succeed; a head start in the race of life. 

Nothing can be further from the truth.  What children of color need is the level playing field of respect and opportunity.  What all children need is that innate and natural ability to look upon each other as human beings.  They need their culture to support this notion not by emphasizing racial distinctions, but by eliminating racial distinctions.  I know from my life experience that all things being equal, people of color are no different than me.  Some will rise and be successful and some will fail.  Some will be people of character and some will lead lives of turmoil.  The point is for us as a people and as a nation to achieve that “all things being equal” place.  If we can focus on that, life will take care of the rest.  Our children can fix this if we allow them to.

There are elements of racism that can only be effectively addressed by the black community. 
Only they can marginalize the race hustlers that are getting rich off of racism.  Only they can expose the Hip Hop culture for the cancer that it is.  There are elements of racism that can only be effectively addressed by the white community.  Only they can bring down the racist bigots that occasionally sprout up.  Only they can change their behavior to help remove the systemic racism that exists in our society.  The government needs to change its focus on racism to equity and opportunity.  We must then leave it to our children to achieve the colorblind society that we all desire.  

A Race Proposal for President Trump

There is very that can be said, good or bad, that has not already been said about these ongoing protests, riots and lootings that are taking place at various spots around our nation. Without attempting to add that list, I would like to suggest three steps for our President to consider in his immediate future plan of response.

First…without fanfare and following the June 9 funeral of George Floyd, President Trump and Attorney General Barr should have a brief and succinct press conference.  Barr handles this type of challenge quite naturally; Trump not so much.  It should be made clear that there will NO questions.  It should be made clear that the proposed actions are in response to the circumstances in the Floyd case; acting as a lynch pin connecting prior police department deaths involving prisoners of color.  It should be made clear that the proposed actions are intended to serve as a close examination of a disturbing and reoccurring trend in police relations all across America.

President Trump should first acknowledge the terrible consequences claimed by the current unrest.  He should acknowledge the tragedy of a man dying in the fashion of George Floyd.  And while it is paramount for our police officers to have the support and resources necessary to perform their essential duties; this type of abuse by police officers has been occurring far too often and in far too many places.  Things must change if the ideal of equal justice for all is be maintained.

Secondly…President Trump turns the microphone over to AG Barr and steps well off to the side.  Our Attorney General must address the issues briefly and directly.  There are a small percentage of police officers nationwide that are bad apples; but they do exist.  It cannot be permissible in the future for any type of collegial blue wall to protect a police officer when they abuse their power.  And while working unceasingly towards a strong environment of law and order, there must be more transparency and depth to the public information released by our police departments.

Barr should then announce that he will select the most competent and well-suited black U.S. Attorney to work with him on impaneling a committee. Call it what you will, this committee will have a balanced group of men and women considering their fields of law enforcement, ethnicity, national region, and gender.  Keeping the group as small as possible but as large as necessary, they will draw candidates from a national pool of governors, mayors, district attorneys, and police departments.  This is NOT the committee for U.S. Senators or Representatives.  Nor is it the committee for agenda-driven groups and organizations.  This committee should be composed of those who are on the frontline of law enforcement in America and ready to get down to serious discussions about how to fix our problems.

Once the members are selected, the committee should travel to WDC and engage in one series of multi-day meetings, with no press admittance.  They will end their function with a list of changes, reforms, and innovations that might enhance our current system.  This group should spot the problem areas and come up with ideas to correct them. The group will determine for themselves how many days this event will cover.  Again, the group will operate under private rules with no leaks to the press.

Following the completion of the committee’s meetings, these men and women will return to their regular jobs with the understanding that they are not to comment on the contents of the meetings.  Instead, AG Barr and his Co-Chair, with no Presidential presence, will hold a press conference announcing the completion of the meetings and a general summary of the discussions.  They will pledge to study the contents with analysis and hard data.  They will conduct a serious consideration of these meetings by top-level and qualified DOJ personnel.

Thirdly...At a final press conference, AG Barr and his Co-Chair should both orally address and distribute a full report of the committee meetings, the detailed analysis that has been conducted on the material, and distribute a detailed printed report to the press.

They should at this point have a clear plan of action that will come out of this effort.  It should include changes in funding, regulations, and perhaps even new law that might be authored and sent to Congress for consideration.  As before, no questions should be entertained from the press prior to ending the press conference.

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If done properly, this course of action will confirm to the public that our government acknowledges that a problem exists.  It will demonstrate to the public that our government is willing to listen and seek out where the problems exist.  And it will most importantly signal to our public that real, tangible changes will be forthcoming that will make a sincere effort to address these problems.  With the integrity and judgmental record already exhibited by William Barr, I have no doubt that an effort of this nature would be huge step forward for law enforcement in the United States.  That is why following the initial press conference in this plan, the President does not show up, speak up, and certainly does not tweet about the plan.  AG Barr is much better suited to head up this effort.

