“Strange Times”

The assault on our democracy is unprecedented, since perhaps the time of Joe McCarthy.  Our divided government accomplishes very little, being consumed by the fires of partisan politics.  Our democratic process is broken and even a presidential impeachment may not be enough to fix it.  What is going on in our democracy?

It is now evident that we have a lawless President.  It is likely that he has committed several impeachable offenses, as yet to be determined upon which the House will prosecute.  Will it be “obstruction of justice” as shown by the Mueller probe?  Will it be the latest offense of using the political office of President to “gather dirt on his democratic opponent, former Vice-President Joe Biden?”  Or will it be simply the use of the Office of the President to enrich himself while in office?”

Former Chief of Staff John Kelly now regrets resigning as he predicts impeachment for this President unless someone reigns in his impulses of governance.  This President does not know when he is breaching constitutional checks and balances.  Far worse, he seems not to care!

President Trump’s pattern is to “spin the truth” about everything in which he is involved.  He cannot accept censure from the Congress about his debacle in Turkey, abandoning the allies the Kurds.  So instead he “spins” the story to make his decision seem reasonable.  This is during the same day that Turkey’s Erogan and Russia’s Putin divide up their control over northern Syria where the US is absent.  They rush in to fill a vacuum of power in the region.  The only positive Trump has authorized is that the US will protect the oil fields, to protect them from once again falling into the hands of ISIS.  So far, no one has a plan to deal with the ISIS prisoners living in the camps in northern Syria.  This is described by those who know as “a ticking time bomb for Europe and the West waiting to explode!”

The saddest part of President Trump’s legacy is that he knows little to nothing about foreign policy, will not accept advice from those who do know something and so he recalls ambassadors, abandons allies and infuriates friends.  Europe is now facing significant tariffs on airplanes and Scottish whiskey and will be forced to retaliate in kind.  US farmers are being subsidized as to soybeans and other commodities, which China is not buying.  Trump’s foray into 1920’s politics, using tariffs as a means to direct foreign policy is ballooning our deficit.  Some $890 billion is added this year alone.  Trump raids defense projects of billions of dollars to build a wall on the Mexican border.  Instead of promoting policies to help the poor, he resorts to criticism of now deceased Elijah Cumming’s Baltimore and Nancy Pelosi’s San Francisco.

Have we even had a worse President in the White House?  I cannot in my living memory think of one this bad.  He is like a nightmare that upon waking is still haunting us.  He serves as the chief law enforcement office of the United States and along with his attorney general directs criminal investigations against those who oppose him.  He looks for conspiracies when there are none.  If there are none, he invents some and promotes them from the White House.  Halloween lasts only one night of the year.  Since this President took office we have been inundated with many demons attacking the common good of our democracy and challenging our collective human decency.  This President is “sowing to the wind and will reap the whirlwind.”  My prediction is that his lies will finally consume him.  On that day, I will rejoice with all those who pray as I have done:  “Lord Jesus Christ, let another take his place!”

As a physician, I recommend a complete enema for this man.  Perhaps we can save him from his overwhelming abuse of power, his chronic lying and his general indecency.  If there is any moral center to be found remaining in him, I sincerely hope and pray God will find it.

The Holy Scripture teaches us, in the words of Jesus:  “And you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free!”  I pray in the powerful and wonderful loving name of Jesus Christ my Savior and my Redeemer:  “Lord Jesus, let the truth of your gospel prevail among all men and women.  Especially now help us to know the truth in all these matters, and by your grace and by your power, set us truly free from injustice, unrighteousness, bigotry, pride and sedition.  Separate those who love God from those who do not.  Let your truth and righteousness prevail.   May we come to know the Truth and may You, O blessed Lord, set us free!  In the name of Jesus Christ our only blessed Redeemer and only Lord of this universe.  Cast out the demons from among us!  Hear our prayer, O Christ our Savior.  Amen.  Amen and Amen!  We praise you, Lord Jesus Christ!”

Bill Wilson, servant of God by God’s grace and God’s mercies.