Always Reforming

So, we had an election earlier this week.  Perhaps you heard about it. I have done my best to remain mostly silent on political issues this time around because I have found that fixating on such matters does little for my mental or spiritual health.  Also, no one cares what I think.  Nevertheless, here are a few thoughts on our recent election. 1) I didn't vote for Donald Trump, but I'd be lying if I said I'm not glad he won.  To be clear, that says more about Kamala Harris than about Donald Trump. 2) This election seemed much cleaner--much less suspicious--than the sordid affair we had in 2020.  This election didn't feature any poll workers tallying (discovering? conjuring?) votes behind closed doors in the wee hours of the night, messy mail-in voting, or voter turnout beyond plausible expectations.  The 2020 election had me convinced that we would never see another peaceful, uncontested election, but, as contentious as things were this year, it seems like...

I know no one cares, but writing these thoughts down keeps me from fixating on the election, so here you go.  Here are my random thoughts on the 2020 election. 1) No matter how you slice it, about half of the voting constituency in the United States voted for Biden.  That is depressing.  Really, it's mind-blowing.  Biden is corrupt and senile.  He is a consummate career politician.  His campaign was, frankly, a joke, and yet, half our nation threw their support behind him. 2) Hate won.  Regardless of who ends up as the next PotUS, hate won the election of 2020.  Many people voted for Trump because they hated Biden.  Even more people voted for Biden because they loathe Donald Trump, mainly because they media has told them they are bad people if they don't.  This election was fueled by hate and fear, and that doesn't bode well for the future of our nation. 3) The fact that the presidency matters this much means we've already lost the...

Well, I filled my mail-in ballot in a couple of nights ago.  My cat subsequently knocked a cup of water over onto it (one of her favorite activities is knocking over the half-full cups of water my children leave about the house), but it dried out and I'm ready to send it in.  As has been the case since I was first eligible to vote back in '08, I have chosen not to vote for either major candidate.  Knowing that voting for a third party candidate is pointless, I choose instead to write in silly candidates as a form of protest against our binary political system.  Over the years I have written in such names as Tim Tebow, Jim Harbaugh, and now, Phil Collins.  I hope whoever counts my vote gets a chuckle.   I will say, I was this close *imagine my thumb and index finger really close together* to voting to reelect our current president.  Four years ago I was firmly in the "never Trump" camp, but this time around I was genuinely tempted to vote for him....

In the United States we have a polarized political system predicated on hate.  Now, this is nothing new, and I'm sure that this is not a malady that is unique to our nation, but this issue has become more pronounced in the Age of the Internet.   Republicans and Democrats, from elected officials to commonplace voters, openly declare that they do not like their own candidate--they simply hate the other candidate.   Consider sitting President, Donald Trump.  With few exceptions, his supporters generally do not view him as a man of virtue or truth, but, rather, as a vanguard against the forces of Liberalism, Marxism, religious persecution, etc.   They don't love Trump; they simply hate the alternative to Trump.    The other side of the aisle is even worse.   There are essentially zero human beings on this planet who truly believe that Joe Biden would lead this nation effectively. Rather, his own party views him as a vanilla candida...

1) Whether or not this response is warranted, COVID-19 is definitely serious enough to kill you, regardless of your age. 2) Panic buyers are annoying. 3) The government will take any opportunity to extend it's power. 4) Most mainstream media outlets hate Trump and will spin anything to make him look bad. 5) Most mainstream media outlets will blow a story out of proportion in order to generate ratings. 6) We all need fresh air and sunshine right now, which can be problematic when you live in Ohio. 7) This pandemic is setting a dangerous precedent for future crises. 8) Insider trading by politicians in Washington D.C. is absolutely abhorrent, but they will never be held accountable. 9) I am saddened that I can't go to church for a few weeks, but I recognize that religious leaders everywhere are doing the best job they can to balance faith and discretion. 10) Most legislators are doing the best job they know how to do right now, and I don't envy the position ...

In light of recent Internet memes, let's be perfectly clear about a few things here. 1) President Trump's proposal to send checks to citizens impacted by COVID-19 is not, I repeat, is not the same thing proposed by Andrew Yang during his failed attempted to nab the Democratic nomination.  It is intellectually dishonest to conflate the two.  Trump, along with numerous other legislators, is recommending a bailout of the American people as a temporary response to a crisis.  Yang was suggesting that we should permanently provide $1000/month to an entire class of poverty-stricken Americans.  The concepts are entirely different, as would be the fiscal ramifications.  Moreover, Trump's stimulus package is an attempt to correct problems caused not only by the current pandemic, but by the restrictions put in place as a response to that pandemic.  It's an attempt to counteract the financial hardship caused by government actions--a "sorry, here's some money" sort o...

Unless you're living under a rock (which might not be such a bad thing right now), you're aware that a novel coronavirus, officially labelled COVID-19, has sent the world into a frenzy.  Major events have been cancelled, travel bans have been put implemented, and people are stocking up on toilet paper!  Beyond the obvious medical implications of a pandemic like this, people have begun to express concern over the economic impact it will have, especially as the stock market is diving precipitously.  The NBA shut down will itself cost untold millions, and it will affect not only the rich, but your average joe as well.  President Trump has urged Congress to pass legislation to support those put out of work due to COVID-19, but the government gets all of its money from taxpayers, so we're probably just delaying the economic implications.  I am not a medical expert, nor am I an economic expert, so I really don't intend to comment on either of those fields.  I...

