Last week was a most extraordinary week in the annals of American presidential politics. The Department of Justice found willful intent of the mishandling of classified documents by President Joe Biden when he was Vice President of the United States. The Special Counsel declined to press charges based upon personal interviews conducted with the President during discovery that led to the conclusion his memory was so deficient that intent could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former President Donald Trump declared in a speech at a rally that he will hold NATO partners accountable for the payment of their membership dues to the Alliance. That would have, in fact, been a meritable statement if he hadn’t gone on to say he would encourage Russia to do “whatever the hell they want” to any NATO partner who is delinquent in their payments. The United States would not come to their defense.
President Biden’s mental capacity is of great concern. Former President Donald Trump’s reckless, injudicious statements are of great concern.
Both states of mind of the two leading candidates for President of the United States leaves the general public in a state of great concern.
Seveny-five percent of citizens do not want President Biden to be reelected. Sixty-five percent of adults in America do not want former President Donald Trump to be reelected. Sixty-five percent of Democrats do not like the direction of the Democratic Party. Sixty-five percent of Republicans do not like the direction of the Republican Party. Seventy-five percent of the public believe that Congress is corrupt. Sixty-five percent of the American public believe that national news journalists are biased and are reporting in pursuit of a personal agenda. Seventy-eight percent of the public believe that the country is on the wrong track.
This feeling of abandonment of the grassroots by national leaders is at a breaking point. In many countries with less stable democracies, riots and coups would be the order of the day.
Yet, the public remains stable, considerate, and non-violent in most communities. Why? Because Americans largely still believe in the decency of each other and that the relativity of democracy will be realized. They hope beyond hope that national leadership will understand that they the people are more interested in finding solutions for universal issues than pursing coterie issues of identity politics.
So, how are Americans handling this situation of political abandonment?
They are maintaining continuity in the election decision-making process through their faith (worldview) and principles to hold government accountable for the protection of their families.
Progressives depend upon government to facilitate the principles determined by their worldview to protect their families. Conservatives depend upon principles to direct government in protecting personal authority over their families. When government is not held in such contempt by the public, the political debate centers on the role and extent of government to oversee the lives of citizens. Normally, progressives, in times of concern, naturally lean toward government for solutions. Conservatives normally, in times of concern, naturally lean toward independence of government for solutions. When government is disdained to the degree that it is today by a majority of Americans, both progressives and conservatives find themselves in the awkward position of agreeing that government disconnect and disingenuous policy corruption threatens both of their contrasting ideological worldviews.
One’s faith is the determining factor in one’s worldview. Faith manifested codifies principles. Principles are the laws which dictate one’s personal relationship with government. Faith implemented through principles defines government’s role for the purpose of the ultimate concern, the protection of one’s family.
In the crossroads of faith, family, principles, and government, government is the dedicated connecting platform for the traffic flow of differing political, ideological, and cultural differences of society. This is the compromise of democracy. This “compromise of the ballot box” allows citizens to live together in respect and peace. Government leaders are failing in their obligation to participate in this covenant as provided by the Constitution and intended by the Founding Fathers. Citizens are now left to their own means on how to define, implement, and maintain democracy.
The special election conducted in New York’s third district on Tuesday to fill Republican George Santos’ seat confirms this electoral decision-making process in the intersection of faith, family, principles, and government. The third district is in Nassau County on Long Island. The electorate is highly educated, professional, and informed. The voting base is 2 to 1 Democrat. Joe Biden carried this district in 2020. The Democrat, Tom Souzzi, is a former Congressman who has run for statewide office more than once. The Republican, Mazi Pilip, is a Nassau County legislator running for Congress for the first time. Massive amounts of money from outside sources were spent in this special election.
Souzzi won 54 to 46. National elites are emphasizing that the flipping of this seat from Republican to Democrat is a bellwether for the upcoming national elections. It is not.
Wisely, Souzzi ran a local campaign on national issues. His message centered on immigration, abortion rights, and crime. Pilip’s message centered on immigration, the economy, and crime. Both candidates criticized government for its failure to deliver solutions for immigration and crime. Voters defaulted to normal Democratic voting patterns.
In 2024, Republican districts are likely to vote on the universal issue of the economy versus the coterie issue of abortion. Democratic districts are likely to follow the New York 3rd example of reverting to normal Democratic trends. Independents in swing districts are currently polling that the universal issue of the economy is more important than the coterie issue of abortion. By this analysis, former President Trump has an advantage in the Electoral College.
To add to the public’s dilemma of not desiring either Biden or Trump is the fact that neither political party is offering any vision for the future of America. Both parties claim the other party is worse. And further, the Democratic strategy is to paint Trump as so abhorrently odious that he is disqualified morally from being President. And the Republican strategy is to paint President Biden as so mentally deficient that a vote for him is voter malfeasance.
Voters must not only choose between the lesser of two evils, they also have to choose between the lesser anticipated outcome of the negative impact on the value of family of a government managed by leaders disconnected from the citizens’ true concerns. The relationship between faith, family, principles, and government hangs in the balance for the future of democracy.
Why?
Because the differences of worldview established by faith for 248 years have been reconciled in rights through government policy as stipulated by the Constitution. With government not only seen as the problem, but the enemy of faith, citizens must come to terms with individual rights through their own initiatives.
Atheists tend to trust government to protect their worldview of “separation of church and state.” Theists tend to be suspicious of government that it will invade their rights of “freedom of religion.”
In an atheist worldview, the existence of life is the random result of inorganic forces of nature. Mankind, in isolation of purpose, is the only intellect and therefore superior. Government then is the collective intellect of mankind sovereign to the individual.
Theists believe in a God of a higher calling who orchestrated the forces of the universe to provide for an environment designed to support the creation of mankind. God’s intellect and laws are eternal and superior for the governance of mankind.
In a theist worldview, God is sovereign over mankind and He placed mankind as sovereign over government. Government exists to respect God’s sovereignty in mankind’s effort to respect and obey God’s laws.
Most atheists and theists agree that nurturing the value of family is the priority of the generations. A majority of neither desires or seeks a totalitarian state wherein individual choices and options are limited. Until national leaders embrace the humility of respecting the sovereignty of the citizens’ right to govern themselves…
The fate of democracy will rest with the people’s commitment to believe in, hold inviolate, and protect the faith and principles of their family values.
My name is Marc Nuttle and this is what I believe.
What do you believe?