Give Me a Believing Heart
Every Day . . .
“Every day, you should do two things that you don’t want to do before 10:00 AM.”
—my father, E. Otto DeCamp
Trump Admin Leads 32 Nations in U.N. Rebuke: No International ‘Right’ to Abortion
“…[S]erves as a rebuke to the pro-abortion rights U.N. and World Health Organization (W.H.O.).”
October 24, 2020
In what passes for education . . .
Report: Feinstein Elementary on List of ‘Inappropriate School’ Names, May Be Changed
The Enthusiasm Gap
“Practically no one — and that’s not an exaggeration — shows up to Biden-Harris events, while Trump’s personal appearances literally look like rock concerts.”
NOLTE: STUDY AND SIGNS TELL US POLLS MIGHT BE MISSING HIDDEN TRUMP VOTERS
Endorsement of Victoria Spartz for Congress
October 14, 2020
My first conversation with Victoria Spartz was at a Zionsville Meet-and-Greet (for another candidate) in 2016. The place was packed and noisy, but I listened to her and liked what I heard. Here’s what impressed me about Victoria:
PASSION
Whether addressing free market principles, national security, or individual liberty, Victoria Spartz spoke clearly and forcefully. I thought, Here is someone who’s not going to be intimidated by the Left.
BACKGROUND
Born and raised in Ukraine, Victoria understands the soul-destroying tyranny of socialism. Having emigrated to the U.S. and become a citizen, she treasures the freedom found in the United States of America.
CONVICTIONS
After two years in the Indiana State Senate, I have seen Victoria vote her conscience––which also reflected that of her constituents. For example, she signed the letter asking the governor to call a Special Session of the Legislature!
I am persuaded that she will stand her ground in the United States House of Representatives, as well, on subjects including:
The Constitution. Preserving the 2nd Amendment and protecting the sanctity of all human life.
Immigration. Curbing illegal immigration and streamlining the bureaucratic process to citizenship.
Debt. Tackling the debt not by raising taxes but by cutting the size and spending of government. (This area, especially, is where her forcefulness and the courage of her convictions will need to be applied.)
Healthcare. She knows that present costs are unsustainable, and that the solution lies in greater competition, and patient-centric free market remedies.
National Defense. Her keen understanding of geopolitical threats undergirds her strong support for the United States military.
In addition, please go to https://www.spartzforcongress.com/issues/ for her outstanding positions on Education, Government Transparency and Accountability, Business Regulations, and Term Limits.
ENDORSEMENTS
Beyond the impressive number of Indiana Republican elected officials, Victoria is endorsed by
Indiana Right to Life PAC.
The NRA.
The Club for Growth.
Indiana Farm Bureau AgELECT.
Kevin McCarthy, House Minority Leader: “Victoria has my complete endorsement….”
Minority Whip Steve Scalise: “I look forward to welcoming Victoria to Congress next year!”
President Donald Trump needs Victoria’s support. Join me in voting Victoria Spartz for U. S. Congress!
Of Signs and Snakes
ON SIGNS AND SNAKES––OOPS, I MEAN STAKES
WHAT JUST HAPPENED
Last evening I notice that these two stakes were all that were left of seven campaign signs. They were on a choice commuter route in the SW corner of Carmel. The property owner had granted permission for those signs, yet they had vanished.
POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS
1. Vandals.
2. Political opponents.
3. The city of Carmel.
4. All the above?
Whoever is responsible, it’s a sorry substitute for citizenship.
A WINNING RESPONSE
I’d be lying to say I wasn’t angry. But I knew I should control my response, so here’s what I did.
At sunrise this morning, I was at that intersection with the Top of the Ticket: a Trump-Pence sign! No kidding: in an hour-and-45-minutes’ time, thousands and thousands of drivers saw that sign.
But what’s really remarkable is the response: there were waves and smiles and honks galore. I estimate that 49 out of 50 responses were positive. In all my grassroots work over the years, I’ve never seen feedback so affirming (unless it’s from passersby outside an abortion facility).
SUGGESTIONS
1. Don’t be discouraged by the polls (they discredited themselves in 2016, and I doubt that today is any different).
2. Find a way to harness the passion that wells up within you. Do something that is constructive.
3. Remember that people always need encouragement. In meeting others’ needs, you’ll likely restore your spirits, as well.
4. Act out of love for all that is good and true. Even with hostile opponents, a response fueled by love for what is right will restore your spirit and give you joy.
5. If you are a praying person, “pray for your enemies.” You will be delivered from bitterness and may even begin to influence some of them.
THERE’S JOY IN THIS JOURNEY
Find a way to embrace it.
Culture Upstream
By Jim DeCamp, Originally written in October, 2018.
Flowing water––whether clean or impure––moves in one direction.
Martin Luther: “The prosperity of a country depends, not on the abundance of its revenues, nor on the strength of its fortifications, nor on the beauty of its public buildings; but it consists in the number of its cultivated citizens, in its men of education, enlightenment and character.”
SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF HEALTHY CULTURE:
> Unity based on shared principles.
> Passing on of shared principles through family and education.
> Respect for differences / defending others’ Constitutional rights.
> Honor / work ethic / courage amidst trying conditions.
> Monogamous marriage / dad, mom, kids under one roof.
> Families pulling together in hard times / new beginnings.
> Charity / selfless service / forgiveness / good neighbor.
> Recognized behavioral guardrails.
> Acknowledgement of Creator God / Giver of political rights and personal freedom.
> Thoughtful, civil discourse / truthfulness / integrity.
> Respect for the rule of law.
UNHEALTHY CULTURE:
Erosion, breakdown, or rejection of the above.
CORRUPT POLITICS: THE FRUIT OF CULTURAL DEGRADATION
It’s tempting to jump straight to politics, yet consider that characteristics of an *unhealthy culture* are evident writ large in the attacks leveled against Judge Kavanaugh and against Senate decorum:
> Uncivil behavior by those who disrupt hearings.
> Unsubstantiated, unverifiable allegations.
> Dishonesty in much of the media’s reporting.
> Lack of forthrightness by Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
> Attacks designed to destroy an honorable judge’s name, and his family: his wife and two young daughters.
> Attempts to intimidate other fine, qualified people who are potential future nominees.
> Adoption of a we-will-rule-or-ruin mindset.
TAKE HEART
> Live up to the highest you know to be true.
> Your life will make a difference.
> It is enough to be faithful.
IN POLITICS, BUSINESS, MARRIAGE….
…forgiveness may be granted in an instant;
trust must be rebuilt––over time.
Thanking God on Our 50th Anniversary
August 1, 2020
God has been so good to give Ruth and me 50 years together!
By numbering us among the redeemed, He gave us hearts to seek His Word.
Through want and plenty, joy and sorrow, the Faithful One has provided.
Whether the path was level or steep, the Maker of the Mountains led every step.
Ruth is my greatest earthly treasure. The Lord gave us three wonderful kids, and seven beautiful grands.
“You can’t improve on God’s plan.”
Thank you, Jesus!
In Honor of My Father’s Birthday, 2020
July 19, 2020, on the occasion of my father’s birthday:
My father was born on this day in 1911 in Seoul, Korea, his parents being missionaries there. Near the beginning of the Korean Conflict in 1950, my father served as an interpreter for U. S. advisors who were training South Korean commandos.
Time for Big Talk
March 13, 2020
1. Politics: how we organize public life.
2. Religion: how we prioritize our own lives.
Without #1 there’s upheaval in the land; the absence of #2 invites chaos in the culture.
America needs more, not fewer, “prohibited” conversations.
This Hymn Ministered Deeply to My Father
I’LL STRENGTHEN THEE, HELP THEE, AND CAUSE THEE TO STAND
January 27, 2020
“How Firm a Foundation”
In addition to the Scriptures, this hymn ministered deeply to my father while in a Japanese prison in 1941, in a religious liberty case.
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
“Fear not, I am with Thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, I will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand,
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.
“When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be near thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
“The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to His foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no, never, no, never forsake.
I’ll never, no, never, no, never forsake.”
Request for Prayer at an Abortion Facility
Early on the morning of November 4, 2019
Friends,
‘Would appreciate your prayer this morning as we will be at the Arlington Ave. abortion facility (in Indy) bearing witness to
> the preciousness of every image bearer of God.
> the hope and provision of the Lord––even when in crisis.
> the power of the Gospel to transform hearts and lives.
–––––––––
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
2 Corinthians 10:3-4––ESV
America’s Tomorrow (series)
1. Introduction
By Jim DeCamp, September 6, 2019
This is the first post in a nine-part series on our nation’s future. If it seems uncharacteristically straightforward, the days are evil and time may be short.
WHERE I’M COMING FROM POLITICALLY
I grew up in South Korea of missionary parents. Born in Seoul, I lived in that beautiful land, off and on, through high school. My father was himself born in Korea, imprisoned by the Japanese in 1941, and later served as an Army chaplain in WWII. He passed on love of freedom, and inspired me to defend it.
The cause of liberty has occupied much of my life. I served nine years as an Infantry officer, then 22 years as an Army chaplain, with overseas assignments in Germany, Korea, and the desert. Since retiring from the Army and from the pastoral ministry in 2011, my oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic” has grown from a professional to a personal credo.
With all of our sins (which we will get to), Constitutional self-governance has made America the most prosperous and free nation in history. America is where liberty lives.
WHERE I’M COMING FROM SPIRITUALLY
My first allegiance is to the One Who made me, redeemed me, and called me His own possession. I owe everything past, present and future to Jesus, Who gave His life for my sin, conquered the grave, and is coming again.
By His Word and Spirit, my heavenly Father gives understanding and power to walk in His way. It’s a daily journey and, as this series will point out, fraught with challenges. For example, try loving others in the human family unconditionally, sacrificially, and see how you fare. I’ll be the first to admit that I need help! And outside of my family, the first people I am to love are fellow believers….
Jesus said that many would reject His way, and few would follow Him. There is purpose in standing for what is true, and enormous hope in the knowledge that the Creator of the Universe has everything under control. Each detail will, one day, bring greater glory to God, and in this I find great peace.
FAITH AND CITIZENSHIP
The integration of faith and citizenship––offering allegiance to God, then to one’s country––is a calling some Evangelicals appear to have lost in the last 25 years. The resulting void in the public square is being filled by very different voices.
Our Judeo-Christian foundation has sustained this country through peace and war, depression and prosperity, evil and repentance, and thus far through revival and rebellion. The legacy we leave to our descendants occupies more and more of my thinking. God, may it not be one of silence.
SUBJECTS ADDRESSED IN THIS SERIES
In September and October of 2016, I posted a nine-part series highlighting the public policy differences between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. The present nine-part series will be more cultural, spiritual, and relational in nature––though political applications may be found.
2. America’s Tomorrow: God Owns the Future
By Jim DeCamp, September 9, 2019
Momentary trials, eternal glory.
I write this post “…not to scare but to prepare.”[1] For those of us who love the United States of America, this post may be sobering. But first:
A REQUEST AS WE BEGIN
This post will touch on “the end times.” It is not intended to be a discussion of prophecy, but rather my rationale for what I share in this series. Friends, PLEASE do not approach this series as a forum on prophetic interpretation. Such a discussion could be fruitful, but that is not our purpose here. Other earnest believers differ, and I don’t presume to have it all worked out. What I share is what God has given me a little to understand.
CONFIDENCE
We can all be certain that God has a plan and it will unfold according to His sovereign will. Though it pleased God that we should have partial understanding, the Creator of heaven and earth, of space and time, has no such limitation. God owns the roadmap and the timeline; indeed, the future belongs to Him alone. The One Who has “brought us out of darkness into His marvelous light”––and Who holds our destiny––has a plan.
GEOPOLITICAL LANDSCAPE
I broach this subject of the end times because of today’s geopolitical landscape, and because I must reckon with what I find in God’s Word.
The Second Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D., and Jews were dispersed (known as the Diaspora). The trickle of God’s people returning to their homeland became a flood following the unspeakable attempts to destroy them all in the 1930s and 1940s. The Jewish State was reborn in 1948––a milestone in Biblical fulfillment––and was admitted as a member of the United Nations in 1949.
(See this explanation of U.N. Resolution 181 in 1947, Israel’s Declaration of Independence in 1948, and other such declarations by nations in the modern world:
http://jcpa.org/video/true-un-created-israel-seventy-years-since-un-general-assembly-resolution-181/ .)
God has prospered this land and nation. Desert––parched for nearly two millennia––is now lush with produce. Israel enjoys a strong economy with some of the largest known reserves of natural gas in the world. A leader in high-tech research, communications, and medical advances, Israel is also forging a new relationship with her Arab neighbors. Israel is an increasingly attractive trading partner, and life within her borders is safe.
TITANIC EVENTS
The prophet Ezekiel saw a day when the nations would rise up against Israel. Many today see an alliance forming between Russia, Iran, and Turkey (Ezekiel chapters 38-39). According to Ezekiel, Israel will be unable to defend herself against such a massive force. Apparently, no one comes to her aid, because Israel will be delivered only by the intervention of Almighty God. “…Then they will know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 38:23b––ESV)
HOW ON EARTH?
Where is America in all of this? Most students of Bible prophesy do not see American as figuring in end-time events. But we are talking about Israel’s strongest ally with the most powerful military the world has ever seen! The most prosperous country in history! Mighty nations have fallen before; in fact, history shows they have all met demise.
If these scholars are correct in their understanding, I can only say that this country––this land that I love––has been openly inviting God’s judgment. God has shown His patience with tribes and nations before (over hundreds of years, in some cases), but God will have the last word.
GOD’S WARNING
Friends, America has the freedom to thumb her nose at God and is taking full advantage of it. I will discuss these offenses primarily in post #7. For now, the solution lies not in politics, but in the God of the Bible. This is no time to “play the fool,” as a teacher of mine used to say. God in His mercy has given us time to repent, to get right with Him, to come to Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:2: “…the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.”
REPENT AND TURN TO GOD
There will be a final line, but you can know God today. God, in His patience and kindness, is forgiving and will receive anyone who comes in repentance. Whatever the future of our country, you will stand before God one day.