This is the least our citizens can expect from Executive leadership.  It is not a fairy tale cure to existing race relations in America.  People understand that and frankly, do not ask for that.  That simply want to know our leaders realize that a problem exists and they are trying to do something about. Everyone wins for the right reasons.

 

Tossing the Game Board

There is the old scene of a person playing a board game, facing imminent defeat, and simply upending the board with all the game pieces.  It is not a good look for the tosser.  In today’s toxic political environment, the Liberal movement in America is playing the part of the board tosser.  Once again, it is not a good look.

Here is the problem: Liberals want to live in Manhattan but run the business of Bardstown, Ky.  Oh, they may visit Bardstown once or twice every couple of years; and they will absolutely gush about how beautiful and pristine Bardstown is.  But they live in New York…or WDC…or Chicago.  They work in New York…or WDC…or Chicago.  They pay taxes in their home state; not in Bardstown, Ky.  What they are doing is selectively living vicariously through the residents of Bardstown, Ky.  And through their Green New Deal ideas, they rush headlong into a religious crusade to save Bardstown from itself.  They must save it from all those who might tarnish it (even the locals who call it home) so that the rest of the civilized world…those from Manhattan and all their Liberal ilk…might have a place like Bardstown to visit every now and then….if the notion strikes them.  That, my friends, is how a Liberal thinks.

They believe they know better how to run your business than you know yourself.  They are convinced that their concept of right and wrong is infallible.  And their certitude of self-holiness is through the roof when the subject of morality comes to the fore.  Oh, they might on rare occasions listen to differing opinions; but only from those who they know are truly on their side and are simply posing contrary notions for the purposes of entertainment and discussion.  Heaven forbid that someone challenges their beliefs on the basis of honest disagreement or concern or…dare we say it…cold hard facts.  Those people…the ones who actually have the gall to question the sanctity of the Liberal thought…those people are to be dealt with harshly.  They are to be demonized personally, deconstructed financially, diminished socially, disgraced professionally, and utterly demolished in an historical sense.  Quite frankly, I find the self-righteousness within which Liberals hold themselves to be superior beings sickening.  They want to hold your money, dictate your lives, and treat you like subservient children.

Like most of this planet’s countries, our nation is unique.  It was founded upon principles.   Those principles are the playing board for the game of America.  If you want to play on that board (i.e. be a citizen of America), you have to play on the board as it is designed.  That design defines the game.  On occasion, there will be variations and revisions to the rules that govern exactly how the game is played on the board; but they don’t change the board.  If you want a different game, then you choose a different board.  If you do not like the American board, check out the Canadian board…or the Mexican board…or the French board…or the German board.  Choose any board you might like, but understand that even though well-meaning people might disagree on the rules of the game and how to play on the board; the board itself defines the game and is to remain unchanged.  I am not waving the Love It or Leave It flag.  I am simply saying that our country is defined by its founding principles and those sacred beliefs should not be open for discussion.

This nation was officially begun on July 4, 1776 with the Declaration of Independence.  Following a torturous struggle to gain the independence so brazenly declared; our new-found nation took the summer of 1787 to write its Constitution.  That document, that group of noble ideals, is the game board for America.  It is a tribute to the founders of our great nation that even though they gave their very lives and fortunes for that Constitution; they nonetheless provided for an orderly method of amending it.  They understood that our culture and society would evolve with time. 

So it was that in December of 1791, the first ten amendments to the Constitution (commonly known as the Bill of Rights) came into effect.  One might argue that the Bill of Rights changed the game board for America.  I believe it is more appropriate to say that the Bill of Rights sought not so much to change the game board as to clarify the game board.  I submit for your consideration that the Constitution remained intact conceptually and the subsequent amendments have not changed the basic game board design; they have simply revised the manner in which the game is played.  A fundamental belief in individual liberty, a unified network of federalist principles, and freedom through opportunity for all remains the heart and soul of these United States.

The point that I am pursuing is that our nation should honor its Constitution and its bedrock principles supporting the Declaration’s famous words…Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. We must all agree that the game board cannot be tossed, redesigned, or reinvented out of frustration with the manner in which the game is being played; or, even worse, simply because we happen to be losing badly at that particular moment.  The rules can be changed within the parameters of the Constitution (therein lies the wisdom of the document); but those changes cannot alter the underlying rights set forth by the Declaration and the Constitution.  If our nation is to succeed and maintain its position as the leader for freedom and liberty in this world, our political parties must understand that they simply cannot entertain the thought of tossing the board.  They must come to grips with playing the game of governance within the boundaries set forth in our Constitution. 

