“Opinion separates, but the Word unites.” Paul Wilbur
Although I totally agree with this statement, I’m launching into a commentary about President Trump. Here goes…
President Trump is the unpopular president
And yet he is the president of the United States.
He’s like Marmite: If you are British you’ll understand the comparison. If you’re not, I’ll just say, regarding most people it seems, re Donald Trump: you either love him or you hate him!
Donald Trump’s unpopularity began when he announced his running for president in 2016. Before that, he was quite a celebrity figure. Some liked him, others didn’t. But no dislike compared to what he has experienced since his presidency began. When he said he’d run for president, some celebrities said they’d move to Canada if he won. Well, he won, but those people did not migrate over the Canadian border. They did complain.
His unpopularity got much worse when he won the election. Some young people shouted, “Not my president” and refused to recognise his authority or role as head of the United States. Their behaviour was encouraged. Why would aggression against the president be endorsed?The majority of the media took the side of the protestors.
It got worse and worse as the media revelled in his unpopularity, mocking him, initially calling him Trump rather than the President. The mass media did not recognise his authority with respect, and so it fed those who vehemently disapproved of him. Matters only worsened.
And all of this was within weeks of the election result. He’d not yet even been sworn in.
As his unpopularity escalated, he got louder.
He is a loud, direct person. In fact, isn’t this personality quite like the concept — rightly or wrongly — that some non-Americans describe as quintessential American?
Who hates him most?
Those in opposition have shown the president no grace. Nancy Pelosi won’t even speak to him on the telephone, although her role as Leader of the House of Representative obliges her to do so. During one official engagement, she stood behind him in her official duty, but rolled her eyes as he spoke and tore up the copy of his speech in front of the cameras. Why does she hate him so much?
Although he does not have an easy personality, it is my believe that even if he were the most docile person on the planet she and others with the same political agenda would still despise him. It is not who he is but what he does and what he stands for that she despises.
What has he accomplished as president? Here are some of the victories:
- Peace treaties between various Arab nations and Israel
- Weakened Iranian threat as the Iranians turn their backs on their hostile leader
- Moved the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem (a promise made by successive presidents repeatedly for over 30 years)
- Withstood vitriol and impeachment
- Lowered unemployment and raised employment of black and Hispanic minorities countrywide to the highest level in history
- Raised blue colour employment
- Called out the Chinese government for unfair trading
- Ensured Nato nations paid their agreed share for defence.
- Legally and fairly increased the judiciary toward a more conservative ie Constitution-supporting Supreme Court
With so much accomplishment, why is Trump so despised?
I think he’s disliked for three key reasons: 1. His politics and 2. His personality 3. the agenda of Cultural Marxism
His politics is right of centre. He seeks to uphold the American Constitution as it was designed. This opposes the Democrat effort. They are for personal liberty and against a conservative view of the American Constitution. This battle between traditional values and extreme liberty has been raging for decades. Now it has simply escalated!
Add to that, a corruption and greed for power and money in politics…. and you have why Trump ran for president: to recapture the economic success and moral compass of America. That is what “Make American Great Again” means.
Ironic isn’t it, that he was a ladies man for decades. He’s been married and divorced several times. But then, he who loves much has been forgiven much.
It is my thought that the Republican Party, who has had its share of corruption, has been mostly cleaned up in these past four years. Many who disliked Trump initially have come on board because they see the integrity of his plan and his execution of it (when not blocked by Democrats).
Now to his personality: The Media, Hollywood by-and-large, the the Democrats are left of centre. This means, not only are there some crooked politicians controlling and manipulating of the political system, but most of the cards of publicity are in the hands of those against all that Trump stands for. The vast number in the Media are Democrat leaning. Over 90% of his coverage is negative. Programmes on the MSM broadcast negativity and hatred.
What we do matters more than what we say
From the time Trump was nominated as the Republican candidate for presidency in 2016, he has been quoted as saying some hair-raising things. Most were historic. More recently, he has been mis-quoted. And sometimes, he is actually quoted properly and yes, he has said some irksome things.
Donald Trump is not an easy personality to digest. He is a fallen man, like all fallen men. But he’s managed to do a lot of good for the nation, in spite of a constant barrage of accusation, with absolutely no grace given by those in opposition. He’s lost half his fortune while acting as president and still the other side accuses him of making money from being in government.
He has done much of what he promised to do. This has made him (un)popular.
Offence is the best defence
There is an expression which I think comes from American Football: offence is the best defence. Certainly this is how people in America are being played by the powerful against their president.
The primary accusers in government are covering their own immorality and corruption. Or even where it isn’t the case a particular opponent is corrupt, there is a long-term agenda of Cultural Marxism* by the elite: they sow a recipe of suspicion, accusation, hatred, violence, looting in order to reap anarchy and the end of Christian tradition and the Family. A principle of “Crush Trump at any cost” is pushed — verbal and physical attacks know no bounds. Black Lives Matter is run by people who have an alternative agenda. They don’t exercise compassion for the plight of minorities but rather put them in the front line and sow hatred — even between black citizens and black cops. There is no grace, no search for peace. This is all to push forward an anti tradition agenda where anything is acceptable in order to damage Christianity and the Family. These are the prime targets of Cultural Marxists, with Trump is the current arch-enemy. The philosophical belief is that all truth is relative and any absolutes must be destroyed, so to “Make America Great Again” would mean to revert to traditional values and customs, and to promote capitalism.