“Return to me, and I will return to you,” God said to His people through the prophet Zechariah (2:2). “Come to Me,” Jesus said (Matthew 11:28). Repent and come to Jesus…while there is time. There is no sin He will not forgive if you come to Him in true repentance. Walking in His way brings freedom, joy, and trials…and it ends in eternal glory.
[1] Dr. Ed Hindson of Liberty University, quoted by Behold Israel founder, Amir Tsarfati, in his book The Last Hour.
3. America’s Tomorrow: Persuasion in the Din of Strife
By Jim DeCamp, September 14, 2019
Ground rules for the taking.
When we see cultural decay everywhere, it’s time to take inventory of our own life. Talk is cheap; our rhetoric must be bathed in integrity so that it can be truthful, wise, and effective.
Whether it is cultural needs or Constitutional principles that are on your heart, this post is for you. This post is about listening well, speaking/writing wisely, taking a close look at ourselves, and surrendering to God.
WHAT DETERMINES YOUR INVOLVEMENT?
Timidity or boldness?
“Wow. I’ll never do that again!” said someone who ventured into a volatile subject and received a tongue-lashing for his trouble. Thin skin, of course, can lead people to flee controversy, but there are also other motivators.
SOME REASONS PEOPLE AVOID PUBLIC FORUMS
We all have a history.
- Bad memories of past conversations.
- An aversion to conflict under any circumstance.
- Unwillingness to engage in hard subjects unless one is assured of prevailing.
- Fear that one’s core beliefs could be challenged.
WHY SOME FOLKS JUMP RIGHT IN
Strong stimuli.
In a trash-talk world featuring passion-over-substance arguments, who knows what to expect? But some folks persist in entering public forums. Some motivations for doing so:
- There are those who feed on controversy; it’s all they know.
- Others are motivated by raw anger, fueled by past injustice or deception.
- Many are driven by a political solution for a world losing its center of gravity.
- Here’s another approach, old as the hills and scarce as hens’ teeth: LOVE. (May my high school English teacher forgive the mixing of metaphors.)
We will circle back to LOVE as the most enduring, effective force in most communication.
WHAT FLOATS YOUR BOAT?
With the Master at the helm.
So…are you one to avoid disagreement at almost all cost, or do you enter the fray for a reason? People of all persuasions are welcome here, though it is Christians––whom Jesus variously described as “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world”––to whom I am writing.
Our mission is to glorify God and serve as His hands and feet in this sinking world. His words daily ring out: “Repent and follow me.” “You will be my witnesses.” “I will be with you.”
GOD’S SOVEREIGN AND PENETRATING CALL
Power, obedience, protection.
It is not our responsibility to change people; we have no power to do so. What we have been given is the Gospel. And we have heard God’s command to go out into all the world, empowered by His Word and Spirit. The authority to make this happen––and, indeed, all of the results––owe to His gracious work, alone.
So why not end this discussion right here? Because God has something to say about His calling and equipping, and the obedience by which we venture into the world. The admonition to be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves” presumes we will be in close proximity to danger.
A RESPONSE OF FAITHFULNESS
First preparing the soil in our own hearts.
Christ charged His followers to take His Gospel of repentance and redemption into all the world. We know this message to bring freedom of mind and heart, a new affection, and the promise of heaven.
Yet this message is also the leading edge of a clash between two worlds that have been at war since Adam’s sin plunged all creation into open rebellion against its Maker.
When Jesus declared, “You will be my witnesses,” He was assigning us quite possibly to a combat outpost (so to speak), where there is danger, trial, testing. Soldiers are trained to overcome fear and, with growing confidence in their commander, to obey orders. Christ’s followers are called to take inventory, and to lay aside all that hinders the mission.
BABY STEPS
Patience in sharing the Treasure.
Truth that winds its way to the core of one’s being may be perceived as a threat. Because of this, many people are more likely to change their mind in the context of a trusted relationship.
Group settings are good for imparting information (as in a classroom) or exhorting others (through a sermon). God can and does move people deeply through these means. Yet most of us may find ourselves in relationships through which God will be pleased to work. Be content to serve where God places you.
WISE STEPS
Conveying Truth deep within.
Especially when facing hostility, it’s easy to vent passion that will be taken as anger. An experienced believer once cautioned those preparing to testify before a committee, “You can give them a piece of your mind, and it might make you feel better, but know that you just lost any opportunity to influence that committee.”
Pray as you ponder how your listeners may be attracted––or threatened––by your message, and use the wisest words available to carry Truth deep within.
THOUGHTS ON PERSUASION
To appeal and not distract.
- CLARITY…to avoid confusion.
- CHARITY…to rise above stereotypes.
- INTEGRITY…without which the message is compromised.
- PRAYERFUL PREPARATION…employing weapons of the Spirit (love, joy, peace….).
INSPIRED BY TRUTH, GOVERNED BY LOVE
The well that never runs dry.
At the deepest level, military people do what they do out of love––love for freedom, love for their country, love for their family, for their neighbor and their neighbor’s family. Conviction to defend liberty runs deep and is necessarily very strong. Yet this conviction is bathed in sacrificial love.
The battle many of us wage today is rhetorical in nature: we are contending for Truth in the marketplace of ideas. It is easier to blurt out our two cents’ worth and let the chips fall. The fact that we must give serious thought to our message––content and delivery––makes us more dependent on God (if we humble ourselves). And humility puts us in a position to be used by God, Whose mercy never fails.
WEAPONS OF THE SPIRIT
See Galatians 5:22-23 and Ephesians 6:10-20.
Let’s not kid ourselves, friends: only the overcoming Spirit of God can penetrate our own hearts; and only God’s Spirit will draw the heart of the one who is far from Him.
God’s ways are above our ways. The Bible is brimming with paradoxes of the faith: life in death, strength in weakness, joy in sorrow, victory in defeat.
By the power and love of God we are made ready for His service. Pray for those who lie about you, and who persecute you. Pray that God will lift them to newness of life, that they may know the Creator of the universe, Jesus Christ.
And––you know what?––if they join the ranks of the redeemed, they will have the same peace and purpose in Christ that we have found. Then, instead of contending against them, we will with joy stand with them in the cause of righteousness.
4. America’s Tomorrow: The Nation Where God Placed Us
By Jim DeCamp, September 19, 2019
What difference should a country in which we live make in our political involvement?
TALE OF TWO NATIONS
A modern paradox.
Curious to me is the lackadaisical approach to personal liberty by those in this country who should know better. But it’s also inspiring––those surviving under tyrants who manage to maintain their purpose, morale, and faith.
We in America have freedoms that the persecuted around the world can only dream of. Yet some, it appears, have persuaded themselves that freedom here is undeserved––even underrated.
It’s like two nations, two populations: the persecuted who long to breathe free, and the free who are preoccupied.
WHY THIS PASSIVITY?
Possible explanations.
- Some Americans may believe that what we have will always be here. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” when asked about threats.
- Some feel a level of guilt that they should enjoy the fruit of liberty while those in some other countries are denied it.
- Still others harbor such animosity toward this country that the sooner we taste the yoke of bondage, the better!
SOME ASSUMPTIONS MADE HERE
Foundational thoughts.
- Our rights enshrined in the Constitution are worth studying, savoring, and defending.
- We in America inherited inalienable rights from our Creator––rights that we should freely and faithfully exercise.
- Preserving rights that were safeguarded for us is our responsibility to the next generation.
CONFUSING THE CONTEXT
Faithfully using what God gives you.
Should it make a difference in our civic life that we live in a “free” land? (Many people do not enjoy this blessing.)
For example, untold thousands of North Koreans exist in extra-judicial facilities––concentration camps––erected for political and religious prisoners. In some cases, when an individual is condemned to such a camp, the sentence applies to his entire family; indeed, to all his descendants. Some prisoners were born in these camps; it’s all they have ever known. Torture, starvation, slave-labor––these are the stuff of life in North Korean concentration camps. (The victims may be excused for not taking their grievances to the guards!)
If we Americans remain silent about serious grievances in our country––such as suppressing religious freedom––what would be our justification? God has not placed us in North Korea nor Iran nor Venezuela; He has placed us in this United States of America, and our Constitution guarantees the right to redress grievances with the government. It’s easy to enjoy the fruit of liberty while maintaining an unwarranted silence. It’s also dangerous.
IN CONCLUSION
Stewardship and a Biblical example.
We will discuss this subject in more depth in post #8. Suffice it to say here that we are responsible to God to be good stewards of our blessings––not the least of which are our individual rights, beginning with the First Amendment.
We are to respect and obey those in authority over us, yet the Bible doesn’t end its teaching there. The political system within which God places us may or may not permit the voice of the people to be heard. The Apostle Paul took full advantage of his standing under Roman law––even exercising his right to travel to Rome and plead his case before Caesar! (“I appeal to Caesar.” Acts 25:11b––ESV).
Should we do less?
5. America’s Tomorrow: Beyond the Ballot
By Jim DeCamp, September 27, 2019
Does it matter for whom I vote? I want to make the case that it does matter––urgently so.
This post will discuss three elements of a voter’s decision: party platforms, public policy, and integrity; then add a note of hope.
PARTY PLATFORMS
What to make of them?
“There’s not a dime’s worth of difference between a Democrat and a Republican in this state!” said a friend after we moved to Indiana in 2011. My reply contrasted the respective party platforms, which was not a difficult task. The ensuing years have revealed a slippery, shadowy process, at times. So what to think?
I, for one, think that the platform of a political party is extremely important because a platform gives an indication of a party’s fidelity to the Constitution. It also 1) declares public policy priorities, 2) lays out a vision for the future, and 3) assists voters in making an informed decision.
The nuances in platform language notwithstanding, platforms remain a significant expression of a party’s beliefs and commitments. They also are a standard by which members of that party can be measured, and differences between parties recognized.
PUBLIC POLICY
What an election is all about.
I’m interested in what politicians say, yet what I care about is how they actually vote. And, in the case of incumbents, I want to know if they are faithful to what they promised the voters.
My friends should know that I want to uphold high moral standards, and hope to see them modeled in others. Upright personal conduct and decency in one’s language––these I want to see, as well. HOWEVER, I cast my political vote based upon public policy commitments made by a candidate…and, in the case of an incumbent, promises that have been kept.
TWO DISTRACTIONS FROM POLICY DISCUSSIONS
Most often employed when a candidate or party cannot win on policy.
- Ad hominem attacks. These are assaults on one’s person and are devoid of substantive arguments. They fuel the politics of personal destruction. Example: “She is a despicable person and is not fit to hold elected office.”
- Ad populum arguments. These are intended to incite an emotional response instead of foster rational thinking. They are attempts to persuade people that something is true “because many people already believe it.” Example: “Everyone knows that this world will end in 11 years unless we take action now!” See the resource at this link for many examples of ad populum––fantastic predictions that have been proven wrong.
http://www.aei.org/…/18-spectacularly-wrong-apocalyptic-pr…/
Wise voters will recognize these distractions for what they are, and will engage in thoughtful conversations over the very best public policy.
INTEGRITY
…upon which a platform should rest, and by which policy should be implemented.
“Honesty is the best policy,” Cervantes wrote in Don Quixote. It also tests the soul as few other virtues do. Party platforms are instructive, and public policy is the end result. Yet if a party lacks honesty/integrity in the passage or implementation of its platform, one may wonder how long that party will thrive.
I’m going to leave it there.
2020
Why it matters.
Never has a president faced such relentless and fallacious media assault, withstood an historic coup d’état (which continues), contended with establishment opposition in both parties, confronted a subversive Deep State…AND AT THE SAME TIME fulfilled so many campaign promises as has Donald Trump.
2020 matters.
The lowest unemployment rate in history, including women, African Americans, Hispanics and Asians. A booming economy. Unprecedented support from minorities. A military being rebuilt. Supreme Court justices who revere the Constitution. Lower taxes. Fewer regulations. Early release from long prison sentences for those who qualify. Diplomatic breakthroughs with North Korea that no one––in 70 years––had attempted. New respect around the world. Passionate regard for babies who are being taken out of this world––1.3 million per year in our country, alone. New respect for rights enshrined in the Constitution. Optimism inspired by promises kept.
2020 matters.
These are among the public policy successes inspired by President Trump’s determined leadership. These are why his polls numbers continue to hold strong. These are why ordinary Americans attend Trump rallies by the tens of thousands––many obliged to watch on a large screen outside the venue.
2020 matters.
2020
The alternative.
The opposition party is determined to continue the flood of people whose first official act in this country is to break the law. Defiance of the law by so-called sanctuary cities is undermining the rule of law. Illegal immigration is drawing human traffickers and terrorists, drug dealers, gang members, and violent criminals. More government power and overreach, resulting in less freedom and prosperity for the people––these are the results of the Democrat party’s agenda. Utter disregard for the Constitution. Anti-religious fervor, continued decline of family and cultural, the taking of preborn babies’ lives––now even after birth!, violence in the streets while first responders are attacked––these are among the threats this party’s policies pose to our nation.
BEYOND THE BALLOT
My greatest hope.
Our nation faces calamity, though we have begun a political comeback. Indications are that the people want another four years of Trump at the helm. I’m committed to doing all I can toward that end…and looking forward to it!
Yet my greatest hope is not in politics nor continued prosperity nor military might. My greatest––and only real––hope is in the God Who endowed us with inalienable rights; Who created, preserved, and blessed us; Who will forgive if we repent, and once again bestow His mercy. We will survive not on our terms, but on God’s.
“Return to me and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty.
6. America’s Tomorrow: Relating to Believers Who Disagree
By Jim DeCamp, October 3, 2019
Instruments in God’s hand.
BLUF (Bottom Line up Front): Discussions of political differences between Christians should:
> Be bathed in the love of Christ for one another, and
> Be held with an acknowledgement of God’s sovereign plan for history.
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IN CONVERSATION WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS….
Consider these four passages (English Standard Version):
Lead with listening:
“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” James 1:19
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Respect those in authority / Be at peace:
“We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.” 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13
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Love other believers:
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35
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Show regard for others:
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3-4
OUR PLACE IN HISTORY
To glorify God in our lives.
