by Mike Pyatt
While the growing field of 2020 Democrats line up to attempt to unseat President Trump, GOP conservatives salivate at the prospects of watching Democrat fisticuffs until the convention in Milwaukee. Navigating this political minefield, trying to maintain political equilibrium, one must grasp the gravity of this unveiling political theatre. Recall the 2004 dust-up between Democratic hopefuls Senator John Kerry, and Senator Richard Gephardt, that eventually gave Kerry an early nod in the New Hampshire primary? Gephardt faded like a vapor. Kerry’s choice of youthful John Edwards, to take the South, ultimately backfired-Bush prevailed.This field’s like no other.
Fast forward to 2019, and “Sleepy Joe,” Trump’s moniker for Biden, is “leaping-frogging” his primary antagonists, going at President Trump head-on. Biden failed to crack 1% in the 2008 caucuses. He has a record of folding like a cheap tent. Is he now ready for “such a time as this?” Will two terms as Veep change his political calculus? Will he blow his early margin in Politico’s hypothetical match-up poll against Trump? Is he the “grown-up” in the room for moderates craving some maturity? Bernie may play the spoiler. Whose time is it? Is the red-hot Trump economy too much for Democrat rivals to counter? Lowest unemployment in 50 years and historic productivity numbers plays well on main-street.
Most recall the “inevitability” of Hillary Clinton’s presidential run in 2008. She squandered a sizable lead in most regional polls to her Socialist adversary, quixotic Bernie Sanders of Vermont, watching her considerable margin with black voters shrink in the final months. In 2016, she and her acolytes dismissed candidate Trump, relegating him to the political dump-heap of history. Nationally she only carried the union vote by 8%. Now Uncle Joe’s chasing their money. This week on Rachel Maddow’s show Hillary continued to insist Russia was the main reason Trump defeated her-never admitting she was a lousy candidate. Conservatives believe we got a reprieve with President Trump’s 2016 victory. Was his victory “for such a time as this?” Imagine the nightmare if Hillary Clinton occupied the Whitehouse. Trump’s Whitehouse celebration of the National Day of Prayer was more like an old fashioned revival. He did everything but pass an offering plate.
Many conservatives are convinced Ronald Reagan came just in time to rescue us from Jimmy Carter’s woefully feckless administration, and long gas lines. Eisenhower purportedly ushered in a “time of peace.” FDR’s successor President Harry Truman had the fortitude to drop atomic bombs on Japan that ended WWII. This begs the question, “Is it a matter of timing?” And what’s at play? Is it “invisible forces” that orchestrates politics? Is it the “hand of God” having His way with we mere mortals? Or is it some capricious event that’s inexplicable? What could possibly explain the purpose of Obama’s eight years? Our evil ways? Ill-informed electorate? Our just deserts?
What was behind the Trump phenomena? Destiny? Vertiginous events? Evangelicals as a block of voters, believed God was ultimately behind it. Will they continue their staunch support? His indefatigable, unparalleled support for the unborn, signing executive orders for religious liberty, reversing the onerous 1954 Johnson Amendment, in 2017 “to defend the freedom of religion and speech” and easing restrictions, bolsters his gravitas with political and religious conservatives. This week’s unprecedented photo of Mayor Pete Buttigieg embracing his “husband” emblazoned on Time magazine’s cover, titled “First Family” stirred Franklin Graham to tweet that being gay’s “something to be repentant of, not something to be flaunted, praised or politicized.”
Buttigieg has become a master at redefinition-politically and morally-claiming his new mate “brought him closer to God.” Will mainstream voters embrace a homosexual president and his “first husband” in the White House? Many are skeptical. Tradition and verities are obstacles to Democrats extreme Left’s end goal-offering a seriously flawed, “in your face” perverted version of marriage-ridding our culture of timeless edifices and taboos, that were once the linchpin of our Republic. Only the naive believe otherwise.
The Old Testament Book of Esther is set in the Persian Empire, under the reign of Ahasuerus, more familiarly known by the Greek name of Xerxes I, the son of Darius the Great, around 475 B.C. provides context for the “hand of God” in the lives of mere mortals. The book offers a compelling story of the impact of a brave, Godly woman, though God is never mentioned in the book. She prevailed over villainous Haman, who was intent on the genocide of the Jews. The most famous line from the book is from Mordecai, her advocate, “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come for such a time as this?” The remaining story chronicles Esther’s decision to risk her life by going to the King for help. Students of the Scripture know that God had her in the right place and right time for the deliverance of His people. Esther demonstrated that, despite our quotidian ways, we all have a defining moment when we are called upon to stand, upholding a Godly principle, or verity, though uncertain of the impact of such an act. Like many of us, this young Jewish girl probably had no idea of the far reaching consequences of her choices.
Professor of Politics at Geneva College, Paul Kengor, wrote, “The Intellectual Origins of Ronald Reagan’s Faith,” tracing the path of Reagan’s spiritual heritage to his mother Nelle Reagan. Her influence’s undeniable. From his childhood, Kengor insists, Reagan sensed a “God given destiny,” that influenced his life. He was also influenced by writers and thinkers such as Malcolm Muggeridge, and C.S. Lewis. Like all mortals, Reagan wasn’t perfect. His sense of “God’s hand on his life” began in the 1920’s, growing up in Dixon, Illinois. He felt the shadow of former Communist, Whitaker Chamber’s pilgrimage to Christianity, and his magisterial autobiography “Witness.” Reagan’s optimism was considered a “God-given gift,” that was present throughout his life. Was his Presidency Divine destiny? Or the nexus of circuitous circumstances, and influence of an esoteric group of universal financiers and political manipulators? Some discount both.
Are political machinations and strategies inimical to God’s presence in the political arena? Antiquities tell us that Louis XIV, was the divine-right monarch, who ruled France from 1643 to 1715. He believed himself to be God’s agent on earth, and to challenge him was to challenge God. What would our response be to a candidate for office today who dared to say that? Was Martin Luther King there at “the right time?”Megalomaniac or Spirit led? We’re not called to answer for others. Can we know His voice? We are called to exercise our God given First Amendment voice in the public square, to push back against the flow of a rapidly shifting culture. Dare we remain silent? Or think that we were Created “for such a time as this?” What do you think?
Mike Pyatt’s a Natrona County resident. His email’s roderickstj@yahoo.com