Further opposition
Pandemic
Covid-19 has decimated the world economy. China in already bouncing back, while the Western democracies are entering a second wave. Trump is single-handedly being blamed in America for its pandemic crisis and when he says it’s China’s fault, his haters call him racist. In fact, when he was friendly to China he was accused of being in its pocket and when he calls out that nation for starting the virus, he’s called a racist.
American unpopularity
Some Americans are coming to realise that internationally, Americans were not particularly well-liked during the twentieth century. On the whole, Europeans disliked Americans since WWII. Americans only began to recognise their international unpopularity during President George W Bush’s presidency — with 9.11 and the (Second) Iraq War. It isn’t right to paint all people of a nation with one brush, but unfortunately, stereotyping does happen, and in the case of Americans, they have been stereotyped as loud, rude and ignorant, the very qualities that Donald Trump has embodied.
Could this be why some Americans don’t like him?
Trump: a Reflection
The Americans citizens who don’t like President Trump find him unbearable, like squeaky chalk on a blackboard. My theory is that they are ashamed of him because seeing and hearing him is like looking into a mirror and being horrified by what is reflected back.
But GOD
Now here’s the thing: GOD has put President Trump into the White House, just as He has put every nation’s leader into power, throughout history, one way or another.
Is Trump — as painted by the media and political opposition — a proper representation of President Trump? Does it matter?
Romans 13 begins, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from GOD. Therefore whoever resists authority, resists the ordinance of GOD, and those who resist will bring judgement upon themselves.”
Those who have resisted President Trump’s presidency will experience judgement upon themselves.
A new election
Of course as in any democracy, people have a right to choose their president. I don’t believe, however, that anyone has the right to try to oust who wins just because they don’t like him, which is fundamentally what has happened in the United States since November 2016.
Why are some not planning to vote for Trump the second time around?
Is it because his policies have changed? But they haven’t really, have they? He raised employment hugely, including that of the minority groups. He’s rebuilt manufacturing in America’s heartland. He tried to revise health care (though was blocked by the House of Representatives). He tried to complete the wall (though much of the funding was blocked by the House of Representatives). He’s combated illegal immigration (the cages photographed were actually from the Obama administration, although they have also been used since 2016). In foreign policy, he has supported Israel and endorsed Jerusalem as its capital. He’s moved Arab nations to work with Israel, aiding stability in the region. He’s got allied nations to pay their fair share in defence.
Is it because of his response to Covid-19? But who has got it right in the Western Hemisphere?
Is it because he’s annoying? Sure he is, but do we vote for a personality or for policy?
Here’s the nub: Has media pressure or individual pride infected some to reject Donald J Trump as a person and as the American President? Has the wave of objection and unpopularity become an infection as pervasive as Coronavirus?
To the Americans who follow Jesus
What is it about Jesus that lead us to follow him? What made the people follow him when he walked the earth? He wasn’t good looking. He didn’t say nice things to everybody (which is why the Pharisees wanted him dead). The people followed Jesus because of the miracles, his wisdom and his anointing.
Donald Trump in no way can nor should be compared to Jesus. But who is he and how did he get elected? What has he done to honour being kept in office? Does anything of what he does echo Jesus’ teaching?
Who has GOD anointed as American President for this time?
Four years ago people voted for Mr Trump because of his policies. Those haven’t changed, so why are some turning from him now?
I think GOD has allowed this president free rein. This man’s tongue is often hard to bear. Should that matter to the voter?
I believe the LORD is exposing the heart of American Believers. If His Word matters, if His principles matter, then how should those who follow Him respond vis a vis this upcoming election?
Who is the candidate who best supports GOD’s Word and His principles?
Consider fact not media gossip
What does each candidate say about the Bible? About the Unborn? About Israel (which is still the apple of GOD’s eye)? Whom do you believe?
Who has best served the minority groups: blacks and hispanics in particular (by economic progress rather than a quote taken out of context)?
Who has best demonstrated, when in office, integrity and the outworking of the word he has spoken?
Each voter must investigate and answer that for him/herself before voting. It takes quite a lot of effort to follow the person rather than the media. It takes discernment too, to untangle the motive behind any message. Each must work out his own choice. My prayer is that folks will work out their own and not follow what someone else suggests.
How will you vote?
In these turbulent times, I don’t think an election is about personality but about encouraging the Kingdom of Heaven coming to Earth.
I pray all voters will pray, “Not my will but Your will, Father” and then vote accordingly. Then the election result will be in line with GOD’s perfect will.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
*Cultural Marxism – research The Frankfurt School or better yet, read “Into the Lion’s Den” by Steve Maltz (available on Amazon)