Consider these three passages:
Grow in the Lord:
“You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:17-8
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Serve one another:
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:10-11
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Our longing:
“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” Habakkuk 2:14
WITH ALL THAT IN MIND
A blend of emotions.
I had looked forward to writing this post more than any other, yet in truth it has been the heaviest to bear. Looked forward to because the Good News is the answer to our nation’s ills; heaviest to bear because we at times dilute the Gospel and distract from the Hope of the World.
The first five posts addressed our nation and world. The next three will be more introspective: (6) relating to other believers, (7) what we think of this country, and (8) how each of us will stand in the future.
I want to “practice what I preach” here, to live out what I write about.
MEANING IN LIFE
Everyone craves it.
Remember when reality TV was all the rage? “Who’s going to get voted off the island this week?” Adventure with uncertainty riveted viewers.
I wanted to say to these fans: “If you’re looking for a challenge find something important, pour your life into it, and you will have more adventure than you imagined possible.” That’s easier said than done because we are talking about life––a come-as-you-are party––baggage and all.
This is no less true for followers of Christ for we are all sinners, though I would add:
> We have a demanding mission: “You will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8), and
> We have been given God’s Word and Spirit––all we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). God calls us to go to any lengths necessary to follow Him.
CONFLICT OUGHT NOT BE WASTED
The most important lesson on conflict I’ve learned.
How many times I couldn’t begin to say, but very often I have asked, “Lord, whatever made him say that, would You please remove it and replace it with something good from You?” I have found that when praying for someone in this way, I begin to love that person. Now, that’s not my spirit at work!
To pray for someone who has wronged you, for a political opponent, for someone at church––this is the call of the disciple. It is obedience to God’s Word in the power of the Spirit.
EVERYONE IS AT GOD’S DISPOSAL
GOD USES UNBELIEVERS
…to accomplish His perfect will.
> God exploited a tyrant (Pharaoh) to drive His people out of Egypt (Exodus 6:1).
> God harnessed a pagan king (Nebuchadnezzar) to force His people into exile (2 Kings 25), and another pagan king (Cyrus) to return them to their land (2 Chronicles 36:22-23).
> God used the decree of Caesar Augustus to direct Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem where the Savior would be born, in fulfillment of Micah’s prophecy (5:2).
GOD EMPLOYS HIS OWN FOLLOWERS
…to accomplish His perfect will.
> God’s power visited the boy, David, to fell a giant of a man (1 Samuel 17).
> God anointed the Apostle Paul to take the message of redemption in Christ to the gentiles. God said to Ananias, about Paul, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15).
> God inspired the Apostle John to record events that would occur far into the future: “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony” (Revelation 1:1-2).
WHAT UNITES, WHAT DIVIDES, AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
Key to understanding many disagreements.
More in the next post, but suffice it to say here that the Gospel should unite Christ’s followers, not divide them. However, in many churches people are divided by something that has been banished from church and long since buried, but which will not go away.
I refer to influences that affect believers and unbelievers, alike, every day and night. I have in mind pressures on the family budget, safety in the neighborhood, underperforming students who languish in impoverished schools and grow up in severely challenged families. My heart is heavy for conditions that demoralize whole neighborhoods through intergenerational dependency, and suck the hope out of image-bearers. (This is a very abbreviated list of woes.)
What I’m pointing to is not feelings (which may draw us together at an emotional level), nor Biblical beliefs (which can unite us at a foundational level). Rather, I speak of policies, public policies, that have consequences of the kind mentioned above.
So what to do if fellow believers support policies that perpetuate the status quo?
HEAVY LIFTING
Trusting God for the hard task.
I’m not thinking, here, about persuading another believer to my position. Instead, my question is, “How ought we relate to fellow believers who disagree on these policy matters?”
If God intends to punish our nation for persistent defiance of Him (see post #2), and if we believe those who espouse these policies are therefore contributing to our demise, how do we bridge the divide with them?
Answer: the love of Christ. The power of the resurrected Lord is greater. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “When God calls a man, He bids him come and die.” It’s the willingness to lay it down for the sake of the Body of Christ. This, this is the pathway to peace among believers.
GOD USES ANYONE
…to fulfill His sovereign plan (and this is the hard part for me).
If America is to be punished for her wickedness, God may use anyone––including the political convictions of some Christian leaders––to pave the wave for a tyrant’s rise to power.
At the personal level, there have been seasons in my life when God used the misconduct of others to redirect my steps. God is more than able to use anyone and any behavior to advance His perfect will.
GOD’S PLAN
…in God’s way.
God uses all kinds of people to shape events for His greater glory: sometimes for our good, sometimes resulting in our hardship, sometimes transforming hard times for our blessing and for His glory.
Joseph announced to his brothers who had sold him into slavery in Egypt, “…you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good….” (Genesis 50:20a).
GOD HAS A PLAN FOR EACH OF US
Ours is to surrender.
Pray for fellow Christians with whom you cannot agree politically. Converse and seek to persuade; do not lash out. If you must separate, do so peaceably. Who knows but God may be using them to unfold His plan.
Ours is to follow hard after the God of history, Whose ways are perfect, just and upright (Deuteronomy 32:40). May it please God to use each of us as an instrument to display His glory.
7. America’s Tomorrow: Loving or Loathing
By Jim DeCamp, October 11, 2019
My answer to “It’s always been an evil country.”
IN THE SHALLOW END
Where learning starts.
Last month I had coffee with a friend whose beliefs are polar opposite from mine. (A good way to learn.) He pointed to a hot cultural subject and asked, “How would you respond to him in that situation?”
My reply: “It makes me want to have coffee with him.” I was suggesting that I must first listen to the individual before knowing how best to respond to his need.
Similarly, a helpful response to the evil-country remark above will probably begin with a curiosity to know more.
WHAT’S MEANT BY “AN EVIL COUNTRY,” ANYWAY?
That’s funny––I had the same question! (Turns out, more than meets the eye.)
For example, I’ve heard the words, “America’s always been an evil country,” from more than one person in more than one context. It’s too important a statement to ignore, yet it’s complex, and an effective reply needs to cover more than one base.
This post brings reflections from three distinct directions: theological, political, and revolutionary. What might there be in each of these arenas that could lead one to utter such a strong statement?
THREE PERSPECTIVES
Theological. Political. Revolutionary.
>>>>>THEOLOGICAL REASONS for saying “America’s always been an evil country.”
“The human heart is evil,” based on the teaching of Scripture.
Leading up to Christ’s redeeming work, the Apostle Paul points to the utter sinfulness of each and every human heart: “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23––ESV).
In this sense, every tribe and nation that has ever existed is evil; “all have sinned,” the Bible says. There has been hatred, violence, slavery, immorality, pride––every manner of evil––dating back to “The Garden.”
Theologically, I get that: “America has always been an evil country.” We acknowledge past sins, and for present sins we must repent and move forward as fellow Americans.
>>>>>POLITICAL MOTIVATIONS behind “America’s always been an evil country.”
“Any market-based, small-government system is evil,” from a socialist/progressive/government-centric perspective.
The progressive vision of a powerful central government that rules by dividing the population into groups, that limits free-market opportunity and curbs individual liberty––this vision spurns the notion of limited government and personal freedom.
“America’s always been an evil country” would be a natural response from this way of thinking.
>>>>>REVOLUTIONARY THOUGHTS feeding the words “America’s always been an evil country.”
(For purposes of this post, I make the assumption that those taking the political approach will not resort to violence, while revolutionaries will employ violence as an acceptable means to an end.)
“Only by forceful overthrow of government will our beliefs prevail!” says the revolutionary.
This is the one who is prepared to use arms, not to protect himself from a tyrannical government, but to destroy established authority. This is the one who is fueled not by a well-intentioned dream of equality and justice, but by wrath that lays waste to each obstacle. This is the one whose true intentions lie in the shadows till the proper time.
This is the person for whom “America’s always been an evil country” is a battle cry.
>>>>>ALL THREE APPROACHES…
…recognize faults in this nation, yet offer sharply contrasting remedies.
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A MENTAL BREAK…FROM HISTORY
English poet, Philip James Bailey (1816-1902), wrote in “Festus”:
America! half brother of the world!
With something good and bad of every land.
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FROM THIS VANTAGE POINT
Some parting reflections.
> What I think.
I love this country. I don’t love her sins, past and present, but I love everything that is good about her. She has the capacity to right wrongs. She is the land of liberty, opportunity, innovation, creativity, and prosperity. She has a generous heart toward the poor and disabled, and has spent much blood and treasure to safeguard liberty around the world. I am not a my-country-right-or-wrong person; I love America in spite of, not because of, her sins.
> What I know.
This country is in open defiance against the Creator, and has been inviting God’s judgment for some time. We have disregarded the created order by attempting to pervert marriage and gender. We shed the blood of the innocent, an act which some now celebrate. We suck the humanity out of whole communities of image bearers––especially in our cities––by shackling them to failing schools, undermining their family structure, and injecting dependency that denies them the fruit of their labor.
> What I implore.
Do not mistake God’s patience for His approval or indifference. Whatever your station in life, now is the time to repent. God will forgive when we come in repentance. In this world, the only safe place to be is within the will of God. As in Noah’s day, those on the outside will perish.
8. America’s Tomorrow: Making Ready for the Day
By Jim DeCamp, October 17, 2019
Beware the cunning appeal of persecution.
This post will consider challenges for believers in the not-too-distant future, God’s promised provision, and our eternal hope.
IN HOT PURSUIT
…of what matters.
August, as I begin writing this, boasts “the dog days of summer” when football players may lose 10 pounds quickly. It’s sweaty in the heat, and grass stains are a badge of honor. It is, in a word, grueling.
There’s something All-American about that: hard work, teamwork, sacrifice, reward for one’s labor. It’s about setting a goal, then pursuing it.
PURSUIT OF WHAT?
And at what price?
Whether one is hoping for a D-1 scholarship, running the race of a patriot, or seeking first the Kingdom of God; there are goals to strive for, virtues to cherish, and a finish line to cross.
There may also be a price to pay…under strange new rules. That’s what this post is about: persecution––which is almost a foreign language here in the States. I am thinking primarily about people of faith and about their readiness.
BUT FIRST…
A gut check.
We Americans have a history of romanticizing war. Whether raw courage in the Revolution, bravery by both sides of the Civil War, or sacrifice in the World Wars of the last century, many are stirred by the selflessness of those who served. Yet there is often more than meets the eye.
In our day, as in years past, many return from war with chilling memories. Their readiness to serve remains; however, after their ordeal the fanciful portrayals of Hollywood seem almost sacrilegious.
I grew up listening to harrowing accounts from Fox’s Book of Martyrs–and of the faithful in our day––certain that I would be true to the end. It is sobering to think that, from my own experience in war, I won’t know how I will react until I’m actually in that situation. So how to make ready?
By my observation, today’s American church is dangerously unprepared for battle. We are confident we will stand, yet we are untested. And few are seeking training opportunities.
OVERCONFIDENCE: THE DANGER WITHIN
Take time to inventory.
Working assumptions can guide the study of a subject, yet unchallenged assumptions invite disaster. I do not write as a champion of persecution; these are lessons learned from my own life and the lives of others.
Ponder:
> Make the glory of God the main thing––the beginning and ending of your life’s calling.
> God is your strength to love your enemy, your power to endure trial, your inspiration to name the name of Jesus.
> Pray today for the hardest to love; they may be your persecutor tomorrow.
> Build courage for that day…by demonstrating it now. (If addressing a school board, city council, or state legislative committee is daunting, what better way to prepare to give a public witness one day?)
SOME COMMON DECLARATIONS
…a question, and a challenge.
> “Historically, the church has been more effective/had more power when undergoing persecution.”
There are many examples in church history––including the last century––to prove this statement true.
> We sing, “Like a bride waiting for her groom, we’ll be a Church ready for You.”
This is a positive goal to which to aspire.
Question: What is your confidence that the good statements above will describe you?
Challenge: Ask God right now to build faith, strength, and boldness in your life, in order to bring glory to God on that day.
STRENGTH FOR TODAY
Sufficient for the calling.
The Bible is replete with faith-builders, with God’s promises:
> “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6).
> “I will be with you” (God to Joshua, Joshua 1:8)
> “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Jesus to His disciples, Matthew 28:28).
> “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).
BRIGHT HOPE FOR TOMORROW
Future glory.
> “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’” (Matthew 25:34).
> “Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8).
> “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
EVERY DAY FOR GOD’S GLORY
Focus on faithfulness.
Make ready for the future by embracing the witness God gives you today. No word, no task, is too small.
Trust God’s promises. It may be grueling, but the finish line grows larger.
9. America’s Tomorrow: Concluding Thoughts
By Jim DeCamp, October 24, 2019
“Faithful to the end.”
A VIEW OF THE FUTURE
Taking our bearings.
“I never think of the future. It comes soon enough,” said Albert Einstein.
Intellect may not point to the future, but perhaps wisdom should. For the future is the world into which our children and grandchildren will be born; the future is what we are building every day of our lives; and the future belongs to the God of time and space, holiness and justice, judgment and mercy, history and eternity.
THE AIM OF THIS SERIES:
Stir reflection, build resolve, humble hearts.
This series has been devoted to the future of America, the land I love. We have recognized Constitutional self-governance as the political legacy of our Founding Fathers, and the Judeo-Christian worldview as the foundation for a culture that has thrived. We have lamented America’s sins––past and present––and offered hope for spiritual redemption. Post #2, especially, sounded a warning of coming calamity if we do not humble ourselves before Almighty God.
The first five posts pertained to our nation and world. The next three were more introspective: (6) relating to other believers, (7) what we think of this country, and (8) how each of us will stand in the future.
This final post is incomplete, because there’s a lot of living yet to do…
The Hand of the Oppressor
Friends, please pray that God will save babies in Indy today.
This is from a friend who is there. Please pray now for the witness at the abortion facility on Arlington Ave. in Indy.
The abortionist, Jeffrey Glazer, arrived about 8 AM today––unusually early.
At least 14 women have already entered the building. It may be a busy day.
May God hold back the hand of the oppressor, and spare mothers and their babies. God hears the prayers of His people.