It is becoming all too possible to consider the prospects of a Democratic or Republican Party gaining control of all three branches of government, throwing all caution to the wind, and seizing upon their fleeting opportunity to toss the board and reinvent it in their own political vision.  This would be the road to ruin.  The road to rejuvenation is in honest and open debate, a redefining of government to those things that are uniquely governmental in nature, and a healthy respect for the political opponent in both victory and defeat.

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Although neither Party may lay claim to a higher, more righteous level of patriotism; it is abundantly clear that the Democrats have migrated closer to tossing the board than have the Republicans.  For all of their misguided policies and ideals, the Republicans continue to hold a visible and tangible allegiance to the Constitution and how it was originally conceived.  They seem to restrict their political mischief to the arenas that lie above the board; such as Congress, the Executive, the Judicial and the balance of power shared among the three.  Whether or not you support their initiatives; it is difficult for any reasonable person to envision a Republican leader who advocates throwing out the Constitution and rewriting it from a uniquely Republican perspective. 

On the other hand, the Democrats of late have come perilously close to giving the appearance that given the chance, they would not hesitate to take an industrial eraser and a few gallons of white-out to our Constitution.  I will not go into a laundry list of Democratic initiatives that will support my supposition (I have already done so in prior posts); but I would urge anyone who cares about the notion to give it some thoughtful consideration. 

The election that will be held this November in America holds the potential (as perhaps they all do) to portend watershed changes in our country and its government.  We will all be inundated with directives to consider how crazy is the man Trump and how senile is the man Biden; how callous is the Donald and how corrupt is Slow Joe.  We will be bombarded with questions about government regulation, tax rates, immigration reforms, foreign policy intrigue, and federal spending priorities.  There will be a lot of shine and polish; but little substance and truth.  There will be a cavalcade of bluster; but a dearth of sincerity and statesmanship.  The real challenge that lies before us this November is much larger than who will be President.  It is a bigger question than which Party will control the House or the Senate.  It is even larger than the traditional test of style over substance.

The basic question we should ask ourselves is this: Which Party will best honor our founding fathers; the blood of our American patriots who fought for the possibility of a new nation and the principles contained in the three fundamental documents that I referenced within this post?  Which Party will uphold the blessed obligation to preserve those ideals of personal liberty and which Party will be most willing to sacrifice them at the altar of a political agenda?  Which Party can best provide the leadership and wisdom to change the way our government functions while preserving the premise upon which our government was established?  The single biggest question that we should ask ourselves this November before casting our vote is this:  Which Party is most likely to toss the board?

President Barack Hussein Obama does not think that our country is exceptional.  The principles espoused in the three aforementioned documents were not his chosen principles.  Oh, he could have gone through them and cherry-picked a few here and there; but the overall thrust did not align with his ideal nation.  He does not love this country.  He does not respect this country.  Above all else, he loves and respects himself.  Once his Party lost control of Congress and he was forced to actually work at being a leader, he retreated into his snarky realm of politics by division.  He resorted to the short-lived thrill of the Executive Order rather than work with Congress on reforms.  As President, he hired irresponsible and incompetent ideologues to run our government like their own private playhouse and decades of bi-partisan cooperation were washed away over eight years.  Government law enforcement/intelligence departments and agencies were politically weaponized and shamelessly wielded for pure partisan gains and pursuit of his personal agendas.  He charmed the mainstream media into making fools out of themselves and helped them sell their professional and ethical souls for feel-good stories about hope, change, and fairy tale slogans.  If Joe Biden is elected President, it is quite likely that the Democrats will not only hold control of the House; but will also seize control of the Senate.  How long do you think it would take the same old Obama team to get the band back together and re-inject their slime and corruption into our government?  And this time around, they will not waste any time whatsoever about getting down to the business of reinventing this country.

Because if the board is tossed; this will no longer be America.  We will have lost that special quality that made our people and our land unique among our global neighbors.  We will have forgotten the sacrifices and struggles that have brought us to this place in history.  We will have crossed a line where our concern for being a global citizen exceeds our pride in being a noble nation.  We will have cavalierly tossed away a storied history for a feel-good rush of virtue signaling.  Crossing that line would be a sacrilege to the generations that came before us and a thoughtless sacrifice of a future we should preserve for our families.  It would not be an apocalypse.  It would not be the end of times.  It would simply be the foolish wasting of something hard-earned and precious that can never be fully recovered.  Can we somehow learn to play the game above the board; while maintaining a deep abiding respect for the board?  Let us all pray to God for the capacity and the leadership to do just that.