It's that time again!  It's that abysmal season when you can't stand anyone on Facebook and you can't avoid attack ads on TV and radio!  It's election season! This time around it's the Democrat's turn to put their best man or woman forward in an effort to unseat the Republican incumbent, Donald Trump.  Trump's tenure has been tumultuous, to put it mildly, but at least it's been entertaining!  The Democratic candidates are all framing their campaigns around one goal--defeating Trump.  Surging towards the front of the pack is the Senator from Vermont, Bernie Sanders.  Despite, or perhaps because of, his idiosyncrasies, Sanders has gained notoriety, particularly winning the hearts of our nation's youth, and posing a viable threat to the status quo in the Democratic party. I am not a Democrat (nor am I a Republican), but I would like to offer them some advice, especially the young voters.  Don't do it!  Do not nominate Bernie Sanders.  "...

Dear fellow citizens who support the impeachment of our president, Donald Trump, I'm writing to you today because I think things have gotten out of hand lately.  The political landscape in our nation is becoming increasingly more transparent and it's time for self-respecting citizens to engage in some self-reflection.  This is all getting a little silly, isn't it? Before I say anything more, let me be very clear about something.  I did not vote for Donald Trump, nor do I intend to vote for Donald Trump in the future, barring some unexpected turn of events.  I do think that some of his acts as President have been laudable, but he has done nothing to demonstrate that he is a Godly, respectable man, nor am I naive enough to believe that anyone becomes that rich and powerful in New York without crossing a few ethical lines. Nevertheless, I have a few problems with this whole impeachment thing you guys have going on. First of all, I'm pretty sure most of you guys ...

If it's not one thing, it's another.  Am I right?  This time it's Ukraine. "Impeach Trump!" the liberals cry. "Prosecute Biden!" the conservatives reply. "Wait...prosecute Pelosi, too!" conservatives continue. Allegations of corruption dominate social media and network news as representatives of all political ideologies defend their side and decry the opposition.  Meanwhile, average Americans debate back and forth without really knowing what the heck is going on because, after all, peons like us can never really be confident that we know what's going on. What I find surprising is how many people seem to be surprised by these endless revelations of corruption, nepotism, and maneuvering that are coming out of Washington. How is this surprising?  How are people just figuring this out? Were people really unaware that this country, the so-called land of the free and the home of the brave, has always been at the behest of old dudes ...

Well, ol' Donny is at it again!  His Twitter feed is ablaze with controversy, which is nothing new, but is nonetheless never a good look for the President of the United States of America.  I will say, that man is nothing if not entertaining! As social media sites and cable news channels light up with the story, it seems that liberals in Washington and in the media are intent on force-feeding the American public this idea that Donald Trump is a raging racist, cheered on by the inherently-racist, corn-fed hillbillies of the Midwest; but is that narrative true?  Are his most recent tweets proof of inveterate hate and bigotry? Is Donald Trump a racist? Please, I beg of you, allow me to clarify something before I proceed.  This is not a defense of Donald Trump as a human being.  I am not pro-Trump, just as I am not anti-Trump.  I do my best to assess his words and actions as subjectively as possible.  He is our President, so, as a Christian, I try to...

I hate abortion.  I really do.  My mother was a pro-life warrior until the day she died, which is one of the only reasons I exist .  So as you read this, don't think that I am supporting abortion in any imaginable way. That being said, pro-life advocates have a problem.  You see, we take every possible issue and we make it about abortion.  Gun control?  Abortion.  Immigration?  Abortion.  Donald Trump sleeping with porn stars (even though there was no sleeping involved)?  Abortion.  Every time an issue is brought up for discussion, we just remind liberals about abortion like it's some sort of trump card (pun partially intended).  We act like abortion ends every conversation about any political, cultural, or moral issue.  Again, let me clarify.  There is nothing wrong with pointing out moral and intellectual inconsistencies.  I think it's a good thing to do, both as an evangelistic tool and as a debate tactic...

I am an opinionated guy.  Sometimes I'm too opinionated.  Sometimes I form opinions on an issue just to have an opinion on the issue, not because I actually know anything or even care about the issue.  I wanted to write something about this whole immigration fiasco going on right now, but then I had a sudden realization.  I realized that I don't actually have a strong opinion on the matter.  This time my lack of an opinion is not due to apathy, but to ignorance.  In other words, I care, but this issue is truly that difficult to navigate.  Do we open up our borders and let anyone come in?  Do we allow people to stay in our country because they snuck in and had a baby, thereby rewarding lawlessness?  That can't be a good idea.  On the other hand, do we throw out millions of people who have been here for years, sometimes even decades?  Do we ship off people who have families, homes, jobs--in short, lives--here in this country?  ...