Victory Belongs to the Lord
Debi and I were on the early shift at the abortion facility on Arlington Ave. this morning. I saw eight young women go in—most of whom were accompanied by adults. Only one has left. (Our replacement is now here.)
One veteran of this ministry texted me, “They herd them in like cattle, and wait for the abortionist to arrive.”
One life will be taken, then another, and another. Jesus, have mercy.
Friends, if you have the hope of the Lord in you, you know that God‘s word is true:
“…the victory belongs to the Lord” (Proverbs 21:31b).
Only God knows how He may use the seeds that were sown this morning—as well as your prayers—for the blessing of others and for His eternal glory.
Let us all be praying for the saints that will be here this afternoon, and for the mothers and little babies who are so at risk. God is able to save!
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“Lift High the Name of Jesus”
Keith and Kristyn Getty
To share the reason for our hope,
To serve with love and grace,
That all who see Him shine through us
Might bring the Father praise.
Two Lessons from My Father
My dad, Otto DeCamp, would be 109 today if he were living on this earth, yet what he taught me as a child remains fresh. For example:
1. “Lay it down” (forgive).
Once Dad was driving me through the city. He said, “Jimmy, do you see that red brick church up on the hill? The third row down and fourth from the end…that’s my brick.”
He explained, “The building committee asked me for help in the form of a loan, and promised to repay it. That was years ago. So now, every time I drive by, I just say, ‘That’s my brick, right there.’”
Little did I know life’s myriad opportunities to “lay it down.”
2. “It doesn’t cost anything” (little things are huge).
We played tennis as a family six days a week––whether in Seoul, Karuizawa, Princeton, Davidson, Black Mountain, Wheaton, Jonesboro, Duarte, it didn’t matter––we played tennis everywhere…except Wimbledon.
Typically Dad would play two sets with us kids then, while we went a third set, he would crawl around the fence and pull weeds. By the bucket full he pulled…everywhere he pulled.
He was forever doing acts of service or kindness.
His only explanation: “It doesn’t cost anything.”
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I could go on and on about my parents’ lives; writing for my grandchildren’s grandchildren is what I fully intended to do in retirement. Yet with spiritual sorrow, cultural decay, and political upheaval everywhere, I’ve been speaking up in the public arena––for the sake of everyone’s grandchildren––while there is time.
Transgenderism: Rude Awakening in Brownsburg
Though not on the agenda, what transpired at last night’s Brownsburg School Board meeting will not soon be forgotten.
1. PARENTS AND RESIDENTS LAMENT BOARD’S LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AND INTEGRITY
The School Administration’s dereliction and disrespect of the public––especially parents––by secretly undermining their children’s privacy and safety, was a very major concern.
PHOTOS: Tiffany Dearman, Darla Mitchener, and Jeff Gracey (pictured with his wife) were among those addressing the Board.
2. JOHN KLUGE’S CASE.
Each member of the Board was personally given a Notice of Tort Claim pertaining to the dismissal of Brownsburg’s stellar music teacher, John Kluge. (For you lawyers), below is a technical description of what took place:
Ros Stovall, Kluge’s attorney and ADF ally, addressed the Board, urging a rethinking of the emerging transgender policies in light of the changing legal landscape. He challenged the idea that a 7th Circuit school bathroom facility case should be used to extrapolate a compelled speech action against faculty and students. At the conclusion of his remarks, Stovall presented the Board with a Notice of Tort Claim, a precursor to litigation being filed against a governmental entity.
3. THE LINK BETWEEN SUICIDE AND TRANSGENDERISM
My remarks to the Board on this subject may be found here: jimdecamp.com/politics/testimonies/remarks-before-the-brownsburg-school-board.
Remarks before the Brownsburg School Board
Brownsburg, Indiana
July 9, 2018
For the background on these remarks see Transgenderism: Rude Awakening in Brownsburg
Good evening, Dr. Snapp, members of the School Board. Thank you for this opportunity to speak with you.
My name is Jim DeCamp. I’m a retired Army chaplain and pastor, and my wife and I live in Carmel.
We have very good friends who live in Brownsburg and whose children attend schools in this district.
I have grave concern about the direction the Board has taken regarding transgenderism, and wish to share this with you.
While my most memorable military experiences were made half a world away––in a hostile desert––I am aware of at least one area of need that is shared by some right here in Brownsburg.
Soldiers in battle may experience great trauma. The resulting inner tension, if left uncared for, may lead them to attempt unspeakable acts against their body or, worse, their life.
Suicide prevention training is required for every soldier, everywhere in the world, every single year. Chaplains are the trainers, and I was very involved in this area. The health and wellbeing of every soldier is of paramount importance.
It is here that I ask you to think with me; the preciousness of each young life calls out for it.
Seeking to bend one’s physical body to comply with thoughts that are in disagreement with one’s body is a formidable task. By their own description at last month’s Board meeting, inner tension exists within young people in the Brownsburg School District.
Young people who embark on this dangerous venture may attempt to end their lives at a rate significantly higher than that of their peers.
Please show compassion to these young people who are in anguish––precious young people––by not encouraging this very dangerous direction.
The medications and surgical procedures are untested; there is no adequate track record for their use with kids!
And please protect privacy and safety for all our young people. Thank you.
I Endorse Captain Dennis Quakenbush for Hamilton County Sheriff
April 18, 2018
After listening to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Candidates Debate* last evening, and based on personal conversation with Dennis as well as his on-the-job experience, I am persuaded that Dennis Quakenbush is the best qualified.
In a Sheriff’s Department of 220 employees and a $17M budget, Dennis Quakenbush is well equipped.
Technical Skills
> Dennis is the only candidate in command staff, where he has served for seven years.
> He is currently Patrol Commander, and has 16 years of law enforcement experience.
> As Captain of the Patrol Division he supervises over 60 full time deputies, administrative personnel, reserve and auxiliary officers.
> With an MBA in business administration, he will steward the people’s money wisely.
Leadership and Diplomacy
> Having the necessary organizational and institutional knowledge, he is fully prepared to lead this large and complex Sheriff’s Department.
> He is currently the Hamilton County Law Enforcement Representative for Emergency Management.
> Dennis already interfaces with County Commissioners, Councilors, and Prosecutors; and he will be the public face of our Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department.
Character and Faith
> Vocation. Dennis Quakenbush chose law enforcement over his corporate career out of a desire to serve his community, and to keep us safe.
> Family and faith. A life-long resident of Hamilton County, Dennis currently lives in Cicero with his wife and four young sons. A member of Genesis Church, he has served as a Sunday School Teacher and Youth Leader. Volunteering with Little Lambs Ministries, on three occasions he has worked in orphan camps in Ukraine.
Endorsements
Current Hamilton County Sheriff, Mark Bowen:
“Having served alongside him for the last 16 years, Captain Quakenbush is the clear choice to administer and expand the protection and safety we cherish in Hamilton County. Keep Hamilton County safe. Vote Quakenbush on May 8th.”
Dan Stevens, former Sheriff (1987-1994) and current Director of Administration for the county commissioners:
“The Sheriff’s operating budget is $17.3 million, which includes 216 personnel, a fleet of over 100 vehicles and the Hamilton County Jail. Your next Sheriff must choose wisely how to spend your tax dollars while adapting to the reality of the department’s changing operational environment, ensuring Hamilton County remains the best place in Indiana to live, work, raise a family and enjoy a safe quality of life,” said Sheriff Stevens. “Dennis possesses the common-sense maturity, the leadership skills, the business management training and the practical law enforcement experience to meet this challenge. Dennis will serve the citizens of Hamilton County well. I support Captain Dennis Quakenbush to be our next Sheriff.”
Finally
Captain Quakenbush understands that continued security requires a team effort. He says, “Together, we can keep Hamilton County safe.”
I am voting for Dennis Quakenbush for Sheriff on May 8, and I ask you to join me.
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*Thank you, Fiscal Conservatives of Hamilton County, for sponsoring last night’s Sheriff’s debate.
I Endorse Matt Milam for Indiana’s Hamilton County Commissioner.
March 20, 2018
Matt’s connection with ordinary people, his character in a shifting world, and passion for integrity in government were determining factors in my endorsement.
What does the County Commission do?
A list of nearly 40 “General Powers and Duties” of the Hamilton County Commission is here:
https://www.hamiltoncounty.in.gov/…/Commissioners…
Among these responsibilities, commissioners:
> Hold the county’s power of eminent domain.
> Maintain infrastructure including roads and bridges.
> Authorize county contracts.
Serious questions are being raised about how these commissioners do their work, and about who influences them.
The Hamilton County Commission: Well Guarded
> Meeting, as they do, at 1:30 PM on a Monday, it’s difficult for taxpayers to attend.
> Beginning, as they do, in Executive Session that can last an hour or more, business appears to be cooked before commissioners step into the light.
> Receiving, as they do, hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from vendors and contractors who do millions in business for the county, commissioners invite awkward questions which taxpayers are asking.
…..Enter Matt Milam….
Matt’s connection with the people
Matt connects with ordinary people, and it’s a big reason I support him for Hamilton County Commissioner. I want Hamilton County to get to know this good man.
Fourteen years ago, Matt went to the door of every home in Home Place. He led his community in resisting annexation by Carmel. In the process he earned the trust of his neighbors––rare in politics today.
As a county commissioner, Matt promises to promote the best interest of all the people of the County.
Matt’s Character in a shifting world
It’s not hard to identify office holders who accept large campaign contributions from big players, then award contracts to big players. “That’s not right,” says Matt Milam.
Matt backs up his concerns with action. He willingly undergoes the headaches of a campaign. He is the definition of selflessness. He displays the character that he calls for in others.
Matt’s passion for integrity…where it is especially needed today: in government
The most powerful lessons are not taught by the mouth, but displayed in one’s life. At a time when the public is weary of corruption in politics and equally wondering if there is hope, Matt steps up to the plate. We need Matt’s integrity on the Hamilton County Commission.
It’s not the expenditure of money that is the immediate concern here. It’s the possible connection between large campaign donations and the recipients of county money. What’s happening now is odious.
I want my grandchildren growing up in a county where they look up to their leaders, and give them the respect they have earned. I am encouraged that there is one such candidate running for Hamilton County Commissioner in 2018.
Matt Milam is that person. His life displays the character and integrity we need in County government.
Please join me in voting Matt Milam for Hamilton County Commissioner, District 1, on May 8!
I Endorse Will Riley for Judge in Hamilton County [Indiana] Superior Court 1
March 15, 2018
Will was very generous with his time in our conversation, as were the other candidates. The chord was struck with Will by:
> His fidelity to the U. S. and Indiana Constitutions: he spoke freely of these documents as foundational in all his deliberations.
> His inquisitive mind: he had been reading through The Federalist Papers, again.
> His ability to communicate legal principles in understandable ways: he spoke of interacting with law school students, probing their understanding and helping them test their own presuppositions.
> His insight into the role of Judge: fairness to all parties, while upholding the law. He had written, “…we must help those who have lost their way, but hold our offenders accountable.”
> His temperament: personally engaging, while remaining impartial.
> His appreciation for liberty and individual rights as enshrined in the Constitution.
> His remarkable background….
…..Will was one of the lawyers who helped recover $3.9 billion for Indiana taxpayers from the tobacco companies and one of the lawyers who represented the Attorney General of California that recovered $12.5 billion for taxpayers from the tobacco companies.
…..Closer to home, Will tried a 6-week trial in Hamilton County and recovered $17 million for his client and the client’s business.
…..Most recently, Will was a semi-finalist to sit on the Indiana Supreme Court.
> His understanding of today’s world: the relationship between the fabric of culture and law in a thriving society.
Appreciation for Each Candidate
I am grateful to each of the three candidates for giving their time in conversation. I have enormous respect for the background, experience, and contribution that each has made to our state and community.
My questions for each related to:
> One’s view of the relevance of the Constitution.
> The relationship between individual liberty and the fabric of our culture.
> The foundation on which one stands when making decisions.
> How to shore up respect for the law.
> Possible threats to our freedoms.
In this process I renewed one friendship that goes back several years and made two new friends––all of whom I admire.
===============
Some Different, but Not Unrelated, Notes
I couldn’t help but reflect on the process of electing judges; this is a different animal.
For example, that these lawyers are obliged to run a campaign at all is awkward. We are talking about a very political process for an apolitical position. I in turn was obliged to ask different questions––more difficult than inquiring of those running for typical elected office.
The requirement for fundraising and party affiliation could also be complicating factors. Friendships, loyalty, and resources can bring out the best in any of us…as long as they don’t carry encumbrances into the future. As a doctor requires a sterile surgical field, a judge must guard his thinking from matters that do not pertain to the case at hand. I doubt that money and connections are a help in such deliberations.
This is not to suggest there is a better way of finding judges; selection boards and/or appointment systems have their own drawbacks. In recent years while pondering one challenge or another in our country, I have often thought, “The antidote to this is an informed electorate.”
I have done my best to make an informed decision and wanted to share it.
I Endorse Republican State Representative Curt Nisly for Indiana House District 22
March 12, 2018
He is loved in his district as much as he is vilified in Indianapolis. But first:
HISTORY
2014
Republican State Representative Curt Nisly was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 2014, defeating incumbent Republican Rebecca Kubacki in the primary, 64.8% to 35.2%. He then prevailed in the general election over Democrat David C. Kolbe, 70.3% to 24.7% (Independent Michael L. Stinfer garnered 5.1%).
2016
Curt was unchallenged in the 2016 primary, and beat Democrat Brian Smith in the general, 77.39% to 22.61%.
Source: Ballotpedia
2018
Curt Nisly is running for reelection, and has a primary challenger.
CURT’S VOTING RECORD
> Curt is one of the few in the Indiana legislature who voted AGAINST the gas tax of 2017.
> He voted FOR a balanced state budget in 2017.
> In 2017 he offered an amendment to HB1071 that would have exempted all persons over the age of 18, not barred from possessing a firearm under state or federal law, from having to get permission from the state to carry a firearm. Curt stood his ground by appealing the decision of the Chair, in a successful attempt by his caucus to kill the amendment.
> In 2016, he OPPOSED expansion of the wheel tax.
> In 2015 he voted AGAINST the RFRA fix, in contrast to the vast majority of his caucus.
