Common Sense by Thomas Paine prophetically states that more damage will be done by the men of a moderate mindset than by the extremists. This has clearly been played out over the last century. Those classified as moderates have been more willing to give up liberty and principles than those on the far left or right. Today most moderates are Republicans and sadly tend to hold most of the leadership positions.
Being far removed on the island of the District of Columbia they do not understand the practical issues and impact of the laws they make. Since they many times exempt themselves from these laws, they never suffer the unintended consequences of the laws they pass. Because they do not know or understand the people they represent it is easy for them to compromise and get caught up in climbing the leadership ladder in DC.
This separation from ‘We the People’ creates a divide which is not unlike the divide the Colonists had with Great Britain. Separated by an ocean the king had no knowledge or understanding of the American people. Plus he didn’t care because it was all about funding his wars on the backs of the Americans.
Just like the Parliament and King of England during Colonial times our current elected officials in Washington are isolated on the DC Island. Consequently, they have lost touch with the realities facing ‘We the People’. Because of this divide, like the King of England, their politics is all about them and their personal kingdom building. Extending the freedoms and liberties granted in the Bill of Rights takes a back seat because they think they know better than we do what we need. Because of this they are more willing to compromise their core values as stated in the Party Platform.
Give and take in politics is necessary to work together but in today’s climate this means that instead of both parties giving a little it means that one party caves to the other. So the definition of the word – compromise – has been turned upside down just as has the definition of tolerance.
The good news is that there are a few strong Christians in Congress who will not compromise their ‘core’ principles. Unfortunately, there are not enough of them to turn the tide of a watered down GOP. These honorable representatives need our support and help in adding to their ranks so they can accomplish more for freedom. We will never have perfect candidates because none of us is perfect except Jesus. So what we need to do is find the best constitutional candidates who will live and die by the Declaration and Constitution and then do all we can to get them elected.
Once they are elected we must continue to maintain relationship with them, standing with them and encouraging them in their belief system – reminding them why they ran for office in the first place. Most of the time after we get them elected we go back to living life as usual forgetting that we have just sent this well intentioned representative into the lion’s den. They need to know that we are not only watching what they do but also praying for them.
What has happened in the past is that we do not do the above and then we are surprised to find out they have started compromising their core values in favor of power, prestige and money. Prayer is necessary and mandated in 2 Timothy but it is not enough. ‘We the People’ must be watchful too. But just like the disciples in the garden we get weary and go to sleep because our flesh is weak. The Lord is admonishing us to not get weary in well doing.
We do not have the luxury of sitting by while the government grows and intrudes more and more into our individual lives as well as our church lives. It is well past time that the church wake up and take responsibility for not doing its part in maintaining America’s core foundations. There can be no more excuses for not being educated on the issues because with Internet access everything we need to know is one or two clicks away.
Our attitude should be that of the Signers of the Declaration. We need to pledge our lives, our finances and our sacred honor for the cause of liberty and opportunity. For these are the times that try men’s souls. But if we all stand together we will make a difference and generations that come after us will be grateful.
Next Week: How to vet potential candidates…
Dinner Table Discussion Question: What can we do to get to know our elected representatives? What do you think they need from you as their constituent?