There was a time in American politics when left and right made something of an effort to move to the middle mostly because the general population tended to avoid extremes. It would appear that the middle ground where left and right can carry on a civil discussion and resolve to work together for the common good has all but disappeared.

The question that first pops to mind then is: “Who moved?” I look at the right, and if they have moved in any direction, it is not further to the right. The left on the other hand…it’s hard to miss when you have the AOC and Bernie who appear to be using Karl Marx’s “Communist Manifesto” as their play book. That’s a little more than a subtle shift to the left. While I suspect there are still some moderate democrats in the DNC, in the last few years it seems they have been pretty much driven to the shadows. 

Then you have the RNC. A wider range of stances from moderate to libertarian and a growing number of more strict conservatives, who can’t agree among themselves how to mount an effective front to slow down the leftist onslaught of the DNC. Every once in a while there is talk of “reaching across the aisle” but lately these have typically ended in stalemates with both sides refusing to compromise. 

Enter the “executive order”. Historically all presidents have used executive orders to get things accomplished when congress or the senate refuses to cooperate, however, as the middle ground has disappeared over the last twenty years or so, the number of executive orders appears to have grown to make up for it. While executive orders seem effective to “get things done” they are easily overturned by the next administration. Trump was able to use executive orders to overturn the preponderance of what President Obama had moved forward, only because Obama had used executive orders to achieve them. The Obama legacy was short lived because much of it hung on executive orders. When the Trump administration concludes, the next administration will likely overturn Trumps achievements. This wild swinging back and forth from left to right is not a healthy way for any nation to advance in my estimation. 

There is a saying made popular recently on social media that correctly observes: “Has it occurred to you that the right wing and the left wing are attached to the same bird?” America is that bird, and in order for it to fly both wings are necessary, and it is the body of the bird to which the wings are attached that sends the signals to the wings to work together to get the bird airborne. If either wing decides to try to fly solo it will not work. These last four years have seen the bird elect a president who did not appeal much to either wing. He does however appeal to the bird. As a result both wings at times refused to work with him and the bird has suffered as a result. What I sense the bird desires is just to fly again. Trump promised to get the bird flying and to some extent succeeded, but failed to win any cooperation from the left wing, and only reluctant cooperation from the right. He had one wing frantically trying to beat him to death, and the other having trouble choosing whether to try to shelter him from the beatings of the left wing or to join in and beat him as well. 

Allegories aside, the problem with Washington DC is not Donald Trump. He is what “we the people” sent to the Whitehouse to inform the establishment politicians that we the people are on to their game. The government of this nation was established to serve the people – not the other way around. When politicians are able to devise ways to enrich themselves and their families through back room deals that results in tax money ending up in their pockets, the system is broken. I’m not in the least surprised that Donald Trump is as viciously opposed by establishment politicians from both sides of the aisle as he has been these last four years. He is a threat to their cosy little club that only allows certain people in, and once you are in you can’t get out because of the dirt they have on you. 

One does not have to be a rocket scientist to see how this works. One just has to understand the nature of humanity. We all have the capacity and a natural bent toward corruption. All it takes for us to be drawn into it is to have an opportunity where we believe we will not get caught. This is why a sense of morality and the rule of law is important, because it is the rule of law, and the constitution and ultimately the law of God that protect the weak from the strong. Without that system, the strong will always find ways to abuse the weak for their own advancement. When unelected government bureaucrats begin to twist the rule of law to serve themselves in their quest for power rather than to uphold the law to protect the people from that power, we have come to the beginning of the end of a nation. It will remain to be seen as to whether or not America can recover from the rot that festers in high places of government all across the nation. From where I sit, only a return to a self imposed honesty and integrity in the hearts and minds of those who lead us can bring us back, and I only know one way for that to happen. “If my people (those in the nation who claim to belong to God) who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my (God’s) face and turn from their wicked ways, I (God) will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

I believe it is God alone who ordains world leaders and governments. This is not to suggest that the people of said nations have nothing to do with the process, in democratic societies such as America we like to think we choose our own leaders, and to some extent God allows us to do just that, and we typically get what we deserve. The bottom line as it pertains to the 2020 election is this: “If God has ordained Donald Trump to have a second term, he will have a second term. If God has ordained Joe Biden to be the next president Joe Biden will be our president.” Either way God has not abandoned or failed us. To some extent He may be allowing us to reap what we have sown – or if you prefer – to sleep in the bed we made for ourselves. Either way, God will be there for those who choose to trust him.