It’s no surprise that true conservatives have found Donald Trump to be a bridge too far; they can’t support in him as acting President, nor do they support his re-election. But what else can they do, vote Democrat?
For those unwilling to play the lesser-of-two-evils game, there aren’t many choices. Are Democrats who support the party platform of baby murder, government control of our lives, destruction of the family, support for dictators, and spending the country into oblivion be the lesser of two evils? Or are they just a more palatable version of Trump?
This leads us to another question: Should conservatives cheer for Democrats to win in order to oust Trump? Conservatives have long considered the Republican Party their home because Democrats don’t pretend to care about limited government, personal responsibility, the family, and most importantly the sanctity of life. On the other hand, the Republican Party, including Trump, only pretend about these things.
I was so disappointed recently to hear a talk show host say that there was no home for conservatives in the GOP, but then he went on to say that he voted straight-ticket GOP in the midterms because the Democrats are so evil. How will we ever have anything different if we always vote for the same people, no matter how much they lie to us and fail to deliver?
Why did so many so-called conservatives jump on the Trump Train? Some did so simply because they were in it for the money. Others did so because they had been lied to for so long that they figured Trump had to be better than the Dems. And then there are the hold outs who caved more recently; they stared into the abyss and they blinked, choosing to put their hope in earthly kings instead of the King of the universe.
So, back to the question of what to do. Are there any conservative Democrats? I haven’t found any other than those who only pay lip service to conservative principals because they’re from red-leaning districts and/or they’re cultural Catholics. Whenever push comes to shove, they give their party leaders a pass, allowing them to steamroll past the conservative policies they claimed to support.
If there’s no conservative option in either party, should we vote for Democrats just to get Trump out and then try to fix the Republican Party afterward? Anyone who’s watched politics long enough knows that the GOP was an obvious failure long before Trump, so getting rid of him won’t fix the problem. In fact, it may just lull us back into believing the fairy tale that the GOP can save us because they care about our values.
Unfortunately, Trump has taken us further down a morally bankrupt rabbit trail, all while doing the same things conservatives always hated when Obama and other Democrat presidents did them. This is the reason we must refuse playing the establishment’s game, regardless of which side of the greater/lesser evil coin Trump might fall.
Still, I can’t help but feel tempted to cheer for Trump’s defeat. Not that I want the other side to win, but because I don’t believe there are only two teams, and I reject the belief that not supporting one means I’m endorsing the other. I want to see Trump removed because I want to see his moral depravity and terrible leadership come to an end.
I look forward to Trump being removed, but I will trust in God’s timing. In the meantime, I’ll continue to live out my faith and the work to fulfill the duties God has given me as His servant, regardless of who is in power. I’ll keep an eye on Trump and other politicians, and I’ll call them out with the truth when necessary.
Many will continue to try straddling the fence, but I don’t think that is the correct approach. I believe our duty goes beyond being mere umpires calling balls and strikes based on voting records. We need to look at things with spiritual eyes and see the spirit at work in this world. We need to actively work to further God’s kingdom, not temporal political ones. And we need to avoid looking toward humans for our salvation.
This is an edited version of Larry’s article. You can read the complete, unedited article here: Pop Culture Theology
Larry Amon is President of Christian Walk Alive. His website, Pop Culture Theology, is a blog dedicated to looking at modern culture and exploring why and how things work the way they do in our society. He covers topics such as film, television, politics, sports and other forms of media and entertainment from a biblical worldview.
Follow him on Twitter @PopC_Theology
