The Gospel is the ONLY HOPE for America!

Weekly Opinion Editorial

THE GREAT DIVIDE!

by Steve Fair

     The 2020 Democrat race for the presidential nomination has drawn 23 candidates.  Former Vice President Joe Biden, seven US current Senators, six current and former members of the House of Representatives, four mayors, three governors, one businessman, and one self-help author are in the race.  In recent polling, Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders are tied in Iowa- the first state to kick off presidential primaries.  Of the 615 likely caucus-goers in Iowa, Sanders and Biden had 24%, followed by Mayor Pete Buttigieg at 14%, Senator Elizabeth Warren at 12%, Senator Kamala Harris at 10% and Beto O’Rouke at 5%.  Second choices are very important in Iowa because a candidate must get 15% to get delegates to the national convention.  Warren is the second choice of 19% of those polled followed by Biden, Harris and Sanders.  A third of Warren’s second choice supporters list Sanders as their first choice.  In the Real Clear Politics average national poll, Biden leads Sanders 39% to 16%.  In a projected matchup against President Trump, the former VP bests him 42% to 36%, but the only poll that matters is the one on November 3, 2020.

     Last week at a campaign rally, Joe Biden said anger is ripping the country apart and the Democrat nominee needed to help unified the country.  He described President Trump as the Divider-in Chief, who inherited a good economy and doesn’t understand the role of government.  He criticized his primary opponents for promoting disunity and fueling anger.  Clearly Biden’s strategy is to appeal to the more moderate Democrats and concede the radical left to Sanders while making himself acceptable to them if he gets the nomination.  Two thoughts:

     First, Biden is right about anger ripping America apart.  Confrontation, contention, and strife rein in politics.  Civil discourse is all but dead.  Disagreement and differing opinions are not tolerated. Respect for the other person’s right to express their first amendment rights is ignored.  The extreme wings- in both Parties- have created a toxic environment where little gets done but self-promoting banter.  While Biden may have re-branded himself as the ‘cool head in the room’, he was the Vice President in the most partisan administration in American history, which fueled much of the cultural divide we see today.

     Second, America has changed.  We are not the country of just 50 years ago.  We have deliberately shifted from Judeo-Christian ethics, which recognizes the Creator from which we derive our rights, to a focus on personal individual rights, liberty, and freedom.  Americans not only want the government to leave them alone, but the Creator as well.  And it appears He has.  Interest in the things of God is at an all-time low in America. The depravity of man’s sin nature is on full display.   

     The only thing that will cool the anger in America is the gospel of Christ.  Until God regenerates individual Americans, the divide will continue to grow.   Christians should spend more time lobbying Him to have mercy on our country and less time arguing with those who are unregenerate