So, Donald Trump is tweeting again.  This time Trump has taken a shot at North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un, whose comments regarding age Trump apparently didn't take too kindly.  As I predicted before Trump won the election, his administration is entertaining, if nothing else.  Someone should probably find a way to take his account from him, but, until that happens, let's just enjoy the madness. Seriously though, this might be the most juvenile behavior ever by a world leader, and there have been a ton of world leaders who were literally juveniles.  What a time to be alive!  The President of the United States of America is name-calling foreign heads of state (well, technically one, but you get the point)!  We may not be what we once were, but America is still supposed to be the most powerful nation in the world, right?  And this is the type of guy we have "running" our country?  I'm surprised he hasn't tweeted out a "cracking open a cold one wi...

It's that time of year again!  It's time for us law-abiding citizens to get to the polls and vote!  Some would call this a privilege, while others would insist that it's a right.  True 'muricans, however, remind you that it is your duty. Voting has rarely been as controversial in the good ol' United States of America as it is today, at least as far as the nature of that controversy goes.  Back in the day people fought over who was allowed to vote.  Was it only the landowners, the ruling class elite?  Should both men and women be allowed to cast their vote into the ballot box?  What about people whose skin is darker than your average Caucasian, and, if so, exactly how much melanin is too much before we assume you're not intellectual enough to vote?  Yeah, that was the kind of stuff we fought over for a long time. Not our proudest moment. Regardless, people wanted to vote and they fought for that right.  We're all about taxation with repr...

As we approach the one-year anniversary of the Trump/Hillary fiasco...I mean...election, it is appropriate that people have begun to reflect on the job that Trump has done.  Social media is marked by a wide variety of responses to this issue: some people think Trump has done all he promised and more (except for build that wall, of course, but not even most Trump supporters really thought he'd get a wall built), others think he has done nothing, and others still believe that Hillary would have accomplished so much more than Trump has.  You're bound to have these type of responses, but what troubles me is to see the numbers of Christians who are praising the job that Trump has done as if it is confirmation that they were right to vote for him.  "At least we didn't get Hillary," they sigh.  "Trump has been great for the economy," they insist.  "America is," they allege, "better off one year later because we didn't elect Hillary." T...

So, America sent some missiles  to Syria in retaliation for their alleged use of chemical weapons against civilians.  Maybe you've heard.  We can all agree that the use of sarin gas is horrific and cruel, though, of course, so is war in general.  The question that has agitated and divided the American public is whether or not we were justified in retaliating against a regime that has not actually committed any acts of aggression against our own country or citizens.  Are we called to police the world?  Do we have a moral duty to protect the weak throughout the world?  Should we interfere with civil wars overseas?  I don't know.  I'm just a 27-year-old blogger (okay, wannabe blogger) who has never been in the military or the government.  There's a reason I don't make decisions like this. Having a social media profile doesn't make me or anyone else an expert at foreign policy.  I don't know what our foreign policy, but here's what I do...

I recently shared my thoughts on the Cult of Trump , which I warned was a religious affinity that has the potential to end poorly for freedom-loving folk (the same people who, ironically enough, put him into office). Though I stopped short of predicting that Trump will become a tyrant, I reminded the reader that many of the tyrants of our modern era began their regimes as savior types--revolutionaries who promised to restore and repair a broken land.  Now I'd like to take a look at the psychological issues that underlie that phenomenon. We live in an age where much of the world views freedom as an inalienable right.  Freedom of religion, speech, and self-expression are championed as untouchable, even if  those freedoms are poorly defined and the assurance of those freedoms for some restricts the freedoms of others. We're not as free as we think we are, but we certainly believe in the ideal.  We have this notion that freedom has triumphed over tyranny and that this ...

In 1988 Living Colour released a political commentary entitled " Cult of Personality ."  This catchy tune was a subtle critique of the tendency mankind has to glorify celebrities, especially political and religious personalities (names such as Kennedy, Mussolini, and Gandhi can be heard in the chorus). As I listened to this song in my car yesterday, I was reminded of something I had seen last week. Down the road from where I work there lives a Trump supporter.  In the days before the election he made sure that everyone knew where his alliances lay by putting up multiple Trump signs in his yard. Those signs have since come down, but erected in their place is one of the saddest things I've ever seen.  This gentleman has a tall flagpole in his yard.  That flagpole displays multiple flags that indicate his local and national allegiances.  What, pray tell, do you think sits atop this flagpole?  Yep, a Trump flag.  I was, simply put, flabbergasted. This is...

So we have a new President... So what? We still have a capitol building full of self-advancing career politicians. We still have the military war machine. We still have a Godless man in the White House (metaphorically...he probably won't spend too much time there). We still have our national sin of abortion (and, no, I have no hopes that Trump will contribute to the outlaw of that crime). We still have an enormous national debt and an ever-climbing debt ceiling. We still have billionaires pulling the puppet strings (we just have one of them in the actual Oval Office now, too). We still have the Department of Education. We still have the IRS. We still have the Federal Reserve. We still have Supreme Court justices bent on imposing their ideals onto the Constitution. We still have an alarmingly ignorant and immoral populace. You remember when you turned 18 and you felt pretty much exactly like when you were 17?  Then you turned 20 and you felt the same as whe...