Engage In the Coming Presidential Election With a Sober Mind

Ramon Arias | May 9, 2016

Do you know of a time when America has been better off socially with this concept of a governmental experiment that had never been implemented in human history? Notice that my question is not related to economics alone, but to the idea of its entire social structure.

Every presidential election, for the most part, is focused on economics. However, even though the economy is a vital part of any social structure, there are also other components that must not be overlooked, which can either make or break a nation.

Global statistics reveal that governments are more concerned with their economic situation than many other things due to their being in constant crisis. The masses of working people are the first ones to suffer under the burden of misguided policies. It is only natural that their discontent forces them to find a way out of an unbearable situation. In their desperation, they fall for anything that promises “a quick fix” only to find out they followed the pied piper to their doom.

Once again, America is at a crossroads, and while the present administration may brag about the great things they have done, they are not mentioning who has benefited. The reality is that people are highly concerned at the depth and length of our national social chaos.

Are you concerned for the future of America? If you are a reasonable person, you should be. You also should know that every presidential election has always been a crisis that continually grows with the challenges it brings. In this presidential election, there is a huge difference in that things in this nation are much worse than ever before; it is the outcome of every past generation that has made the same disastrous mistake of leaving a legacy of problems to the next generation by their irresponsible attitude of kicking the can down the road.

People have made every presidential election the most important of all elections; something that was never meant to be, and what is worse; they have granted powers beyond the original intent since this new experimental theory of civil government began in the late 18th century. What we have now is something that was never supposed to happen, an “imperial presidency.”

The American people have also bought the idea that their form of government is a democracy; this is nowhere to be found in the founding documents. I’m also well aware of the concept of a Republic; Rome was a Republic, in our modern times we had the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; many nations subscribe to the idea of being a Republic. The truth is that a republic and a democracy overlap, but in the end they both bring common failure and chaos. 

The case has been made to distinguish a Republic in that it elects its officials. However, we must ask, what is a democracy? The short answer is the majority of the people rule; whatever the majority says goes. Those who fiercely defend that America is not a democracy must contend with the facts of the opening words of the Preamble of The U.S. Constitution: “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility…” If this sounds to you like the people are the rulers, that’s because this is what the original intention was. Many passionate advocates of a Republic will argue to the contrary and yet the results have been no different than those of a democracy. Do you recall politicians and presidents making reference to the value of democracy? Have we not heard them justify a war in order to give nations a chance to develop liberty through democracy?

It is undeniable that the Founding Fathers were against the failed outcomes of democracies, and the Constitution was meant to be a new experiment in the concept of a Republic. The Founders certainly were not ignorant of the dangerous tendencies of political power to become a tyranny if people were not vigilant of their elected officials. John Adams wrote this to his wife, Abigail:

“I do not say that democracy has been more pernicious on the whole, and in the long run, than monarchy or aristocracy. Democracy has never been and never can be so durable as aristocracy or monarchy; but while it lasts, it is more bloody than either. … Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide. It is in vain to say that democracy is less vain, less proud, less selfish, less ambitious, or less avaricious than aristocracy or monarchy. It is not true, in fact, and nowhere appears in history. Those passions are the same in all men, under all forms of simple government, and when unchecked, produce the same effects of fraud, violence, and cruelty. When clear prospects are opened before vanity, pride, avarice, or ambition, for their easy gratification, it is hard for the most considerate philosophers and the most conscientious moralists to resist the temptation. Individuals have conquered themselves. Nations and large bodies of men, never.” ― John Adams, The Letters of John and Abigail Adams 

What Adams said about democracies, monarchies and aristocracies can also be said about any republic. Once we, with an open mind, understand the intended ideological purpose of a government then judgment can be made of what is expected. History will continue to be our best teacher of people and government ideas and their respective outcomes. Democracy was the ideology of the Greek empire and Republicanism was the ideology of the Roman Empire.  What do they both have in common? They were powerful, great and prosperous, but their social system collapsed and, as always, people suffered the consequences. 

Am I saying America is doomed? It all depends on how people react to find solutions to the realities of the present and change the ills of the past. We must also admit that it will take hard work by committed visionaries to reverse this trend.  Those who only see gloom and doom should know that one thing remains certain; it is not the end of the world. For those who see a political candidate as the deliverer, you must get your head out of dreamland and do in-depth research to vet candidates and political parties and decide if your ideas are in line with theirs and get involved. 

It should be self-evident what liberal, progressive, socialist and communist ideas have done to the nation. They are one and the same; those who want that outcome will elect accordingly. Those who uphold conservative values, do you know what their vision for restoring America is? Have you ever questioned what it is that they want to conserve? How long have the conservatives devoted time and money to promote small government and cut taxes? Conservatives focus on fiscal responsibility and social issues that corrupt society, they campaign hard and vigorously to elect conservative leaders who mostly betray their constituents once they are in power. Conservatives must have a head and a heart check to see if their motives are in the right place or if they promote some to the political power for power’s sake.

Let us not forget the “conservative Christians.” Have they been proactive and more efficient than the secular conservatives in making America a better nation? Is there any evidence that they have an improved vision for the country? Most of them speak the conservative talk and then turn around and embrace the humanist worldview and replicate the same social results than the secular conservatives. We’re not even mentioning the Democrats “accomplishments.”

I have no doubt America can be restored to fulfill her historical destiny. If people are willing to dig deep into that foundation laid originally by those who came in 1620 and 1630, then we can rebuild their vision of a great society not based upon failed democracies or republicanism but upon the eternal values established by the only Creator of life. The early arrivals to these shores understood there are only two ways to develop the person and society as Jesus stated:

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:24-27)

Historically, worldviews can only be built upon two foundations, either the solid Rock of God’s revealed truth in His Word or man’s fragile and faulty perspectives.  As you look at everyday events, the coming presidential election and beyond, be a sober thinker.  Do your job of getting involved.  Remember, it is about the future of your family, loved ones and those not yet born. Which of the presidential candidates, as bad as they may be, can give us a chance to turn the nation around in the right direction?  That is our task.

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