CURT’S VISION
Curt Nisly said he would protect life, and has authored the “Protection at Conception” bill each of the last two years. Some say this bill has no political future, and I understand their misgivings.
Yet Representative Nisly has persistently raised the plight of the over 7,000 Hoosier babies put to death by induced abortion every year. No one in Indianapolis, to my knowledge, has stimulated the debate like Curt. Ending this massive killing is a serious conversation that must be had, and I honor Curt Nisly for his vision and courage.
CURT’S AUTHENTICITY
For his trouble Curt has been castigated and ostracized, as if there were no room for an independent thinker in a State House of 100 Members. I, for one, would be thrilled to vote for someone with his authenticity, character, and courage!
Curt Nisly represents his constituents of District 22 in Indianapolis; he does not impose Indianapolis thinking on his District.
CURT NISLY: THE PEOPLE’S REPRESENTATIVE
I am honored to lend my support to Curt Nisly––truly, the people’s representative.
Jim DeCamp
Carmel
What a pleasure going door-to-door with Curt Nisly today in Indiana’s House District 22.
April 7, 2018
Plus delicious pizza with Curt and Mary.
Great couple, great candidate!
Curt Nisly for State Rep.`
Veterans Day, 2017
This Veterans Day, I want to honor my father, Otto DeCamp, who served as an Army Chaplain in World War II. He taught me to live for Christ, to love my country, and to risk everything in the defense of sweet freedom.
ELECTION DISHONESTY DESTROYS VOTER CONFIDENCE
August 5, 2017
Election integrity is the cure.
More registered voters than adults over 18 in: SanDiego County (138%). SanFrancisco County (114%). “L.A. County may be as high as 144%.”
What are you hiding, CA Secretary of State, Alex Padilla?See Section 8 of the National Voter Registration Act. (Enacted by Democrats and signed by Pres. Bill Clinton, in 1993––for those determined to believe that its purpose was voter suppression.)
The letter from Judicial Watch “gives Padilla 14 days to respond, and 90 days to correct alleged violations of the law.”
Testimony before the Hamilton County (Indiana) Council…Regarding the Misconduct of a Council Member
June 7, 2017
Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Hamilton County Council. My name is Jim DeCamp. I’m a retired Army chaplain and pastor, and I am the Precinct Committeeman for Clay Southwest 1.
One morning in high school, a question entered my mind which I could not shake: “What’s the difference between character and reputation?”
Later I put that question to my mother. She answered with a question of her own: “Should there be a difference?”
I have revisited that question and answer a number of times in my life, most recently in the context of the behavior of a member of the Hamilton County Council, Jeffrey A. Hern––a man with lots of potential, and for whom I truly wish the very best.
Damaging and removing large campaign signs of an opponent, lying to Hamilton County Sheriff investigators and to the public about what he had done, withholding the truth from voters until LONG after the election––and only then as part of a Plea Agreement, as I understand it––this is the stuff of corruption.
Misconduct in a political campaign––resulting in an election that quite possibly would have seen a different outcome––undermines the integrity of this election, and erodes the people’s confidence in Hamilton County government.
More than once, I have requested to meet with Mr. Hern. Last Wednesday, another Precinct Committeeman and I left a voicemail message for him, asking him to sit down with us. No reply.
Thursday, we sent a text message with the same request. No response.
Why this silence by an office holder toward constituents?
Perhaps he has been advised not to speak with anyone about this. How does that relate to the virtue of transparency?
Based on personal conversations as recently as last evening, people in my precinct remember what happened, and they do not like it. Mr. Hern recently was in Hamilton Superior Court. He now stands in the Court of Public Opinion.
His misconduct has cast a shadow over the important work of the Hamilton County Council.
The voters of Hamilton County deserve better.
Mr. Hern, Sir: I call upon you to resign.
Thank you.
Outpost of the Kingdom
STRONGHOLD
By definition, an outpost is close to the enemy. The Women’s Med Center, 1201 North Arlington Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana, is the scene where many hundreds of Hoosier babies lost their lives in 2016. And it is there that Hoosier babies continue to be sacrificed. Friday is their usual “killing day.” 1201 N. Arlington is a stronghold of the enemy. There, innocent blood flows.
WEAPONS OF THE SPIRIT
So it was there that on Friday, April 21, 2017, a rather unusual assemblage––old and young, ethnically diverse, men and women, across the ecclesiastical spectrum––wielded weapons of the Spirit. They prayed, sang, read from the Scriptures, preached, witnessed, kept silence. For five hours they waged spiritual warfare in close proximity to evil.
In truth, there are a few faithful souls who have been standing in the gap for the babies––on the property line of 1201 N. Arlington––for nearly two years. It appears, now, that the Creator and Giver of life is increasing their ranks.
We numbered in the twenties, were bound by a common love for Jesus and, therefore, a passion to save these precious little ones.
THE BATTLE RAGES
We believe that three babies’ lives were spared. Of approximately 20 young women who pulled up to 1201 N. Arlington, one changed her mind before even going into the building. One was inside for only a few minutes, then came out saying, “I can’t do this. I won’t do this.” We believe a third, also, had a change of heart. Our desire is to stay in touch with these young women, to continue to minister to them.
Those on an Outpost may be near bloodshed; they may also witness survival against all odds. Both occurred on April 21, and we worshipped God through it all.
LARGE NEEDS, GREATER ANSWERS
In my understanding, those who work in these facilities are not our enemies. They are victims of a common enemy; namely, the evil one. It is by God’s grace, alone, that I was not on the other side of that door laying waste to “the least of these.” Strongholds such as 1201 N. Arlington grip the souls of those within.
Yet we offer the Gospel of grace, repentance, forgiveness, healing, holiness, new beginnings. We point to Jesus, about Whom we learn in the Scriptures, and by Whose Spirit we seek the Kingdom of God.
IN HIS SERVICE
“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute.” (Proverbs 31:8––ESV) God’s love is the most powerful, healthy, and enduring motivation in the world. Love will overcome a lot––including fear. And there is great joy in standing, along with others, for what is right.
If God is calling you to join in this witness, you can participate through prayer at home, or by your presence at an Outpost of the Kingdom near you. You will not be alone; brothers and sisters will be there, too. And remember the words of Jesus: “I will be with you.”
Mercy and Hope
There is mercy and hope in the Lord. Already today, one mom has changed her mind and spared her baby’s life. A SECOND ONE, JUST NOW! There is oppression in this building. Thank you for praying, friends. God is greater.
My Favorite Christmas Eve Memory
My favorite Christmas Eve memory is going with my dad in the middle of the night with cookies and hot chocolate for the staff at the radio station in Seoul, then at the transmitter site outside of town.
My father was in Christian radio work in Korea. They were on the air all night twice a year: Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. From these experiences with my dad, I learned something about
*Leadership––having regard for subordinates.
*Faithfulness on the job––even at odd hours.
*Sacrifice––putting others before oneself.
Trump vs. Clinton (series)
Trump vs. Clinton: A Deliberate Decision
By Jim DeCamp, 9/19/2016
I am late to the fight, though have no apology for coming nor regret for the delay. The Primary season and the Convention in Cleveland revealed serious matters that, hopefully, will be resolved in due time. But now there is time only to focus on November 8, 2016. As I see it, it’s not a matter of which party wins; it’s about whether our Republic survives.
This is the first of a number of posts in which I will lay out my reasons for voting––and campaigning––for Donald Trump. It’s been a very deliberate process, which I’ll explain in this initial post. But first….
BACKGROUND
I was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, by missionary parents. My father, who had been imprisoned by the Japanese and served as a U. S. Army chaplain in World War II, led me to love freedom. The proudest moment of my life (up to that point) was the day I turned 18; I went with my father to the United States Embassy in Seoul and registered for the draft. I knew there was now the possibility of wearing the uniform of my country, and I was so proud I could hardly contain myself.
Today, having retired from nine years in the Infantry and 22 years as an Army chaplain, nothing has dimmed this passion for freedom, though I have seen the cost of preserving it. Now, what is left of freedom in America must be defended still, then fully restored!
LAYING IT DOWN
I have no illusion that the case I make for Donald Trump is an easy sell. My candidate throughout the Primary (who was not Donald Trump) was lied about and attacked by individuals, the media, and his own party. His wife and father were the subjects of salacious and fallacious accusations. While his opponent received hundreds of millions of dollars in free airtime, by contrast he was the object of a media blackout. His principled, Constitutional stands have been answered with vitriol and threats from his party. Yes, I am angered by all of this, myself.
America must have a Constitutionally-committed, serious-minded––and united––major political party. Some of my friends have given up on this vision for the Republican party. Time will tell. I trust that the conflict will be resolved as soon as possible, but that will not happen before November 8.
AN URGENT MISSION
My purpose here is to encourage support for the one candidate who carries a ray of hope, who provides a foothold––who, if nothing else, may at least buy time––for the recovery of the land we love.
Time is very short––not just till the election but, in my view, for our nation, itself. Laying down past grievances till November 9 will be painful; the other side may mock or seek advantage for the future. But this election is about the future of our Republic, our children…our sweet freedom. The side with the most Constitutional and compelling arguments will win if the people have a voice. And only one of the two remaining candidates has been willing to listen to the people.
1. Trump vs. Clinton: Beyond the Lesser of Two Evils
by Jim DeCamp, 9/23/2016
BLUF (BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT): Hillary Clinton is so corrupt, and her policies so destructive for America, that I am compelled to vote for Donald Trump who, I am persuaded, loves and wants the best for this country.
Given his opponent, I also believe it is a morally good choice to vote for Donald Trump.
READY TO LAUNCH
In subsequent posts, we will contrast in some detail Donald Trump with Hillary Clinton in terms of their policy commitments. In this post, we will touch briefly on a number of issues, the outcome of which, I contend, will determine the trajectory of our country for the foreseeable future.
The dilemma in which some voters find themselves this election must be faced, and the decision made. America is on the launch pad, and the clock is ticking.
IS TRUMP A MORALLY GOOD CHOICE?
Some voters are undecided between Trump and Clinton. My wrestling has led me to conclude that––YES––a vote for Trump IS a morally good choice. These points contributed to my conclusion:
* Consider the office being sought. Trump’s style is rough (to be kind), and he has acknowledged unfaithfulness in his personal life. He has hurled insults and accusations, and found it difficult to acknowledge mistakes. Yet I am voting for Trump because I am voting for an office holder, not my pastor. The future of America must override personal distaste.
* The greater good. Both candidates are flawed, but because Donald Trump will do far more good than his opponent, it is a morally good decision to vote for him. The future of America is at stake.
* Quality advisors. Trump has begun to assemble a very able team of advisors––most notably, his running mate, Indian Governor Mike Pence, who describes himself as “A Christian, a Conservative, and a Republican…in that order.” The recovery of America requires leaders who stand for all that made her great.
* My obligation to vote. Just like I ministered in the mud and the blood, I must enter into this “stinky political mess.” There is little that attracts me to politics, besides freedom and what made America great (about which, actually, many volumes have been written!). It’s what politics has become that I dislike––indeed, detest. So will I escape moral responsibility by not voting? I don’t think so. Professor of Christian Ethics, Wayne Grudem: “The prophet Obadiah rebuked the people of Edom for standing by and doing nothing to help when the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem: ‘On the day that you stood aloof, on the day that . . . foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them.’” (Obadiah 1:11). Seldom has America needed us more; we will give an account for our political stewardship.
* My duty as an “exile” calls me (as 1 Peter 1:1 describes Christians in this world). God spoke through His Prophet, Jeremiah, to His chosen people whom He had sent off to far-away Babylon: “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” (Jeremiah 29:7—ESV) Professor Grudem: “By way of modern application, I think Christians today have a similar obligation to vote in such a way that will ‘seek the welfare’ of the United States.” I am certain that America will be in far better hands under Trump than Clinton.
* Vote for a third party, “write-in” a candidate, or sit it out? Any of these three scenarios will deny a vote for Trump in his match-up against Clinton. I fully understand “writing in” a better candidate––believe me––but such an action in 2016, while making an impressive statement, could throw the election to Clinton. Freedom in America, as we cherish it, could not survive a Clinton administration. I am already studying candidates to support in 2018; we will absolutely fight another day! But for all that is holy, and for the sake of our country, please do not “write in” this year.
* So very much hangs in the balance between a Supreme Court of Trump appointees vs. those appointed by Clinton. I plan to go into much more detail in subsequent posts, but pick a subject that is near and dear to your heart––the preciousness of every weak and helpless person, the impact of gender-confusion, sweet religious liberty, the very existence of the traditional family, inter-generational debt, national defense, Israel, terrorism, the Second Amendment, public decency laws, big-government tyranny––the next President will in all likelihood determine the composition of the Supreme Court for 30 years to come. I have laid down a passionate Primary defeat…for the sake of all the above.
Hillary Clinton will be elected––not over my dead body, but––over my exhausted body. I will campaign and vote for Donald Trump in order to defeat Hillary. I ask you to do the same.
________
For a more thorough discussion of moral reasons to vote for Donald Trump, I recommend this column by Dr. Wayne Grudem, Professor of Christian Ethics, that appeared in TownHall on July 28, 2016, titled “Why Voting for Donald Trump Is a Morally Good Choice.
2. Trump vs. Clinton: The Constitution–Power to the People
By Jim DeCamp, 9/27/2016
Vote for Trump…for the sake of the Constitution.
(On September 19, I wrote an introduction to this series explaining why I’m voting for Donald Trump. The first post followed on Sep. 23. This is the second of nine scheduled posts.)
BLUF (BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT): The United States Constitution is the watershed political document of our Republic. Considering the stark contrast between Donald Trump’s and Hillary Clinton’s regard for the Constitution and the American people, I will most certainly vote for Trump.
/// thinking cap alert ///
THE CITIZEN: SUBSERVIENT OR SOVEREIGN?
Frederic Bastiat (1801-1850), a French economist, statesman and author, lived and wrote at the time of the Revolution of February, 1848, in France. He lamented increased government control over the French people. In his book, The Law, Bastiat wrote, “This [control] will remain the case as long as human beings with feelings continue to remain passive; so long as they consider themselves incapable of bettering their prosperity and happiness by their own intelligence and their own energy…in short, so long as they imagine that their relationship to the state is the same as that of the sheep and the shepherd.”
Another Frenchman, Alexis de Tocqueville, was a contemporary of Bastiat’s. DeTocqueville traveled to the U. S. in 1831 to satisfy his curiosity about this new nation. In 1835 he wrote Democracy in America––his attempt to explain the greatness of this fledgling republic. He reflected, “As I see it, only God can be all-powerful without danger, because his wisdom and justice are always equal to his power. Thus there is no authority on earth so inherently worthy of respect, or invested with a right so sacred, that I would want to let it act without oversight or rule without impediment” (p. 290). Speaking of America, de Tocqueville also referred to “her matchless Constitution.”
I will vote for the candidate who fosters a spirit of independence and achievement, and who cherishes the Constitutional principles of limited government and individual rights.
THE DECLARATION LED THE WAY
Edwin Meese III explains the relationship of our founding documents: “Part of the reason for the Constitution’s enduring strength is that it is the complement of the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration provided the philosophical basis for a government that exercises legitimate power by ‘the consent of the governed,’ and it defined the conditions of a free people, whose rights and liberty are derived from their Creator. The Constitution delineated the structure of government and the rules for its operation, consistent with the creed of human liberty proclaimed in the Declaration.” (http://www.heritage.org/constitution#!/introessays/1) There is unity in our founding documents, and they are not outdated. (We will discuss it later in this post.)
I will vote for the candidate who better accepts and affirms “the consent of the governed.”
FIDELITY TO THE OATH
“Asked in a 2012 interview [on foreign soil, on Al Hayat television in Cairo] whether Egypt’s new government should look to other constitutions for guidance, [U. S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader] Ginsburg replied, ‘I would not look to the U.S. Constitution, if I were drafting a constitution in the year 2012. I might look at the Constitution of South Africa.’” (DailySignal.com, 2016/09/15) Justice Ginsberg has also said that she weighs foreign law as well as U. S. law when forming a legal opinion. (FoxNews.com, 2012/02/06)
Until five years ago, my connection to the Constitution was largely the Oath I had sworn: to “…support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic….SO HELP ME GOD.” Since retiring, I have studied and pondered what I vowed to “support and defend” all those years.
I have great respect for Justice Ginsberg’s accomplishments and the office she holds. She and I obviously have different training and experience, but what separates us most in this conversation is our reverence––or lack of it––for this founding document of our Republic. Ironically, we both took the Oath; look how far we have come, or gone.
I will vote for the candidate more likely to cherish the Oath that will be assumed on Friday, January 20, 2017.
RELEVANT STILL?
John York at the Heritage Foundation writes, “Some scientific and technological changes do require that we think carefully about the Founders’ intent when they were writing the Constitution. For instance, new technologies allow police to peer into homes without physically entering them, intercept an email or a text message, or track your car from their computer back at the precinct. Whether these things constitute a search or seizure of citizens’ ‘houses, papers, and effects’ under the Fourth Amendment is an important question the Founders do not answer for us directly.
“But by no means are we merely left to guess how the Constitution speaks to these modern conditions. Through the Founders’ own writings contained in the Federalist Papers, notes on the proceedings of the Constitutional Convention and correspondence, thoughtful judges and legal scholars get a clear sense of the spirit behind the words on the page.
“Given the Founders’ concern that government would use warrantless searches to harass and condemn political dissidents, it is hard to imagine James Madison or Alexander Hamilton would approve of warrantless wiretaps, drone flyovers, and email dragnets conducted by federal agencies.”
I will vote for the candidate who respects the Constitution as originally written, and who understands how to apply its timeless principles.
/// You’re almost home! ///
OUR CONSTITUTION DECLARES
….Our Constitution recognizes individual rights from our Creator, and places government in a subservient position to the people.
Bastiat and de Tocqueville recognized that people should be free––not just from foreign domination, but from a government that rules and overrules its people. This, for them, was only a dream. Yet it is precisely this that is the genius of our “matchless Constitution.” It lifts up the freedom of the individual as endowed by our Creator, while it instructs the government what the government may do. Under our Constitution, the voting public––not the government––has the last word.
I will vote for the candidate who defends the people’s Constitutional rights, instead of seeking to curtail them. SO…
TRUMP OR CLINTON?
This election is not about two imperfect candidates; it is about the future of America. One course in 2016 is to cherish and defend our Constitution, with its guarantees of individual liberty, limited government, and the opportunity to change and improve our national life. The other direction is to exchange our freedom for government control and the dole, aspiring one day to be like every other country ruled by tyrants.
Hillary Clinton relishes government assistance (read subjugation) for the population. Able-bodied people are sapped of their initiative, denying them the fruit of their labor, weakening the fabric of society. In 1982, Economics Professor Walter Williams wrote in his book, The State Against Blacks, “The welfare state has done to black Americans what slavery couldn’t do, and that is to destroy the black family.” This is one of many examples of Clinton’s vision for ever-bigger government at the expense of the people’s well-being and their Constitutional right to breathe free.
Donald Trump offers the hope of economic and personal freedom, and has spoken many times of his commitment to the Second Amendment, to religious freedom, the right to life, and other God-given rights enshrined in our Constitution.
THE CONSTITUTION: POWER TO *ALL* THE PEOPLE
Given the stark contrast and for the future direction of our country, I will vote for Donald Trump and I ask you to join me.
3. Trump vs. Clinton: Religious Liberty and Life
By Jim DeCamp, 10/1/2016
Vote for Donald Trump for the sake of religious liberty and life.
BLUF (BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT): Donald Trump has promised to protect the right to religious practice for all Americans. Those who have regard for religious freedom––whether they cherish a faith of their own or simply respect the Constitutional right of others to do so––must defeat Hillary Clinton.
THE PEOPLE’S RIGHT TO RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Out of the crucible of religious persecution this nation was born. The Pilgrims arrived on the Mayflower in 1620, then Protestants, Anabaptists, Quakers, Amish––they came. Fleeing the sword and torture chamber, seeking a future in peace for themselves and their posterity, intent on living in obedience to the teachings of Christ––they came. Many never reached these shores alive, and life in this new land ended in a multitude of early graves. Yet they came. The yearning to worship and live out one’s faith freely proving more powerful than any threat to life, itself––they came. Buoyed by the promises of the God of Holy Scripture, and drawn by the prospect of life eternal with Him––they came.
A century-and-a-half after the Pilgrims, a new generation would declare: “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”
Religious liberty had taken root and, while God had bestowed it, government was to be its guarantor:
> The first words of the First Amendment of the new Constitution: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof….”
> And here in Indiana, our Constitution is even more explicit on conscience protection. Article I, Section 3: “No law shall, in any case whatever, control the free exercise and enjoyment of religious opinions, or interfere with the rights of conscience.”
The cry to be free had been heard.
ROOT AND FRUIT
When religious people live out their faith, everyone benefits. Might there be, among them, some criminals and frauds? To my knowledge it has always been that way. But sincere believers will always live out their faith.
My parents were missionaries to Korea. One day at supper, my father said, “I met with someone at the U. S. Embassy today. This diplomat said, ‘Look, it’s OK for you missionaries to run orphanages, hospitals and schools. Just lay off the religion.’” (In fact, there were lots of other good things going on: widows’ homes, leprosariums, prostheses for war amputees, rescue missions of all kinds, agricultural training etc.)
My dad reflected, “He wants the fruit without the root.”
SOCIETY BENEFITS FROM RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Today, from shore to shore, God’s people are sharing His love and following Christ’s call to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Right here in Indianapolis…food banks, woodworking training, rescue missions, parenting skills coaching, help with home ownership, free legal advice, medical clinics, home companions, pregnancy help centers, tutors in the Brookside Neighborhood…everywhere one looks God’s people are pouring out their lives for others.
In his book, Deicide: How Eliminating the Deity Is Destroying America, Curt Smith shows how the balanced three-part structure of Family/Government/Church feeds the Life/Liberty/Pursuit of Happiness vision of our Founders. Religious liberty is integral to all that has made America great.
The weak and vulnerable are hurt when citizens are prohibited from living out their sincerely held religious beliefs. Yet that is precisely what some are seeking to accomplish.
THE THREAT TO RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
There is a rising tide of anti-religious zealotry. Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council: “The weight of government is being used to quarantine faith within the four walls of the church, and that is not religious freedom.” It is with much disappointment that I have seen elected officials in my own party betray First Amendment religious liberty protections.
The left has trained its hostile gaze on sincerely religious people, which is why November 8 is so decisive. I heard Donald Trump speak at the Values Voter Summit in DC on September 9. He repeatedly pledged to protect the Constitutional right of religious freedom for all Americans. Hillary Clinton has made no such claim.
SOCIETY, THE BIG LOSER
I believe that God’s true followers––whose faith is rooted in His truth––are secure, come what may. Enemies of religious faith cannot touch the root, but they are in a position to sever fruit, thereby inflicting untold suffering upon the needy.
Today persecution takes the form of a $135,000 fine on a small family-owned business, forcing the owners with their five children to close their doors. (There are scores of other examples I could cite.) When religious faith and action is punished, the faithful will survive, strengthened by the promise that God will be with them, and inspired by the example of the faithful from generations past. It is the weakest of the weak who will be most brutalized.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY AND LIFE –– INEXTRICABLY LINKED
Nowhere are lives more hanging in the balance than by the greatest killer in America today: induced abortion. Yet it is precisely here that believers everyday are offering hope in crisis and––yes––God’s forgiveness and healing for those who have abortion in their history. God offers comprehensive solutions: guidance for living in the context of a personal relationship with Jesus, forgiveness for ANYTHING we may have done, and restoration of a broken life. Oh, to be free….
Not only would personal religious liberty be threatened if Hillary were elected; bringing hope in despair and healing for the wounds of life would be suppressed, as would 240-year-old Constitutional guarantees.
NOVEMBER 8 –– ONE FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS
Donald Trump has condemned in no uncertain terms the ghoulish, barbaric practices of Planned Parenthood: selling baby parts for profit; Hillary Clinton continues staunchly to support Planned Parenthood. Donald Trump has promised to appoint Supreme Court Justices in the mold of Justice Scalia; Hillary Clinton, no such respect for the Constitution nor for human life.
November 8 may well make history, friends. Please join me in voting for religious liberty, for human life…for Donald Trump.
4. Trump vs. Clinton: As the Family, So Goes the Nation
By Jim DeCamp, 10/7/2016
For the sake of the American family, and therefore our nation’s future, I am voting for the Trump-Pence ticket, and I hope you will, as well.
TRUMP VS. CLINTON: AS THE FAMILY, SO GOES THE NATION
(On September 19, I posted an introduction to this series explaining why I’m voting for Donald Trump. The first three of nine planned posts were made on Sep. 23, 27 and Oct. 1. This is the fourth.)
BLUF (BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT): Americans are born, study, live, work, and die in the context of their family. The traditional American family is the only societal structure that will adequately provide for parenting responsibilities; support the educational challenges; statistically minimize poverty, drug problems, run-ins with the law, and youth suicides; sustain work demands; transfer the moral foundation; and confirm the national identity––all of which are necessary for our country to survive. Only the Trump-Pence ticket will defend and protect the beleaguered American family.
FAMILY IS JOB ONE
The year before retiring, I was influenced by someone who said, “Those of you who are now, or soon will be retired: If you can possibly do so, please invest in the lives of your children and grandchildren. The future of our nation depends on it.”
I decided to do just that, full time. As I studied my new mission, I learned how the American family is being threatened by a corrosive culture, and besieged by Big Money, Big Media, and Big Government.
ALL VOICES HEARD?
This post is not about what to do with adult attractions and pleasures; it is about the future of the American family and, therefore, of our country. Ryan T. Anderson, in his book Truth Overruled: The Future of Marriage and Religious Freedom, reflected on the Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges: “…[I]t has shut down debate just as we were starting to hear new voices––gay people who agree that children need their mother and their father, and children of same-sex couples who wish they knew both their mom and dad.”
Other voices missing in this debate are those of many churches. (But––alas––this self-imposed silence by churches is grist for another post and another day.)
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY––LOOKING FORWARD
One of the reasons, traditionally, that guests are invited to a wedding is to share in the joy. Yet in some sense, those guests also represent the community, which has a stake in the success of that marriage and family. Anderson writes, “Society as a whole, not merely any given set of spouses, benefits from marriage. This is because marriage helps to channel procreative love into a stable institution that provides for the orderly bearing and rearing of the next generations.”
The next generations….
We are talking about the future of the American family and, therefore, of our country, friends. There was a day when virtually all children grew up in a home with Mom and Dad; today in America that number is under 50%. The statistics of additional challenges for children living without the benefit of Mom and Dad in the home are sobering for each family, and alarming for the nation’s future. Dr. James Dobson said at the Values Voter Summit in September that if Hillary were elected, he did not think it likely that the American family would survive.
There is something very practical AND very near-term that can be done, and it’s happening on November 8. Party Platforms express a vision for America, and the difference could not be more stark.
REPUBLICAN PARTY PLATFORM
This is part of the statement on marriage and family adopted by the GOP in July, 2016, and which a Republican House and Senate will support Donald Trump in pursuing:
“Traditional marriage and family, based on marriage between one man and one woman, is the foundation for a free society and has for millennia been entrusted with rearing children and instilling cultural values.” The platform affirms the numerous benefits of natural marriage to human flourishing, and supported by overwhelming evidence from social science, concludes that “every child deserves a married mom and dad.”
DEMOCRATIC PARTY PLATFORM
The Democratic Party Platform, also adopted in July, 2016, expresses Hillary Clinton’s it-takes-a-village vision for raising children.
The Democrats look to government and “social support services,” not marriage and family as the foundation of American society. Without mentioning the family or natural marriage, Democrats “are committed to creating a society where children … can thrive physically, emotionally, educationally, and spiritually … [through] civil structures that are essential to creating this for every child.”
“DANGER CLOSE!”
One party lifts up the role of marriage and family, Mom and Dad, and rearing children with cultural values. The other party promotes government programs and support services in lieu of the traditional family structure.
I’m not known as an alarmist; I eschew all such talk. An alarmist is someone who stirs people up needlessly. The danger to the American family is real and it is close.
In the Army when calling in artillery that would land nearby, one always ended the call with “DANGER CLOSE!”––a reminder to the gunners that the fate of friendly lives is in their hands. As I ponder how close we are to losing the American family, that artillery warning rings loud and clear.
THE HOUR IS NEAR
Four weeks from Tuesday, voters will decide whether to give the American family the opportunity for a comeback. I say “opportunity” because government can only create conditions for restoring healthy families. Moral values, inspired by faith and instilled by moms and dads, are essential if the family is to survive. It is here, fellow believers, that the church must resume its witness in society, or it will share in the fate of the family…as will its children’s children. We defend what we love.
Government cannot and ought not provide guidance in this area. But government must defend the Constitutional freedom of Americans to live their conscience, and government must protect the only time-proven institution that will carry the future of our nation on its back: the traditional family.
At the human level, the only hope for the American family is a Trump-Pence Administration. I will vote for it on November 8, and I sincerely hope you will, too.
What Timing!
By Jim DeCamp, October 8, 2016
In answer to a vulgar tape of Donald Trump speaking 15 years earlier, which had just been released, I wrote this piece. (It was not part of the already-planned series, but was inserted at this point.)
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WHAT TIMING!
“What timing!” I say to self. “The very day (yesterday) I post an affirmative piece on Donald Trump’s candidacy, this revelation comes out. And what else may still be revealed?”
REVULSION AND GRACE
I received this question from a FB friend (and have permission to share it): “Should the risk of Hillary as president and the hope of a more conservative supreme court overrule my revulsion of Trump?” My answer, in a word: Yes.
I have read parts of a transcript, and may not listen to the tape for the same reason I don’t go to a lot of movies nor watch a lot of TV. I have no need to fall all over myself creating distance from those comments.
Much of the best counseling takes place in private, and I believe Donald is availing himself of the best moral and spiritual advice. My guess is that this has included subjects such as sin, repentance, forgiveness, grace, and upright living going forward. There is mercy at the foot of the Cross. (I claim that Good News every day!)
I do not dismiss such comments because they occurred 11 years ago, nor am I quick to point to hypocrisy of others. In the first case, sin is sin, and it must be dealt with. In the second, the double standard in today’s world is what it is, and it will all come out in the wash. Just as Donald must face his wrongdoing, so will we all––today, or on that Day. Our choice.
POLITICAL OFFICE HOLDERS
On Sep. 23, I posted, “Consider the office being sought. Trump’s style is rough (to be kind), and he has acknowledged unfaithfulness in his personal life. He has hurled insults and accusations, and found it difficult to acknowledge mistakes. Yet I am voting for Trump because I am voting for an office holder, not my pastor. The future of America must override personal distaste.”
I have no quarrel, in principle, with those who say, “I just cannot abide a president who would say such things.” (I hope never to hear words like that from anyone, let alone my president.)
So does it come down to a choice between a candidate who says and does terrible things vs. a candidate who says and does terrible things?
Not to be flippant; this is hard for those of us who wrestle over the ethical implications of our vote.
A RAY OF HOPE
On Sep. 19, I began a series of posts explaining why I’m voting for Trump on Nov. 8––considering the dire alternative: “As I see it, it’s not a matter of which party wins; it’s about whether our Republic survives…My purpose here is to encourage support for the one candidate who carries a ray of hope, who provides a foothold––who, if nothing else, may at least buy time––for the recovery of the land we love.”
NO TRIUMPHALISM (NOR PUN INTENDED) HERE
In the last 18 hours, my thinking has taken these steps: distaste, mourning, prayer for someone who needs grace, prayer for a nation where freedom is on the wane, reaffirmation of my decision to vote…and I’m back to prayer.
I make no predictions and do not know what God’s timeline is for this country. Each of us must vote our conscience. And may God’s will be done.
5. Trump vs. Clinton: Health Care and Mercy
By Jim DeCamp, October 15, 2016
Health care is another reason I’m voting for the Trump-Pence ticket, and I ask you to join me.
TRUMP VS. CLINTON: HEALTH CARE AND MERCY
BLUF (BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT): The only thing centralized medicine guarantees is a place in the queue. Only Trump offers the hope of outstanding patient-centric and sustainable health care for all Americans.
CONTRAST IN CARE: FREEDOM VS. CONTROL
Here is the fundamental difference between Trump’s plan and that of Clinton’s:
TRUMP allows the patient, the doctor, the 50 States, and the free market to provide care.
CLINTON makes promises which, while appealing, are utterly dependent upon government to fulfill.
Donald Trump will repeal Obamacare, then rebuild high-quality health care through competition and market forces. Hillary Clinton would seek more centralized control, culminating in a completely government run medical system. When money runs low, the only thing a centralized health system can do is constrict care.
MY BIGGEST CONCERN: LOSS OF FREEDOM
What concerns me most about Obamacare is not the erosion of health care––though that, alone, is enough to oppose it! What concerns me most is the loss of freedom, and the implications it carries to the rest of life.
What could be more freedom-threatening than the private, patient-doctor relationship being replaced by top-down rules and rationed health care? Instead of people deciding with their doctors what treatment is best, people’s care would be determined by bureaucrats, with cost-control mandates delaying and eventually denying the very care that has been promised. Death Panels.
When we are in the Emergency Room, we just want care NOW, and questions of funding, quality, and sustainability take a back seat, understandably. But eventually, those questions must be addressed, and on November 8, 2016, Americans will make a serious about the future of our health care system.
TRUMP’S MARKET FORCES / CREATIVE SOLUTIONS APPROACH
Donald Trump’s plan:
> Repeal and replace Obamacare with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).
> Work with Congress to create a patient-centered health care system that promotes choice, quality, and affordability.
> Work with states to establish high-risk pools to ensure access to coverage for individuals who have not maintained continuous coverage.
> Allow people to purchase insurance across state lines, in all 50 states, creating a dynamic market.
> Maximize flexibility for states via block grants so that local leaders can design innovative Medicaid programs that will better serve their low-income citizens.
For more information, see https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/healthcare-reform
Hillary Clinton’s plan:
> Defend and expand the Affordable Care Act, which covers 20 million people.
> Bring down out-of-pocket costs like copays and deductibles.
> Reduce the cost of prescription drugs.
> Protect consumers from unjustified prescription drug price increases from companies that market long-standing, life-saving treatments and face little or no competition.
> Fight for health insurance for the lowest-income Americans in every state by incentivizing states to expand Medicaid
For more information, see https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/health-care/
Contrast a creative and substantive cost-cutting measure––Trump’s “Allow people to purchase insurance across state lines, in all 50 states, creating a dynamic market” [as we already do with auto insurance]––with Hillary’s vague “Bring down out-of-pocket costs like copays and deductibles.” Trump’s plan contains solutions, with a private sector way to reduce cost; Hillary offers intentions, imposed by government power.
TRUTHFULNESS AND SUSTAINABILITY
Obamacare is costing massively more than originally promised; it’s future is not private providers serving the people at government’s behest. Barack Obama’s vision is a “single payer” system, where government controls all. Some medical insurance companies––early supporters of Obamacare––are suffering, along with their customers…by design. Just yesterday (Oct. 14), Bloomberg.com headlined, “More Than 1 Million to Lose Obamacare Plans as Insurers Quit.” See http://www.bloomberg.com/…/more-than-1-million-in…
“While it’s not clear what all the consequences of the departing insurers will be,” Bloomberg Reported, “interviews with regulators and insurance customers suggest that plans will be fewer and more expensive, and may not include the same doctors and hospitals.”
Which leads us to the lie that deceived so many in 2008: “If you like your doctor/hospital/health plan, you can keep them.” Many times this falsehood was repeated by the President. Government control is the goal, and government cannot take enough money away from the people to provide their medical needs.
MEDICINE AND MERCY
There is something about human need that calls for compassion, self-sacrifice. My maternal grandparents sailed to China as missionaries in the 1890s. My grandfather was a doctor, and built a hospital near Shanghai––aptly named Love and Mercy Hospital. The realities of financing the hospital were a constant challenge, of course, yet God supplied what was needed in that austere setting.
Like Obama before her, Hillary is not proposing a private-sector solution that relies on market principles and on the generosity of wealthy Americans. Early on, the Obama administration reduced the deduction for charitable contributions. This was hailed as putting the squeeze on the rich; in reality, it was the beginning of a subtle movement to replace private charities with government programs. I see no mercy in that.
As I pointed to in Post #3, “Religious Liberty and Life” (on Oct. 1), there is considerable overlap between religious freedom and service ministries in our country. Today, government is obstructing the free-flow of mercy; this does not bode well for the sick under government-controlled care.
TWO WORLDS, YOUR VOTE
Freedom/Sustainability and Control/Decline are on the ballot November 8. I am voting for Trump-Pence, and I invite you to join me.
6. Trump vs. Clinton: Military Readiness and Foreign Policy
By Jim DeCamp, 10/19/2016
The Trump-Pence team will rebuild national security. Join me in voting for them on or before November 8!
BLUF (BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT): Our nation is in peril, our military depleted, and we have lost the respect of friend and foe. Only the Trump-Pence team will rebuild our military might and restore our standing in the world.
POWER AND ENDURANCE
There are all kinds of motivations for wearing the uniform, yet at the deepest level military people do what they do out of love––love for freedom, for their country, for their family, their neighbor and their neighbor’s family. There are other strong motivators in life––fear, guilt, bitterness––but LOVE is the healthiest, the most enduring. And we need THIS motivator because we will be fighting terrorists for the rest of our lives.
I begin this way because America does not have the option of living in denial nor growing weary in the fight. For the sake of generations yet unborn, we must fortify those who defend us, even as we strive to shape a better world.
HAMSTRUNG…WITH HOPE
In Obama’s eight years, the United State military has been decimated, treated with contempt by this administration, and used by the left for social experimentation. Political correctness classes have crowded out combat training and Code of Conduct instruction. Now, forcing females into units whose mission is direct contact with the enemy is lowering physical standards and eroding combat capability––not to mention damaging the health of the women involved.
The first responsibility of government is to secure the nation. Hillary Clinton will continue Obama’s disastrous and disgraceful use of our military. Donald Trump will rebuild it.
In 1991, our car broke down in Montana. Towed into Anaconda, the good people there replaced the differential and had us back on the road the same day. Today our military is in serious disrepair. Restoring readiness requires the equivalent of millions of differentials. There is hope, yet it will take years.
It’s a daunting task, but we can do it. We must. Under Trump-Pence, we will!
PRIORITIZING SECURITY
Rebuilding our military and restoring our standing in the world will be Job One for the next president. Donald Trump will secure this nation by regaining respect for our military abroad, rebuilding our capabilities at home, and repairing the damage to our ranks inflicted by leftist radicals.
Without security, the land we love cannot survive. Trump’s campaign says, “The American people will come first once again. Donald Trump’s plan will begin with safety at home––which means safe neighborhoods, secure borders, and protection from terrorism.”
STRONG MILITARY *PLUS* EFFECTIVE DIPLOMACY
The military has unique missions and capabilities, yet it is by no means the only way of promoting our national interests around the world. The Department of State is to interpret and implement our foreign policy through relationships and negotiations with foreign governments.
America has given a fortune to other countries for economic development and to alleviate suffering. Too often, however, these funds have been scammed by corrupt governments and criminal cartels, or wasted through inadequate oversight or end-of-fiscal-year spending sprees.
America is a generous nation, but love is not for sale in the world of diplomacy. It is more important that America be respected for keeping her word: trusted by allies and feared by enemies. Donald Trump loves and wants the best for this country, and will put her interests first.
DARK NIGHT OF DIPLOMACY
In 2008, Barack Obama created the expectation that, under his leadership, the world would love America again. Today, with an incoherent foreign policy and a thinly veiled contempt for this country, Obama and his former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, watch as North Korea thumbs its nose at us, the Russian threat grows, and our allies scurry to defend themselves––alone.
Instead of promoting our national interests, President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton used their high offices to weaken our country around the world. They spotlighted America’s domestic tensions before the United Nations General Assembly, undercut our allies such as Israel, and emboldened––even enabled––a mortal enemy like Iran.
Hillary Clinton utterly failed her leadership exam. She disgraced herself by dereliction that led to four dead Americans in Benghazi––including the U.S. ambassador, the personal representative of the President! Subsequent lies about a video tape, illegal use and/or destruction of classified emails, leveraging the power of her office to enrich her own fortunes––and too many other breaches of integrity to name here––leave the alert American voter…
… with one option––and a good one at that: the Trump-Pence ticket.
“MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN”
Is it any wonder that Donald Trump and Mike Pence are speaking to overflow crowds? Lampooned as American triumphalism, this campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again,” has struck a chord with the American people. Americans want to be defended against radical Islamic terrorism. They want to live their lives in peace and with opportunity. They have had it with corruption that passes as politics. Many have tuned out those who traditionally brought them the “news.”
Often, when studying a complex or contentious issue, I have thought “…the answer to this is an informed electorate.” Increasingly, Americans are not intimidated nor dissuaded by insults and attempts to marginalize their concerns; they are too busy looking after their families and their jobs. They sense that their country may be running out of time, and they have a candidate in whom they are willing to entrust their lives and their future.
His name is Donald Trump, and I’m voting for him. I hope you will, too
7. Trump vs. Clinton: The Courts and Justice
By Jim DeCamp, 10/21/2016
Only Donald Trump will appoint justices to the Supreme Court who respect the Constitution and will preserve its protections for our children’s children. I am voting for the Trump-Pence team, and I ask you to join me.
BLUF (BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT): Virtually every Constitutional right Americans enjoy will be either undergirded or undercut, come Nov. 8. Trump will defend our rights; Hillary will wipe them away like the hard drive on her server. Impending Supreme Court justices will do more to determine the trajectory of this country than any other issue in this race.
DIVIDING LINE
This one issue––the face and future of the U. S. Supreme Court––is uniting 2nd Amendment patriots, pro-life activists, religious liberty proponents, free speech defenders, individual liberty champions, limited government advocates, libertarians of all stripes…you name it…this is the dividing line in the 2016 presidential race.
A SHIFT––SOON AND LONG
Oliver Roeder at FiveThirtyEight wrote on August 1 of this year:
“One of the most enduring legacies of the next president will flow from a few words in Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution: the power to nominate justices to the Supreme Court. With the court still shorthanded after the death of conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, and with two of its sitting justices older than 80, the next president will shape the court, and through it the law of the land, for decades to come.” (http://fivethirtyeight.com/…/clinton-and-trump-are…/)
The three oldest justices––Ginsberg (83), Kennedy (80), and Breyer (78)––are on the liberal side, while “the oldest of the three sitting conservative stalwarts — John Roberts, Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas — is only 68,” wrote Roeder.
The next two to three nominees will determine the Court––and the future of liberty and justice––for a very long time.
OUR PERSONAL LEGACY
From religious liberty to life, from every basic Constitutional right to the rule of law for decades to come, our vote on Nov. 8 may well impact our descendants more than any other vote we cast.
FELLOW EVANGELICALS: REMEMBER OUR CALLING
For anyone who cares about ethics, political calls can be difficult. Evangelicals, and I number myself among them, are well aware of our sinful nature. We do not like to be close to the boundaries of evil. Even distasteful words, or others’ actions, can at times send us fleeing.
Many of us more easily entertain theological mystery––the sovereignty of God and the free will of man, for example, or why a holy God would deign to die for a sinful race––than we embrace the tension of an important political decision. God knew this when He called us to be salt and light, “to build bridges of grace to bear the weight of truth,” to put others before ourselves.
We, of all people, should be advocate for the helpless. The hungry and poor have no determined foes; it is babies waiting to be born who must be protected….and their mothers cared for.
The blood of the innocent will be spared or spilled by the outcome of Nov. 8. God’s people have often risked––and at times given––their lives for others. Our task is not hard. Politics can be smelly and sweaty and scary, but we have the opportunity to be instruments of peace and righteousness. On our way into the polling place, we will ponder that only Trump-Pence will uphold the right to life for the most helpless among us…for decades to come.
FOR THE COURT AND THE FUTURE
There is a wide and committed coalition of Americans that will vote on Nov. 8. Each of the issues mentioned at the beginning, and more, is at stake. I will vote for Trump-Pence, and I ask you to join me.
8. Trump vs. Clinton: Taxation, Energy and Regulations
By Jim DeCamp, 10/26/2016
Donald Trump understands the obstacles to success that government erects, and he will remove them! I am voting for the Trump-Pence ticket. Join me.
BLUF (BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT): This post contrasts the Trump and Clinton campaigns in three areas:
1) TAXATION. Promote prosperity through free enterprise, or punish success by increased taxation.
2) ENERGY. Stimulate job creation through plentiful energy, or stifle the economy by strangling energy supplies.
3) REGULATIONS. Enable the free market, or suffocate business by overregulation.
The Trump-Pence Team will promote, stimulate and enable; Clinton will punish, stifle and suffocate.
1) TAXATION
In order to execute its Constitutionally mandated responsibilities, Congress has a Constitutionally authorized means of raising funds. Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1 of the U. S. Constitution enables Congress to “collect taxes, duties, imposts [tariffs] and excises.” See http://www.heritage.org/constitution…
GOVERNMENT AND ITS CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE
This post is not primarily about money. At its core it’s about an attitude, and about the Oath of Allegiance to the U. S. Constitution that every elected official assumes.
The military is sometimes involved in “mission creep”––the expansion it its duties beyond the original order. The federal government has been feeding its own mission creep for well over a century (including getting its hands on the people’s paychecks with passage of the Amendment XVI, ratified in 1913, authorizing the federal income tax).
[I’m interested in the backstory behind passage of the XVI Amendment. What was the driving force? What growing attitude did it reveal? Who made a limited-government case against it?]
THE PARTIES AND CANDIDATES
A voracious appetite for money and power infects government attitudes as well as those of individuals. So where do the 2016 candidates and parties stand on taxes?
“Republicans consider the establishment of a pro-growth tax code a moral imperative” (from the Preamble to the 2016 Republican Party Platform). This reflects the belief that people actually own the money they earn; it is not on loan from the government, which demands more of it back every year.
“Making the Wealthy Pay Their Fair Share of Taxes” (A section heading in the 2016 Democratic Party Platform). This belies an attitude that people’s money represents not hard work, but their greed––from which government must deliver them!
THE DIFFERENCE IN A NUTSHELL
Republicans promote prosperity through free enterprise, and accept individual responsibility. Democrats punish success by increased taxation, then spread the money around. As a successful businessman, Donald Trump knows how to reinvest profits to build jobs and generate wealth. Hillary Clinton, who has lived off the government for 30 years, understands that before government can give, it must first take away.
2) ENERGY
FAILED DEMOCRAT POLICIES
The 2008 election of Barack Obama introduced Americans to strange–sounding words, like Solyndra and Ener1.
Solyndra, touted as a solar energy panacea, famously filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection, after blowing through $535M of the people’s money, given by Obama. Electric car manufacturer, Ener1, crashed, leaving taxpayers with a $118M obligation, again arranged by the Obama administration. See https://www.washingtonpost.com/…/26/gIQAA5T3TQ_story.html
Hillary Clinton has doubled down on these failed policies, and stonewalled the production of reliable, clean and proven energy sources. The Keystone Pipeline was to bring vast quantities of oil and gas from Canada to the U. S. Gulf Coast, creating jobs at home and more independence from foreign oil. Hillary’s State Department, which had to sign off on this project, steadfastly refused to do so.
The Keystone Pipeline still holds great potential––just waiting for someone to come along and put America’s workers and security first.
REPUBLICANS LOOK TO THE FUTURE, OPPORTUNITY, SECURITY
“Together, the people of America’s energy sector…can guarantee the nation’s energy security for centuries to come if, instead of erecting roadblocks, government facilitates the creation of an all-of-the-above energy strategy” (2016 Republican Party Platform).
Republicans stimulate jobs and grow wealth through plentiful, clean, economical and reliable energy. Democrat policies stifle the economy by strangling energy supplies.
Donald Trump lifts up “An America First Energy Plan.” He will “Unleash America’s $50 trillion in untapped shale, oil, and natural gas reserves, plus hundreds of years in clean coal reserves.”
3) REGULATIONS
“Perhaps the biggest concern about modern America expressed by Larry Arnn, President of Hillsdale College in southern Michigan, is the unbounded growth of Big Government.” (https://necessaryandpropergovt.wordpress.com/…/when…/)
And it’s not just life-long politicians in Washington who have long since stopped going home. It’s the massive federal bureaucracy––now mirrored in every state––that thrives, not to fix problems, but to apply the rules. Many of these rules are never passed by Congress; they are imposed on the people by nameless, faceless bureaucrats. As Dr. Arnn has written, “Laws are understandable, passed by accountable officials, and apply to everyone. Regulations meet none of these criteria.” (My memory/paraphrase of something he wrote in 2012.)
And so, the Preamble to the 2016 Republican Party Platform declares, “That is why the many sections of this platform affirm our trust in the people, our faith in their judgment, and our determination to help them take back their country. This means removing the power from unelected, unaccountable government. This means relieving the burden and expense of punishing government regulations.”
The most egregious examples of regulatory abuse (although it would take a long time to list them) emanate from the Environmental Protection Agency.
The Trump-Pence ticket will lower taxes, stimulate energy production, and rein in an unruly federal bureaucracy. I urge you to join me in voting for Trump-Pence!
9: Trump vs. Clinton: Immigration, and Law and Order
By Jim DeCamp, 10/28/2016
Donald Trump will restore legal immigration, and protect Americans from terrorists, criminals, and those who illegally supplant them in the job market. I have voted for Trump-Pence, and I urge you to join me.
BLUF (BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT): The issue that ignited Donald Trump’s campaign in the summer of 2015––illegal immigration and its impact on the American people––continues to build support for his candidacy. Hillary’s advocacy of open borders, non-enforcement of the law, and subsidies for sanctuary cites paints a stark contrast between herself and Donald Trump.
AMERICA’S WILL TO LIVE
Facing reality can be painful and sometimes scary, but it’s healthy. And on this subject of immigration, America’s willingness to face reality may prove to be lifesaving.
In a post on Oct. 17, I quoted Pamela Geller, “The west has lost the will to live.” This was the title of a column she wrote 11 months ago on Breitbart.com; it was about the European nations’ inability to secure their borders. Unvetted migrants were flooding their countries by the hundreds of thousands, swamping communities, overrunning public safety and health resources, and outnumbering law enforcement personnel. The surge in crime––including mass rapes––was unthinkable.
On this side of the Atlantic, one thing is certain: rank and file Americans are extremely concerned about the flood of illegal migrants; they are already facing reality. All they want is a president who will lead on this subject!
FACING THE UNTHINKABLE
There are many legal residents who commit violent crimes, of course; this is a national problem already. Yet to allow masses of people to cross our borders illegally, then commit vicious crimes, then shield them from arrest, prosecution and/or deportation––this is national suicide.
The Federation for American Immigration Reform believes “our immigration laws must be reformed to better serve the needs of current and future generations.” Go to http://www.fairus.org/issue/examples-of-serious-crimes-by-illegal-aliens to see short videos of what happened to these three beautiful young women:
Tessa Tranchant, Virginia Beach––3 min. 27 sec.
Sarah Root, Omaha, Nebraska––3 min. 27 sec.
Shayley Estes, Phoenix, Arizona––2 min. 33 sec.
Forty-five U. S. Border Patrol Agents have given their lives for our country through hostile action. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Border_Patrol#Killed_in_the_line_of_duty
THOUSANDS RELEASED FROM CUSTODY
According to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, more than 19,000 illegal immigrants were released from custody in 2015. The Center for Immigration Studies reports, “…the 19,723 criminal releases had a total of 64,197 convictions among them. More than 200 of those were homicide convictions.” More than 200 homicide convictions. Even if most of the 19,000 releases were for traffic offenders, our systems is clogged with these cases, delaying or denying justice to legal residents. (For a more detailed discussion of this problem, see http://dailysignal.com/2016/04/28/in-2015-19000-criminal-illegal-immigrants-were-released-from-custody/)
For in-depth immigration articles ranging from border security to human trafficking to violent crimes, see the Federation for American Immigration Reform website: http://www.fairus.org/issues/societal-issues.
UNTHINKABLE BULLETS:
> Current immigration policy costs taxpayers $300 billion a year [National Review, Sept. 22, 2016]
> 62 percent of households headed by illegal immigrants used some form of cash or non-cash welfare programs, like food stamps or housing assistance. [Center for Immigration Studies, Sept. 2015]
> Since 2013 alone, the Obama Administration has allowed 300,000 criminal aliens to return back into U.S. communities.
> Illegal immigrants and other non-citizens in our prisons and jails together had around 25,000 homicide arrests to their names. [United States Government Accountability Office, March 2011]
> There are at least 2 million convicted criminal aliens now inside the country. [Center for Immigration Studies, Oct. 2013]
> Nearly 1 million illegal immigrants, including nearly 200,000 with criminal convictions, had been ordered deported but remain at large. [Washington Examiner, July 1, 2015]
2016 PARTY PLATFORMS
Republican Platform:
“Illegal immigration endangers everyone, exploits the taxpayers, and insults all who aspire to enter America legally…Our highest priority, therefore, must be to secure our borders and all ports of entry and to enforce our immigration laws…We oppose any form of amnesty for those who, by breaking the law, have disadvantaged those who have obeyed it.”
Democratic Platform:
While the Democratic Platform does not use the word “amnesty” anywhere, the following quotations illustrate how Democrats seek to cast the issue in any light except the rule of law: “…the enduring scourge of systemic racism to our deeply broken immigration system…The current quota system discriminates against certain immigrants, including immigrants of color…and there are real questions about our detention and deportation policies that must be addressed…we will defend and implement President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans executive action…We will work to ensure that all Americans—regardless of immigration status—have access to quality health care. That means expanding community health centers…” One would note that U. S. law takes a back seat to building a future political base for the Democratic Party.
The Republican Platform takes a strategic, not personal, approach, mentioning Hillary Clinton’s name only once. By contrast, thirty-two times the Democratic Platform invokes the name of Donald Trump.
DONALD TRUMP’S 10-POINT IMMIGRATION PLAN
1. Begin working on an impenetrable physical wall on the southern border, on day one. Mexico will pay for the wall.
2. End catch-and-release. Under a Trump administration, anyone who illegally crosses the border will be detained until they are removed out of our country.
3. Move criminal aliens out day one, in joint operations with local, state, and federal law enforcement. We will terminate the Obama administration’s deadly, non-enforcement policies that allow thousands of criminal aliens to freely roam our streets.
4. End sanctuary cities.
5. Immediately terminate President Obama’s two illegal executive amnesties. All immigration laws will be enforced – we will triple the number of ICE agents. Anyone who enters the U.S. illegally is subject to deportation. That is what it means to have laws and to have a country.
6. Suspend the issuance of visas to any place where adequate screening cannot occur, until proven and effective vetting mechanisms can be put into place.
7. Ensure that other countries take their people back when we order them deported.
8. Ensure that a biometric entry-exit visa tracking system is fully implemented at all land, air, and sea ports.
9. Turn off the jobs and benefits magnet. Many immigrants come to the U.S. illegally in search of jobs, even though federal law prohibits the employment of illegal immigrants.
10. Reform legal immigration to serve the best interests of America and its workers, keeping immigration levels within historic norms.
See https://www.donaldjtrump.com/policies/immigration/
On September 26, the union representing 5,000 immigration officers endorsed Donald Trump for president (the first time they had ever endorsed a candidate for president).
ONLY ONE CANDIDATE….
Addressing the unthinkable is scary, but healthy. And, now, it may prove to be lifesaving for America.
Only Donald Trump promises to enforce the law, maintain security on our borders and in our streets, lift the unbearable social and economic burden of illegal immigration, end sanctuary cities, and honor all those who are waiting to enter our country honorably.
This week I voted for the Trump-Pence ticket, and I urge you to do the same.